How will Edmond manage downtown growth? New transformation manager will guide development

EDMOND — It may not be chaotic yet, but downtown's growth could get that way soon.

Leana Dozier has been added to Edmond's team as the downtown transformation manager to address that concern.

But Dozier's responsibilities extend beyond just ensuring present development efforts don't get wrapped in red tape.

She also is being asked to think about ways Edmond could build on its urban strengths to bolster surrounding areas of the community.

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After helping put together the deal to bring the Omni Hotel to downtown Oklahoma City and putting together the package Oklahoma City used to get a new Homeland store built at NE 36 and Lincoln Boulevard, Dozier is uniquely prepared for those tasks, city officials believe.

“Bringing public and private entities together to foster partnerships that will bring vital projects to fruition is essential as Edmond’s already thriving downtown continues to grow and evolve,” Dozier said.

Fresh perspective on Edmond's downtown growth expected to be beneficial

Like many who live and work in the Oklahoma City area and who have family nearby, Dozier has remained familiar enough with Edmond over the past 30 years to know it's been growing.

Even so, Dozier said ongoing construction of new homes and apartments in and around downtown Edmond pleasantly surprised her when she took a closer look while interviewing for her new job.

While it may be a while before any major initiatives are launched, she's already coming up with ideas.

"One of the first things I set out to do will be to have a strategic plan. Right now, I'm still gathering information," she said.

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Dozier's interests in economic development and urban revitalization were sparked four years ago when she went to work at the Alliance for Economic Development in Oklahoma City as its director of policy, planning and partnerships.

The alliance was formed in 2011 to better coordinate land, incentives and economic tools with the goal of making Oklahoma City even more attractive to companies and developers.

Before that, she worked for the city of Oklahoma City for 13 years in numerous roles, culminating in a job where she was a construction and engineering prequalification manager.

Both her parents live in the Edmond area (she graduated high school from Edmond North), so she isn't a stranger to the community.

"There's just a lot of economic development happening in downtown Edmond I wasn't aware of," Dozier said.

Downtown Edmond growth point person needed

Edmond City Manager Scot Rigby said timing was right to bring Dozier and her expertise to the community because downtown continues to change.

"The challenge was, we had a lot going on and we had a lot of different people trying to do different parts of downtown. There was a lot of overlap and redundancy, but also a lot of confusion because there wasn't a single person or group solely dedicated to the issue."

Dozier and Rigby said downtowns are unique because development there differs from new projects that are built on raw land.

Sometimes, projects involve redeveloping existing buildings. Other times, they take advantage of sites where something else was demolished first. Often, they involve water, sewer and electric services that are out-of-date and can't support new projects without assistance provided through tax increment finance programs.

Beyond that, projects going into downtown areas impact the community's surrounding fabric, including fundamental issues like automobile and pedestrian safety and more esoteric ones, like the community's character.

Rigby, who was hired as Edmond's city manager in March 2022, brought experiences with him that involved redeveloping a former Air Force base in Arizona that was closed as part of the Base Realignment and Closure process. After that, he worked to redevelop parts of downtown Wichita, Kansas, as an assistant city manager.

Hopes are that Edmond and the University of Central Oklahoma can build on their relationship to better connect the school campus with the downtown community, in part by reducing the freeway-like impact Boulevard has on separating the two areas.

"We both have great strengths, so we are looking for ways to combine that and create synergy," he said.

Every community has its own expectations on the downtowns it wants to see, and Edmond's no exception. It may be time for Edmond's decade-old plan for its downtown to be refreshed, Rigby said.

"What's the new way to maximize existing space?"

Edmond developers, downtown advocates involved with Dozier's hire

Rigby said he involved developers and builders in finding Dozier for the post.

Redeveloping downtowns can be tough, Rigby acknowledged. "From the city side, we often ask, how do we do that? Bringing her understanding of all that to this process is key," he said.

The downtown business community is excited about Dozier's hire, said Michelle Schaefer, Downtown Edmond Business Association's treasurer.

“It gives businesses downtown a dedicated, single point of contact for questions and concern. They will be an advocate who understands Downtown Edmond and a resource for us to turn to as we continue to grow,” she said.

Dozier seems happy as she settles into her new role.

“I am excited to be a part of everything that is happening both in downtown and across Edmond and look forward to working with all our partners as we move forward,” she said.

This article originally appeared on Oklahoman: How a new manager plans to guide development in Edmond Oklahoma