At a Herndon Chamber of Commerce luncheon Tuesday, the Town of Herndon’s first ever Economic Development Manager, Dennis Holste Jr., discussed elements of town staff and elected officials' “Downtown Master Plan” – a blueprint for the economic development of downtown Herndon. The Downtown Master Plan was adopted by the Mayor and Town Council in 2011.
According to the Town of Herndon, the centerpiece of the Downtown Master Plan is “more than 111,000 square feet of contiguous Town-owned property, available for private development.” The plan also includes a jointly funded public/private parking structure, residential development along Center Street, and residential and commercial development along Station Street that will include a 12,000- to 15,000-square-foot arts center and splash fountain.
Holste also highlighted five other strategies: a business retention and expansion program, a process review committee for the development, creation of a town ombudsman, creation of an arts/cultural district and tourism zone, and the creation of a website to highlight the area’s businesses and retail opportunities.
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Among those in attendance were several local officials including past town councilmembers, and representatives from many local businesses.
Many said they felt Holste made a good first impression.
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“[Holste] is going to be the glue that ties a lot of the people in this room together,” said Don Owens, the Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Dulles Regional Chamber of Commerce and one half of Herndon’s Griffin-Owens Insurance. “Municipalities of this size, to be dynamic, need someone focused on economic development full-time, so I’m very excited about it.”
Herndon Mayor Lisa Merkel said she was pleased with Holste’s presentation and looks forward to implementing the town staff and elected officials' plans for the town.
“We are thrilled to have Dennis on board,” said Merkel. “We’re really focused on economic development and we’re thrilled to have a point person. He’s completed our sentences in ways we didn’t know we needed to complete them.”
“It’s difficult to find just the right kind of retail for the downtown because of the sizing of the space,” added Eileen Curtis, the Chamber’s president and CEO. “It’s a kind of special matching that needs to happen.”
Owens noted that this is not Herndon’s first go-around with economic development, citing the Herndon Parkway as a successful example of local business leaders and politicians coming together to make something work. He said the new plan can be successful as well, but the right set of economic circumstances has to occur.
“What’s important is that we catch an economic cycle where the interest rates are ‘just so.’ There has to be an appetite for developers,” Owens said.
Ultimately, many at the luncheon said they are confident that the town's plans will come to fruition because of the positive elements of the area in general. According to a Bloomberg Business Week article from last year, Herndon is one of the best places to raise children. Additionally, Money Magazine and CNN Money cited Herndon as one of the best places to live.
