MARYLANDÌS INTERNATIONAL CORRIDOR

 

TOWARDS OPPORTUNITY

 

 

 

 

 

By Rachael Coleman-Gibson, Mark Antoinne Lewis-Lee, Monica Meade, Elizabeth F. Norton, Ligia Maria Perez Reyes, Alexis Michelle Rourk, Ilana Sommer, and William John Hanna

Edited by Monica Meade and William John Hanna

 

 

Urban Studies and Planning Program

The University of Maryland, College Park

May 2002

 

 

Introduction

 

"Small business is the vehicle by which millions access the American Dream by creating opportunities for women, minorities and immigrants. In this evolutionary process community plays the crucial and indispensable role of providing the social glue and networking that binds the small firms together in both high tech and ÎMain StreetÌ activity."  -SBA, 1998

 

ðððððð MarylandÌs International Corridor became, in 1996, the concept Ò the label Ò for a 2.3 mile commercial strip when the term was coined by University of Maryland researchers. Its more than four hundred businesses along and near University Boulevard from just east of Riggs Road to just west of Piney Branch Road have a significant international presence, ranging from a nightclub that features African popular music to a grocery store that imports directly from more than a score of countries. Since then, the Corridor has been recognized as an important planning entity by the State of Maryland, Montgomery County, Prince GeorgeÌs County, and the City of Takoma Park. Last October, Maryland Governor Parris Glendening chose to visit the CorridorÌs central intersection to announce a major transportation planning decision Ò an Ïinner routeÓ alignment for the proposed Purple Line of the Metro system. Yet the Corridor remains far from its commercial (and residential and aesthetic) potential.

ðððððð MarylandÌs International Corridor is the Ïmain streetÓ of central suburban Maryland, tied together with businesses, residential communities, and yes, transportation. What is the importance of main streets Ò and the main street of central suburban Maryland? We can do no better than draw from the National Main Street Center: [1]

Ö Main Street is a symbol of community economic health, local quality of life, pride, and community history. These are all factors in industrial, commercial and professional recruitment.

Ö A vital Main Street retains and creates jobs, which also means a stronger tax base. Long-term revitalization establishes capable businesses that use public services and provide tax revenues for the community.

Ö Main Street is also a good incubator for new small businesses -- the building blocks of a healthy economy. Strip centers and malls are often too expensive for new entrepreneurs.

Ö A vital Main Street area reduces sprawl by concentrating retail in one area and uses community resources wisely, such as infrastructure, tax dollars and land.

Ö A healthy Main Street core protects property values in surrounding residential neighborhoods.

Ö The traditional commercial district is an ideal location for independent businesses, which in turn: 

Ö Keep profits in town. Chain businesses send profits out of town.

Ö Supports local families with family-owned businesses

Ö Supports local community projects, such as ball teams and schools

Ö Provide an extremely stable economic foundation, as opposed to a few large businesses and chains with no ties to stay in the community

Ö A revitalized Main Street increases the community's options for goods and services: whether for basic staples, like clothing, food and professional services or less traditional functions such as housing and entertainment.

Ö Main Street provides an important civic forum, where members of the community can congregate. Parades, special events and celebrations held there reinforce intangible sense of community. Private developments like malls can and do restrict free speech and access.

Ö Many Main Street districts become tourist attractions by virtue of the character of buildings, location, selection of unique businesses, and events held there.

ðððððð The research reported in this document is dedicated to the proposition that MarylandÌs International CorridorÌs potential is strong and should be realized. But what approach should be taken? In early 2002, the Urban Land Institute issued ÏReinventing Suburban Business Districts,Ó a publication that provides an important set of guidelines. They list ten, of which the following directly apply to the challenge this research team undertook for the International Corridor: understand your position in the market; build community support; develop a vision and a plan; and create a public/private partnership. (In addition, the following are already underway: honor human scale by creating a pedestrian-friendly place; think transit Ò think density.) [2]

ðððððð This report has been prepared by a team of nine writers-researchers, all affiliated with the University of Maryland at College Park. A seminar in the universityÌs Urban Studies and Planning Program served as the institutional vehicle for the work. The report has been written by Rachael Coleman-Gibson, Mark Antoinne Lewis-Lee, Monica Meade, Elizabeth F. Norton, Ligia Maria Perez Reyes, Alexis Michelle Rourk, and Ilana Sommer, and edited by Monica Meade and William John Hanna; these eight people plus Jeanette Antonieta Paucar conducted the field research upon which the report is based.

ðððððð Work on this project began in late January 2002 and continued through May 2002. An oral version of the report, presented to the semi-annual meeting of the Takoma-Langley Crossroads Development Authority in early May (which various state and local officials attended), provided the team with an important opportunity to test ideas and obtain feedback. There has been significant input from a number of individuals, including Charles Buki who consults for Prince GeorgeÌs County, H. Joseph Edwards of HJE Associates, Gul Guleryuz of the Prince GeorgeÌs County Economic Development Corporation, Marc ÏKapÓ Kapistan of Quantum Management, Erwin Mack of the Takoma-Langley Crossroads Development Authority, and Peter Shapiro of the Prince GeorgeÌs County Council, plus more than sixty Corridor businesspeople who served as interview respondents.

ðððððð It is the hope of the members of the research team that this report will provide an additional catalyst to the process of Corridor development. Feedback is encouraged so that future editions of the report reflect the thinking of all area stakeholders and specialists. [3]

 

 

Vision Statement

 

ðððððð We have a vision of the future of MarylandÌs International Corridor.ð Our vision is of a vibrant and stable business community reflecting the multitude of ethnic groups that live and shop in this area.

ðððððð Already the cuisine and music of other cultures draw adventurous people looking for something more unusual than pizza.ð We envision this trend increasing.ð The restaurants, music and dance clubs will be part of a lively nightlife that brings people throughout the DC area.ð These newcomers to the corridor will see the other businesses, and all businesses will ultimately benefit.ð Business development will mean neighborhood development.ð Successful businesses provide employment and income to community members and their families.ð These benefits will not only strengthen the local residents and the local economy, but even relatives in the countries left behind, as money is sent back to them.

