DTI Historic Summary
· Downtown Topeka, Inc. was founded in 1964.· DTI has been actively involved in downtown parking issues since the mid-1960s.
· The first Hullaballoo Sidewalk sale was sponsored by DTI in August 1965.
· DTI was instrumental in having the island planters installed in the middle of Kansas Avenue in 1967.
· In 1974, DTI studied the feasibility of creating a Business Improvement District in downtown.
· The Downtown Farmers Market was founded in 1977.
· The Litter Removal Program was founded by DTI in 1978.
· Future Heritage of Topeka, Inc. was founded by DTI in 1985, establishing this not-for-profit agency to raise funds for downtown improvements and enhancements.
· DTI helped Topeka Intracity Transit bring the trolleys to Topeka in 1986.
· The Capital City Redevelopment Agency collaborated with DTI to form The Capital City Downtown Business Improvement District (BID) in 1986.
· In 1977, the Downtown Farmers Market moved to its current location at 10th and Topeka Blvd.
· DTI, through Future Heritage, raised $220,000 in 1988 to build the Fountain of Justice at the Kansas Judicial Center.
· DTI surveyed downtown businesses and endorsed the removal of all parking meters in 1988.
· The BID, in cooperation with DTI, completed the Kansas Avenue Streetscape in 1989. DTI created the Neighborhood Revitalization Act in October 1994 for the downtown district.
· DTI has been the administrative arm of the BID since 1995, providing maintenance, promotion and special events services, which results in thousands of visitors to downtown every year.
· The Miracle on Kansas Avenue Committee began coordinating the lighted Christmas parade with DTI’s assistance in 1996.
· Downtown Live! outdoor summer concerts began in 1999 as a collaboration between Downtown Topeka, Inc., the Convention and Visitor’s Bureau, Parks and Recreation of Topeka and the Greater Topeka Chamber of Commerce.
· DTI works closely with the City of Topeka Water Pollution Control Division in 2001 to design a stormwater project using a streetscape approach that will greatly enhance Jackson and Van Buren Streets.
· DTI assisted the Topeka-Shawnee County Metropolitan Planning Department in to develop the Downtown Topeka Redevelopment Plan that was adopted by City Council in 2001.
· DTI worked closely with Topeka Metropolitan Transit Authority in 2000 to create plans to relocate the bus transfer station from 8th & Kansas to the Quincy Street Transfer Station, a state of the art consolidated center located at 9th and Quincy. The Transfer Station will open in spring 2003.
