Laramie Main Streets Supports Housing & Parking

The Laramie Main Street board has provided the following letter of support for the Stencil Group’s project on the Bolton lot in downtown Laramie:

The Benefits of Multi Family Housing in Downtown Laramie

Downtown residents support homegrown economic development and a robust economy by spending their income in locally owned businesses that are walkable from their living unit. In addition, residents are the first to know and spread the word about new and expanding businesses. They are vested in the success of the district, either as workers or consumers, reinvesting in the place they call home.

Need for Housing Downtown

Laramie’s Housing Study 2030 calls out the need, and market demand, for additional housing units downtown, stating, “A total of 92 units, consisting of 18 owner and 74 rental housing units, should be created in Downtown Laramie, by 2020. By 2030, a total of 210 units, consisting of 38 owner and 172 rental housing units, should be created in Downtown Laramie”.

In addition, the study suggests, we “combine the efforts and funding resources of the Downtown Development Authority Board and the Laramie Main Street Alliance to expand residential development in the Downtown. The potential of Tax Increment Financing (TIF) and Historical Preservation Tax Credits, in combination with the resources of property owners should be marketed to area developers to expand housing efforts throughout the Downtown”.

There are currently 95 housing units downtown, ranging from studio, 1 - 2 bedroom with a few upper floor lofts. The Bolton project proposes to add another 88 units downtown, bringing the total to 183, still below the suggested 210 units called out in the housing plan.

A Strategic Priority

Laramie Main Street embraces the need for additional housing downtown; a priority that appears in the Downtown Development Plan and in our annual work plans.

Section 5.2.8 of the 2012 Downtown Development Plan calls for “support for development that increases walkability, offering a variety of housing types, promoting infill options and increasing population and employment in the downtown area”. In addition, the plan calls for, “Adjust Parking Standards. Investigate and where necessary adjust parking standards that will encourage downtown residential uses, particularly housing that is incorporated into mixed use developments”.

Our 2024 Strategic Priorities call out “Housing and Adaptive Reuse” and our dedication to “support public-private partnerships to develop vacant lots, adapt buildings for new uses and add residential units to the district. By understanding the market and consumer demand, we will breathe new life into underutilized spaces which will in turn, bring more people and income into existing businesses”.

The economic impact of each new housing unit, using $750 a month, $9,000 a year, as a placeholder for rent, translates into an additional $8,161* spent downtown. With an additional 88 units downtown, this means local businesses will benefit from an additional $718,168 spent annually in their storefronts.

*Calculated using Food at Home (groceries from Big Hollow) Food Away from Home & Alcohol (downtown restaurants), Household Supplies, Apparel and Footwear, Auto Related, Entertainment, Personal Care Products and Services, Reading and Education = $8,161 a month.

On the higher end, a monthly rent of $1,000 is projected to have a $2,421 monthly or $29,052 annual impact to downtown businesses. With an additional 88 units, this means an additional $2,556,576 spent within the district each year.

Impact on Parking

There are currently 284 off-street, 24 hour parking spots located in six lots downtown. In addition, in 2023, the City of Laramie added an additional 22 diagonal on street parking spots on North 2nd Street between University Avenue and Clark Street, bringing the total of on street parking spots in the district to 865.

78 of those parking spots are located in the Bolton lot (57 are signed public, 4 are ADA and 6 are privately leased). The proposed development will provide tenants with 60 dedicated spaces. We are committed to working with the City of Laramie, and the developer, to add additional spots to ensure a net gain of parking downtown.

In addition, downtown has a Walk Score of 88 out of 100 and a Bike Score of 100. As a dense, walkable district, most errands downtown can be accomplished on foot.

While we recognize the availability of public parking is an important aspect of doing business downtown, we believe the benefits of this development outweigh the concerns.

We understand the Bolton lot is privately owned and, by the City removing itself from the parking lot lease, this removes a barrier for a private business to address the market need for housing downtown.

