DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION

(1)

DOWNTOWN REVITALIZATION

Market Research Report

Prepared For Sustainable Connections,

By

(2)

(3)

METHODOLOGY

The following report is based upon a two-week, city-wide survey of Bellingham, WA conducted via e-mail, social networking websites, and flyers. The intent of the survey was to gather the

demographics, lifestyles, and attitudes of Bellingham residents towards specific development of the downtown area. The survey, as it was distributed can be found in Appendix 6.

Various descriptive statistical measures were used with the purpose of describing the demographics, lifestyle, and attitudes of the respondents. The purpose of this was to make the data easier to work with during more complicated statistical analysis that would measure differences and associations between groups of respondents and certain variables. Raw data of all statistical output can be found in Appendix 1 through Appendix 5.

Due to the method by which the survey sample was constructed, it cannot be said whether or not this represents a true, random sample. Therefore, no statistical inference was conducted with the purpose of generalizing these results to the population of Bellingham, WA as a whole. To do so with a

convenience sample would be misleading and may lead to a false representation of the demographics, lifestyles, and attitudes of the population.

The purpose of this report is simply to provide some insight into this particular sample, as well as to highlight areas where more research would be beneficial. It was a pleasure to receive the opportunity to work with Sustainable Connections and provide help in achieving their goal of a renewed, sustainable downtown district.

Furthermore, I would like to offer my sincere thanks to those who took the time to complete this survey. This report would not have been possible without the 719 people who made their voice heard. Thank you.

(4)

DEMOGRAPHIC PROFILE:

RESIDENCY

Do you currently reside in Whatcom County?

Yes 95%

No 5%

*Please see Appendix 1a

According to the data, 678 people (95%) reported that they currently live in Whatcom County while 36 people (5%) reported that they do not. 5 respondents chose not to answer this question.

How long have you lived in Whatcom County?

Min Max Mean*

1 5 3.67

*Mean of 3.67 corresponds to the response “5-10 years” **Please see Appendix 1a

According to the data, the respondents’ average length of residency fell between the values of 3 and 4, which correspond to “3-5 years” and “5-10” years, respectively.

Provided that you live in Whatcom County, in which city do you currently reside?

City Count Percentage

Bellingham 601 88.9% Ferndale 24 3.6% Lynden 7 1.0% Blaine 11 1.6% Alger 1 0.1% Other** 32 4.7%

**Values reported under “Other” can be found in Appendix 1a. Of these, Unincorporated County was most prevalent with 17 respondents (2.5%).

A significant proportion of those who report living in Whatcom County also report Bellingham and their current city of residence. Bellingham houses 88.9% of those who reside within Whatcom County.

(5)

Provided that you live in Bellingham, in which neighborhood do you currently reside?

Neighborhood Count Percentage

Edgemoor 8 1.3% Fairhaven 29 4.9% South Hill 26 4.4% Happy Valley 47 7.9% WWU 93 15.6% Sehome 42 7.0% Samish 20 3.4% York 30 5.0% Downtown/CBD 23 3.9% Puget 22 3.7% Alabama Hill 37 6.2% Columbia 41 6.9% Guide Meridian 13 2.2% Mount Baker 11 1.8% Other** 154 25.8%

**Values reported under “Other” can be found in Appendix 1a. Of these, Sunnyland and Birchwood were the most prevalent with 17 and 15 (2.9% and 2.4%), respectively.

Of those who live in Bellingham, a significant proportion reported living in the area of Western Washington University (15.6%). However, the survey did receive a wide distribution of responses from different districts including those within “Other”.

I am considering moving closer to downtown Bellingham in the near future.

True 129 20.7%

False 494 79.3%

Out of the entire sample, 129 (20.7%) are currently considering moving closer to Bellingham’s downtown district. Note that this question was asked of the entire sample and did not exclude those who do not currently live in Whatcom County.

(6)

UNIVERSITY ATTENDECE

Are you currently enrolled as a full-time student at a university?

Yes 254 35.6%

No 460 64.4%

*Please see Appendix 1b

64.4% of those surveyed indicated that they are not currently enrolled full-time in a university.

Provided you are currently enrolled full-time in a university, what is your class standing?

Class Standing Count Percentage

Freshman 39 15.5% Sophomore 45 17.9% Junior 62 24.6% Senior 75 29.8% Graduate 28 11.1% Post-Graduate 3 1.2%

According to the data, over 80% of current students were within the traditional baccalaureate levels, with the majority reporting as seniors.

Provided you are currently enrolled full-time in a university, which university do you attend?

Western Washington University 246 98.4%

Other** 4 1.6%

**Values reported under “Other” can be found in Appendix 1b.

AGE

What is your age?

Minimum Maximum Mean

17 75 37.47

(7)

GENDER

What is your gender?

Male 179 28.2%

Female 456 71.8%

*Please see Appendix 1d

Those who responded to the survey were predominately female. Only 179 respondents (28.2%) reported their gender as male.

MARITAL STATUS

What is your current marital status?

Single 324 51.0%

Married 266 41.9%

Divorced/Separated 42 6.6%

Widowed 3 0.5%

*Please see Appendix 1e

An overwhelming majority of respondents are either single or married, with only 42 respondents being divorced and 3 being widowed. Slightly more singles responded than married couples (51% vs. 41.9%).

NUMBER OF CHILDREN

How many children do you have?

Number of Children Count Percentage

0 391 61.5% 1 70 11.0% 2 115 18.1% 3 36 5.7% 4 18 2.8% 5 5 0.8% More than 5 1 0.2%

*Please see Appendix 1f

The majority of those surveyed (61.5%) reported having no children. Of those who reported having children, most had either 1 or 2 children.

