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In This Issue November/December 2009 Downtown Gift Card Program Better Downtown Awards & Holiday Reception Downtown During the Holidays Holiday Festival of Lights Old Post Office Plaza Events Holiday Magic at America's Center Union Station Open House Citygarden Celebrates the Holidays Holiday Downtown is Alive Show Weekly Merchant Deal Business Buzz ProRehab Opens St. Louis Homes & Lifestyles Features Vicki Newton Welcome Maggie Campbell CID Updates CID Owners Meeting Quarterly CID Update (Dashboard Report) New Brand for Downtown New Downtown Liaison Holiday Police Foot Beat Patrol New/Renewed Members Events Quick Links Become A Member Now Newsletter Archive Live Shop Dine Events Partnership For Downtown St. Louis New/Renewed Members Antique Architectural Decor AT & T Bandwidth Exchange Buildings Bank of America Christian Science Reading Room City Smiles Copying Concepts Ed Roehr Safety Products Co Enterprise Holdings Entertainment St. Louis Environmental Operations, Inc. Eshein Inc. dba 7-eleven Farmer Brothers Go! St. Louis Hampton Inn- Gateway Arch/ Raymond Management Company Hardee's Food Systems, Inc. Hilton St. Louis at the Ballpark Hilton St. Louis Downtown HNTB Architectural Eng. Planners HRI Properties, Inc. Jerome Glick Real Estate Jones Lang LaSalle Kenneth R. Langsdorf Lambert Int'l Airport Authority Lewis, Rice & Fingersh, L.C. Lindenwood McGowan Brothers Development Company McGuire Moving & Storage Missouri General Insurance Agency Nestle Purina Niche/The Lawrence Group Nichols, Ziemann, Ahmed & Co. Paric Corporation Peabody Energy Corporation Peckham Guyton Albers & Viets, Inc. Polsinelli Shughart Renaissance Grand Hotel Roach Consulting Rodemyer Christel, Inc. RSM McGLadrey Schuchat, Cook & Werner Southwest Bank St. Louis Association of Realtors St. Louis Development Corporation St. Louis Post-Dispatch St. Louis Public Library St. Louis Rams Talent Plus Inc. The Edible Difference The Lawrence Group Architects, Inc. Tony's, Inc. UMB Bank of St. Louis, N.A. Urban League of Metro St. Louis US Bank Vinciguerra & Sons Jewelers Wall/USA Wedemeyer Cernik Corrubia, Inc. Westin St. Louis White, Coleman & Associates, LLC Xiolink, LLC Zane Williams, Inc. Downtown Buzz is a monthly newsletter published by the Downtown St. Louis Community Improvement District for its members, downtown property and business owners, the downtown business and residential community and all others interested in downtown revitalization. Send all responses and inquiries to Shuntae' Shields Ryan, Marketing & Communications Director, via e-mail or mail to: 720 Olive Street Suite 450 St. Louis, MO 63101 Downtown Gift Card Program The Downtown CID will launch Downtown’s first ever Gift Card program this coming Monday, November 23, 2009. The card is accepted at over 100 downtown establishments and are available for purchase in multiple increments between $5 and $500 dollars. The gift cards can be used exclusively with downtown merchants as a means for downtown workers, residents and employers to support and keep our downtown successful! The Downtown Gift Card can be a great gift idea for employers looking to reward employees or for friends and family alike. To purchase individual gift cards or review a list of participating merchants, click here. For more information or corporate purchases, contact Matt Schindler by clicking here. back to top Better Downtown Awards & Holiday Reception The Partnership for Downtown St. Louis and Southwest Bank will be presenting the 2009 Better Downtown Awards and Holiday Membership Reception on December 2nd at the Central Library from 6-8 pm. The Better Downtown Awards are granted for projects that make improvements to the physical environment of downtown which are visible from the street. The awards will be granted in two categories - Cityscape Awards and Better Downtown Awards. The Cityscape Awards are given for projects that have made a significant impact on improving the street-level environment of their immediate downtown neighborhood. And, the Better Downtown Awards are awarded for projects of regional impact that call attention to downtown revitalization throughout the metropolitan area and beyond. This year’s awards ceremony will follow the Partnership's Holiday Reception that will feature a complimentary full bar from 6-7 pm. To register for the event click here or for sponsorship or more information, contact Jennifer Burgnone by clicking here. back to top Enjoy Downtown During the Holidays Be sure to make downtown St. Louis a part of your shopping, entertainment and dining experience during the holiday season. From decorated window displays to Breakfast with Santa, you can't afford not to come see all downtown has to offer. Below is a starter list of activities; however for more updates on special retail/restaurant/attraction promotions and events, click here. back to top Holiday Festival of Lights The Macy's Holiday Festival of Lights will officially