Experience Downtown: Featuring The Burning Ivy

Wondering how you can enjoy unique experiences downtown? We are here to show you some of the experience based businesses located in our award winning downtown. 

Our first stop is The Burning Ivy - a plant bar at 208 Grand Ave. Opened by Cecil and Paige in 2023 the bright and cheery plant bar offers a wide variety of succulents, cacti, houseplants, and all the materials you need to craft your perfect terrarium. Plants not your thing? They also offer rope wreath making and skull decorating. 

We stopped by to try our hand at planting some cheery succulents for our office! Cecil greeted us and explained the ins and outs of selecting pots, plants, and how to construct our planters.  There are so many choices it took us a while to decide which plant babies we wanted - not to mention the cute accessories like bridges, mushrooms, dinos, cowboy hats, bunnies and more that could adorn our creations. 

They have all the tools you need including dirt, rocks, moss and adorable mini shovels to plant your creations. And when you are done, they make sure you can keep your plant alive with a care card. Hailing from Florida, Cecil and Paige have learned that although it’s a Florida-like oasis inside their store, the harsh Wyoming weather is not for the plants. Cecil carefully wrapped our creations in bags and boxes to protect them from the weather. 

So the next time you need a little sunshine in your day stop by The Burning Ivy for a fun time with friends and family creating magical planters. 

Learn more about The Burning Ivy:

208 E Grand, Laramie, Wyoming 82070

Website: https://theburningivy.wixsite.com/theburningivy

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/the.burning.ivy

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100094135596678


If you are an experience based downtown business interested in being featured please contact Jennifer at marketing@laramiemainstreet.org

*Applications Closed*: Farmers Market Manager

The Laramie Main Street Alliance (LMSA) is looking to bring on a Farmers Market Manager for the 2024 season. Someone in this role should be a strong communicator, team player, self motivated, adaptable, and organized. Experience in the areas of graphic design, marketing, content creation, customer service, or event organization is preferred. Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to LMSA Program Coordinator Ana Castro at coordinator@laramiemainstreet.org with the subject line MANAGER APPLICATION by March 25th, 2024. This is a paid, part time seasonal position.

For more information about Laramie Main Street, visit: www.laramiemainstreet.org  

The Downtown Laramie Farmers Market is a weekly event hosted by Laramie Main Street on Friday afternoons from the last week in June through the end of September. The market provides access to locally and regionally grown produce, farm products, local artisans and non-profits. In addition to food trucks, drinks and food stalls, live entertainment provides a vibrant market atmosphere. The market’s goal is to create a pipeline of entrepreneurs (from market to storefront), support food based manufacturing, drive traffic downtown, increase sales for local businesses, and create a sense of vibrancy within the Laramie community. 

Market Manager Position

The Market Manager is a vital contributor to the planning and coordination of the market and builds relationships with entrepreneurs and vendors.  It is a part time position with primary responsibility being the day-to-day operation of the farmers market in the summer. An ideal manager has strong communication skills, will work well with Laramie Main Street’s Farmers Market committee, the City of Laramie, as well as developing a close working relationship with the market vendors.  The manager has a flexible schedule regarding correspondence pre-season (spring).  During the market season (summer), the position includes an on-site presence at the market during all market hours, Fridays, 1 to 8 pm. The manager will report to the Market Intern and LMSA Program Coordinator, and work closely with the Farmers Market Committee Chair. In addition, the manager will represent Laramie Main Street and the Farmers Market to vendors, market consumers, and the community.

