Economic Development Staff Pilots Offsite Office Hours at FITCI and Cowork Frederick

Staff from the City of Frederick's Department of Economic Development began piloting a program in February 2015 to hold office hours at Cowork Frederick and the Frederick Innovative Technology Center, Inc., also known as FITCI. 

"We welcome business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs to stop by and visit us," said Economic Development Manager Bobby Baumler. "We are always happy to visit a business at their location, and thought getting out into the community would help make our resources more accessible to more people." Additionally, the department will assist walk-ins.

"We will have information on hand about how to start a business in Frederick, area resources, how to grow your businesses, and just generally be available to answer questions," said Baumler.  While office hours provide an off-site location to meet with businesses, city economic development staff are always available by appointment. 

"Our goal is to connect with businesses in the community and provide assistance as they grow and expand," said Baumler. Offsite office hours provide additional opportunities to connect with entrepreneurs, start-ups, and small businesses.  

Be sure to follow Frederick's Department of Economic Development on Twitter, @frederickded, for updates or changes to office hours.

Office Hour Locations - UPDATED

Cowork Frederick

122 E Patrick St.
Frederick, MD 21701
Office Hours: 4th Thursday of Each Month, 1pm-3pm

Located in Downtown Frederick, Cowork Frederick offers a variety of cowork options to work from the facility or meet there.  They strive to foster a sense of community among members. “We could work anywhere, but we choose to work together,” their website states.

FITCI

4539 Metropolitan Court
Frederick, MD 21704
Office Hours: 2nd Thursday of Each Month, 1pm-3pm

FITCI supports early stage Biotechnology, Information Technology, and Renewable Energy start-up companies by offering office and wet lab space, business services, virtual offices, and strategic support to local entrepreneurs.  






Golden Mile Office Hours - TBD
Date Updated: May 28, 2015

This Week on Carroll Creek: February 4, 2015

Brick pavers for the Galleria walkways and stone work on the creek walls, continues near the Delaplaine and the "Galleria" Fountain. Where stone work is going on, water levels in the creek have to be lowered to allow workers access - called "dewatering".

As well, heated tents (see pic below) just before East Street are set up for workers to allow stone to be repaired during the cold winter months. The inside temperature must be above 40 degrees as well as all materials. The creek wall improvements to the East of the Delaplaine should be completed mid February, depending on weather.

Poole Landscaping will be starting sod and plantings in mid-to-late March and planned fountains should be finished by the first of April if weather cooperates.

Connect with Us for Updates

Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter for the most recent news and updates on this project and others. 
 
About the Next Phase of Carroll Creek Park

This next phase of park improvements will include new and widened multi-use paths, landscape planters, lighting, water features and crosswalk improvements. The work will occur primarily between Bentz and S. Market Street and between the Delaplaine Arts Center and East Patrick Street. More than $100M in new and renovated private construction is planned along the new park/path sections which will eventually result in hundreds of new jobs and increased state and local tax revenue.

Nominate YOUR Frederick Business for a 2015 Best Places to Work award!

If you love the Frederick company you work for...
 

Then tell us!  Your company will have a chance to take home a coveted Best Places to Work award, window cling, and enjoy the fabulous awards ceremony. Share all the great benefits your company offers its employees with the Frederick business community. Great health insurance? Company picnics? Job training? Philanthropic efforts? Service awards? No detail is too small. Let everyone know just how great your company is.

Nominate Your Company
Deadline: March 30  
By completing the nomination form, your Frederick County business will be considered for a "Best Places to Work" award. Only one submission is needed per business. Be sure to answer all the questions to increase your chances of winning, which may require you to coordinate with your CEO or human resources department. 

This is a great opportunity to share your best practices and inspire other organizations. Finalists and winners will be announced and celebrated on July 30, 2015 at the awards ceremony at the Delaplaine in Downtown Frederick.

And just like last year, winners will receive coverage in the August issue of Frederick Magazine. So get those nominations in! Deadline is March 30th.
 

From 2014 Major Employer co-winner, Experient, "I am proud to accept this award on behalf of all the great employees at Experient who make it one of the Best Places to Work in Frederick County. Winning this award has brought Experient more local press than we've ever had, and that kind of recognition goes a long way toward retention and recruitment."

                  –Shawn Pierce, Division President, Experient Registration & Housing

If you have any questions about the nomination form, program, or awards ceremony, please call us at 301-600-6360 or visit our Best Places to Work page on Facebook. 

The Best Places to Work awards is brought to you in partnership by The City of Frederick, Department of Economic Development, Frederick County Business Development & Retention Department, Frederick County Workforce Services & The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce.

Downtown Hotel Update - January 30, 2015

Artist's conceptual illustration of the Downtown Frederick Hotel.
Courtesy of Plamondon Hospitality Partners, LLC. 