kick off the holiday season in downtown St. Louis at 5 p.m. on Friday, November 20, in Kiener Plaza. The light-up ceremony will feature activities for all ages including live entertainment, music, face painting, special character and local television personality appearances, a visit from Santa, the reading of "Twas the Night Before Christmas" and much more. At 6:15 pm Mayor Francis Slay will pull the "magic switch" that will "Light Up St. Louis" and begin the fireworks display. Immediately following the ceremony Santa will lead a processional down to Macy's where the party continues from 6:30 pm to 8:00 pm with their annual Holiday Open House. back to top Holiday Festivities at the Old Post Office Plaza The Downtown CID will be hosting two free holiday events on December 4th and 5th. Music, giveaways and free hot chocolate will be distributed at the Holiday Party at the Old Post Office Plaza on December 4th, 11:30 am - 1:00 pm. And all dogs are invited to wear their best costumes on December 5th at the "Yule Dog" Holiday Costume Contest from 11:30 am - 2 pm. For more information, click here. back to top CVC Presents Holiday Magic The Downtown CID will be one of many exhibitors at the CVC's new holiday tradition, Holiday Magic, December 4-6, 2009. Holiday Magic will feature a shopping village filled with an assortment of holiday decor, unique gifts and demonstrations by artisans and crafters, as well as live, family-friendly entertainment, a holiday light show, free full-scale carnival rides, and a culinary stage offering cooking demonstrations and chef competitions. Continuous live entertainment throughout the three-day expo will include: Christmas carolers; the Circus Harmony Performers; Soorya Performing Arts; Show Me Sound drumline; The Winter Muny Kids; Stories to Celebrate the Holidays; and many more family-friendly performances. Click here for additional details. And, as a very special offer to all of our members, the CVC is offering a $6 admission rate for Friday, December 4th only. Just present this email at the ticket booth beginning at noon through 9 pm to receive the discounted rate. back to top Union Station Open House December 5 - St. Louis Union Station Holiday Open House, 11 am - 7 pm - Savings flyer good at any participating stores, free parking when you spend $25 or more at any of our unique specialty shops, restaurants or entertainment venues, visit with and hear performances by THE FOX KIDS. The USO Santa Express takes place that same morning from 8 am - 11 am and is for all active military, reserves and their families. Active Military or reserves that would like to register should contact the USO. back to top Citygarden Holiday Events Beginning Friday, November 27, Downtown's new Citygarden will introduce its first annual holiday celebration that includes festive lighting, free guided tours and a variety of holiday choral community groups. The festivities will continue on a weekly basis with performances on Fridays and Saturdays at 7 and 8 pm, through December 19th. And, family-friendly movies, including A Christmas Story, Elf, Home Alone, and Polar Express, will run on the video screen Friday through Sunday evenings starting at 5 pm through December 27th. Visitors to the Citygarden can also take advantage of the new Terrace View Café that will be offering hot beverages. For more information, click here. Other Holiday Festivities include: November 20 - January - Macy's Window Displays featuring a model train at the corner of 7th and Locust. November 26 - AmerenUE Thanksgiving Day Parade, 8:45 am, starts at Washington Avenue & 4th Street. December 5, 6, 12, 13 & 19 Macy's Breakfast with Santa. Reservations will be taken starting on Sunday, November 22, at 9 am. Please call 1-800-206-1995 for reservations. If you can't make breakfast, Santa will be in the downtown store from Noon to 3 pm, December 5, 12 & 19. For more downtown event information, click here. back to top Holiday Downtown is Alive Show The "Downtown is Alive" TV show that airs on STLTV, Charter and ATT Uverse will have a holiday and special occasion entertainment focus! Starting November 26th and through December viewers will have an opportunity to hear from the St. Louis Convention & Visitors Commission about Holiday and Winter Magic, gift ideas from Left Bank Books, Boxers and Beverly’s Hill and special occasion dining with Lucas Park Grille. The show will be posted to the downtown website the same week it begins airing. For more information, contact Shuntaé Shields Ryan by clicking here. back to top Weekly Merchant Deals Looking for downtown deals and gift ideas? Well expect to see downtown merchants, dining and entertainment establishments on display in downtown residential and office buildings beginning Monday, November 30th.  