Market Manager: 

This role is primarily responsible for market duties during the event every Friday during the summer. They are the primary day-of contact and works directly with vendors during the market, as well as the rest of the market staff. Responsibilities of the Market Manager include:

Pre-season (Spring) 

  • Contact past vendors about open applications

  • Respond to emails regarding the application process

  • Regularly check Market email account and respond or forward inquiries as necessary

  • Complete required special event permit acquisition, coordinate with committee to help collect signatures (or put together newspaper notice)

  • Complete requests for assistance from the City of Laramie:

    • Waste 

    • Streets 

    • Parks

  • Carry out Bid process for trash and toilets: reach out to contacts and make decisions on which companies to award bids 

    • Correspond with bid winners to coordinate payment schedule

    • Communicate payment schedule and requirements to Program Coordinator

  • Coordinate with Disposal and toilet services about weekly cleaning schedule, make other market staff aware of this schedule

  • Be aware of SNAP and other market sponsors and the recognition schedule

  • Review vendor applications, build an initial vendor map and proposed vendor list; review with committee members

  • Accept vendors and build waitlist for vendors not accepted 

  • Contact approved vendors and survey them regarding their desires to grow/expand their business

  • Create invoices in Square for market vendors who wish to prepay

  • Provide information about LMSA and local economic development business services (see Small Business Handbook) to vendors

  • Prepare a letter for vendors reminding them of updated rules and expectations

  • Ensure the vendor application and payment options are available online 

  • Confirm payment systems are functioning (EBT, Square, and PayPal) and set up any payment tracking systems for the season 

  • Prepare a formal report to the committee about the upcoming market season

  • Set market goals and complete event pre-evaluation in conjunction with market staff and chair

  • Coordinate with committee and staff about appropriate marketing initiatives

Summer Weekly Duties

Must be available Fridays 1-8pm June 28th- September 27th, 2024 (No market July 12th)

  • Check market email regularly and respond to email and phone requests for the market, or forward as necessary

  • Work with and advise intern to put together a weekly varying vendor map 

  • Deposit market fees and provide weekly income and expense reports to accounting and LMSA staff

  • Oversee invoicing process through Square

  • Manage waitlist and running vendor applications 

  • Communicate with vendors about no shows and collect no show payments 

  • Communicate with committee chair and co-manager about needs, issues and other pertinent information as necessary 

  • Assist market staff with handling disputes as necessary

  • Identify vendors who need assistance growing their business 

  • Support interns with specialized projects and events

  • Community education events 

  • Create an updated manual for Farmers Market

* Many of these duties will be performed with assistance from the market intern position*

Post-season (Fall/winter) 

  • Coordinate with committee about sending out follow up surveys for patrons, vendors, and downtown businesses

  • Finalize any outstanding payments and prepare a final income and expense report for accounting 

  • Prepare a formal report to the Board about the market season

  • Follow up with businesses that are interested in growing beyond the market and connect them with the appropriate resources

  • Working with market staff and committee to complete post event evaluation

  • Attend wrap up meeting and make recommendations for the next season 

Salary: $10,000 - which will be paid throughout the summer once per month.

Laramie Main Street launches a podcast about downtown businesses

Podcast artwork by Mary Katherine Scott

Laramie Main Street’s newest project is a monthly podcast celebrating the stories of downtown entrepreneurs.

“Between the Bricks” explores the stories of hometown entrepreneurs, what motivates them to start businesses, their challenges, successes, and how they engage in community. Monthly episodes will celebrate the grit that it takes to be a small business owner while inviting listeners to get to know the person behind the register. 

The first episode features Linda Devine, owner of Devine Law and founder of Devine Eats, a food truck, now pop up storefront that brings people together through food. Known for her ever evolving, eclectic cuisine and humanitarian efforts, Linda Devine is an advocate for downtown and the Laramie community. 

Podcast creator Ana Castro is no stranger to storytelling. As a multimedia artist and creative with a passion in restorative justice, public accessibility, and community development. Immigrating to the United States from Mexico, she is a queer brown woman, who currently serves as Laramie Main Street’s Program Coordinator. 

Ana’s inquisitive nature, engaging communication skills and her ability to bring diverse people together make her the perfect person to tell the stories of our amazing businesses
— Trey Sherwood

“Ana’s inquisitive nature, engaging communication skills and her ability to bring diverse people together make her the perfect person to tell the stories of our amazing businesses” shared Laramie Main Street Director, Trey Sherwood. 

