Vibrant Downtown Flint Report 2010

Vibrant Downtown Evis Bushi - John Drain - Lisa Drogin - Nicole Mangis - Parick McDonnell - Katharine Pan

Prepared for Flint Local Initiative Support Corporation

by Sage Consulting

Acknowledgements Susan Peters, Flint Local Initiatives Support Corporation

Dave Johnson Heidi Phaneuf, Genesee County Land Bank

Instructors

Jenae Moore, Kettering University

Larissa Larsen

Katie Teeple

Maria Arquero

Michaei Freeman, Center for Community Progress

Megan Masson-Minock

Mitch Socia

Nicholas Rajkovich

Rhoda Matthews, City of Flint Mayor’s Office

Paul Coseo

Scott Whipple, Uptown Developments LLC

Julie Steiff

Tami O’Neill Harchick, Garibella Salon Tim Monahan, Carriage Town Historic Neighborhood

Advisors Christina Kelly, Genesee County Land Bank

Thanks for hosting us

Erin Caudell, Ruth Mott Foundation

Brown Sugar Cafe

Franklin Pleasant

The Lunch Studio

Joel Rash

The Flint Community Alycia Cobb Angela Fortino Barb Spaulding-Westcott, Flint Downtown Small Business Association Cade Surface, Americorps member Chris Everson, Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau David White, Flint Downtown Development Authority

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Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Table of Contents Acknowledgements

2

Executive Summary

5

Introduction

10

Inventory of Propoerties

13

Goals Identity

19

Improve look and feel of physical elements

20

Promote awareness of historic assets

24

Improve Riverbank Park

27

Develop university partnerships

32

Develop a plan for environmental stewardship

34

Strengthen downtown stewardship

38

Activity

43

Organize event promotion and programming

44

Develop diversity of uses

45

Encourage 24-hour activity

49

Connectivity

Back to the Bricks facing North Saginaw

53

Adopt wayfinding standards

54

Strengthen connections to other neighborhoods

57

Create a comprehensive parking plan

60

Diversity

63

Incorporate social justice into all redevelopment opportunities

64

Engage the greater Flint community

65

Conclusion

67

Appendices

68

References

103

Images References

105 Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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t ee Str aw gin

Sa UM-Flint

The area studied includes Court Street from the South to 4th Street to the North, and extends from Beach Street to Harrison Street.

Focus Area 0

4

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500

1000

Executive Summary The Vibrant Downtown Flint Plan originated as

University of Michigan urban planning program

part of a larger effort to revitalize Flint’s downtown

to conduct a preliminary study of the focus

corridor. After decades of deterioration, new

area. Specifically, LISC requested an inventory

improvements in the corridor fueled a renewed

of commercial space, an analysis of public

interest in the community to develop the

demand for new developments downtown, and

downtown area. These improvements included

ideas for programming and design strategies

the establishment of a grocery and a series of

that will help connect downtown to the

restaurants and loft developments. In 2009, the

surrounding neighborhoods.

Flint Downtown Development Authority (DDA) sought to guide that momentum by applying

The Vibrant Downtown Flint Plan is the final

for the Michigan State Housing Development

report of SAGE’s findings and recommendations.

Authority’s Blueprints for Michigan Downtowns

It covers a study area along Saginaw Street,

program. Now known as the Downtowns of

downtown Flint’s main corridor, from 5th Avenue

Promise program, it matches selected cities

in the north to Court Street in the south. Using

with consultants and helps fund the creation

knowledge gained from a field survey and

of strategic action plans intended to spark

inventory of the area’s properties and input from

downtown economic development. The city was

the downtown community, this report highlights

named one of seven awardees in 2010, and

four main goals towards achieve the vision of a

began working with consultants in the spring.

vibrant, active, and diverse downtown corridor.

Vibrant Downtown Goals Establish a core

identity

to guide future

development and set downtown apart as a unique neighborhood Increase activity and the variety of leisure options Improve connectivity within the corridor and to surrounding areas Expand

diversity

and availability of

options for Flint’s diverse community

In preparation for the program, Flint LISC commissioned SAGE Consulting through the

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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IDENTITY The first goal, establishing identity, is really

generally seeking more engagement with the

about developing consistent and perceptible

artistic community to showcase aspects of

Develop a plan for environmental stewardship

cues to set downtown apart as a unique

downtown culture.

Now is also a good time for the downtown to

neighborhood.

But

it

goes

deeper

than

create a long-term plan for environmental

aesthetics or beautification—it’s a matter of

Promote historic assets

stewardship to guide future development. The

place-making, or definition. This goal involves

A cooperative effort between the DDA, the

ultimate goal would be to increase the number

six different objectives.

Historic Society, and the Flint Convention and

of open green public spaces in and near

Tourism Bureau could go a long way towards

downtown, and to address issues like storm

highlighting the historical continuity of the

water management to ensure the long-term

downtown area. This could involve educational

quality of natural assets like the Flint River.

Improve the look and feel of physical elements Despite

the

improvements

to

Saginaw’s

streetscape over the years, there are still some weaknesses and other opportunities that the city can develop. Namely are vacant store fronts that detract from the downtown experience.