(8)

LEVEL OF EDUCATION

What is the highest level of education that you have completed?

Level of Education Count Percentage

Some High School 1 0.2%

High School Diploma 29 4.5%

Some College 181 28.4%

Associate Degree 63 9.9%

Bachelor Degree 199 31.2%

Graduate Degree 130 20.4%

Doctorate 35 5.5%

*Please see Appendix 1g

The majority of respondents indicated their highest level of completed education as either some college, bachelor degree, or graduate degree. Over 95% of this sample has some level of college experience.

EMPLOYMENT

Which best describes your current employment status?

Employed 449 70.6%

Self-Employed 17 2.7%

Out of work and looking 6 0.9%

Out of work and not looking 1 0.2%

Homemaker 1 0.2%

Student 159 25.0%

Retired 3 0.5%

*Please see Appendix 1h

According to the results of the survey, 70.6% of respondents are employed full time, while 25% report themselves as full-time students. These two groups represent over 95% of the sample.

In what geographical location are you currently employed?

Bellingham 426 95.1%

Within Whatcom County** 6 1.3%

Outside Whatcom County** 16 3.6%

**Values for these two variables are located in Appendix 1h

(9)

If given the opportunity, would you prefer to work in Bellingham?

Minimum Maximum Mean**

1 7 2.74

**On a scale of 1= Strongly Agree and 7= Strongly Disagree

Those who are not currently employed in Bellingham reported an average response of 2.74 when asked if they would prefer to work in Bellingham given the opportunity. This mean falls between the values of “Agree” and “Slightly Agree”.

Are you a business owner?

Yes 14 82.4%

No 3 17.6%

Of those who described themselves as self-employed, 14 indicated that they owned their own business. This represents 82.4% of those who are self-employed and 2.2% of the total sample.

Would you ever consider moving your business to Bellingham?

Yes 9 75.0%

No 3 25.0%

Of the 17 respondents who reported owning their own business, 9 indicated that they would consider moving their business to Bellingham, 3 indicated that they would not, and 2 did not answer.

(10)

INCOME

What is your current annual income?

Less than $10,000 137 22.8% $10,000 - $19,999 40 6.7% $20,000 - $29,999 37 6.2% $30,000 - $39,999 54 9.0% $40,000 - $49,999 49 8.2% $50,000 - $59,999 49 8.2% $60,000 - $69,999 40 6.7% $70,000 - $79,999 43 7.2% $80,000 - $89,999 36 6.0% $90,000 - $99,999 32 5.3% $100,000 - $149,999 66 11.0% Over $150,000 18 3.0%

*Please see Appendix 1i

According to the data, income seems to be fairly equally distributed, except for the 22.8% of respondents who reported earning less than $10,000 annually. One can only assume that this is due to the amount of students who responded to the survey.

(11)

LIFESTYLE TRAITS

DOWNTOWN VISITS

In the last month, have you visited downtown Bellingham with the intent of purchasing goods or services?

Yes 619 86.7%

No 95 13.3%

An overwhelming amount of respondents have visited downtown Bellingham in the past month with the intent of engaging in commerce.

In a typical month, how often do you visit downtown Bellingham?

1 7 4.17

** Value represented on a scaled where 1= Never and 7 =Daily

The respondents to this question indicated a mean of 4.17. This value corresponds to a response of “2-3 times a month”. The frequency charts for each response can be found in Appendix 2a.

SHOPPING LOCATION

When you go shopping in Bellingham, where do you most frequently shop?

Downtown 255 38.8%

Fairhaven 84 12.8%

Guide Meridian 119 18.1%

Bellis Fair 106 16.1%

Other** 94 14.3%

(12)

TRANSPORTATION

When you visit downtown Bellingham, what type of transportation do you typically use?

Car 379 59.7%

Bus 102 16.1%

Bicycle 52 8.2%

Walk 92 14.5%

Other** 10 1.6%

*Please see Appendix 2c

(13)

ATTITUDES

BUYING LOCAL

In your opinion, how important is it to “buy local”?

1 7 5.09

**Values represented on a scale where 1= Not at all Important and 7= Extremely Important

The average respondent rated the importance of buying local as 5.09, corresponding to a value of “Somewhat Important”.

To what extent do you agree with the following: “I am more likely to support a locally owned store than a chain store”?

1 7 2.42

**Values represented on a scale where 1= Strongly Agree and 7= Strongly Disagree

The average respondent indicated their attitude toward supporting a locally owned store over a chain store as 2.42, falling between the values of “somewhat agree” and “agree”.

To what extent do you agree with the following: “I believe that a locally owned store has a better chance of succeeding in Bellingham than a chain store”?

1 7 3.37

The average respondent indicated their attitude toward a locally owned store succeeding over a chain store as 3.37, falling between the values of “somewhat agree” and “neither agree nor disagree”.

(14)

RETAIL SELECTION

How would you rate the current selection of retail (including restaurants/bars) in downtown Bellingham?

1 7 3.82

**Values represented on a scale where 1= Regretful and 7= Delightful

The average respondent indicated a value of 3.82 when asked to rate the current selection of retail in downtown Bellingham. This value corresponds to a rating of “Good”.

How would you rate the current selection of retail (including restaurants/bars in the Guide Meridian district?

1 7 3.45

**Values represented on a scale where 1= Regretful and 7= Delightful

The average respondent indicated a value of 3.45 when asked to rate the current selection of retail in the Guide Meridian district of Bellingham. This value falls between the ratings of “Fair” and “Good”.

