Generally speaking, there was an interest in more restaurants, multipurpose stores, a pharmacy and music stores. In addition to the formal survey, the development team conducted a series of community leadership interviews, which included most of the resource people identified in the Campus Partners proposal. The interviews asked questions about design and also sought to determine how key organizations and individuals wanted to structure their involvement in the project after a developer was selected. Those answers, as well as the experience of the communications professionals and the developers on other projects, served as the foundation for the community relations plan advanced by this team. To begin, the development team identified a list of organizations as resources and stakeholders.
Further research can benchmark perspectives and assist in developing meaningful participation.
The developer may also organize smaller sub-committees of experts to advise on specific issues like parking, retail and more. The Advisory Board will function as a sounding board to test ideas, review plans and chart progress. Additionally, members will be asked to carry development updates back to their various constituencies for reaction and guidance. The Advisory Board is also one of several ways to create an early warning system that alerts the developer to any pending problems or concerns that may jeopardize the project. These could include gentrification issues, diversity tension and impact on surrounding neighborhoods.