By Marcus Martin, MBA
Community Engagement and Business Development Professional
The Detroit Free Press Opinion piece in December about Lansing Schmansing was met with swift responses from the Lansing State Journal, Lansing Mayor Andy Schor, and others in Lansing’s leadership. As acknowledged in the responses, Lansing is struggling to re-identify itself after the shift to remote work post pandemic. Also noted were a number of existing gems throughout the city and the new business and residential projects on the horizon that aim to bring more residents and life to the downtown, Washington Ave, corridor. Yet, I am still concerned about missing opportunities and a lack of an overall plan.
In 2023, I attended a number of economic development conferences and one of the themes that really stuck out was the need for communities to be walkable to attract people and businesses. One of the reasons that struck a chord is because I live downtown and walked to work on Washington Square for the last three years and I am an avid bicycle rider. Because of the brick road down Washington Square, I avoid riding and driving down Washington Square. My bike riding group chose a number of destinations to bike to on Fridays and we often found ourselves in East Lansing, Old Town, and Reo Town for stops for food and beverage. Not once in the two years of riding with them did we venture downtown Lansing. I also would take scooters to work on days where I needed to get around quickly and that too was navigated with avoiding the brick road. Riding a bike or scooter on the sidewalk downtown is not safe for either the riders or pedestrians with the width of the sidewalk.
Many of the thriving cities have incorporated bike lanes, restaurants with outdoor patios, green space, benches, and art installations etc. You can see these in neighborhoods and cities surrounding downtown. Someone in Lansing understands the importance of creating pathways for bikes and scooters to build opportunities for the community to bring their families out to patronize local businesses. Look at the plans for Michigan Ave. They will be creating bike lanes to connect downtown Lansing to East Lansing. Lansing Community College built a new bike parking area, Old Town has bike lanes, West Michigan Ave has bike lanes going into Delta Township, Reo Town has bike lanes along the south end of Washington Ave. Is downtown where it will end? I’m sure you have driven on roads where one county has made upgrades to repair the streets and the adjoining county hasn’t and the traveling experience is immediately different when you cross the border. This is what it feels like. How do we connect downtown to these other neighborhoods or even the closer stadium district?
What’s most frustrating is that there is a big opportunity for Downtown Lansing. For the last several months I sat in on meetings with the city engineers and the downtown businesses to discuss a major road project for the 200 and 300 block of Washington Square. The first bit of great news was that the brick road would be gone. The engineers then shared that there was an option to create parallel parking and add approximately 10-15 more feet of sidewalk and possibly incorporate bike lanes. We were informed that the decision was going to be left up to the current business owners downtown, majority rules. After 3 meetings I was the only one trying to share a vision of possibilities that a new design would bring to downtown. One business owner asked who were the experts that were leading the plan for downtown and there was no response. The surveys went out and the votes were calculated. Out of 60 possible voters, an 18 to 12 vote won to keep angled parking.
Honestly, I am not mad at the businesses for the way they voted. They are currently struggling to stay in business post pandemic and the increase in remote work and looking at a sewer project that is going to be disruptive to their business for most of 2024 and cautious of anything that tells them they might lose some of their current customers on the other side of it. I understand. I only wish Lansing was able to share a vision with them and had experts lead in the decision making on what is best for Lansing’s future.
Why was I the only one there sharing a vision of the future possibilities that exist with the change in design downtown? Why was it left up to a few business owners to make a decision that could be pivotal in attracting new businesses and consumers to downtown? Is there a Downtown Vision Plan, Downtown Vitality Committee, Economic Vitality Committee, Main Street Program, Design Committee or similar group that leads these decisions in other cities? What department in the city is making infrastructure decisions for the betterment of downtown. We have a Saginaw Street Corridor Improvement Authority, an MLK Jr. Blvd Corridor Improvement Authority, a Michigan Avenue Corridor Improvement Authority, and a North Lansing Gateway Corridor Improvement Authority.
We have organizations and individuals whose work directly or indirectly impacts the economic development of Lansing. Could we have asked for opinions from Downtown Lansing Inc, Choose Lansing, Terry Terry in Old Town, the Gillespies, the Gentillozis, the Eydes, Van Martin, Shawn Elliot, Lansing Economic Area Partnership (LEAP), Lansing Economic Development Corp (LEDC), Lansing Community College (LCC), Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce, etc? We have many vested organizations, businesses, visionaries, and respected great minds in the Lansing area. These are some of Lansing’s economic development experts. Why aren’t they informed and contributing to these opportunities and decisions?
I know this seems to be a rant about angled parking and bike lanes, but it is so much more. The extra sidewalk space would allow for creative placemaking and amenities to attract businesses to come to downtown along with residents and visitors to patronize our small businesses and create the downtown vibe we all want.
Downtown Lansing Inc. commissioned a Comprehensive Market Analysis for Downtown Lansing. It supports what is being focused on in vibrant communities across the state. https://cma.downtownlansing.org/
Can we lean on Lansing’s experts in economic development to lead the decisions that will shape what Lansing’s downtown will look like for the next few decades? How about a Downtown Lansing or Washington Ave Corridor Improvement Authority?
Asking for a friend.