DOWNTOWN NEEDS

In your opinion could downtown Bellingham use more: Restaurants/Bars? Yes 197 31.6% No 426 68.4% Entertainment Venues? Yes 300 48.2% No 323 51.8% Grocers? Yes 217 34.8% No 406 65.2%

(15)

Department Stores? Yes 272 43.7% No 351 56.3% Clothing Boutiques? Yes 214 34.3% No 409 65.7% Coffee Shops? Yes 48 7.7% No 575 92.3% Other?* Yes 86 13.8% No 537 86.2%

*Please see Appendix 3c for values reported under “Other”.

As one can see, none of the options provided were heavily favored by the respondents. Those received most favorable include Entertainment Venues and Department Stores, although those who favor them are still outnumbered by those who do not.

DEVELOPMENT

Please indicate the extent you agree with the following statements:

“Bellingham’s downtown district should be more developed that it is currently.”

1 7 2.87

“I believe that they City of Bellingham would benefit from increased retail development in the downtown district.”

1 7 2.65

(16)

“I believe that the people of Bellingham would support increased development of the downtown district.”

1 7 3.09

“I personally would support increased retail development in downtown Bellingham.”

1 7 2.66

“I believe that the people of Bellingham would support increased residential development of the downtown district.”

1 7 3.59

“I personally would support increased residential development of the downtown district.”

1 7 3.47

“I would support increased mixed-use development in the downtown district.”

1 7 2.99

(17)

CRIME

Please state the extent to which you agree with the following statement: “I believe that downtown Bellingham is generally a safe, low-crime neighborhood.”

1 7 3.33

*Please see Appendix 3e

WHERE TO SHOP

Please rank the following factors on a scale of 1-8 (with 1 being the most important factor) that accurately reflects their importance in determining where you shop.

Factor Mean Selection of Stores 3.2026 Price of Goods 3.2036 Quality of Stores/Goods 3.3452 Atmosphere/Environment 3.8981 Convenience of Parking 4.4821

Distance from Home 4.8460

Safety of the Area 5.7697

Availability of Brand Name Merchandise 6.5426

*Please see Appendix 3f

RENT

What do you believe to be a fair, monthly rent for a 700 sq. ft. apartment in Bellingham’s downtown district? Under $500 64 10.4% $500-$600 187 30.3% $600-$700 182 29.5% $700-$800 113 18.3% $800-$900 51 8.3% $900-$1000 14 2.3% Over $1000 6 1.0%

These results indicate that over 80% of respondents feel that a fair, monthly rent for a 700 sq. ft. apartment in the heart of downtown Bellingham should lie between $500 and $900. Over 30% of

(18)

What do you believe to be a fair, monthly rent for a 700 sq. ft. apartment in Bellingham’s Guide Meridian district? Under $500 196 32.0% $500-$600 231 37.7% $600-$700 119 19.4% $700-$800 50 8.2% $800-$900 12 2.0% $900-$1000 3 0.5% Over $1000 2 0.3%

These results indicate that almost 90% of respondents feel that a fair, monthly rent for a 700 sq. ft. apartment in the Guide Meridian district of Bellingham should be under $700. Nearly 70% feel that it should be less than $600.

TYPES OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT

Please indicate which types of residential development you would support: Artist Lofts?

Yes 281 63.1%

No 164 36.9%

Cooperative Housing Projects?

Yes 209 47.0%

No 236 53.0%

Houses/Single-Family Residences?

Yes 68 15.3%

No 377 84.7%

Condominiums?

Yes 244 54.8%

No 201 45.2%

(19)

Townhouses?

Yes 188 42.2%

No 257 57.8%

Apartments?

Yes 258 58.0%

No 187 42.0%

Of those who indicated that they would support residential development in downtown, they most frequently indicated that they would support artist lofts, condominiums, and apartments.

DOWNTOWN ATTRACTIONS

In your opinion, which of the following would attract the most people to Bellingham’s downtown district?

A high-end restaurant 44 7.2%

An upscale clothing boutique 16 2.6%

A specialty food market 152 24.9%

A large department store 152 24.9%

A regional chain restaurant 17 2.8%

A dance club/bar 63 10.3%

A discount wholesaler 41 6.7%

A multi-screen movie theater 98 16.0%

A sports arena 28 4.6%

*Please see Appendix 3i

CHAIN STORES

In your opinion, which of the following chain stores is most likely to attract the most people to downtown Bellingham?

Ruth Chris Steakhouse 19 3.1%

Blue C Sushi 33 5.4% Whole Foods 162 26.5% Sam’s Club 21 3.4% Regal Cinemas 65 10.6% Nordstrom 126 20.6% Nordstrom Rack 126 20.6% Coldstone 10 1.6% Other** 49 8.0%

*Please see Appendix 3j

(20)

TARGETING (AGE)

Variable* Correlation Significance

Level In a typical month, how often do you visit downtown with the intent of

making a purchase?

-0.054 .177

How important is it to “buy local”? 0.043 .289

How would you rate the current selection of retail in downtown? -0.317 .000

How would you rate the current selection of retail in Guide Meridian? -0.141 .000

I personally would support increased residential development in downtown

-0.258** .000

I personally would support increased retail development in downtown -0.184** .000

I would support increased mixed-use development in downtown -0.165** .000

I am more likely to support a locally owned business than a chain store -0.014** .732

How important is convenience of parking in determining where to shop? -0.312*** .000

How important is price of goods in determining where to shop? 0.061*** .141

How important is selection of stores in determining where to shop? -0.048*** .245

How important is atmosphere/environment in determining where to shop?