ðððððð One of the most important components of this vision of the future is an organization of the business people providing political and collective strength.ð With collective power government will more easily hear the voice of the community and the community will be more able to attain its goals.ð On another level this organization will provide more practical benefits such as mentoring and guidance for new businesses.ð

ðððððð We envision corridor businesses working to create an environment where diners and shoppers feel safe.ð Not only will crime be lessened, but also the perception of crime will be lessened.ð Streets and other public space will be cared for and beautified.ð Public transportation in and around the area will be convenient and accessible.

ðððððð We see a small or micro-business development center supporting existing businesses and help develop new enterprises.ð It will educate and serve the community and provide micro-loans or at least assistance obtaining financing.

ðððððð Finally we envision a time where people from throughout the DC metropolitan area will consider the corridor to be an attractive destination for day and evening shopping and entertainment.

 

Current Initiatives

 

ðððððð The work that we report on builds upon solid the foundations and initiatives of others. The attention that many have given to the area strengthens the rationale for our proposals to improve MarylandÌs International Corridor. Some of the initiatives already underway include the Tri-Jurisdictional Task Force, the Streetscapes Project, the HotSpots Program, the Community Legacy Program, and a set of transportation projects.

 

The Tri-Jurisdictional Task Force

ðððððð The Tri-Jurisdictional Task Force, linking Montgomery County, Prince GeorgeÌs County, and the City of Takoma Park, was set up by the Office of the Governor in response to lobbying by the Takoma-Langley Crossroads Development Authority, Action Langley Park, and others. The lobbying was catalyzed by a dispute over the job-seeking activities of day laborers who were judged undesirable by some businesspeople and other stakeholders. The day laborer focus broadened to include several other topics of concern to those with a stake in the area. [4]

ðððððð ðThe Task Force Program includes proposals in several areas. One of them is in transportation. Solutions have been established to solve the problems of many pedestrians and those dependent upon public transportation. These will benefit the International Corridor as a whole because it will create continuity along the two-mile commercial strip as well as a more organized space. Some of the solutions set up are: a permanent bus transit facility at the University Boulevard Ò New Hampshire Avenue intersection; relieve overcrowding on key bus routes serving the area; a bus shuttle connecting population centers at and near the intersection, offering an alternative to short vehicle and pedestrian trips; and the ÏInternational ExpressÓ, a new route connecting the corridor running east to west from College Park through the Crossroads to Bethesda. Stops include intersections at University Boulevard and Riggs Road and University Boulevard and New Hampshire Avenue. The first run for this route was on April 15^th 2002. Also, the project includes improvement of basic transit amenities such as more and better bus shelters and benches, improving pedestrian access to bus stops and increased availability of the circulation material (timetables, safety guides, and promotional literature in Spanish). All of these solutions will benefit the area directly because they will create a better landscaping and transportation system.

ðððððð Public Safety is another issue that the three jurisdictions are trying to improve. Before, there was little communication among the separate police forces. The duty of a police officer stopped at the jurisdictional boundary; responsibility did not go beyond the boundary even though the officer could have been helpful to the neighbor city. The solution that the Task Force established was to increase communication and joint patrol between law enforcement agencies of the three jurisdictions. Now they can cross the border to help each other when needed. One of the accomplishments that came along with this is the initiative of 16 Nextel phones for inter-jurisdictional to increase communications among them. One of the promising recommendations is community participation. The task-force states: ÏRealizing that any anti-crime strategy, regardless of how sound, will fail without community involvement, the Subcommittee

recommends increased outreach to residents, business owners and other stakeholders.Ó Hopefully, this will result in close police-businessperson relationships without jeopardizing cooperation with residents, including day laborers.

ðððððð Finally, the day laborers might obtain a new location where the job contracting will be more convenient for both employers and prospective employees. Ideally, this will be located close to intersection of University Boulevard and New Hampshire Avenue, taking into consideration land use issues, such as schools and day care services, and pedestrian and traffic services. The task-force sub-committee stated: ÏOn the basis of the information reviewed, the Day Labor Subcommittee recommends the establishment of a new site to provide employment services for day laborers: in addition to the permanent existing facilities and services, as close as possible to the University Boulevard and New Hampshire Avenue intersection, and which is selected with careful consideration of sensitive land use issues, such as schools and day care centers, takes into account public safety for pedestrians and traffic and addresses the needs of day laborers and the affected neighborhoods.Ó Currently, no specification of the location has taken place because of the dramatically different views of the stakeholders. However, a commission has been establish to make a recommendation. We think it is very important for the vital labor contracting to be facilitated, and yet for the interests of businesspeople to be accommodated.

 

The Streetscapes

ðððððð This Maryland Department of Transportation project includes improvements of pedestrian environments, landscaping, bus shelters and stops, and other important issues that will enhance the attractiveness and mobility in the area. The project held a number of meetings through 2001-2001 to develop a set of recommendations of improvements in the area. [5] The scope of this project is almost contiguous with MarylandÌs International Corridor it includes University Boulevard and the immediate adjoining streets from Piney Branch Road to Adelphi Road. The plans for streetscape improvement, essentially completed, are being forwarded for funding consideration. If the project goes forward, it may be in small segments.