January 30, 2015

The Downtown Frederick Hotel and Conference Center project took a major step forward today in Annapolis with unanimous approval by the Frederick County State Delegation for a  letter of support to Governor Hogan and a recommendation of $7.5 million in FY16 for public infrastructure associated with the development of the project (parking and associated improvements and land).  

On hand to support the delegation request were Mayor Randy McClement, County Executive Jan Gardner, Chamber President Elizabeth Cromwell, Downtown Partnership Director Kara Norman, Frederick County Policy Director Roger Wilson, and Director of Economic Development Richard Griffin.   

“We are simply delighted to receive unanimous support for this critical project and look forward to working with the developer – Plamondon Hospitality Partners, LLC – to get the project designed, approved, and constructed,” stated Griffin.  He added that “the team will work hard over the next few weeks to secure a commitment from the Hogan administration for the requested investment.”  

The Downtown Hotel Advisory Committee had requested $15 million from the state in two installments of $7.5 million per year in FY16-FY17.  The full-service hotel and conference center is anticipated to be branded as a flagship Marriott hotel with 207 rooms and 24,000 square feet of meeting space.  The facility will be privately owned and operated with no ongoing subsidy from local or state government.

Seeking Marketing and Communications Intern - Spring 2015

The City of Frederick’s Department of Economic Development is seeking a communications and marketing intern.  Primary responsibilities will include writing and developing content for digital outlets (newsletters, blog posts, website, social media, etc.) and print collateral; photography; and updating website or blog posts to support business development activities of the department.  Candidate will also support business recruitment and retention efforts such as attending business visits, events, workshops, and supporting economic development projects. 

Ideal candidate will be have a positive attitude, experience writing digital content, experience with social media for an organization/business/non-profit, and be able to work independently in an office environment. Strong writers of all majors are encouraged to apply. We are seeking a college student that is looking to complete an internship for credit via their college. This is an unpaid internship opportunity. 

As a part of the internship, the student will:

• Develop a series of blog posts and other content for his/her end of semester portfolio
• Gain an understanding of local government by attending both staff level and public meetings
• Work with Frederick’s business community and directly interface with business owners
• Gain practical experience in marketing and communications
• Attend business and community networking events and professional development opportunities as schedules permit

Apply: Please email resume and writing samples (links to samples are fine) to Michelle Kershner – mkershner@cityoffrederick.com. Writing samples can include articles, blog posts, websites, promotional materials, or classroom projects. 

Deadline: January 30, 2015. 

Industry Spotlight: Tourism

Credit: C. Kurt Holter/Visit Frederick

Frederick businesses know that visitors make an impact on the local economy. Over the past 15 years, there was a $1B cumulative gain in visitor spending, an impressive figure that set a milestone for the local tourism industry. The announcement came during the annual membership meeting of the Tourism Council of Frederick County, where the organization also announced that Frederick County climbed from 11th place to 8th place among Maryland Counties in spending by visitors. 

More than 1.7 visitors come to Frederick County each year, spending $361 million during their stay in the area, according to 2013 statistics released by the Tourism Council.  These impressive figures only account for visitors traveling from more than 50 miles or more away. Because it doesn't include visitors from places like Montgomery County or Washington, D.C., the actual impact from visitors is even greater. 

Tourism is a major industry sector for the City of Frederick. One of the chief attractions is Frederick’s dynamic 40-block historic district, with its nationally renowned architecture, historic sites, arts and entertainment, and a thriving shopping and dining scene.  Downtown Frederick is home to approximately 850 businesses, many of which rely on visitors.  

Within minutes of Downtown Frederick are wineries, Civil War battlefields and historic sites, recreational opportunities, and scenic landscapes, making the area attractive to a variety of travelers.

“Tourism is one of our major industry sectors in Frederick” says Richard Griffin, Economic Development Director for the City of Frederick. Top business leaders in the city agree. In a recent survey of the Economic Development Advisory Council, an ad-hoc committee appointed by the Mayor, members were asked to rate targeted industries on a rating scale in terms of their importance to the City of Frederick’s economy. 92% of the survey respondents ranked it as an “important” to “very important” industry sector.

Looking towards the future, new plans for a Downtown Frederick hotel will help grow the industry provide overnight accommodations for groups and travelers downtown, an amenity many travelers seek. 

For more information, visit the Tourism Council of Frederick County or read the recent feature story on tourism in Frederick County in the January 2015 issue of Frederick Magazine. 

Proposed Downtown Hotel & Conference Center

Do you wonder what the new proposed Downtown Frederick hotel might look like? These artist's renderings of the proposed Downtown Hotel & Conference Center were unveiled at the Tourism Council of Frederick County’s annual fall membership meeting. 


The images were provided by the chosen developer for the project, Plamondon Hospitality Partners. 

Artist's rendering of downtown shopping and restaurants near the proposed hotel