Page 18 - LRCC FOCUS September 2021

DOWNTOWN LANSING AT A CROSSROADS ................................................

Brian Calley has a unique perspective on the role in state expenses. Downtown Lansing, Inc. is also working hand
government, serving in both the state legislature and eight in hand with property owners in finding the right type of
years as Lt. Governor of Michigan. He now serves as CEO of sustainable businesses to fill their properties.
the Small Business Association of Michigan, headquartered
in downtown Lansing. Calley feels larger employers, Business leaders are unanimous in their belief that
especially the state should engage with community leaders downtown Lansing must intentionally develop
in how they make decisions and how strategies to diversify the economic
they are being felt. According to Calley, a base, so it is not dependent on
good starting point would be to develop Monday-Friday office workers.
alternative use for sites that are leased
by the State of Michigan. There is hope among “The City of Lansing has to become a

local leaders that the destination. There is a whole vibrant
“The state has decided to downsize its community outside of state government,”
footprint, which is not surprising,” said recent setbacks that said Lorri Rishar, CEO, Edge Partnerships,
Calley. These are not decisions born out have hit downtown which is headquartered downtown.
of economic calamity like during the last “People love downtown and want more
recession when the state was forced to Lansing will music, art, and activity that bring
make some tough decisions. In this case, provide a window people downtown and accommodate
the state is choosing and there needs the residents who are living in the new
to be some discussion about the rate of opportunity residential spaces downtown.”
at which that change happens, and the to create a new
rate at which these properties could be game plan. This The Eyde Company has developed
potentially converted.” several projects downtown, including the
plan that includes Knapp’s building converted to mixed-
THE NEAR-TERM FUTURE more people, more use (residential, office and retail), and
the former Oliver Towers building, now
Edgerly notes that businesses that businesses, and called Capitol View, which features 96
became nimble and shifted gears workers and a apartments. Mark Clouse, chief financial
quickly to meet the needs of their officer and general counsel, Eyde
customers have been successful downtown space Company, says downtown needs a mix
in marketing to the residential filled with vibrancy of office, residential and retail. He also
community. Programming and and entertainment encourages outside-the-box thinking. For
promotional campaigns that example, Eyde is working on a project to
emphasized lifting local businesses options that are bring more storage.
have kept many people in business. sustained seven days
Now that things have stabilized, local “There is a need for storage downtown.
leaders are working on plans to move a week. Many downtowns have that. We do not,”
downtown away from relying solely on said Clouse. “Not the kind of storage
daytime workers for their core business. you see a bunch of rolled-up doors, but
Among those efforts are identifying funds and prioritizing rather where you take a building and use the elevator
a need for rehabbing large office buildings that may never systems into storage.”
be used entirely as office space any longer.
THE FOUNDATION IS STRONG
“We’re focusing on how we fill those vacancies and how we
purposefully work on diversifying our downtown business The region has strategically taken steps that offer
mix while providing the small business support that we’ve encouragement for the future of downtown Lansing. The
provided for the last year-plus,” said Edgerly. “We have to increase of restaurants and entertainment options is
move downtown forward, which takes digging in deep making downtown Lansing a highly desirable place to live,
with our stakeholders, partners, and local leaders, working crediting to the notion that some vacant office space could
together to layout actionable plans that will lead to the be converted to more housing. More people downtown
long-term success and strength of our downtown business would lead to more retail options and help transition the
district and neighborhoods.” area into a seven-day-a-week destination.

Among strategies being explored are developing a fund Among other key developments have been the arrival
for interior rehab for smaller scale property owners, a micro of a downtown grocery store, Capital City Market, which
market concept to provide a launching point for businesses increases pedestrian traffic seven days a week. The opening
wanting to locate downtown and creation of a small of a new hotel, Courtyard by Marriott, on the same 600
business support fund to build a graduated level of support block as Meijer, is a strong development for the region’s
to help businesses with rent, mortgages, and capital key tourism industry. The opening of the Heritage Hall, an

18