ðððððð The main concern for residents and shoppers of the Corridor area is that University Boulevard is six lanes wide, yet there is considerable pedestrian traffic and, apparently, a strong potential for bicycle traffic. Many people walk to bus stops, schools, parks, businesses, friends, etc. Indeed, the area has the highest concentration of non-auto-owners adjacent to any state road in Maryland. The proposal assumes a 100 foot right-of-way which will include a minimum of ten feet of sidewalks, ten feel of bicycle lanes, 66 feet for six vehicular traffic lanes, and 14 feet of meridian and turning lanes. Where the right-of-way is wider, the sidewalks will be enlarged. Better landscaping, turn lanes, and other amenities are being proposed. Another main issue is the location of the crosswalks, bus stops and commercial entrances. Most people cross from one side of the street to the other side anywhere throughout the corridor. It becomes a safety issue when mothers need to get from one end to another pushing baby strollers or taking groceries back home. This can be a draw back for people who depend on public transportation. Also, public transportation should be coordinated so that people get off near the entrance of the commercial facilities or the bus stop they are going to, rather than walking some distance to get there. The Task Force is working on how to combine the vehicular and pedestrian traffic. This will create a more welcoming environment to any visitor or resident and build a better image of the retail and restaurants in the area.

 

The HotSpot Program

ðððððð Another project currently underway is the Maryland International Corridor HotSpot Program. The Corridor is one of the most recent additions to this GovernorÌs Initiative and is the first to incorporate a multi-jurisdictional effort. The HotSpot Community Program is designed to target and mobilize areas that are at-risk of or maintain high levels of crime. Said Governor Glendening when announcing the program: ÏOne of the goals of our Smart Growth initiative is to revitalize our older towns and cities. But nothing we do - not tax credits or other incentives - will convince citizens to return to neighborhoods if they are afraid of crime. The HotSpots initiative is a centerpiece of our strategy to give old neighborhoods new life." [6]

ðððððð As we know, both from surveying local businesses as well as from a range of social research projects, security, crime and even fear of crime can have potent effects on the success of business in the local community. According to Paul S. Grogan and Tony Proscio, authors of Comeback Cities, ÏRemove the element of fear from peopleÌs residential and investment decisions - or even just reduce it - and just about everything changes.Ó ^[7] Thus there is a strong case for the implementation and efficacy potential of a program like HotSpots. Of course, the name is somewhat unfortunate because it identifies in the publicÌs mind an area as one that is ÏhotÓ Ò and that is not meant as a compliment.

ðððððð Now midway through its second year, the CorridorÌs HotSpot Initiative has had a relatively slow start but has engaged in research and planning for the very near future. In addition to the recent hiring of a project director, the HotSpot Team has communicated and cooperated with the business and faith communities, as well as community, law enforcement and public safety groups and the GovernorÌs Tri-Jurisdictional Task-Force. According to the 2001 Annual Report, the programÌs primary emphasis in the near future will be upon education, outreach, and coordination. More specifically, the report specifies coordination, community mobilization, youth prevention, community oriented policing, and victimÌs assistance and outreach. Of course, project implementation is key. For instance, Ïcommunity oriented policingÓ can be an effective tool for police-community partnership, but it can also be little more than an attempt to obtain Federal funding. Hopefully, the CorridorÌs HotSpot program will lead to a decrease crime, the fear of crime, and the reputation of the area as one of high crime.

 

Community Legacy Plan

ðððððð Initiated by Prince GeorgeÌs County and supported by state funding, the Community Legacy Program provides for community revitalization projects. The countyÌs Redevelopment Authority is the local lead agency. The official state program description includes the following: ÏThe Community Legacy Program competitively awards funding to local governments and community development corporations to undertake comprehensive neighborhood revitalization strategies. This flexible fund will support both capital and non-capital projects.Ó [8] After nearly a year of planning, several proposals have been made on how these state dollars would best contribute to the revitalization of the Langley Park Ò Lewisdale portion of the International Corridor.

ðððððð The broad focus is on businesses, residents, and social service provision. A likely project will be support of the long-proposed Multicultural Service Center that can become a community hub for information and referrals of public services and government offices, human and job development, youth leadership development, recreation and cultural heritage activities, and mental health and family crisis services. As far as a potential location for the center, it may take over the middle floor of the International Mall or the administrative space of the Langley Park Community Center.ð

ðððððð For many residents of the Corridor, this center would serve as an invaluable alternative to more distant county and state agencies. Furthermore, with the incorporation of youth, cultural and recreational activities, the center would provide a safe public space for community meetings, live performances and other community-building efforts.

ðððððð For businesses in the International Corridor, the Multicultural Service Center could house many relevant activities (e.g., job training) and organizations, including the proposed small business center. It might also provide space for an office of the Maryland International Corridor CDC, which would enable it to become a more positive force in the area.

 

Purple Line

ðððððð We have already noted that the Tri-Jurisdictional Task Force has developed a series of proposals for the International Corridor, and that the Streetscape Project incorporates such elements as bus stops into its proposal. But there is more. The Maryland Governor has proposed a Metro ÏPurple LineÓ to connect Bethesda, Silver Spring, the International Corridor, College Park, and New Carrolton. Governor Glendening states: ÏMaryland is taking aggressive steps to provide transit service where and when people need it most. For almost 30 years there has been agreement that we need an east-west expansion of the Metro system to connect Montgomery and Prince GeorgeÌs Counties.ð We have reviewed studies by the Maryland Department of Transportation and conferred with elected officials, community leaders and experts, and it is now time for a decision, not more division.ð To be most effective, MarylandÌs Purple Line must be built inside the Capital Beltway. It will take thousands of cars off our roads, encourage Smart Growth development in some of our oldest communities and town centers, and provide transit to those who need transit the most.Ó Of course, the Purple Line will be a major boost to MarylandÌs International Corridor, making travel from such centers as Bethesda and Silver Spring much more convenient.

 

Conclusion

ðððððð There are many initiatives under way that will enhance the quality of the business environment in MarylandÌs International Corridor. Safety will be improved, transportation will be enhanced, and more. But there is a significant gap: the many appealing businesses are not organized, not in touch with a range of information that can improve their bottom lines, and not visible to the five million people in the Washington Metropolitan area. These are matters we not turn to.