0.051*** .222

How important is the quality of stores/goods in determining where to shop?

0.002*** .962

How important is the availability of brand name merchandise in determining where to shop?

-0.128*** .002

How important is distance from home in determining where to shop? 0.273*** .000

How important is safety of the area in determining where to shop? -0.043*** .298

I believe that downtown Bellingham is generally a safe, low-crime neighborhood.

0.148** .000

Please see Appendix 4a

*Notice that some of the variables are scaled different than others please see below for explanations or see Appendix 4a for raw statistical output.

**Variables rated on a scale of 1= Strongly Agree and 8= Strongly Disagree ***Variables rated on a scale of 1= Most Important and 8=Least Important

• Age is significantly and negatively correlated with the rating of current selection of retail

downtown, meaning that as respondents get older their rating of retail selection downtown becomes poorer. (Strength of Association = Mild)

• Age is significantly and negatively correlated with the rating of current selection of retail in Guide

Meridian, meaning that as respondents get older their rating of retail selection in Guide Meridian becomes poorer. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Age is significantly and negatively correlated with support for residential development downtown,

meaning that as respondents get older they are more likely to support residential development downtown. (Strength of Association = Mild)

• Age is significantly and negatively correlated with support for retail development downtown,

meaning that as respondents get older they are more likely to support retail development downtown. (Strength of Association = Weak)

(21)

• Age is significantly and negatively correlated with support for mixed-use development downtown, meaning that as respondents get older they are more likely to support mixed-use development downtown. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Age is significantly and negatively correlated with importance of convenience of shopping in

determining where to shop. This means that as respondents get older they value convenience of parking as more important of a factor when determining where to shop. (Strength of Association = Mild)

• Age is significantly and negatively correlated with importance of availability of brand name

merchandise in determining where to shop. This means that as respondents get older they value the availability of brand name merchandise as more important of a factor when determining where to shop. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Age is significantly and positively correlated with importance of distance from home in

determining where to shop. This means that as respondents get older they value distance from home as less important of a factor when determining where to shop. (Strength of Association = Mild)

• Age is significantly and positively correlated with the belief that downtown Bellingham is a

generally safe, low-crime neighborhood. This means that as respondents get older their belief that downtown Bellingham is generally safe and low-crime becomes greater. (Strength of Association = Weak)

(22)

TARGETING (GENDER)

Variable* Mean (Male) Mean (Female) Significance Level In a typical month, how often do you visit downtown

with the intent of making a purchase?

4.63 4.04 .000

How important is it to “buy local”? 5.04 5.13 .514

How would you rate the current selection of retail in downtown?

3.65 3.88 .022

How would you rate the current selection of retail in Guide Meridian?

3.34 3.47 .218

2.96** 3.66** .000

I personally would support increased retail development in downtown

2.39** 2.73** .001

I would support increased mixed-use development in downtown

2.76** 3.04** .050

I am more likely to support a locally owned business than a chain store

2.27** 2.45** .122

How important is convenience of parking in determining where to shop?

4.5640*** 4.4833*** .706

How important is price of goods in determining where to shop?

3.3543*** 3.1496*** .202

How important is selection of stores in determining where to shop?

3.2229*** 3.1862*** .805

3.7829*** 3.9500*** .303

3.1657*** 3.4218*** .101

6.3547*** 6.6395*** .051

How important is distance from home in determining where to shop?

4.5600*** 4.9212*** .093

How important is safety of the area in determining where to shop?

5.8588*** 5.7301*** .519

2.95** 3.46** .000

Please see Appendix 4b

*Notice that some of the variables are scaled different than others please see below for explanations or see Appendix 4b for raw statistical output.

(23)

• There is a significant difference between mean visits to downtown per month for males and females. On average, males report visiting downtown more often per month than females (4.63 vs. 4.04) this means that males typically visit downtown about once a week while females only visit it 2-3 times a month.

• There is a significant difference between mean rating of retail selection in downtown

between males and females. On average, females report a higher rating than males (3.88 vs. 3.65) this means that females typically rate the retail selection downtown as “Good” while males rate it between “Fair” and “Good”.

• There is a significant difference between average support for residential development

downtown between males and females. On average, males report a higher support for residential development than females (2.96 vs. 3.66) this means that males typically “somewhat agree” that they support residential development downtown while females fall between “somewhat agree” and “neither agree or disagree”.

• There is a significant difference between average support for residential development

downtown between males and females. On average, males report a higher support for residential development than females (2.96 vs. 3.66) this means that males typically “somewhat agree” that they support residential development downtown while females fall between “somewhat agree” and “neither agree or disagree”.

• There is a significant difference between average support for retail development

downtown between males and females. On average, males report a higher support for retail development than females (2.39 vs. 2.73) this means that males typically “agree” that they support retail development downtown while females are closer to “somewhat agree”.

• There is a significant difference in the belief that downtown Bellingham is generally a

safe, low-crime neighborhood between males and females. On average, males report a higher belief that Bellingham is safe than females (2.95 vs. 3.46) this means that males typically “somewhat agree” that downtown Bellingham is safe while females fall between “somewhat agree” and “neither agree or disagree”.

(24)

TARGETING (MARITAL STATUS)

Variable* Mean (Single) Mean (Married) Mean (Divorced) Mean (Widowed) Statistical Significance In a typical month, how often do

you visit downtown with the intent of making a purchase?

