Downtown Frederick Partnership Hosts 2025 State of Downtown Breakfast

DOWNTOWN FREDERICK, Md., April 28, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Downtown Frederick Partnership gathered local leaders, business owners, and community partners this morning for the 2025 State of Downtown Frederick breakfast at The Visitation Hotel. Held annually, this signature event brings together stakeholders from across the community to hear updates on Downtown Frederick's economic performance, current challenges and the projects shaping its future as well as to be inspired by the keynote speaker, Ed McMahon.

This year's event held special significance as the Partnership is celebrating its 35th anniversary, marking more than three decades of community-driven progress, and launching a new era of growth, creativity and investment in Downtown Frederick.

In her address, Kara Norman, Executive Director of Downtown Frederick Partnership, reflecting on the organization's journey noted, "So much of what we love about Downtown Frederick today - the vibrant streets, the thriving small businesses, the welcoming sense of place - has been years in the making. It's the product of decades of collaboration, creativity and shared vision. And as we look ahead, we're focused on what's next: building a downtown that's inclusive, resilient and made for everyone."

Norman walked attendees through the Partnership's evolution, from its beginnings as the Greater Frederick Development Corporation, to its designation as an official Main Street program in 2001 and its rebranding to Downtown Frederick Partnership shortly thereafter. She also highlighted signature initiatives that have helped shape the downtown experience - First Saturdays, Alive @ Five, the Downtown Frederick Gift Card Program, a comprehensive wayfinding system, placemaking projects, and the Ambassador Program.

The Partnership also presented findings from the 2024 Business Performance Survey, which showed that 54% of businesses reported increased income, while only 24% expressed optimism about the year ahead - a notable drop from the previous year. Top concerns included weekday foot traffic and rising operational costs, with nearly 60% of respondents identifying increased foot traffic as their top priority for 2025. In response, the Partnership will continue to focus on its marketing efforts, strategic partnerships and community programming to drive year-round engagement downtown.

Looking to the future, Norman shared several major initiatives already underway:

• A Downtown Food Hall, in partnership with McClintock Distilling and the City of Frederick, will offer space for early-stage culinary entrepreneurs inside a revitalized historic building.
• A Retail Incubator Program, managed in collaboration with SOUL Street, will provide shared retail space, mentorship, and business development resources for new and diverse local retailers should catalytic funding be secured.
• The Downtown Streetscape project, developed alongside the City of Frederick, will reimagine 15 blocks of Market and Patrick Streets to improve safety, accessibility and overall walkability.
• The long-awaited Downtown Hotel and Conference Center, that will bring a 200+ room Marriott hotel, meeting space and the adaptive use of the historic Trolley Building to the heart of downtown.

The event concluded with a keynote address by Ed McMahon, Chair Emeritus of Main Street America. McMahon delivered an inspiring message on the power of place-based economic development and the importance of investing in the character and authenticity of communities.

"Downtowns are the heart and soul of a community," said McMahon. "You can't have a healthy city without a healthy downtown. The best way to predict the future is to create it - and that starts with building places where people want to be."

As Frederick continues to grow - with more than 2,000 new residents expected in the greater downtown area in the next few years - the Partnership remains focused on ensuring that Downtown Frederick grows with purpose, and remains a place of opportunity, culture and connection.

About Downtown Frederick Partnership

Founded in 1990, Downtown Frederick Partnership is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to enhancing, promoting, and preserving the vitality, livability, and diversity of Downtown Frederick—a nationally recognized Main Street community. The Partnership has managed Downtown Frederick's Main Street program since its designation in 2001.

For more information, visit downtownfrederick.org.

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SOURCE Downtown Frederick Partnership