Page 4 - LRCC FOCUS September 2021

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAMBER FOCUS MAGAZINE | SEPTEMBER 2021

The Importance of Growing Our

Private Sector

For decades, downtown Lansing’s key central business district has struggled to grow
beyond the 9-5, Monday through Friday economy dependent on downtown office workers.
Never has this been more obvious than our recent challenges associated with the Covid-19
pandemic. Sales at downtown business establishments have plummeted dramatically
during the remote working era of the past 18 months.
Downtown office workers have been returning throughout the summer, and their presence
is noticeable in the substantial uptick in traffic and the number of people visiting local
establishments. However, large employers, including the State of Michigan understand they
no longer require as much office space as many employees will continue to work remotely
part-time or full-time. Many employers, including the State of Michigan are vacating office TIM DAMAN
space they no longer need. PRESIDENT AND CEO
LANSING REGIONAL
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
The fallout from the Covid-19 pandemic should make it clear that it is time for community
leaders to develop and coalesce around a new vision that reimagines a future for
downtown Lansing predicated on attracting private investment and private sector growth
in our urban core.
The Lansing Regional Chamber of Commerce (LRCC), Lansing Economic Area Partnership
(LEAP), and 10 other regional partners recently unveiled a major State of the Region
Benchmarking Report. The report identified four priority areas: population growth,
educational attainment, private sector growth, and affordability.

The State of the Region Benchmarking Report revealed that Lansing is last among the 11- The fallout from
peer communities around the country regarding the size of our private sector. It should be the Covid-19
noted that other regions that are state capitols and home to large public sectors like ours
have much larger private sectors than does Lansing. pandemic should
make it clear
Simply put, we must grow our private sector in this region to move beyond our over-
reliance on public sector employment, particularly as it relates to the downtown business that it is time
district of Lansing. for community

leaders to
We are fortunate to have a foundation of excellent business leadership downtown on
which to build. Businesses including AF Group, Dewpoint and numerous small businesses develop and
are investing and growing downtown. We need the broader business community to fuel coalesce around
entrepreneurial innovation and creativity and develop a new direction for downtown.
a new vision
There are many other good things on which to build, including the conversion of one-way that reimagines
streets to two-way, which will improve traffic flow. There are many exciting developments in
activities, arts, culture, and entertainment that bring more people downtown. More people a future for
live in the downtown area, a trend that must accelerate as we convert unused commercial downtown
office space in the future.
Lansing
The development of new social districts in both Lansing and East Lansing is another predicated on
important development. Congratulations to the East Lansing community for its work in the attracting private
Albert Street area, which has been converted into a destination spot for people of all ages.
investment and
Reimagining and reinventing downtown Lansing will start with leadership of which we private sector
have in great supply in this region. The LRCC stands ready to join with our community
partners in both the private and public sectors to build a new blueprint for a downtown growth in our
Lansing of which our entire region can be proud. l urban core.

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