Colorful posters will be created and displayed the Monday of each week through December 21st to encourage downtown dwellers to shop, dine and entertain in downtown St. Louis during the holidays. We will email this same poster out every Monday for those who prefer electronic information to distribute within your company, organization or building. To be a point of distribution for the weekly posters, contact Shuntaé Shields Ryan by clicking here or calling 314.436.6500 ext. 240. back to top Business Buzz ProRehab Opens PRORehab Physical Therapy, a privately held medical rehabilitation provider owned and operated by physical therapists, has opened a new downtown location at 201 North 7th Street. This is the 21st location for ProRehab which specializes in physical and occupational therapy, hand therapy, manual therapy, aquatic therapy and sports medicine outreach. Hours of operation are 7 am - 5:15 pm, Monday through Friday. For more information, call 314.678.1008 or click here. back to top St. Louis Homes & Lifestyles Features Vicki Newton Vicki Newton, anchor News Channel 4, and her new husband, Dwayne Butler, CEO of the Betty Jean Kerr People’s Health Centers are featured in the new issue of St. Louis Homes & Lifestyles. We are particularly proud of the great things they say about living in downtown St. Louis! "I love the energy of living downtown," says Vickie. "It's exciting to be a part of the revitalization of St. Louis. And of course it's great to live so close to my work; it's easy to be there every night for dinner with Dwayne." Obviously, home is where the heart is for these two. "Dwayne and I love spending time in this wonderful space, whether we are entertaining or simply enjoying the quiet and each other," says Vickie. Smiling, she adds, "Home is what anchors me." To read more of the story, click here. back to top Welcome Maggie Campbell After a national search, the Partnership for Downtown St. Louis welcomes our new President and CEO, Maggie Campbell. Campbell comes to us from Arlington, Texas where she had been President since 2006. She has been dedicated to downtown development in various positions throughout her 24-year career in downtown development in cities such as Pasadena, California, Dallas, Fort Worth and Jackson, Mississippi amongst others. For more, click here. back to top Downtown CID Updates CID Property Owners Meeting Each year the Downtown Community Improvement District holds two meetings to keep the CID assessment payers abreast of our activities. All owners of property, commercial and residential are invited to attend the meetings being held December 17, 2009 at 4 and 6 pm. If you are a property owner and will be attending, please RSVP by clicking here. back to top Quarterly CID-at-a-glance Additional quarterly CID updates can be found in the newly created CID Dashboard Report. This report was created as a means to give property owners a glance look at some of the ways their CID dollars are being used. To see the latest report, click here. back to top Downtown, St. Louis...Excited About Now! Earlier this year the Downtown Partnership partnered with Waylon Ad and Fleishman Hillard to develop a new brand for downtown and an accompanying marketing strategy and plan to execute the brand. To date that work is nearing completion and we will begin unveiling parts of the brand over the next few weeks. This past Friday our President’s Letter displayed a new look and feel and today you will notice some of those brand images in this Downtown, Buzz. Next plan to see a new look on our FaceBook page, Downtown Gift Card, Holiday posters and eventually our website. Sample creative is below for more information contact Shuntae Shields Ryan by clicking here. back to top New Downtown Liaison Officer Police Officer Mark Hall who has been a member of the St. Louis Police Department for over 20 years, is now assigned to a permanent downtown beat as "Downtown Liaison Officer". His duties will include being a liaison for the downtown businesses and residents. He will mainly work in partnership with the downtown community to mutually identify and resolve traffic and parking related problems, develop strategies to combat specific problems and activities in the downtown area, enforce ordinances and assist in creating strategies to help the Police Department provide the highest level of service to the downtown community. To reach Police Officer Mark Hall, call 314.575.8977. back to top Holiday Foot Beat Patrol The St. Louis Police Department has beefed up police staffing downtown for the holiday season, providing additional bike and foot patrol during key times including weekday lunchtime and weekends throughout downtown. This additional police presence is made possible through funding by the Downtown CID. Good news from the St. Louis Police Department: overall crime in downtown is down for the third year in a row; year-to-date crime is already down 14.6% from 2008. A special thanks to Capt. Spicer and the Downtown Bike and Beat Unit for a great partnership with the CID, and for continuing to provide a meaningful presence year-round that helps deter crime and improve perceptions of safety for Downtown St. Louis. back to top