 

 

Organizing

 

ðððððð To continue the trend of development in MarylandÌs International Corridor, we think it is critical to establish an active corridor-wide business organization. The Takoma/Langley Park Crossroads Development Authority is a positive force in the area, but it incorporates fewer than half of the CorridorÌs businesses Ò and therefore less than half of the CorridorÌs resources and potential.

ðððððð Many of the larger, established businesses near the University Boulevard Ò New Hampshire Avenue crossroads are doing well; however, the smaller businesses away from the crossroads are generally less successful. A business organization will help strengthen these and all of the rest of the businesses in the area. A successful corroder-wide organization can be implemented through the currently inactive Maryland International Corridor CDC or by creating a new CDC.

ðððððð Aristotle wrote, ÏMen journey together with a view to ÷ the general advantages it brings.Ó In other words, organizations such as what we have in mind for the International Corridor exist for collective advantage, and that advantage must be appreciated by individuals (or individual businesses) to justify the decisions to join, to participate, and to sustain membership. The businesses of the Corridor must come to understand the advantage.

 

The Organizational Setting

ðððððð The area encompassed by the International Corridor, including the commercial sections (and other sections too) of such neighborhoods as Langley Park, northern Takoma Park, New Hampshire Estates, and Long Branch, are commercially and residentially highly diverse. Many of the adults were born outside the United States, and their goal is to become successful as individual entrepreneurs in their new country. This may entail family support and long hours with little time to think about or act upon collective action.

ðððððð Sociologists and economists conclude that there is a significant relationship between civic life and economic development, and that there is a need for social ties in ethnic business development. ÏImmigrant groups use social relationships to achieve levels of economic growth that cannot be explained by standard economic factors.Ó [9] ð In the International Corridor, the social relations appear to be minimal, and the minimal ones appear to be intra-ethnic. Thus greater opportunities for economic growth may not have been realized. By establishing the proposed business organization, the area enhance development-energizing social relationships.

ðððððð An effective business organization can help to create a level of social capital and hence increase profits. Social capital, as explained by Gittell and Thompson, "consists of associations and norms that enable participants to act together effectively to pursue shared objectives, as has been observed among ethnic groups in certain communities. However, to the extent that social capital is of the bridging type Ò bringing together people and resources that normally do not come together Ò the increased cooperation is likely to serve broader interests.÷ [O]utside of ethnic enclaves, businesses and entrepreneurs often lack not only the connections to one another but also to bankers, investors, suppliers, and customers located outside the neighborhood.Ó [10]

 

Implementation

Two initial steps should be taken to create a corridor-wide organization.ð First, a coregroup of people must be identified who appear willing to explore this possibility (and then, later, mobilize others and take all the needed implementation action). This core group may be identified by interviewing the business owners in the area and returning to those who have expressed a vested interest in the collective well being of the area. Second, the core group must lead the actual implementation process by reaching out to all the businesses to attempt to convince them that they should be involved - or at least passively supportive of the organization.

ðððððð One way to garner the support and help of other businesses would be to show the accomplishments of other business organizations of collective action. The Takoma/Langley Park CDA is certainly an example, based upon its success in beautification and upkeep, police security, and a voice in the political realm at the local and state levels. Of course, there are many other examples throughout the country of successful organizations of small businesses. Some market, some raise money from the public and private sectors, some develop security teams, and so forth.

ðððððð But who will form the core leadership group? Our recommendation is to form the core based on representation of key business sub-groups in the area based upon culture and/or area. The former would help to overcome the various language and cultural barriers that exist. However, the current strength of the Takoma/Langley Park CDA makes area representation appealing. Corridor areas might include the relevant parts of Takoma Park as represented by the CDA, Prince GeorgeÌs County, and Montgomery County. (It should be pointed out that the goal of this organization is not to replace the CDA, but to further the goals of the CDA by uniting more businesses together into a larger entity.) One organizational design would include parallel leadership groups, one based upon culture and the other upon area. Thus the organization would be bicameral (i.e., similar to the Maryland legislature).

ðððððð The Corridor organization would, we envision, have the power to create a forum for planning and advocating change from Piney Branch Road to Adelphi Road. It would be a basis for pooling resources and establishing a collective effort for marketing, the creation of a small business center, enhanced security, perhaps some discounted collective purchases of goods and services (e.g., web construction, deliveries and telephone services), and a variety of other actions beneficial to the area. It would also provide a powerful voice within decisionmaking bodies such as the Tri-Jurisdictional Commission, the Streetscape Task-Force, and the Community Legacy Advisory Group. Furthermore, it would become an advocacy group for better transportation, security, streetscape improvement, etc. It would also help to link the business community with the residents. Positive change is much more likely to take place if businesses and residents work together. Therefore, the new organization would have close ties with such organizations as Action Langley Park and the Long Branch Neighborhood Initiative.

 

Additional Challenges

ðððððð There are a number of challenges that arise as businesspeople and their allies work to create a successful corridor-wide organization. These challenges and some of the responses are indicated here.

ðððððð The Ïfree riderÓ problem. As Mancur Olsen has written,"Unless the number of individuals in a group is quite small, or unless there is coercion or some other special device to make individuals act in their common interest, rational, self-interested individuals will not act to achieve their common or group interests." [11] Olsen uses the example of a community park. If some residents in a neighborhood want to build a new park, the rational person will not contribute because if the park is built s/he can use it regardless of whether a contribution was made. Similarly, in creating an International Corridor organization that is voluntary, the few will work on development yet the many (including the Ïfree ridersÓ) will benefit. The situation is why organizations such as the Takoma-Langley CDA have the equivalent of universal taxing authority. If a Corridor organization does not have mandatory membership with fees, then some organizational privileges may have to be restricted. For instance, the fee-paying members might have more space in corridor-wide marketing efforts as well as votes on marketing strategies.

