Here’s what the Young Professionals Task Force wants for Wilmington

Wilmington Mayor Dennis P. Williams assembled a team of 24 young professionals to study and discuss how to move the city forward.
On Jan. 14, the Young Professionals Task Force made a formal presentation to the mayor during a public event. The mayor will review the recommendations made and will soon decide which ones to include in his policy goals, said task force member Alfred Lance, a project manager at the semi-governmental Wilmington Renaissance Corporation.
Established last October, the task force was comprised of young professionals who live or work in Wilmington from a myriad of backgrounds, including banking, technology, design, government, the service industry, healthcare, law, education and so on. Here’s who participated in the task force:

• Jenn Adams — Fresh Thymes Cafe
• Jill Agro — Womble, Carlyle, Sandridge & Rice
• Jason Aviles — Flyogi
• Sana Bell — The Grand Opera House
• Latisha Bracy — U.S. Senator Chris Coons’ office
• Cerron Cade — Congressman John Carney’s office
• India Colon — NRD Delaware
• David Curtis — University of Pennsylvania graduate student; urbanist
• Kia Ervin — Communities in Schools
• Tommy Fischer-Klein — Public Allies
• Rachael Greenberg — National Nursing Centers Consortium
• Brianna Hansen — IN Wilmington
• Alfred Lance — Wilmington Renaissance Corporation
• Nick Matarese — The Barn Creative
• Christina Morrow — Public Allies
• Katie O’Hara — Katie O’Hara Design
• Mona Parikh — Start It Up Delaware
• Cimone Philpotts — State Senator Margaret Rose Henry’s office
• Blaike Snyder — TD Bank
• Sophia Tarabicos — Tarabicos Grosso, LLP
• Brock Thomas — BDO USA, LLP
• Andrew Truscott — Delaware Theater Company
• Oscar Vazquez — MMT Contracting
• Sarah Zero — Jackalope Heart

The task force recently published a white paper explaining the group’s findings. The document begins with an explanation about the city’s changing demographics: Wilmington’s population is aging and there’s a higher concentration of youth under the age of 19. Population, the report explains, has remained stagnant since 1980. Another issue to address in Wilmington: low incomes and unemployment.
“Combined with a median household income of $38,468 and a ten year trending unemployment rate higher than the national average, the constraints on economic development and demand for services put Wilmington in a difficult position,” the report said.
The task force was charged with seeking out progressive and creative ways to draw in younger people to Wilmington.
“We had been working for a few months to identify opportunities for the City to attract and retain Millennials. This is related to the ‘5,000 new residents within 5 years’ goal,” Curtis said.
Here are some of the key findings the task force shared in its presentation to the mayor:

• The city’s strengths
  • Job opportunities
  • Affordability
  • Proximity and accessibility to larger neighboring cities like Philadelphia and Baltimore
  • Existing social networks in the area
  • Walkability downtown
• The city’s weaknesses
  • Lacking a “central jewel” when it comes to entertainment and social life. “Despite the absence of such a ‘jewel’, many said Wilmington should not try to copy every step taken in Philadelphia and Baltimore. Instead, though it may emulate other successful endeavors, Wilmington needs to discover its own identity, one more appropriate for a city of its size.”
  • Limited parking downtown during work hours
  • Parking lots close early
  • Limited or no night time activity downtown
  • Safety

The task force’s recommendations for improving Wilmington:

• Branding: the task force wants to see good things being highlighted in Wilmington, not crime.
• Dining: more of it and restaurants that stay open past 5:30 p.m. on weekdays.
• Education: advocating for school-aged children in the city.
• Incentives: a student debt repayment program and/or incentive program for young professionals who buy homes in the city.
• Marketing: concerts, 5K races, sporting events, theater productions.
• Information distribution: email, apps and text messages that inform the public.
• Networking: mentoring program to partner young employees with seasoned professionals.
• Parks: implementation of running trails and off-leash dog parks; utilize parks for farmer’s markets.
• Public safety: Downtown Visions staff should be visible at night when crime is more prevalent; make side streets more well-lit.
• Retail: make Wilmington a shopping destination after work and on the weekends.
• Transportation: more parking downtown, later hours for parking lots, free parking; bike-friendly policies; more frequent public transportation to Philadelphia and Baltimore.
• Wayfinding: create signage to help visitors navigate the city and use creative and distinct signage to differentiate neighborhoods.