4.27 4.15 3.93 3.00 .241

How important is it to “buy local”? 5.04 5.14 5.36 3.00 .049

4.11 3.55 3.46 1.67 .000

3.54 3.32 3.39 3.00 .127

I personally would support

increased residential development in downtown

3.77** 3.13** 3.14** 4.00** .000****

2.92** 2.37** 2.67** 2.19** .000****

3.20** 2.76** 2.46** 2.33** .001****

2.41** 2.43** 2.12** 3.67** .211

5.0747*** 3.9256*** 3.7692*** 1.6667*** .000

3.1452*** 3.2939*** 3.2632*** 5.3333*** .156

3.2240*** 3.0776*** 3.7105*** 4.000*** .125

How important is

atmosphere/environment in determining where to shop?

3.8479*** 3.9344*** 4.000*** 3.6667*** .917

3.4677*** 3.3020*** 2.7436*** 3.3333*** .097

6.6799*** 6.4267*** 6.2368*** 7.3333*** .097

4.3548*** 5.3811*** 5.1053*** 6.0000*** .000****

5.8185*** 5.7552*** 5.3158*** 4.0000*** .301

(25)

Please see Appendix 4c

*Notice that some of the variables are scaled different than others please see below for explanations or see Appendix 4c for raw statistical output.

****In these cases, statistical significance was found, which implies statistically significant difference between means of groups. Yet Duncan’s post-hoc test was unable to separate the distinct cases. Further examination may be needed. See Appendix 4c for raw statistical output.

• The mean rating of the importance of buying local is statistically different from the other for at

least one of the four groups in marital status. In this case, those who are widowed rate the importance of buying local as significantly less important than the other three groups.

• The mean rating of selection of retail downtown is statistically different from the other for at least

one of the four groups in marital status. In this case, those who are widowed rate the selection of retail downtown as significantly poorer than the other three groups.

• The mean importance of convenience of parking in determining where to shop is statistically

different from the other for at least one of the four groups in marital status. In this case, those who are widowed place more importance on convenience of parking than other groups in determining where to shop.

(26)

TARGETING (NUMBER OF CHILDREN)

making a purchase?

-0.121 .002

How important is it to “buy local”? -0.037 .531

-0.157** .000

I would support increased mixed-use development in downtown -.0.073** .068

I am more likely to support a locally owned business than a chain store 0.054** .178

How important is price of goods in determining where to shop? -0.062*** .130

0.072*** .079

0.041*** .318

-0.051*** .219

0.152** .000

Please see Appendix 4d

*Notice that some of the variables are scaled different than others please see below for explanations or see Appendix 4d for raw statistical output.

• Number of children is significantly and negatively correlated with visits to downtown per month,

meaning that as respondents have more children, they visit downtown less often. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Number of children is significantly and negatively correlated with rating of retail in downtown,

meaning that as respondents have more children, they generally rate the selection of retail downtown as poorer. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Number of children is significantly and negatively correlated with support for increased residential

development downtown, meaning that as respondents have more children, they increasingly support residential development downtown. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Number of children is significantly and negatively correlated with visits to downtown per month,

meaning that as respondents have more children, they visit downtown less often. (Strength of Association = Weak)

(27)

• Number of children is significantly and negatively correlated with importance of convenience of parking in determining where to shop, meaning that as respondents have more children, they place increasing importance on convenience of parking when determining where to shop. (Strength of Association = Mild)

• Number of children is significantly and positively correlated with importance of distance from

home when determining where to shop, meaning that as respondents have more children, they place less importance on distance from home when determining where to shop. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Number of children is significantly and positively correlated with the belief that downtown

Bellingham is a safe neighborhood, meaning that as respondents have more children, they tend to believe that downtown Bellingham is less safe. (Strength of Association = Weak)

(28)

TARGETING (LEVEL OF EDUCATION)

making a purchase?

0.131 .001

-0.261** .000

I am more likely to support a locally owned business than a chain store -0.069** .083

-0.026*** 0.526

-0.131*** .001

-0.086*** .039

How important is safety of the area in determining where to shop? 0.039*** .339

-0.031** .437

Please see Appendix 4e

*Notice that some of the variables are scaled different than others please see below for explanations or see Appendix 4e for raw statistical output.

• Level of education is significantly and positively correlated with number of visits downtown per

month, meaning that as respondents become more educated, they tend to visit downtown more often per month. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Level of education is significantly and negatively correlated with the rating of the current selection

of retail downtown, meaning that as respondents become more educated, they tend to rate the current selection of retail downtown as poorer. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Level of education is significantly and negatively correlated with the rating of the current selection

of retail in Guide Meridian, meaning that as respondents become more educated, they tend to rate the current selection of retail in Guide Meridian as poorer. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Level of education is significantly and negatively correlated with support for residential

development downtown, meaning that as respondents become more educated, they have more support for residential development downtown. (Strength of Association = Mild)

(29)

• Level of education is significantly and negatively correlated with support for retail development downtown, meaning that as respondents become more educated, they have more support for retail development downtown. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Level of education is significantly and negatively correlated with support for mixed-use

development downtown, meaning that as respondents become more educated, they have more support for mixed use development downtown. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Level of education is significantly and negatively correlated with support for residential

development downtown, meaning that as respondents become more educated, they have more support for residential development downtown. (Strength of Association = Mild)

• Level of education is significantly and negatively correlated with the importance of quality of

stores/goods when determining where to shop, meaning that as respondents become more educated, they place more importance on the quality of stores/goods when determining where to shop. (Strength of Association = Weak)

(30)

TARGETING (EMPLOYMENT STATUS)

Variable* Mean (Employed) Mean (Unemployed) Mean (Self-Employed) Mean (Student) Mean (Retired) Statistical Significance In a typical month, how

often do you visit

downtown with the intent of making a purchase?