As the series' first guest, Linda Devine shared, “I had a great time visiting with Ana. She is a natural and made me feel comfortable in telling my story. This is a great way to learn about the people behind the businesses. I love our downtown community!” 

As the podcast host, Ana's goal is to to highlight the exceptional businesses in our community, delving into the stories of owners and employees alike. We'll explore what drew them to Laramie, the significance of community in their lives, and what drives their daily commitment to serving our community.

“Between the Brick’s airs monthly. You can listen and subscribe on Spotify, https://open.spotify.com/ 


ABOUT LARAMIE MAIN STREET ALLIANCE

Laramie Main Street Alliance strives to preserve historic Downtown Laramie while enhancing its economic and social vitality through the implementation of transformation strategies that preserve the district as a home for entrepreneurs, with a focus on authentic consumer experiences and creative third spaces. Laramie Main Street Alliance is a member of the Wyoming Main Street Program. For more information, visit laramiemainstreet.org.



Downtown Laramie featured in Forbes article

Laramie Main Street Alliance and downtown Laramie was recently featured in a Forbes Article about community revitalization. Titled The Power Of Revitalization And The Role Businesses Can Play the article explores the key elements to working together to bring about economic development. 

Downtown Laramie is featured under item 3. Study examples of successful community revitalization as an example of a smaller town successfully implementing downtown revitalization programs.

“One example that I’ve personally found inspiring is Laramie, Wyoming. In Laramie, the downtown district was suffering from vacant buildings and deterioration. The community came together to create a comprehensive downtown plan, which led to the creation of the Laramie Main Street Alliance. Today, that area is once again thriving.”
— Ricky Trinidad, Forbes Councils Member

*Applications Closed*: Farmers Market Intern

The Laramie Main Street Alliance (LMSA) is looking to bring on a Farmers Market Intern for the 2024 season. Someone in this role should be a strong communicator, team player, self motivated, adaptable, and organized. Experience in the areas of graphic design, marketing, content creation, customer service, or event organization is preferred. Interested applicants should send a cover letter and resume to LMSA Program Coordinator Ana  Castro at coordinator@laramiemainstreet.org with the subject line INTERN APPLICATION by March 25th, 2024. This is a paid, part time seasonal position.

For more information about Laramie Main Street and the Farmers Market, visit: www.laramiemainstreet.org  

The Downtown Laramie Farmers Market is a weekly event hosted by Laramie Main Street on Friday afternoons from the last week in June through the end of September. The market provides access to locally and regionally grown produce, farm products, local artisans and non-profits. In addition to food trucks, drinks and food stalls, live entertainment provides a vibrant market atmosphere. The market’s goal is to create a pipeline of entrepreneurs (from market to storefront), support food based manufacturing, drive traffic downtown, increase sales for local businesses, and create a sense of vibrancy within the Laramie community. 

Market Intern Position 

The Farmers Market Intern is a part-time summer position, with some preparation taking place in the spring. The primary responsibilities are assisting the Market Manager with the day-of operations of the Market, and creating Market promotional content. Please be aware this position requires a fair amount of manual labor, and you may be asked to lift up to 40 lbs. This position reports to the Market Manager. 

This position requires a weekly presence at the Friday Farmers Market between the hours of 1pm and 8pm from June 28th- September 27th (no market July 12th).

