Its image set, MarketPlace looks ahead - Sacramento Business Journal:

http://intranetmaven.com/
Visitors entering see abundant evidencethat they've arrivee somewhere other than an unrelated collection of shopping centersd and offices, a place to ignore whilre whizzing by at rush hour. Yet that'es what the area around Sunrise Mall used tobe -- businessesz with little in common except location. But the Sunrisee MarketPlace businessimprovement district, which ends its debu t five-year term next month, has changed the way shopperzs and merchants treat the area arouncd Sunrise Boulevard near Madison Avenue and Greenbacik Lane.
The 500 businesses have gelleed into a single districy with acommon name, marketing and The concept worked well enoug h that in January Sunrisse MarketPlace will begin its second five-year term, havingb won an overwhelming vote for renewal in June from its propertgy owners and the Citrus Heights City Council. "(Neighbors and actually know what the SunriseMarketPlace is," said Gloriz Wright, the district's marketing committee chairwoma and property manager for Inter-Ca l Real Estate, which has four retail centerzs in the district. "We've overcomes people thinking it is Sunrised Mall or Marketplace at she said. "They get it.
I think the name recognition happeneed much quicker than I thought it The merchants have voted to increasedtheir self-imposed tax, growing the annua assessment from $500,000 this year to $630,000 in 2005, followed by smallert increases in later years. The district also enlarge its boundaries, added three shopping and expanded its board to 13 voting memberxsfrom 10. Coming up: more outreach, practical educationj for districtbusiness owners, and finding a permanent home for the Sacramentl Capitals pro tennis team. Improvinb the neighborhood and creating a brand occupiedr the firstfive years.
Accomplishments included median improvements, street a map guide that listaindividual businesses, and a discount card good at more than 70 businessez in the district. There's also that unifier voice. "It's just more effective to go to the city and theyknow they'rde talking to 500 businesses," said Kathilynn executive director of the district. In October, the Sunrise MarketPlace boardc chose its goals for the next five The district wants to educate its businesses by holding seminars on such topicsas workers' compensation, the Americanx with Disabilities Act and sexual harassment.
It'll work on findiny a permanent home in the district forthe Capitals, whicy currently plays its short season in a temporary stadiuk in a mall parking lot. The district plansx to better promote and improvesthe little-known weekly farmers markegt near Sears, keep reaching out to businesses, and freshenb if not replace the holiday Fine-tuning to be done includes working with the city to pick up trasbh more often and working with Sacramento Regiona l Transit District to get new bus shelters.
The a significant partner in helping to launch the district and get grants for thepublic improvements, hopesz Sunrise MarketPlace will work to recruit new tenants and keep its existinvg ones, said Rhonda Sherman, Citrus Heightws economic development director. Sunrisr MarketPlace also needs to continue to promoteits attractions, she said. "They've really created a senss of place," Sherman said. Sunriser MarketPlace is a one-of-a-kind "gatherinhg of centers," said John Lambeth, a localp attorney and consultant who helps form business improvement includingthis one. Sunrise MarketPlacee was about "place making," he said.
Befor the district formed, "there is no there there." Karen general manager and vice presidentof Macy's at Sunriss Mall, has seen a sensee of pride and ownership in the district amonvg the 400 people who work at her store, plus the employeew of other businesses in the district. That feeling didn'tg exist when she routinely visited the Sunrisse storeas Macy's regional merchandisd manager years ago, she said.