4.23 3.17 4.59 4.06 6.33 .025

How important is it to “buy local”?

5.12 4.17 5.12 5.04 7.00 .110

3.65 3.67 4.00 4.27 4.00 .000****

How would you rate the current selection of retail in Guide Meridian? 3.39 3.17 3.12 3.61 3.00 .173 I personally would support increased residential development in downtown 3.26** 4.17** 2.59** 4.11** 2.67** .000**** I personally would support increased retail development in downtown 2.50** 4.00** 2.29*** 3.04** 1.67** .000 I would support increased mixed-use development in downtown 2.85** 3.67** 2.29** 3.35** 2.33** .003**** I am more likely to support a locally owned business than a chain store 2.43** 2.33** 2.12** 2.42** 1.00** .390 How important is convenience of parking in determining where to shop? 4.1884*** 3.8000*** 4.5000*** 5.4052*** 3.6667*** .000****

How important is price of goods in determining where to shop? 3.2350*** 2.8000*** 4.5000*** 3.0645*** 5.0000*** .019 How important is selection of stores in determining where to shop? 3.1851*** 4.2000*** 3.6250*** 3.2353*** 2.6667*** .520

(31)

Please see Appendix 4f

*Notice that some of the variables are scaled different than others please see below for explanations or see Appendix 4f for raw statistical output.

****In these cases, statistical significance was found, which implies statistically significant difference between means of groups. Yet Duncan’s post-hoc test was unable to separate the distinct cases. Further examination may be needed. See Appendix 4f for raw statistical output.

• The mean frequency of downtown visits per month is statistically different from the other

for at least one of the five groups in employment status. In this case, those who are retired visit downtown more times per month than the other groups.

• The mean support of increased retail development in downtown is statistically different

from the other for at least one of the five groups in employment status. In this case, those who are retired are more likely to support retail development downtown while those who are unemployed are less likely to support retail development downtown.

• The mean importance of price of goods when determining where to shop is statistically

different from the other for at least one of the five groups in employment status. In this case, those who are unemployed place greater importance on the price of goods in determining where to shop than the other groups.

How important is

3.9038*** 3.8000*** 4.5000*** 3.8506*** 2.0000*** .264

3.3165*** 4.2000*** 2.7500*** 3.4839*** 3.3333*** .387

How important is the availability of brand name merchandise in determining where to shop? 6.3591*** 8.0000*** 6.8000*** 6.9869*** 7.5000*** .000**** How important is distance from home in determining where to shop?

5.1425*** 4.4000*** 4.0000*** 3.9677*** 6.3333*** .000****

How important is safety of the area in

determining where to shop?

5.7995*** 4.8000*** 5.5000*** 5.6579*** 4.0000*** .586

(32)

TARGETING (EMPLOYMENT LOCATION)

Variable* Mean (Bellingham) Mean (Whatcom) Mean (Outside Whatcom) Statistical Significance In a typical month, how often do you

visit downtown with the intent of making a purchase?

4.28 5.00 2.69 .000

How important is it to “buy local”? 5.12 5.83 4.94 .463

3.63 3.83 4.07 .294

3.39 3.00 3.5 .641

3.23** 2.33** 4.64** .003

2.49** 2.33** 3.07** .180

2.82** 3.00** 3.69** .143

2.41** 2.00** 3.00** .190

4.1701*** 4.0000*** 4.6429*** .753

3.2494*** 3.0000*** 3.0714*** .892

3.1995*** 4.0000*** 2.0000*** .137

How important is

3.8965*** 3.6000*** 4.0000*** .991

3.3098*** 3.6000*** 3.2857*** .932

6.3753*** 6.4000*** 6.0714*** .768

5.0990*** 5.8000*** 6.3571*** .128

5.7923*** 5.6000*** 6.0714*** .883

I believe that downtown Bellingham is generally a safe, low-crime

neighborhood.

3.49** 2.50** 3.07** .202

See Appendix 4g

*Notice that some of the variables are scaled different than others please see below for explanations or see Appendix 4f for raw statistical output.

(33)

• The mean frequency of downtown visits per month is statistically different from the other for at

least one of the three groups in employment location. In this case, those who work outside Whatcom County visit downtown fewer times per month than the other groups.

• The support for residential development in downtown is statistically different from the other for at

least one of the three groups in employment location. In this case, those who do not work in Whatcom County are less likely to support residential development in downtown than the other groups.

(34)

TARGETING (INCOME)

making a purchase?

0.012 .769.

How important is it to “buy local”? -0.025 .544

-0.202** .000

0.053*** .212

-0.032*** .443

-0.124*** .004

0.092** .025

Please see Appendix 4h

*Notice that some of the variables are scaled different than others please see below for explanations or see Appendix 4h for raw statistical output.

• Income level is significantly and negatively correlated with the rating of current selection of retail

downtown. This means that as income increases, the rating of retail selection downtown becomes poorer. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Income level is significantly and negatively correlated with the rating of current selection of retail

in Guide Meridian. This means that as income increases, the rating of retail selection in Guide Meridian becomes poorer. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Income level is significantly and negatively correlated with support for residential development in

downtown. This means that as income increases, support for residential development in downtown rises. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Income level is significantly and negatively correlated with support for retail development in

downtown. This means that as income increases, support for retail development in downtown rises. (Strength of Association = Weak)

(35)

• Income level is significantly and negatively correlated with support for mixed-use development in downtown. This means that as income increases, support for mixed-use development in

downtown rises. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Income level is significantly and negatively correlated with the importance of convenience of

parking in determining where to shop. This means that as income increases, respondents place more importance on convenience of parking when determining where to shop. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Income level is significantly and negatively correlated with the importance of selection of stores in

determining where to shop. This means that as income increases, respondents place more importance on selection of stores in an area when determining where to shop. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Income level is significantly and negatively correlated with the importance of the availability of

brand name merchandise in determining where to shop. This means that as income increases, respondents place more importance on the availability of brand name merchandise when determining where to shop. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Income level is significantly and positively correlated with the importance of distance from home

in determining where to shop. This means that as income increases, respondents place less importance on distance from home when determining where to shop. (Strength of Association = Weak)

(36)

TARGETING (CURRENT STUDENTS)

Variable* Mean (Yes) Mean (No) Significance Level In a typical month, how often do you visit downtown

with the intent of making a purchase?