Spring: 

  • Training for the position, and getting familiar with the market money system 

  • Assisting with preparing materials for our SNAP food matching program

  • Help with goal setting and event pre-evaluation

Summer:

Weekly responsibilities include:

  • Work with Market staff to update and publish the weekly varying vendor map for both social media and google maps

  • Oversee the Farmers Market Facebook and Instagram pages and create content (2-3 posts plus day of stories) on a weekly basis 

  • Create impactful social campaigns to promote the farmers market 

  • Coordinate with LMSA Communications Coordinator about posts on main LMSA social feeds

  • Create content for specialized market events and music

  • Capture photo and video at the market to be used in future promotional material 

  • Oversee SNAP match program at the farmers market

    • tracking of grant and moneys used for SNAP matching

    • communicating program to community

    • evaluate program effectiveness and suggest and implement improvements

    • train volunteers and others on how to use SNAP EBT machine and exchange for market tokens

    • Outreach to partner organizations and community spaces to promote SNAP match program

    • Coordinate with SNAP EBT program as needed

  • Assist with Sustainability efforts

    • Assist Deb with PedalPalooza - a bike downtown event that encourages biking over driving to the market

    • Develop sustainability days for 3 of the summer markets - how can we incentivise vendors and communities to use sustainable practices?

  • Assist the Market Manager in Market set-up and tear down and day of operations including: 

    • Set out market fixtures like market tent, trash, toilets, signage, and street barricades

    • Help organize vendors into locations as they arrive 

    • Call dispatch about remaining cars parked in lot

    • Assist the Manager in collecting vendor fees and token exchange 

    • Collect SNAP and other token transactions at the market table

    • Communicate with vendors about updates, issues, and questions

    • Close the market by breaking down market features

    • Walk the market location and collect trash

    • Assist in storing items neatly for next market use

Salary: $5,000 - which will be paid throughout the summer once per month.

Love Blooms in Downtown Laramie: Adore-A-Gram Campaign Sparks Valentine’s Day Joy!

Love Blooms in Downtown Laramie: Adore-A-Gram Campaign by Laramie Main Street Alliance Sparks Valentine’s Day Joy!

This Valentine's Day, Laramie Main Street Alliance invites the community to express their love in a unique way through the Adore Downtown campaign. By sending an Adore-A-Gram, participants not only share their affection with a special someone but also contribute to the continuity of Laramie Main Street's events, projects, and programming for Downtown Laramie.

The Adore-A-Gram options are designed to fit various preferences and budgets:

  • $5 Delivered Valentine

  • $15 Delivered Valentine & Fresh Rose

  • $25 Delivered Valentine, Rose, and 4 Truffles from the Chocolate Cellar

The Adore-A-Grams not only spread love and joy but also play a crucial role in sustaining our efforts to enhance and enrich the downtown experience for everyone.
— Katelyn Heller

Adore-A-Grams will be hand-delivered free of charge by Main Street Volunteers, Wednesday, February 14th between 8:00 am and 5:00 pm.  Participants can easily purchase their Adore-A-Grams online at https://htru.io/SGIC. Orders should be placed before noon on Monday, February 12th. 

"We are thrilled to launch the Adore Downtown campaign, offering a creative way for the community to celebrate Valentine's Day while supporting the vibrancy of Downtown Laramie," Katelyn Heller, Organization Team Chair for Laramie Main Street Alliance. "The Adore-A-Grams not only spread love and joy but also play a crucial role in sustaining our efforts to enhance and enrich the downtown experience for everyone."

The Adore Downtown campaign is part of Laramie Main Street Alliance's ongoing commitment to fostering a vibrant, connected, and dynamic downtown community. Funds raised through the Adore-A-Grams will directly contribute to future events, beautification projects, and initiatives to further enhance the experience and atmosphere of Downtown Laramie.

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ABOUT LARAMIE MAIN STREET ALLIANCE

Laramie Main Street Alliance strives to preserve historic Downtown Laramie while enhancing its economic and social vitality through the implementation of transformation strategies that preserve the district as a home for entrepreneurs, with a focus on authentic consumer experiences and creative third spaces. Laramie Main Street Alliance is a member of the Wyoming Main Street Program. For more information, visit laramiemainstreet.org

Downtown Valentine's Day!

Do you need ideas for Valentine's Day this year? Downtown Laramie is the perfect place to find extra special gifts and spend time with your loved ones. See our Valentine's Day guide below created to help you plan the perfect day with your Valentine (or Galentines)!

