Main Street Calumet
The community economic development industry serves all aspects of the community, including commercial needs. A neighborhood will struggle to be healthy without a thriving “main street,” new and retained businesses, and attractive commercial facilities. The “main street” approach advocates a return to community self-reliance, local empowerment, and the rebuilding of traditional commercial districts based on their unique assets: distinctive architecture, a pedestrian-friendly environment, personal service, local ownership, and a sense of community. In some cases, CEDAM members dedicate themselves entirely to business district and commercial space development in their communities.
Old Town Commercial Association in Lansing created the Old Town Business Assistance Team, which provides free services to local businesses in an effort to ensure continued success and vitality.
The Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation (GRDC) in Detroit assisted over 40 businesses in improving their exteriors through a façade improvement program. GRDC was also awarded a Streetscape Grant from M-Dot, which funded new sidewalks and 150 street trees, resulting in a dramatic improvement to their commercial corridor.
In 2008, Main Street Calumet’s commercial revitalization efforts in the Upper Peninsula won the Community Initiated Development Project of the Year award, and the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation.
Tags: Best Practice, downtowns
The power of a “main street” has a great affect over a local economy promoting a greater and more sustainable local community. The Center for Community and Economic Development is located on such a street called the Cool Cities Michigan Avenue Corridor in Lansing, MI.
Locally owned businesses provide substantial economic benefits to a city. A locally owned business is likely to produce income, jobs, tax receipts, and charitable donations for a community over several generations. Whenever local ownership coincides with the location of a business, all of these transactions reinforce one another and increase local economic activity. When dollars are spent locally, they can in turn be re-spent locally. Significantly more money re-circulates locally when purchases are made at the locally owned business level.
Spending money with local retailers helps keep the local community alive. The places where we eat, shop, and have fun all make a community home. One of a kind businesses are an integral part of the distinctive character of a place. A town overrun by large chains of shops rather than independently run small businesses becomes less personal, homogenized and for many patrons the shopping experience becomes lifeless.
The effort to keep “main streets” thriving is extremely important.