Language and Cultural Barriers Ò Maryland's International Corridor is a highly diverse, and this diversity may inhibit communication amongst business owners. ÏStrangeÓ people may create fears or uncertainties, and yet trust within the organization is essential. One way to help minimize this hindrance is by forming the organization on the basis of cultural sub-groups. This would provide business owners who do not have a command of the English language to discuss the issues that they have in the community with their representative whom can then bring the issue up for discussion in front of the business organization. These sub-groups would also help bridge the gap between the different cultures and their personal methods of business management. Perhaps the cultural leadership group would be part of a bicameral arrangement (see above).

Time Barriers Ò During the interviews that we conducted in our field research, a number of managers and owners commented that they recognized the need for a structured Corridor organization but time constraints might well prohibit them from actively participating. Indeed, many of the CorridorÌs businesses are small with few employees or family members on the job. Therefore, owners may have little time to leave their businesses to attend meetings. We can imagine several approaches. First, businesspeople tied down to their enterprise may not be able to participate as core members; however, ways must be found to empower them so that their views are fully taken into consideration. Outreach, perhaps in conjunction with the proposed small business center, is one possibility. Second, it may be necessary to hold annual or semi-annual general assemblies at unusual hours, e.g., on a Sunday evening, in order to maximize participation.

Jurisdictional Barriers Ò The tri-jurisdictional nature of the area has and may well continue to create barriers to cooperation. Creating an organization of the scope and magnitude we propose will require businesspeople Ò and officials Ò of Prince GeorgeÌs County, Montgomery County and the City of Takoma Park to actively and effectively communicate with one another. Fortunately, a major first step has been taken by the Office of the Governor in initially creating a Tri-Jurisdictional Task Force (to focus on transportation, safety, and day labor issues) and then forming a permanent Tri-Jurisdictional Commission. Furthermore, the new HotSpot Program also bridges the three jurisdictions, and we are optimistic that it will become effective in its second year. These efforts have demonstrated that it is not impossible for the jurisdictions to work together. We think that a meeting should take place between the newly formed Tri-Jurisdictional Commission, the new HotSpot coordinator, key neighborhood organizational representatives, and relevant others to consider steps that need to be taken to make a Corridor organization a reality.

Apathy Ò It is clear from this research teamÌs interviews that quite a few business owners and managers are apathetic about existing and possible future business organizations. They are not convinced that a new organization will be beneficial to them. Attendance at the semi-annual Takoma-Langley CDA meetings reflects this apathy even though members of the CDA have paid membership fees. Clearly, the core group has a significant challenge to spread the organization widely into the business community. We think that it is crucial for personal visits to be made to each business to show the owner and/or manager that the Corridor organization would be beneficial to them. Such a campaign will require a solid knowledge of the advantages of collective action, marketing, business advice (through a business center), opportunities at the local and state levels, etc. However, the advantages do exist, and we do not wish to suggest that the businesspeople are unable to realize the potential. It may initially be a Ïhard sell,Ó but the eventual payoff is sufficient to make organizational success likely.

 

 

Marketing

 

Overview

ðððððð MarylandÌs International Corridor has a diversity of rich cultural assets, but few people know about them. Of course, the Indian community knows about the restaurants, sari shops, and general stores; the Cambodian community knows about its restaurant and grocery stores; and segments of the Latino community know about the Peruvian, Dominican, and Salvadoran restaurants and other businesses.

ðððððð Unfortunately, what is known constitutes only a small part of what could and should be known by the residents of the Washington Metropolitan area and beyond. To address what we consider to be an unfortunate gap, we think that an effective marketing plan for the community should be developed and implemented.

 

The Food Strategy

ðððððð It might be possible to promote the entire International Corridor and its cultural assets. There are many restaurants, groceries, music and video stores, clothing stores that import from around the world, specialty shops, outlet and other discount businesses, and more. However, we believe in the marketing adage: ÏSelect one product or service to promote.Ó [12] ð Our conclusion, drawing upon marketing theory and our knowledge of the Corridor, is that the initial focus should be on food - the great diversity of restaurants and grocery stores that cater to just about every ethnic background. [13] At the restaurants, a person can eat the foods of Africa, Cambodia, various parts of the Caribbean such as Jamaica and the Dominican Republic, India (from the countryÌs north and south), Mexico, Peru, Salvador, Vietnam, and probably many others. Furthermore, the grocery stores in part mirror this variety and add specialties from such countries as Ethiopia and Haiti.

ðððððð Some food cultures are represented by a single restaurant or grocery. For instance, there is only one Cambodian and one African restaurant. Others, however, are present in great numbers and variety. For instance, Latin cuisine can be found in nineteen Corridor restaurants! [14]

ðððððð Restaurants constitute an ever-changing business that constantly needs to explore the challenges of both marketing and cuisine in order to survive competition and fashion changes. Reinventing and creating new ways to tempt a diversity of tastes of new patrons can be demanding. A restaurant is more than just a passion for creating new and exciting dishes; it becomes a balance of business skills and enjoyment for creating a unique experience for patrons. Without a proper long term business and marketing plan, a restaurant may have a very short life. [15]

ðððððð Restaurants can survive as single entities. However, the International Corridor appears to provide an opportunity for collective marketing. Understanding and building a strong brand Ò the Corridor Ò constitutes the potential we see. This requires the right marketing mix and dynamic strategic thinking. Since restaurants are always in the public eye, a firm grasp on public relations and the ability to create strong ties with newspapers and perhaps even magazines need to be developed. [16]

ðððððð Of course, the external marketing we have in mind does not exhaust promotional strategies. Within the restaurant, the physical layout, presentation, mood evoked, and attention to detail are important ingredients. In the Corridor, one of the positive examples is Tiffin. Restaurants need to train their staff to not only understand the finer details of service but to care about them. Training is all about building a culture of learning and nurturing. This can be accomplished by setting in place correct motivation strategies and reward incentives that build loyal, passionate staff that will continually bring customers. [17]

Who Knows the Corridor?