Favorite Accomplishments of 2023

Relaunch of the LMSA Facade Grant

To celebrate historic preservation month (May 2023) LMSA relaunched their facade grant program. This program provides funding to help business and building owners make improvements to their exteriors. Levels include sign grants, maintenance grants, and renovation grants. So far $38,500 has been awarded to13 businesses for their facade improvements. Learn more about the Facade Grant and how to apply at https://laramiemainstreet.org/facade-grants

Wayfinding Signs

After YEARS of hard work by the City of Laramie, Laramie Main Street, and Visit Laramie 5 wayfinding signs have been installed in key locations around Laramie. These signs are part of a larger plan to help residents and visitors find important areas of Laramie!  Stay tuned for more signs in the future.

Naming the Parking lots

To bring awareness to the all day parking Downtown Laramie Main Street recruited the community’s help to pick animal names for the parking lots. These five distinct parking lots, the Moose lot on 4th and University, the Bison lot on 1st and University, the Trout lot on 1st and Garfield, the Sage-Grouse lot on 2nd and Custer,  and the Jackalope Lot at offer a combined total of 256 parking spots to serve the community's needs. So come by and try parking in one of the animal lots! Learn more about the Parking Lots and incentives at https://laramiemainstreet.org/news/2023/10/27/laramie-main-street-alliance-encourages-downtown-parking-offering-surprising-rewards

Welcome to the team Ana and Kim.

This year Laramie Main Street welcomed two new staff members to the team - Ana Castro, LMSA program coordinator, and Kim Jessen, LMSA Volunteer Coordinator. Thanks to their contributions, LMSA is able to better engage with the community and volunteers, host events to benefit downtown, and provide more support to our downtown neighborhood. 

Holiday Lights downtown

Have you noticed all the lights downtown this holiday season? See the Snowflakes on the light poles along with additional string lights, the lights adorning the walking bridge and the bright trees by the Bison and Jakalope lots, and even more lights on the train in depot park. Thank you Laramie Board of Realtors, Wyo Light Co. , City of Laramie, and Tough Guys Landscaping & Lighting for your contributions to our bright and festive downtown!

Laramie Main Street Teams Up with Chipotle for Exclusive Fundraising Event

Laramie Main Street is thrilled to announce an exciting partnership with Chipotle for its first local fundraising event since the restaurant's grand opening on November 10th. On December 9th, from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, Chipotle will generously donate 33% of all supporters' sales to Laramie Main Street, helping to further the organization's mission in supporting the vibrant downtown community.


Trey Sherwood, spokesperson for Laramie Main Street, emphasizes the significance of fundraising for the organization's essential expenses, stating, "As a non-profit, we rely on public donations and sponsorships to meet our mission-critical expenses. Funds raised allow us to keep our services free to every business and property owner in the district. A donation is an investment in a vibrant downtown."

This event is a unique opportunity for community members to contribute to the continued growth and success of downtown Laramie. Sherwood adds, "Downtown is the one place, community- wide, that everyone owns. Investing in the place you call home supports the creation of new jobs and adds diversity to our business mix."


To ensure that your purchases contribute to this fundraising initiative, there are four convenient ways to participate:

  1. Show the cashier a digital flyer prior to paying.

  2. Show the cashier a paper flyer prior to paying.

  3. Order online and pick up Chipotle for your fundraiser by using Promo Code MW6TFLY on the
    Chipotle app or website. (*Pick-up only*)


Laramie Main Street encourages everyone to mark their calendars for December 9th, gather friends and family, and head to Chipotle at 2615 Grand Ave. between 4:00 PM and 8:00 PM to support this important cause.


For more information about Laramie Main Street and its initiatives, please visit
laramiemainstreet.org


Contact:
Ana Castro
Program Coordinator
Laramie Main Street Alliance
307-223-1795 a
coordinator@laramiemainstreet.org