The Village of Calumet Downtown Development Authority (DDA) District Map

About our District

 The DDA District was established when the Village of Calumet DDA was created in 1979 and has undergone one expansion since. The district includes a variety of building uses, from commercial to light industrial to residential.

 After calculating all mils and levies the DDA TIF revenue is  approximately $54,500 a year.

A DDA's main ability is to invest money and management expertise into downtown districts. Utilizing DDA resources, city planners and downtown managers rebuild public spaces, invest in business and public works projects, and help with advertising and marketing. All of this is designed to encourage people, both local and visiting, to favor a downtown district over a shopping center because of the downtown's uniqueness and specialized businesses. 

Areas of Focus

Revitalization of Vacant/Underused Properties
A DDA is tasked with finding creative ways to maximize use of often limited downtown space, and it does this by always looking for new uses for old areas. If a building can be revitalized and refurbished in order to house a new downtown business, the DDA will attempt to do so, and if a building would be better as a park, well, the DDA will do that as well. 

Business Support
A downtown isn't much without interesting and unique businesses to populate it, and as a result it is often one of a DDA's primary goals to attract new businesses to open in their downtown district, as well as keep existing businesses open and happy.

Historic Rehabilitation
Most people agree that one of the biggest draws of a downtown district is its historic charms, and the DDA works tirelessly to preserve and maintain that historic feel by enacting programs designed to encourage business owners and property owners to bring out that charm.​

Infrastructure improvements
DDAs often fund and enact projects designed to repair or improve streets, sidewalks, lighting, and sewer and water lines throughout the downtown district. 

Design of public parks
Often it falls under the DDAs purview to design and construct new public gathering spaces and parks within the downtown district.

Marketing and Promotions
Every DDA in the state, and probably the country, uses its resources to in some way promote the downtown district businesses and events. There isn't much use in revitalizing a downtown district if no one knows the district is even there, so a DDA spends a considerable amount of time marketing the businesses and events in the downtown district in all forms of media possible, from social media, newspapers, flyers, and radio/television.

The DDA board is composed of 9 members, which includes the Village President. (5) members must have  an interest in a property in the district, (1) must be a resident of the DDA District. Officers are elected annually, member terms are 4 years.

Our Board

MEMBERS (TERMS)
Brian Abramson, Village President (Nov 2024)
Leah Polzien, Chairperson (August 2026)
JW Miller (August 2022)
Pete Hahn, Secretary (August 2021)
Vacant (August 2021)
Andrew Ranville (August 2024)
Tom Dumble (August 2024)
Rick Campioni, Treasurer (August 2022)
Lorri Oikarinen (August 2022)
DDA Administrator, Caleb Katz
​(Contact Information Below)

In addition to the financing mechanism, the DDA structure results in the creation of a public board dedicated solely to the improvement of the downtown. Village of Calumet Ordinance 110 calls out specifically how many people shall sit on the board (8 + the Village President) and the involvement those people should have within the community (5 must have an interest in property in the DDA District and 1 must be a resident of the district).

The mission of a DDA is to establish a downtown that is healthy, viable and economically sound for the future.

The Village of Calumet DDA