Dear Members and Friends of the East Downtown Council,
On Thursday June 2, 2016 the East Downtown Council board voted unanimously to change our name to the East Town Business Partnership. This action aligns our organization to the new East Town district brand that was adopted by the board in May 2016 after a 2+ year community engagement process focused on creating an identity that unites our business district. Our new name – the East Town Business Partnership – highlights our belief that our greatest contribution to the community and benefit for our members is our work as a business association in partnership with the many neighborhood, civic and business groups who seek to make this district a vital, multifaceted, connected community.
The East Town Business Partnership will remain a membership organization representing the collective interests of our more than 70 members. We will continue to grow alongside the district to better serve the needs of our members who are predominantly located within the Elliot Park and Downtown East neighborhoods in Minneapolis. Our mission remains to be “an advocate for the Downtown East and Elliot Park business community, promoting a safe, productive business environment and communication between business and civic leaders.”
In doing so we will continue to lead and to bring together public and private organizations that are helping East Town district reach for its full potential as a compliment to the rest of the downtown core. The East Town Business Partnership remains committed to leading efforts to achieve this goal through partnerships with the Downtown Minneapolis Neighborhood Association (representing the Downtown East Neighborhood) and Elliot Park Neighborhood Incorporated to provide a forum for resident and business interests to work together to build a better community for all.
Over the summer we will be transitioning to our new logo, name, website and other identity materials. During this time we will use both our former and new identities as we gradually move our members, supporters and partners to become familiar and comfortable with our new identity. Our goal is to have the transition to our new identity fully in place when we kick off our fall business forum season on September 15, 2016 at the new US Bank Stadium.
Stay tuned: watch us grow and evolve to better serve the needs of the businesses, residents and visitors who now and in the future will work, live and visit our district. It is our sincere pleasure to work on your behalf to continue to serve the greater good of East Town!
Best,
Paul C N Mellblom
East Town Business Partnership Board President
Principal Architect, MSR Design
Dan Collison
Executive Director for the East Town Business Partnership (formally East Downtown Council)
Director of East Town Partnership for the Minneapolis Downtown Council
