City Council votes to award contract for Downtown Business Improvement District service provider

News release from the City of Asheville:

On Tuesday, January 14, the Asheville City Council voted 5-to-1 to authorize the City Manager to execute a contract with the Asheville Downtown Community Improvement District for delivery of downtown Business Improvement District (BID) services at their regular meeting. Following a competitive selection process, the contract was awarded to the top-ranked service provider, Asheville Downtown Improvement District (ADID), an organization founded through a partnership between the Asheville Downtown Association, Asheville Area Chamber of Commerce, and Nexstreet (MWBE) based in Asheville, NC.

The proposed initial contract term is for a 3-year period with two optional 1-year renewals. The Asheville City Council maintains the final authority to approve the annual BID Budget and set the yearly tax rate to fund the BID. The contracted BID Operator will be responsible for regular reporting to City Council and the public, as well as data-tracking and public engagement to evaluate effectiveness of services.

In his presentation to City Council, Assistant City Manager Ben Woody remarked that the role and services of the BID will be both timely and beneficial to economic recovery for downtown and to the broader community, post-Helene. “Supporting the success and resilience of downtown – our region’s center of employment and commerce – is critical to recovery,” noted Woody.

In addition to the Scope of Services already outlined, the ADID team will hire a Business Resiliency Coordinator to support existing downtown businesses as well as businesses displaced by Hurricane Helene. The Coordinator will also work with public and private agencies to leverage small business and emergency recovery resources, and to coordinate marketing initiatives that support the local economy.

Next Steps

The following timeline for implementation of services was shared in the presentation to Council:

  • January 31, 2025: Contract executed with service provider

  • February/March, 2025: Hiring and training of BID staff

  • March 2025: Initial services launched

    • Initial services to include: engaging businesses, hiring staff, and board selection and approval

    • Anticipated start of April 1 for on-the-ground services to begin

  • March/April, 2025: Service Provider reports activities and accomplishments to City Manager’s Office and Downtown Commission

    • Will include reporting on the launch of the Asheville Downtown Improvement District Program

  • June 2025: BID services fully operational

  • June 2025: Service provider reports activities and accomplishments to City Council

The City is required by  State law to begin providing BID services within one year of formation, or no later than June 30, 2025.

More Information

Stay updated on the Downtown BID and implementation of services by visiting the project page here.

SHARE
About Community Bulletin
Mountain Xpress posts selected news and information of local interest as a public service for our readers. To submit press releases and other community material for possible publication, email news@mountainx.com.

Before you comment

The comments section is here to provide a platform for civil dialogue on the issues we face together as a local community. Xpress is committed to offering this platform for all voices, but when the tone of the discussion gets nasty or strays off topic, we believe many people choose not to participate. Xpress editors are determined to moderate comments to ensure a constructive interchange is maintained. All comments judged not to be in keeping with the spirit of civil discourse will be removed and repeat violators will be banned. See here for our terms of service. Thank you for being part of this effort to promote respectful discussion.

Leave a Reply

To leave a reply you may Login with your Mountain Xpress account, connect socially or enter your name and e-mail. Your e-mail address will not be published. All fields are required.