The DBD welcomed the following businesses to the district in 2021:

Discover more treats and experiences by supporting our newest downtown neighbors!

Current DBD Commissioners*

Jen Alexander
Chairperson
Kidcity Children’s Museum
jalexander01@snet.net

Marc Levin
Co-Chairperson
Malloves Jewelers
malloves@aol.com

Patrick Harding
Treasurer
Harding Development
patrick@hardingdevelopment.com

Katie Hughes-Nelson
Secretary
Perk on Main
katieperkonmain@yahoo.com

Mike DiPiro
Guilmartin, DiPiro, Sokolowski
miked@gdscpas.com

Tom Ford
Hajjar Development
Tomf@hajjarmanagement.com

Diane Gervais
Amato’s Toy & Hobby
diane@amatostoyandhobby.com

Marie Kalita
Mercy High School
MKalita@mercyhigh.com

Matt Lefebvre
Middlesex Music Academy
matt@middlesex-music-academy.com

Sandra Russo-Driska
Downtown Business District
Sandra@downtownmiddletown.com

*Commission terms are for 2 years
and serve through March 2023. Officers are elected each year at the annual meeting in March.

2021 DBD Initiatives

Outreach Manager Program

In September 2021, the Middletown Downtown Business District (DBD) Commissioner’s voted to launch a program in collaboration with St. Vincent DePaul Director, Maryellen Shuckrow, that would positively impact our downtown businesses and visitors with direct interaction on the street. Funding was approved through April 2022 and the Mayor of the City of Middletown, Ben Florshiem, supported the initiative and pledged future funding based on the success of the program.

James Thomas was hired as the first Outreach Manager for the pilot program last fall. His focus is to assist those individuals in our downtown that may need food, clothing, shelter, or access to many of the outstanding programs offered at St. Vincent de Paul and by River Valley Services. As Outreach Manager, James has assisted and helped countless individuals and has become an asset to not only downtown businesses, but also to our Police Department.

Noting the success of this program, Mayor Florshiem and the City of Middletown have funded the program through the end of June 2022 with plans to permanently fund the project in future budgets.

Chamber of Commerce and the DBD

The DBD helps fund initiatives held through the Middlesex County Chamber of Commerce. The Annual Car Cruise and Holiday of Main are just two of the major programs that our staff participates in.

The Annual Car Cruise is held each year in June and awards are given by each of the major sponsors. Last year, the DBD gave their award to a teal green, mint, 1966 Ford Mustang with white leather interior and whitewall tires. Save the date! The Annual Car Cruise returns to Main Street on June 15th!

Holiday on Main kicks off each year the evening after Thanksgiving with our City’s Annual Tree Lighting on the South Green. Continuing the celebration on Main Street, each Saturday leading up to Christmas offers downtown visitors family-friendly activities such as horse and cart rides, live music, pictures with Santa, popcorn, hot cocoa, and more.

Grant Programs

2021 was another very challenging year for our downtown businesses with COVID-19 continuing to create a difficult situation for all. With that in mind, the DBD Commission put grant programs in place to assist our businesses.

Outdoor Decor Matching Grant Program

The Commission approved a total of $30,000 in matching grant funding (up to $2,000 per business) and 22 businesses took advantage of this program. Signs, tables, chairs, and umbrellas were just some of the items purchased with this grant.

Event Grant Program

The Commission approved $20,000 in funding for businesses to get creative and plan events that could safely bring people together during the pandemic. Fifteen program participants held outdoor events, from live music concerts to ballet performances, on Main Street. In addition, the grant program funds assisted the Middletown Arts Fest, allowing them to host an event each first Friday of the month from June through October. A variety of artists displayed their work along Main Street and side streets, while venues offered live music for all to enjoy.

The Storefront Project

Downtown Middletown is a dining destination for many visitors to our city. Increased foot traffic is important to our post-COVID economic recovery. The Storefront Project is a DBD initiative to enliven vacant commercial properties during a time of transition and economic challenge on Main Street. The aim of the project is to create outdoor “galleries” of vacant spaces to be viewed from the sidewalk. The Storefront Project is a COVID-friendly tourism experience, where visitors strolling Main Street can see what’s new and have serendipitous interactions with work created by local talent. The project showcases available properties and highlights the entrepreneurial and artistic roots of the Middletown business and cultural communities with the goal of stimulating interest in new ventures in Downtown Middletown.

In the 2021-22 year, four Storefront Projects have been implemented:

• Three paintings by Pierre Sylvain at 584 Main

• An interactive art experience with Kat Owen’s at 428 Main

• An imaginary barbershop by Kidcity’s creative team at 420 Main

This project is funded by a grant from the Connecticut Office of the Arts in the Department of Economic & Community Development.

DBD initiatives and activities serve to make Downtown Middletown the focal point of community activity. The DBD strives to maintain a blend of retail, service, government, residential, social service, entertainment, and cultural activities. Our continued efforts keep the downtown area safe, active, clean, and attractive. To achieve these goals, the DBD maintains a number of yearly initiatives including:

• Focused Promotion and sponsorship for events

• Communication with city departments and business owners

• DBD website with events, news, and resources

• Seasonal brochure of downtown retail and restaurants

• Gift card program to increase the downtown economy

Sidewalk Sweeping and Seasonal Planters

Our sidewalks received cleaning through Hajjar Management and Downtown continued to look beautiful this past year with vibrant seasonal plantings along our entire Main Street and surrounding side streets, adding a friendly and welcoming ambiance to our downtown.

Marketing and Promotion

In 2021, we enhanced information available on our website and added a community events calendar, continuing efforts to position downtown as an exciting destination for all. Find everything you need to know about downtown plus meet some of the people and businesses that call Main Street home.

Social Media Connections

Downtown Middletown—Moving forward as a vibrant, thriving community in 2022 and beyond!