Jon Stover & Associates
Bridging the Gap Between Business, Local Government, Nonprofits, and the Community
Project Experience:
Stakeholder Engagement, Surveys, and Training
Community engagement takes on a lot of forms, but the purpose is usually the same: to improve communication and cooperation between neighborhood residents and other stakeholders in order to achieve a mutually desired outcome. With the advent of new technologies and the recognition that standard community meetings have a minimal impact in most neighborhoods, JS&A has been at the forefront of developing creative and hand-catered approaches to engaging a diverse spectrum of neighborhoods residents and building consensus toward shared goals.
Hechinger Mall Site Visioning and Redevelopment Economic, Fiscal, and Community Impact
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JS&A worked with a project team overseen by H Street Main Street to envision a redevelopment opportunity for an underutilized shopping mall at a key intersection in the H Street neighborhood in Washington, DC. JS&A helped develop a realistic yet visionary development program, conducted a detailed assessment of the ways in which the program would impact the local and city-wide community, and undertook an engagement effort to communicate the opportunity at hand and incorporate stakeholder feedback before working more closely with site owners and city officials.
Clients: H Street Main Street
Location: Washington, DC
Prime: Jon Stover & Associates
Tennessee Retail Summit Trainings: Tips for Collecting, Interpreting, & Leveraging Data
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Jon Stover presented at a series of Downtown Retail Summits for the Tennessee Main Street Program in the spring of 2018. His interactive session, titled“How to Collect, Interpret, and Leverage Data,” included a review of applicable data sources, uses, and collection methods and discussed best practices for using data to inform decision-making and bolster program advocacy. Sessions were conducted in three cities over the course of three days: Jackson, TN , Columbia, TN, and Crossville, TN.
Clients: Tennessee Department of Economic and Community Development
Location: Columbia, TN; Jackson, TN; and Crossville, TN
Prime: Jon Stover & Associates
Feasibility Study for a Main Street Program on Georgia Ave
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JS&A secured our first competitively bid government contract as a prime consultant, under a grant issued by the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development. We led a team that included UHURU LLC and Barracks Row Main Street to analyze the feasibility for the District of Columbia to develop and fund a nonprofit Main Street organization to oversee Lower Georgia Ave, in DC. The project included a comprehensive engagement process with numerous small group discussions and one-on-one meetings with neighborhood leaders, business owners, and community residents.
Client: DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD)
Location: Washington, DC
Prime: Jon Stover & Associates
Planning Conference: Mayor's Institute for City Design
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Worked closely with Mayor Richard Gray of Lancaster, PA, Mayor Kim Bracey of York, PA, and Mayor Dana Redd of Camden, NJ, as well as their staffs, to develop and prepare design issues for each to present for the Mayors Institute on City Design (MICD) conference held by the University of Pennsylvania.
Client: University of Pennsylvania
Location: Philadelphia, PA
Prime: Jon Stover & Associates
Presentation at 2015-2018 Main Street NOW Conferences
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Jon led sessions at the 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2018 National Main Street Conferences in Atlanta, GA, Milwaukee, WI, Pittsburgh, PA, and Kansas City, MO.
Conference: Main Street NOW
Location: Atlanta, Milwaukee, Pittsburgh, & Kansas City
By: Jon Stover & Associates
Georgia Ave Graffiti Removal Pilot Project
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As part of the Georgia Ave Main Street Feasibility Study (see above), stakeholders communicated that they believe graffiti along the corridor is a major problem in the community. JS&A organized a community graffiti removal pilot project. The event drew about 30 volunteers and we were able to remove graffiti on 12 different buildings along Georgia Ave. Special thanks to Georgia Avenue Business Alliance, the Georgia Ave Development Task Force, the Mayors Office on Community Relations, and the Department of Public Works! The pilot will be continued with the support of commmunity volunteers.
Client: DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD); the Georgia Ave community
Location: Washington, DC
Prime: Jon Stover & Associates
Community Resource Fair:
CHASE Planning Initiative
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Contributed toward an economic development initiative for the Anacostia and Congress Heights neighborhoods of Washington, DC as part of a $3 million HUD Challenge Planning Grant. Stover managed the community engagement process that culminated in a community “resource fair” that connected neighborhood residents with available city resources.
Clients: DC Office of Planning and DC Department of Housing and Community Development
Location: Washington, DC
Subcontracted for Mosaic Urban Partners
Prime: Goody Clancy
Business Owner Round Tables:
Eastover Sector Plan
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Completed a sector plan for the Forest Heights / Glass Manor area of Prince George’s County on behalf of the Maryland National Parks and Planning Commission. The assignment focused on urban and environmental site design, transportation planning, and economic revitalization strategies. Stover led roundtable discussions with corridor business owners and key neighborhood stakeholders and also presented interum findings and project recommendations.
Client: Maryland - Nat'l Capital Park & Planning Comm.
Location: Prince George's County, MD
Subcontracted for Mosaic Urban Partners
Prime: Cooper Carry
Community Walking Tour:
East Baltimore Development Initiative
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Managed the community feedback and engagement process for a retail analysis for the Forest City--New East Baltimore Partnership. Co-led a community walking tour with community residents and the Chair of the City Council to understand community concerns, explain project intent, and build a base of trust and open communication. Implemented a community-wide survey to understand resident needs and concerns regarding local retail activity and availability.