4.10 4.21 .343

How important is it to “buy local”? 4.90 5.20 .013

4.24 3.59 .000

3.75 3.29 .000

4.09** 3.13** .000

3.06** 2.43** .000

3.31** 2.81** .000

2.51** 2.37** .215

5.2036*** 4.0763*** .000

3.0179*** 3.3081*** .050

3.2973*** 3.1494*** .310

3.9193*** 3.8861*** .826

3.5067*** 3.2544*** .083

6.7671*** 6.4132*** .005

4.1525*** 5.2386*** .000

5.7890*** 5.7590*** .872

3.14** 3.44** .012

Please see Appendix 4i

*Notice that some of the variables are scaled different than others please see below for explanations or see Appendix 4l for raw statistical output.

(37)

• There is a significant difference between mean importance of buying local for students and non-students. On average, non-students report a higher importance of buying local than students (5.20 vs. 4.90).

• There is a significant difference between mean rating of current downtown retail selection

for students and non-students. On average, non-students report a lower rating of current downtown retail selection than students (3.59 vs. 4.24).

• There is a significant difference between mean rating of current retail selection in Guide

Meridian for students and non-students. On average, non-students report a lower rating of current retail selection in Guide Meridian than students (3.29 vs. 3.75).

• There is a significant difference between mean support for residential development

downtown for students and non-students. On average, non-students are more inclined to support residential development downtown than students (3.13 vs. 4.09).

• There is a significant difference between mean support for retail development downtown

for students and non-students. On average, non-students are more inclined to support retail development downtown than students (2.43 vs. 3.06).

• There is a significant difference between mean support for mixed-use development

downtown for students and non-students. On average, non-students are more inclined to support mixed-use development downtown than students (2.81 vs. 3.31).

• There is a significant difference between importance of convenience of parking when

determining where to shop for students and non-students. On average, non-students place more importance on convenience of parking when determining where to shop than students (4.0763 vs. 5.2036).

• There is a significant difference between importance of convenience of parking when

determining where to shop for students and non-students. On average, non-students place more importance on convenience of parking when determining where to shop than students (4.0763 vs. 5.2036).

• There is a significant difference between importance of availability of brand name

merchandise when determining where to shop for students and non-students. On

average, non-students place more importance on availability of brand name merchandise when determining where to shop than students (6.4132 vs. 6.7671).

• There is a significant difference between importance of distance from home when

determining where to shop for students and non-students. On average, non-students place less importance on distance from home when determining where to shop than students (5.2386 vs. 4.1525).

• There is a significant difference between students and non-students concerning the belief

that downtown Bellingham is a low-crime neighborhood. On average, non-students are less likely to believe that downtown Bellingham is a low-crime neighborhood than students (3.44 vs. 3.14).

(38)

TARGETING (LENGTH OF RESIDENCE)

making a purchase?

-0.035 .381

-0.226** .000

0.072*** .079

-0.034*** .407

-0.100*** .017

0.205** .000

Please see Appendix 4l

*Notice that some of the variables are scaled different than others please see below for explanations or see Appendix 4l for raw statistical output.

• Length of residence in Whatcom County is significantly and negatively correlated with the rating

of current selection of retail downtown, meaning that as respondents live in Whatcom County longer their rating of retail selection downtown becomes poorer. (Strength of Association = Mild)

• Length of residence in Whatcom County is significantly and negatively correlated with the rating

of current selection of retail in Guide Meridian, meaning that as respondents live in Whatcom County longer their rating of retail selection in Guide Meridian becomes poorer. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Length of residence in Whatcom County is significantly and negatively correlated with level of

support for residential development downtown, meaning that as respondents live in Whatcom County longer they are more likely to support residential development downtown. (Strength of Association = Weak)

(39)

• Length of residence in Whatcom County is significantly and negatively correlated with level of support for retail development downtown, meaning that as respondents live in Whatcom County longer they are more likely to support retail development downtown. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Length of residence in Whatcom County is significantly and negatively correlated with level of

support for mixed-use development downtown, meaning that as respondents live in Whatcom County longer they are more likely to support mixed-use development downtown. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Length of residence in Whatcom County is significantly and negatively correlated with importance

of convenience of parking in determining where to shop, meaning that as respondents live in Whatcom County longer they place more importance on convenience of parking when determining where to shop. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Length of residence in Whatcom County is significantly and positively correlated with importance

of distance from home in determining where to shop, meaning that as respondents live in Whatcom County longer they place less importance on distance from home when determining where to shop. (Strength of Association = Weak)

• Length of residence in Whatcom County is significantly and positively correlated with the belief

that downtown Bellingham is a low-crime neighborhood, meaning that as respondents live in Whatcom County longer they decreasingly believe that downtown Bellingham is a low-crime neighborhood. (Strength of Association = Weak)

(40)

DIFFERENCE ANALYSES

Is there a difference between the personal support of increased residential

development in downtown and the extent to which one believes that the people of

Bellingham will support increased residential development in downtown?

