06-25-18 Regular Meeting of the La Porte Development Corporation Board

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Farmer’s market – Buying locally produced, organic food is a nationwide trend, but La Porte residents have little if any access to these products. Currently, the closest farmer’s market is located more than 10 miles outside of the city. Interviews and surveys conducted for this Strategic Plan indicate demand for a farmer’s market. The City should examine the possibility of hosting a market in downtown La Porte. Specialty grocers – Residents express great concern about the availability of grocery stores in the city. While attracting a major national grocery chain to La Porte may take several years, the city is ripe for specialty grocers. Wine merchants – Similar to specialty grocers, wine merchants are a natural fit in a culinary environment. These merchants could sell bottles of wine, serve wine, and host classes. Restaurants – Independently owned or local restaurant chains are desirable for the downtown district. While La Porte has a good number of restaurants, it currently lacks variety. A cluster of culinary activity will uniquely position La Porte as a destination for visitors from neighboring communitiesas well as fill a need for local residents. It will complement other attractions in the city, such as Sylvan Beach, burgeoning niche retail, cruise ships, and a trail system that draws cyclists and other sports enthusiasts. To start, develop a list of culinary academies, specialty grocers, wine merchants and restaurants to target in this marketing campaign. Think small and regional chains versus national big box retailers. Next, create marketing tools that express La Porte’s specific advantages for culinary businesses. These tools may include a brochure, a web page on the downtown website, and a series of advertisements for placement in specialty publications. Tactic 2.1.5: Market La Porte to commercial real estate developers. Once complete, La Porte’s Master Plan will identify specific catalyst projects that will heighten the city’s ability to accomplish its economic development vision. These projects will likely require participation from real estate developers. The Master Plan itself will serve as a valuable marketing tool for the city when communicating with development companies. It will provide a platform for conversation and illustrate to investors how their project will securely fit within the city’s long term commitment to capital improvements. As the Master Plan is being designed, the City should create a database of commercial developers located in the Greater Houston area, as well as national firms whose niche matches La Porte’s. Invest in marketing tools to use when reaching out to contacts. These materials should include: 30 Forward La Porte Economic Development Strategic Plan I 2009-2013