We have not been able to conduct a wide-ranging sample survey of the knowledge of residents and others in the area with regard to MarylandÌs International Corridor or its restaurants. However, the small questionnaire sample of 38 undergraduate students at the University of Maryland (just a mile from the center of the Corridor) is suggestive. The results clearly reveal the great opportunity for effective marketing. Here are the frequencies established through the questionnaire:

Ö ÏHave you ever heard of ÎMarylandÌs International CorridorÌÓ? Yes=16% , No=84%. However, two of the ÏyesÓ respondents misidentified the Corridor area, so the more accurate figures should be: Yes=11%, No=89%.

Ö The second questionnaire item focused respondents on Ïthe businesses located along and near University Boulevard from the campus westward for about two miles to Piney Branch Road,Ó and asked if the person had ever eaten in a restaurant or shopped in the area. The responses: Eaten, Yes=30%, No=70%; Shopped, Yes=21%, No=89%. Interestingly, about half of the restaurants mentioned were fast food. The two shops mentioned more than once were Tick Tock and Value Village.

Ö Finally, the respondents were asked about their general impressions of the area. Here is a sample of the responses: ÏLots of traffic, lots of international shopsÓ; ÏI like the area and the diversity of restaurants and people, but it seems a little run-down and could probably use some work to make it more pedestrian-friendlyÓ; ÏRun downÓ; ÏHighly international area; in need of a community clean-upÓ; ÏIt could definitely use some work to make it more appealing to the publicÓ; ÏPoor, unsafe at night, dilapidatedÓ; ÏRough neighborhood, strong ethnic areaÓ; ÏMany cultural s pots, restaurantsÓ.

ðððððð From this very preliminary micro-study, we conclude that the area is not well known, and that it has a mixed reputation that includes being international but also not very appealing physically. This section focuses on the Ïnot well knownÓ; hopefully, the streetscape project and other efforts will address the physical appeal of the area.

 

 

 

Market to Whom?

ðððððð There are many locations that would appear to be good targets for a marketing initiative. However, the interviews we conducted in the International Corridor showed that many of the businesses currently attract local residents to the area to shop and eat. With this in mind and reaching slightly beyond the immediate (walking) area, we think that the optimal marketing targets for the first stage of a marketing campaign include the University of MarylandÌs College Park campus (and its sister University of Maryland University College), Archives II, The Meany Labor Center, the linked campuses of Columbia Union College and Washington Adventist Hospital, and The American Center for Physics.

ðððððð The greatest potential resource for visitors to MarylandÌs Internatinal Corridor is the University of Maryland, with its twin institutions in College Park: The University of Maryland at College Park (a general institution granting the full range of degrees) and the University of Maryland University College (mostly an evening program for adults). Also located on the campus is Byrd Stadium, which attracts up to 40,000 for football games, the new Staples Center, which will house 20,000 fans for basketball and other events, the Smith Performing Arts Center, a multi-performance space complex that draws more than 1,000 people a day to various events, and the Inn and Conference Center that houses national and international conferences many times a year.

ðððððð Not including the occasional visitor for sporting events, conferences, etc., the College Park campus has a population that approximates a small city. The make-up includes over 400 clubs and organizations (many of them international), 34,160 students, 7,294 faculty members, and 4,567 members of the staff. The total for this marketing target is 46,021 people.

ðððððð Although the University of Maryland holds the largest population, the Archives II, employs over 200 staff and the Center for Physics with over 50 staff.

ðððððð The National Archives at College Park opened for research in January, 1994. Records held there include the cartographic and architectural holdings; the Nixon Presidential Materials; electronic records; motion picture, sound, and video records; the John F. Kennedy Assassination Records Collection; still pictures; the Berlin Documents Center microfilm; and textual records from most civilian agencies and military records dating from World War II. It employs a staff of 200 and, of course, has many visitors. (A member of this research team has been called several times by out-of-town future visitors asking about area restaurants!)

ðððððð The American Center for Physics, with a permanent staff of 50, brings together in one building the American Institute of Physics, The American Physical Society, the American Association of Physics Teachers, and the American Association of Physicists in Medicine. The staff began working in October, 1993. A Center document states: ÏThe American Center for Physics provides a focal point for the physics community, increases the community's interactions with government decision makers, and serves as a resource for scientists, educators, and the public.Ó

ðððððð Partly funded by the AFL-CIO, the George Meany Center for Labor Studies/National Labor College is the school of the U.S. Labor Movement. The Center provides rank-and-file union leaders with specialized training in issues such as union organizing and the law, contract bargaining, using the Internet to research employers, grievance handling, and the arbitration process. The NLC, an accredited institution of higher education, offers an academic course of study leading to a Bachelor of Arts degree and, in cooperation with the University of Massachusetts at Amherst and the University of Baltimore, a master's degree program. The Center also houses the George Meany Memorial Archives and the George Meany Memorial Archives Library.

ðððððð Columbia Union College and Washington Adventist Hospital incorporate several thousand students, faculty members, staff members, health specialists, and patients. These facilities are in the City of Takoma Park within walking distance of much of the international corridor.

ðððððð There are other centers of employment and activity adjacent to or a short distance beyond the Corridor area. Five are worth noting here: The National Space Science Data Center in Greenbelt, which is the permanent archive for NASA space science mission data; the City of Takoma Park, which has a population of about 17,000 people and occupies the area between the International Corridor and MaryandÌs boundary with the District of Columbia; East Silver Spring, the area that begins at the western end of the International Corridor; the City of College Park, which begins at the eastern end of the Corridor; and Langley Park, a neighborhood of about 20,000 residents that begins at the northern border of the Corridor.

ðððððð There is a wider audience that, at little cost, should be made aware of the riches of the International Corridor. That is the users of the world wide web. We recommend the creation of a Corridor web site that will feature restaurants, grocery stores, and perhaps other retail resources, as well as a map identifying the location of these businesses.

