The Traverse City Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has published its 2020 Annual Report, highlighting businesses, events, grant funding, COVID-19 pivots, and more. The Ticker has compiled some of the key numbers and metrics included in the report.

$60,775: The amount of money the DDA raised through its “Buy Local, Give Local Fund,” a campaign that raised money from the community to purchase merchandise from downtown businesses. The merchandise was then donated to local organizations like the Munson Healthcare Foundation, Traverse City Area Public Schools, The Goodwill Inn & Street Outreach, and Traverse Bay Children’s Advocacy Center.

$6,310: The fundraising total from the DDA’s ‘Giving Thanks Through Giving Meals” campaign, which provided 631 meals from eight different downtown restaurants to frontline workers at Grand Traverse County Health Department, Addiction Treatment Services, Goodwill Inn, Munson Medical Center, Women's Resource Center, and Northwest Michigan Supportive Housing.

21: The number of restaurants that utilized sidewalk or street space for outdoor seating in 2020, thanks to DDA efforts to “amend the existing zoning ordinance to allow dining establishments to place seating on the street.”

$164,750: The total value of sales tracked by the DDA for the online version of the Sara Hardy Farmers Market in 2020. The online market, a collaboration with SEEDs and Taste the Local Difference, served 2,860 registered customers and benefitted 49 vendors. The in-person Sara Hardy market, which resumed last summer, drew nearly 100 vendors throughout the season.

Over $565,000: A tally of the grant fund secured by the DDA or by downtown businesses in 2020, from sources such as the Northern Michigan Regional Entity, the Michigan Department of Environment, Great Lakes, and Energy (EGLE), the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), and Rotary Charities.

$11,317: The amount of money raised through 2020 Shop Your Community Days. The program, held this year from November 12-14, allowed patrons to choose from one of 30 participating local nonprofits to donate five percent of their transactions. In addition, the Downtown Traverse City Association (DTCA) donated $30,000 to the Downtown Relief Fund as part of 2020’s Shop Your Community Days programming.

Over $1 million: The amount of money sold in 2020 in downtown gift certificates in 2020.

17: The number of new or expanded businesses to impact to the downtown area in 2020, including Wild Pages, Sea Bags, Brasserie Amie, Hexenbelle, Black Candle Tattoo, West Side Beverage, The Flying Noodle, Glenwood Custom Builders, and more.

8: The number of major publications to give Traverse City significant accolades in 2020. Those honors came from the likes of Thrillist (“The Must-Visit Small Town in Every State”), Reader’s Digest (“The Best Day Trips in Every State”), Condé Nast Traveler(The Prettiest Towns in the USA), MSN Travel (“The Most Charming Main Streets in America”), and others.

$50 million: The dollar value of new private investments that the DDA says were made in the downtown area in 2020.

5,000+: The number of downtown employees.

470+: The number of existing residential housing units downtown.

The DDA’s full 2020 Annual Report can be read here.