A Quick Look at DANTH, Inc.

Downtown Revitalization Experts

Who we are

DANTH Inc. is a leading urban-planning consulting firm. It creates market-driven revitalization strategies and effective action plans for downtown and Main Street organizations throughout the U.S. The firm, under the leadership of its founder and president, N. David Milder, is a leading proponent of “niche” economic development strategies that have proven successful in case after case.

A niche development strategy analyzes a downtown to identify markets in which it can become dominant. This helps to make the area a destination location as well as serving as a marketing focal point to attract customer traffic and quality retailers.

DANTH’s research, planning and consulting expertise provides each client with a program based on research, proven strategies and the creative ability to customize individual programs. The company's projects have ranged from Midtown Manhattan to Carlisle, PA, to Pasadena, CA.

Specifically, DANTH:

· Provides market research on an area's retail potential based on residential and worker traffic and visitors to the area.

· Conducts market research on space and location preferences of potential users.

· Organizes business recruitment programs for retail and office space.

· Assesses the feasibility of real estate development projects.

· Creates special downtown assessment districts with appropriate management programs.

· Recommends security programs and quality-of-life improvements.

In fact, DANTH’s unique approach brings together a team of noted experts in their fields to provide downtown areas, from the nation’s largest cities to small rural communities, with the knowledge and experience to create, organize and operate successful programs. DANTH’s full range of services can benefit some of the most sophisticated urban revitalization organizations in the nation as well as those just getting started.

Some of our clients

Ohio Dept Economic & Community Dev

The City of Charlotte

Regional Plan Association

Research Triangle Institute

Bayonne EDC

Teaneck EDC

Mosholu Preservation Corp

Greater Jamaica Development Corp

City of White Plains

Main Street New Jersey

National Main Street Center

Village of Garden City

National Institute of Justice

Rutland Partnership;

Englewood EDC

Grand Central Partnership;

MetroTech BID

Cranford DMC

Forest City Development California

Carlisle Area Chamber of Commerce

Elizabeth Development Company

Examples of services offered by DANTH

Workshops on Niche Development and Marketing

These two-hour sessions teach participants how to identify existing strong market niches, how to expand them and how to identify new ones. This workshop is ideal for 10-25 participants and is a cost-effective means to give key downtown players and the staff of downtown organizations the motivation and knowledge they need to start niche-based development and marketing programs.

Reconnaissance and Action Plan

A one or two-person DANTH team visits the area, meets with key business and government officials, reviews existing plans and produces a 10-15 page report with recommendations to get a downtown revitalization program on track. This program is geared to new efforts with limited budgets or older organizations that need a quick and inexpensive reassessment of their strategies and programs

Retail Revitalization Strategy and Action Plan

This is a significantly more in-depth version of the Reconnaissance Plan with more detailed research and specific recommendations, but focused on retail revitalization. An option is conducting a trade area telephone survey of consumer attitudes toward existing retailers and services. This survey, designed by DANTH, would be conducted by a leading national research firm, Mathew Greenwald &

Associates.

An analogous niche revitalization strategy for offices, such as one to create a cyberdistrict, can also be provided.

Comprehensive Downtown Revitalization Strategy and Action Plan

Experts agree that successful revitalization efforts require a comprehensive approach. This “gold standard” program looks at a broad range of economic functions that can include retail and office markets, cultural and entertainment activities and housing. It can also address such vital issues as traffic, parking, security, public relations, marketing and promotion, streetscape design, BID/SID creation and programming, and the feasibility of specific real estate development projects.

Costs

Niche workshops run about $2,000 plus travel expenses.

Reconnaissances can range from $7,000 to $12,000.

A niche-based retail revitalization strategy and action plan is in the $22,000 to $27,000 range, plus about $25,000 if a trade area telephone survey is requested.

A comprehensive downtown revitalization strategy can be as little as $50,000 and as high as $200,000. The key cost factor here is how comprehensive the client wants the project to be.

N. David Milder

N. David Milder, founder and president of DANTH, is a nationally recognized authority on downtown revitalization and a leading proponent of developing market niches. He has more than 25 years of experience utilizing market research and management skills to help revitalize business centers. In addition to his analytical work assessing the potential of downtowns and recommending revitalization and recruitment programs, he has designed and implemented downtown security programs, and managed downtown special districts. He specializes in the use of surveys to assess residential, employee and tourist retail markets and analyzing geographic information systems to assess retail market potentials.

Mr. Milder, received a Ph.D. from Cornell University, and taught at Cornell and Ohio State University. He also served as director of the Urban Institute at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, executive director of the Ohio Cities Consortium and vice president for sales and marketing at the Man-Data Corp. (Columbus, OH).

Mr. Milder has been widely quoted in the media, has written for numerous publications, and authored more than 50 technical reports and articles in Urban Land, Comparative Political Studies and Comparative Public Administration. His best-selling book Niche Strategies For Downtown Revitalization was published by the Downtown Research & Development Center in February 1997. A book on business recruitment is scheduled for publication by the Downtown Research and Development Center in June 2003. He is also one of four rotating downtown experts who write the Perspectives column in the Downtown Idea Exchange.

Niche Strategies For Downtown Revitalization may be purchased on line directly from the Downtown Research & Development Center at http://www.downtowndevelopment.com/nsdr.php or from amazon.com