 

Promotion

ðððððð Every one of the marketing targets we designated above has some form of internal communication. For instance, the City of Takoma Park has a television station and a monthly newspaper called Takoma Voice. Furthermore, there are some area publications that should be part of any marketing plan, e.g., the area Gazette, Journal, and Sentinel newspapers. However, we think that the most inviting target is the University of MarylandÌs College Park campus population (including the main campus and University College). Therefore, we will give special attention to this opportunity.

ðððððð There are three main University of Maryland resources to promote and advertise MarylandÌs International Corridor. The most important is the universityÌs student-run Diamondback newspaper, published by Maryland Media. It runs local advertisements for many businesses ranging in size from 1/64-inch items to a full-page or even a special supplement. [18] For instance, a quarter page advertisement listing thirty restaurants would cost each restaurant about $15. There is also a University of MarylandÌs low-range radio station, 88.1 FM/WMUC; it strives to inform and educate its listeners with frequent public service announcements and apparently would be happy to provide information about the Corridor. The university also has a set of information and opinion periodicals, e.g., the Faculty Voice (which in its Spring 2002 issue covered the proposed Purple Line and listed a score of restaurants located near likely Purple Line stations) and the Outlook. The Faculty Voice also publishes restaurant reviews. Various campus web sites have restaurant listings; they are antiquated, but an effort by Corridor businesspeople to upgrade the listings would be received with favor.

ðððððð An effective and comprehensive marketing plan backed by a Corridor-wide organization and linked to a small business center (which would offer marketing information and instruction) should make it possible for MarylandÌs International Corridor to become both well known throughout the Washington Metropolitan area and, consequently, to be a location filled with successful entrepreneurs making their mark in the small business sector. [19]

 

 

Small or Micro-Business Center

 

ðððððð One of the greatest needs in MarylandÌs International Corridor, our research indicates, is help for the small and mostly independent businesses.ð Many of these are Ïmom and popÓ family businesses. The vibrant Corridor business community and the high retail sales per square foot mask the struggling status of many of the businesses and their high failure/turnover rate.

ðððððð Nationally, small businesses comprise 99% of all employers. Business survival rates, drawing upon the most recent Small Business Administration data, indicate that about 1/3 fail within two years and nearly half fail within four years. The businesses in MarylandÌs International Corridor have the same struggles as those found elsewhere in the country, and added to the general challenges are such locally specific ones as language/cultural differences and multiple jurisdictions.

ðððððð The small businesses in MarylandÌs International Corridor are impressive manifestations of the optimism and hopefulness of the business owners. However, this confident attitude is often combined with a lack of knowledge of good business practices. Our anecdotal evidence reveals that many of the businesses do not have something as simple and helpful as overdraft protection on their checking accounts.

 

Helping Entrepreneurs

ðððððð It is evident that many of the businesses could be helped by education about sensible business practices. Providing advice and support for areaÌs entrepreneurs Ò and aspirant entrepreneurs - would strengthen the community by improving the financial health of the target businesses, and the impact would spill over into the Corridor at large.

ðððððð There should, we think, be an institutionalized way to help small and micro business in the Corridor. A not-for-profit business center well be the answer to providing substantial help. Free classes or workshops, as well as drop-in counseling or problem solving, would seem to be an obvious solution.

ðððððð There is a small business development center, located on Route 1, which works collaboratively with the University of Maryland. Unfortunately, its focus is on bigger small businesses; and many of its services, such as mentoring, are not free. The size of the Corridor businesses and their marginal profits require that the center we propose should provide services free of charge to the small, marginal entrepreneurs. Prince GeorgeÌs and Montgomery Counties do have business development offices, but they are not in the immediate corridor area. The nature of MarylandÌs International Corridor is such that a small business center needs to be in the area and part of the community. The potential users probably would not make use of an unfamiliar institution outside the area.

 

Challenges

ðððððð To create a skilled small business center in MarylandÌs International Corridor requires several challenges to be addressed. The most important relates to the fact that many of the businesses are owned by recent immigrants to the United States, and therefore issues of culture, language and trust arise. Ideally, mentoring should be provided by a member of immigrant group of the entrepreneur. Two nationality groups have well organized support groups, the Latinos and the Vietnamese. For the former, CASA de Maryland, based in the Corridor, has a wide range of support skills and should probably be involved, either by linking more experienced Latino businesspeople with new or aspiring entrepreneurs, or by providing language help. The Hispanic Chamber of Commerce is another potential resource. The Vietnamese community has a support organization, Boat People S.O.S., that is headquartered in Virginia but has an office in the Corridor; it provides English classes, computer classes, and other support services. The Vietnamese Mutual Association is another resource. If the small business center is established, these organizations should be encouraged to participate. Of course, there are other ethnic and nationality groups represented in the International CorridorÌs business community; an effort must be made to identify organizations that might contribute to the multicultural effort. [20]

ðððððð Some non-ethnic organizations specialize in providing support for small businesses, and these might be brought into the program with the hope that some nationality matching could take place. Such an organization is SCORE. This organizationÌs web site states: ÏThe SCORE Association (Service Corps of Retired Executives) is a nonprofit association dedicated to entrepreneur education and the formation, growth and success of small business nationwide. SCORE is a resource partner with the Small Business Administration (SBA). SCORE Association volunteers serve as ÎCounselors to America's Small Business.Ì Working and retired executives and business owners donate their time and expertise as volunteer business counselors and provide confidential counseling and mentoring free of charge.Ó [21]

ðððððð Another challenge facing the small business is that the owner may not be able to leave the store without closing shop. The proposed business center would probably work best if the mentors or advisors could meet with the businesspeople in their own stores. A further advantage is that the small businessperson remains in his territory, and therefore the contact with a center staff person may not be threatening.

ðððððð Encouraging business people to accept information and take advice constitutes yet another challenge. Trust, self-esteem, and relevance are among the issues involved. Many of the business owners we contacted agreed that a small business center would in principle be a good idea, but often the impression we received was that the respondent might well not use of such an institution. Trust might be addressed by having a co-national provide the help, and that might reduce the threat to self-esteem. However, relevance remains to be addressed. Based on a suggestion by a local real estate owner, we conclude that the information and recommendations should be specific, narrow, and unambiguous. Examples of this are: telling businesspeople about overdraft protection for checks and how to arrange for it, or informing them of simple business tax deductions such as for new equipment. Of course, if such information proves to be useful,ð trust would be enhanced and future contacts made more likely.