Client: Forest City--New East Baltimore Partnership
Location: Baltimore, MD
Subcontracted for Mosaic Urban Partners
Community Presentations: Southwest Small Area Plan
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The goal of the Southwest Neighborhood Plan -- still underway -- is to provide public and private stakeholders a land use and urban design framework that will guide development for the neighborhood. Over the course of multiple community presentations, design charrettes, and stakeholder meetings, Stover helped residents understand pressing neighborhood questions such as why the southwest neighborhood currently lacks retail amenities and what can be done to encourage more retail development. The kickoff meeting was attended by over 300 community residents.
Client: DC Office of Planning
Location: Washington, DC
Subcontracted for Mosaic Urban Partners
Prime: Ayers Saint Gross
Comprehensive Engagement:
Mid City East Small Area Plan
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Since the Mid City East Plan kick-off in April 2013, Mid City East outreach has reached 1,000 residents through MindMixer, office hours, walking tours, focus groups, workshops, and meetings. The project team hosted a variety of engagement activities including a mobile transportation workshop that rotated throughout the study area, and focus area meetings in the Bates/Truxton Circle, Hanover, Sursum Corda Area, Eckington, Bloomingdale, and LeDroit Park neighborhoods.
Client: DC Office of Planning
Location: Washington, DC
Subcontracted for Green Door Advisors
Prime: Smith Group JLL
Engagement Facilitation:
Lincoln Theatre
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Hired by the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities to help them prepare for a public meeting in which to communicate city plans for the historic Lincoln Theatre in Washington, DC, and solicit feedback from community residents.
Client: DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities
Location: Washington, DC
Subcontracted for Mosaic Urban Partners
DC Downtown East Re-Urbanization Strategy
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JS&A was on a project team with Beyer Blinder Bell and Bay Area Economics to assess the opportunity to revitalize a downtown DC neighborhood characterized by government and nonprofit land uses. JS&A conducted a market analysis and real estate development opportunity assessment for all types of land uses within the study area. JS&A participated in community meetings to solicit feedback and present preliminary findings and recommendations.
Client: DC Office of Planning
Location: Washington, DC
Prime: Jon Stover & Associates
Barracks Row Restaurant Suitability Community Survey
Completed a three-part study analyzing the suitability of the Barracks Row Main Street commercial corridor in Washington, DC for additional restaurant development. The study included an in-depth existing conditions analysis, case studies of comparable commercial districts, and a community survey of area residents to identify and quantify neighborhood attitudes regarding local commercial activity.
Client: Barracks Row Main Street
Location: Washington, DC
Prime: Jon Stover & Associates
East Baltimore Development
Initiative Community Retail
Preference Survey
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Managed the community feedback and engagement process for a retail analysis for the Forest City--New East Baltimore Partnership. Co-led a community walking tour with community residents and the Chair of the City Council to understand community concerns, explain project intent, and build a base of trust and open communication. Implemented a community-wide survey to understand resident needs and concerns regarding local retail activity and availability.
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Client: Forest City--New East Baltimore Partnership
Location: Baltimore, MD
Subcontracted for Mosaic Urban Partners
Downtown Lake Worth Arts and Culture Master Plan
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Jon Stover & Associates was selected as part of a team with Lord Cultural Resources to undertake the Downtown Lake Worth Arts and Culture Master Plan. Overseen by the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, the Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Authority (CRA), and the City of Lake Worth, the Master Plan aims to leverage a growing local arts scene as a central part of the greater downtown
economic development strategy. JS&A conducted a market analysis including demographic projections, a cultural enhancement and economic development strategy, and a detailed implementation plan.
Clients: Cultural Council of Palm Beach County, City of Lake Worth, Lake Worth Community Redevelopment Agency
Location: Lake Worth, FL
Prime: Lord Cultural Resources
Eastern Market Main Street Design Training
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JS&A was retained by Eastern Market Main Street (EMMS) in its first year of operation. JS&A trained the EMMS board and staff to help them understand their program’s ability to influence the design and character of the Eastern Market neighborhood, as well as discuss methods, tools, and best practices for understanding the needs of local business owners and implementing programming to best serve their interests in the near-term and for years to come.
Clients: Eastern Market Main Street
Location: Washington, DC
Prime: Jon Stover & Associates
Feasibility Assessment for a Joint Main Street Program at Kennedy St and Upper 14th St
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JS&A was retained to assesses the feasibility of developing a new DC Main Street program for Upper 14thStreet NW and Kennedy Street NW in Ward 4. Funded and overseen by the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development (DSLBD), this study outlines how a DC Main Street program could be implemented to benefit businesses along these two corridors. Based in part on these recommendations, a new program was formed, accredited, and funded by the District of Columbia in 2018.
Clients: Department of Small and Local Business Development
Location: Washington, DC
Prime: Jon Stover & Associates
MEDC data collection strategy, resource guide, training, and program fiscal impact analysis
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JS&A recently completed a strategy for the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) to help the Michigan Main Street program streamline its data collection process and better leverage this information. Based on those recommendations, JS&A was retained to undertake the following (currently underway):
• Recommend how MEDC and local programs can best collect, evaluate, and utilize selected additional metrics;
• Create a data collection resource guide to help program leadership understand how to collect and use data;
• Conduct an in-person data collection and utilization training session with program leadership; and
• Completed a detailed assessment of the Michigan Main Street Program’s fiscal and economic impact.
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Clients: Michigan Economic Development Corporation
Location: Michigan
Prime: Jon Stover & Associates