For Business Owners: Help Beautify Downtown

You may be aware that a nearly $140,000 pilot expansion is coming to the Downtown Guides program. You can read more about the expansion at Lookout Eugene-Springfield.

The donor behind the grant responsible for this program is looking for signals of success, and one of the those signals will be expanded investment into downtown Eugene by businesses on the street. Specifically, beautification has been called out as a small, door-by-door way that business owners can improve the downtown Eugene landscape.

We’re calling on member businesses to take up this mission and find simple ways to beautify their block. Crime prevention through environmental design (CPTED) is based on research that shows neglect and micro-scale environmental conditions on the street are correlated with crime levels. Here are some ways you can help downtown Eugene feel less neglected, more lived-in, and safer:

• Uncover your windows! Especially while your ground-floor business is occupied, raise your blinds and pull back your curtains, even if you’re not a consumer-facing place of business. Eyes on the street help deter negative behavior, and ignoring what’s happening on the street doesn’t make it go away.
• Remove permanent window coverings. Heavily-shaded windows create the same kinds of problems as blinds and curtains. Storefronts appear empty or dark and dingy, and downtown doesn’t feel lived in. Peel off dark window film or fix windows replaced with boards. If you depend on window film to keep inventory from fading in a sunny spot, consider alternative films that block UV rays without darkening a space. If you’re more ambitious, work with your landlord and the City of Eugene to learn if an awning as part of a facade improvement loan could be right for your building!
• Remove bars or other unsightly security mechanisms where allowed. While some business’s have insurance policies that dictate certain security features, any streetscape looks safer without bars on the windows.
• Refresh your window display. Is your in-window inventory and marketing looking faded or worn? It’s time to freshen it up. Remove dated posters and swap out faded materials on a regular basis to avoid fading and ensure your storefront looks active and occupied.

Did you know: The Broadway Overlay Zone is a specially zoned area between Charnelton and Oak streets on Broadway that has special rules for street-level spaces. It covers things like awnings, how much of your windows can be covered, and what your space should be used for. Make sure you’re in compliance, and contact Eric Brown, the City of Eugene’s Downtown Manager, to learn more about compliance or file a complaint.

• Landscape your adjacent parking strips or tree pits. Anywhere there’s dirt around your business, add plants and some mulch to attract less litter and make a statement.
• Add planters or hanging baskets to your storefront. Cedar or corrugated metal containers brighten up any storefront. Fill the bottom with rocks before adding soil to make planters heavier and harder to remove (in addition to improving drainage!) For low maintenance, consider native, perennial, dry-tolerant plants such as kinnikinnick, creeping Oregon grape, salal, aster, blue-eyed grass, columbine, Oregon stonecrop, irises, redwood sorrel, and yarrow, depending on the application. You can always consult the local OSU Extension Service if you really feel like getting into the weeds!
• Make frequent use of the Downtown Watch form, where you can report messes for rapid cleanup from this City of Eugene service.

Considering planters or baskets? How Downtown Eugene Merchants can help.

Downtown Eugene Merchants is actively exploring opportunities for downtown business owners who would like planters or plants for their business or block to get preferred pricing from local home improvement and garden stores. Contact merchants@downtowneugene.com if you can commit to planters to plants for your block as we explore these options or develop potential grant opportunities.