 

Resources To Provide

ðððððð The business center should have a wide range of information and skills to offer the small businessperson Ò or prospective businessperson. It is not possible to provide a full list of the possibilities, however, the general topics for the business center could include: [22]

Ö       Starting a Small Business

Ö       Record Keeping

Ö       Tax Issues

Ö       How to Write a Business Plan and Why

Ö       Business Ownership

Ö       Insurance

Ö       Signing a Lease Ò tenantÌs rights

Ö       Licensing

Ö       Dealing with Traditional Financial Institutions

Ö       Legal Issues

Ö       Marketing Ò developing a product, pricing it, promoting it

 

Model Organization

ðððððð A center that that might well serve as a model for MarylandÌs International Corridor is the Washington Heights and Inwood Development Center (WHIDC) in New York City. The organization supports a business community similar in many ways to the International Corridor. It is a community mainly of immigrants from the Dominican Republic. And so language and culture are major barriers. WHIDC often provides help as simple as translating business documents, leases or licensing forms. Like MarylandÌs International Corridor, many of the businesses involved are micro businesses with owners that have little, if any, business experience or education. WHIDC has found that their most effective outreach has been their micro-loan program. This is the Ïcarrot on the stickÓ which brings clients to them. Word of mouth has been their most effective form of advertising. Once the business people are involved and have a measure of trust it is easier to provide the advice, support and mentoring which are the goals of the center. WHIDC is funded in part by the Empire State Development Corporation, and in part by the private sector.

ðððððð We should note that the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has offices in Maryland, and it provides information and training. Unfortunately, the main office is in Baltimore and the satellite office is in Cumberland. These are, of course, beyond the reach of the hundreds of businesspeople in MarylandÌs International Corridor. Perhaps one long-term goal should be to have the SBA set up a satellite office in the Corridor. [23]

 

The International Corridor Small Business Center

ðððððð We think that a center similar to WHIDC can and should be established in MarylandÌs International Corridor. Because it will contribute to business success in all three of the areaÌs jurisdictions, we think it should be supported by the three and perhaps in some way be linked with the Tri-Jurisdictional Commission Ò as well, of course, as the Maryland International Corridor CDC or its successor organization.

ðððððð Of course, funds will be required to set up a small business center for the Corridor. We think that the Small Business Administration could provide up to half of its operating funds and state and local funds could be added to that, or grants could be pursued. The economic development offices of Montgomery and Prince GeorgeÌs Counties might well be asked to contribute funds and expertise.

ðððððð A small business support center could, we are convinced, provide important support for Corridor entrepreneurs and could make a significant difference to the entire economic vitality of the area. Its success would depend not only on the quality of the support provided, but also on the ability of the center to develop a relationship with the community. It would initially require a considerable outreach effort to develop the needed relationship. For businesspeople who are not used to seeking advice, a Ïsales jobÓ would be necessary. The best chance for success would be through in-person visits to local business people who could offer Ïquick tipsÓ related to business success.

ðððððð Once the center established access and developed a reputation as a useful source of information, tools, and perhaps loan facilitation, the direction of the contact flow would probably shift. Of course, in an area such as the International Corridor, new businesses are constantly being opened; and the newcomers would need outreach as well.

ðððððð The potential for the proposed small business center is so great that, led by the core group of businesspeople (discussed in the section on organizing), the chances of realizing this significant step forward seems quite high. A successful center will enhance the success of the Corridor, and it in turn will enhance other projects (e.g., the Purple Line) and have a positive impact upon the people who live and work in and near this important area of Maryland business.

 

 

Conclusion

 

ðððððð This report proposes a range of issues and possibilities for MarylandÌs International Corridor.ð This area has many assets and much to offer businesspeople, residents, and visitors. There is great richness, diversity, creativity, and energy. Because of these assets, we are convinced that the Corridor has a very positive future with the potential to become a prosperous business community enhancing the lives of entrepreneurs, employees, and residents, as well as customers and other visitors from around the Washington Metropolitan area and beyond.

ðððððð The University of Maryland has demonstrated a commitment to work with Corridor businesspeople and others towards enhancing the areaÌs success. The commitment began in 1996 with the first study Ò indeed, conceptualization Ò of the International Corridor. It will continue in the years to come.

ðððððð Of course, university faculty members and students can only serve as allies. It will take the hard work of area businesspeople, political leaders, residents, and others to make our vision

become a reality. The campus-community (Ïtown and gownÓ) partnership will contribute to the shared goals. Let the journey to the envisioned future begin.

 

 

Bibliography and Notes

 

Bonilla, Frank. 1996. ÏChanging the Americas from within the United States,Ó The Latino Review of Books 2/1, Spring, pp. 2-4.

Burayidi, Michael A., ed. 2001. Downtowns: Revitalizing the Centers of Small Urban Communities. New York, Routledge.

Center for Community Change. 2002. Getting Ahead: New Approaches to Generating Jobs and Opportunities for Residents of Low Income Communities. Washington, DC, Center for Community Change.

Gettleson, Claudia Goetz. 1992. Effectiveness of the Main Street Program in Evaluating Success. San Francisco, The Making Cities Livable Conference.

Langley Park Project. 1996. MarylandÌs International Corridor: 1996 Working Paper. College Park, MD, Urban Studies and Planning Program.

National Trust for Historic Preservation. 2002. National Mainstreet Center. http://www.mainst.org/.

United States Small Business Administration. 2002. Principles of Federal Government Support for Microenterprise Development. http://www.sba.gov/microenter/policypaperaugust2000.pdf. Washington, DC, SBA.