Mean (Personal Support) Mean (People Support) Statistical Significance

3.48** 3.59** .040

*Please see Appendix 5a

**Values rated on a scale of 1= Strongly Agree and 8= Strongly Disagree

According to the data, sample respondents were more likely to personally support increased residential development in downtown than to believe that the people of Bellingham as a whole would support increased residential development in downtown.

Is there a significant difference between the extent that one would support retail

development in downtown and the extent that one would support mixed-use

development downtown?

Mean (Support Retail) Mean (Support Mixed Use) Statistical Significance

2.66** 2.99** .000

*Please see Appendix 5b

**Values rated on a scale of 1= Strongly Agree and 8= Strongly Disagree

According to the data, sample respondents are more likely to support retail projects than mixed-use projects that combine elements of retail and residential.

Is there a significant difference between the extent that one would support

residential development in downtown and the extent that one would support

mixed-use development downtown?

Mean (Support Residential) Mean (Support Mixed Use) Statistical Significance

3.48** 2.99** .000

*Please see Appendix 5c

(41)

Is there a significant difference between what one would say is a fair monthly rent

in the Guide Meridian district versus what one would say is a fair monthly rent in

downtown Bellingham?

Mean (Guide Meridian) Mean (Downtown) Statistical Significance

2.13** 2.94** .000

*Please see Appendix 5d

**Values rated on a scale of 1= less than $500 and 8= more than $1000

According to the data, respondents are generally more willing to say that a fair, monthly rent for a 700 sq. ft. apartment in the downtown district is more than a fair, monthly rent for a similar apartment in the Guide Meridian district.

(42)

FINDINGS BY DEPENDENT VARIABLE:

FREQUENCY OF DOWNTOWN VISITS

Those MOST likely to visit downtown frequently with the intent of purchasing goods or services are observed to be educated males with few children who are not currently unemployed.

Those LEAST likely to visit downtown frequently with the intent of purchasing goods or services are observed to be less educated females with children who are unemployed.

IMPORTANCE OF “BUYING LOCAL”

Those MOST likely to agree that it is important to “buy local” are observed to be those who are not currently enrolled full-time in a university.

Those LEAST likely to agree that it is important to “buy local” are observed to be full-time students.

RATING OF CURRENT RETAIL SELECTION IN DOWNTOWN BELLINGHAM

Those MOST likely to be content with the current retail selection in downtown Bellingham are observed to be young females who have few children, and are less educated. They are current college students, with lower incomes who have not lived near Bellingham long.

Those LEAST likely to be content with the current retail selection in downtown Bellingham are observed to be older males who have many children, and are more educated. They are not currently enrolled in a university, have a higher income, and have lived in Bellingham for longer.

RATING OF CURRENT RETAIL SELECTION IN THE GUIDE MERIDIAN DISTRICT

Those MOST likely to be content with the current retail selection in the Guide Meridian district are observed to be young, less educated people with lower incomes who are currently enrolled in a university and have not lived near Bellingham long.

Those LEAST likely to be content with the current retail selection in the Guide Meridian district are observed to be older, more educated people with higher incomes who are not currently enrolled in a university and have lived near Bellingham for longer.

SUPPORT OF RESIDENTIAL DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN

Those MOST likely to agree that they would personally support increased residential

development in downtown Bellingham are observed to be older males with many children who are highly educated and work in Whatcom County. They typically have higher incomes, are not currently enrolled full-time in a university, and have lived near Bellingham for a long period of time.

(43)

Those LEAST likely to agree that they would personally support increased residential

development in downtown Bellingham are observed to be younger females with few children who are less educated and work outside of Whatcom County. They typically have lower incomes, are enrolled full-time in a university, and have not lived near Bellingham for long.

SUPPORT OF RETAIL DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN

Those MOST likely to agree that they would personally support increased retail development in downtown Bellingham are observed to be older males who are highly educated, have higher incomes, are not currently enrolled full-time in a university, and have lived near Bellingham for a long period of time.

Those LEAST likely to agree that they would personally support increased retail development in downtown Bellingham are observed to be younger females who are less educated, have lower incomes, and currently enrolled full-time in a university, and have not lived near Bellingham for long.

SUPPORT OF MIXED-USE DEVELOPMENT IN DOWNTOWN

Those MOST likely to agree that they would personally support increased mixed-use

development in downtown Bellingham are observed to be older people who are highly educated, have higher incomes, are not currently enrolled full-time in a university, and have lived near Bellingham for a long period of time.

Those LEAST likely to agree that they would personally support increased mixed-use

development in downtown Bellingham are observed to be younger people who are less educated, have lower incomes, are currently enrolled full-time in a university, and have not lived near Bellingham for long.

SUPPORT LOCALLY-OWNED STORE OVER CHAIN STORE

None of the data analyzed suggests that any group of people is more likely to support locally-owned stores over chain stores than another group of people. The mean of the entire sample is 2.42, which suggest that, on average, respondents are more likely to support locally owned stores over chain stores.

RANK OF CONVENIENCE OF PARKING WHEN DETERMINING WHERE TO SHOP

Those who are MOST likely to highly rank convenience of parking as a major factor when determining where to shop are observed to be older people who have many children, are not currently enrolled full-time in a university, have higher incomes, and have lived near Bellingham for a long period of time

Those LEAST likely to highly rank convenience of parking as a major factor when determining where to shop are observed to be younger people with few children, who are currently enrolled full-time in a university, have lower incomes, and have not lived near Bellingham for long.