They act as a foil to the DDA’s efforts at street maintenance and to the colorful storefronts of the new restaurants. We propose a cooperative effort between the DDA, building owners, developers, and the artistic community to install temporary exhibits of public art, history, or, at the very least, well-made advertisements in the empty window displays. Other opportunities include refurbishing the alleyways with public art and potential outdoor seating, and in 6

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

programming for youth, historic festivals, and an effort to emphasize the historical significance of

Develop university partnerships

certain sites through the Historic Society’s gift

Currently, the universities do take a supportive

in 2013.

role in the community, but we suggest that this be developed further, with programming that gives

Improvements to Riverbank Park

individuals or even student boards the chance

We suggest improvements to Riverbank Park

to play a part in downtown development, and

that include physical changes that will improve

which opens the campuses to information about

comfort and sense of safety for visitors,

downtown businesses and upcoming events.

including the installation of lighting and the

Ultimately, these partnerships, which will help

addition of physical elements that will help

shape downtown development, should seek a

facilitate spontaneous recreation. Examples

reflection of student interests and schedules in

include picnic tables, barbecues, waterfront

the things that take place downtown, as well as

activities, and public restrooms.

a sharing of resources and ideas.

ACTIVITY Strengthen downtown stewardship

The second goal acknowledges that there

Develop diversity of businesses

The last main objective for this goal is to

is a growing need to increase the variety of

Developing support systems for existing and

strengthen downtown stewardship. In order to

business and leisure options downtown, as well

potential downtown businesses should help

ensure the long-term success of any downtown

as create opportunities for spontaneity.

expand the range of commercial options

development plan, Flint needs a well-defined organization to guide and manage downtown revitalization efforts. The Flint Downtown Development Authority, whose maintenance and programming activities are expanding, should assume this role. However, it needs to address some issues of public perception by becoming more transparent. We recommend that the DDA take steps to increase community involvement at its meetings, and update their website to inform the people of its initiatives, achievements, and active partnerships. Additionally, the DDA is in a position to formalize cooperation with two other major stakeholder groups—the Downtown Small Business Association (DSBA) and the Downtown Neighborhood Association (DNA).

Ideally, these groups would work together to create a long-term area plan for the district, to be included in the city’s updated master plan, in order to guide future development.

Organize event promotion and programming When creating a place that effectively attracts people, a key element is the promotion of events. This objective aims to make event coordination a more accessible option for anyone or any group that wants to fill the empty spaces between larger established celebrations like the Back to the Bricks car cruise. We suggest centralizing resources related to event coordination in one place, overseen by the DDA. By creating a well-documented and easily navigated process, the DDA may be able to attract more groups desiring to establish regular programming downtown. The second piece to this is for the DDA and the Convention and Tourism Bureau to take a larger role in advertising events through such outlets as an official events website or local publication.

available downtown. A business incubation and support center that could provide advising and information to entrepreneurs would encourage those who are willing to take the risk of bringing a new business downtown. The DDA can support new businesses in other ways: by potentially extending the downtown Renaissance Zone past 2015 to provide tax benefits to a new generation of business owners, and by being an even-handed manager and promoter. The DDA can work with the DNA to ensure that new products and services are relevant to the diverse community in and around downtown.

Encourage 24-hour activity Finally, building on the foundations of the previous downtown

objectives,

creating

means

developing

a

vibrant a

lively

environment that offers something for everyone, whenever they choose to seek it. Community members expressed a desire for a downtown Sustainable Action for Great Environments

7

CONNECTIVITY that operates on a schedule compatible with

The third goal seeks to strengthen downtown

neighborhoods. One is to identify two major

students, professionals, and families, that offers

by enhancing its connections to nearby

pedestrian

opportunities for spontaneous leisure any time

neighborhoods, the universities, and the region

and the neighborhoods of Grand Traverse

of day. To provide this, downtown should have

as a whole.

and the Cultural Center, and to focus street

public spaces for informal gatherings, more

pathways

improvements

like

between

lighting,

downtown

landscaping,

diverse programming, and cooperation among

Adopt wayfinding standards

and signage along those corridors to make

the DDA, DSBA, and the community to make

The first of three objectives is the adoption

walking safer and more pleasant. Another is to

longer hours more feasible.

of a wayfinding system to guide people into

develop bike paths and trails and to complete

and through downtown. Wayfinding refers to

installation of bike racks in multiple locations

a system of signs and maps that help people

downtown. Lastly, a university loop shuttle that

navigate an area. This means signs at three

could serve the major campuses and downtown

different scales. First are signs for vehicles,

residence halls would encourage student travel

which would direct drivers to and from highways

downtown.

and major roads, and along a specified path through downtown’s one-way streets.

Create a comprehensive parking plan

Second are signs for pedestrians to indicate

This last objective calls for a comprehensive

that walking is a safe and acceptable way to

parking

explore downtown, and to make activities and

into downtown’s parking structures, which

attractions easier to find. Third are signs for

accommodate more cars on less land than the

cyclists, to encourage bike travel from nearby

surface lots. This plan would make a count of

residential neighborhoods and suburban areas.

downtown’s entire supply of parking, and would of the infamous flat lot.

There are a number of ways that downtown Sustainable Action for Great Environments

can

strengthen

its

connection

that

would

direct

parking

act to support the closure and redevelopment

Strengthen connections to other neighborhoods

8

plan

to

other

DIVERSITY The final goal seeks to ensure that downtown development reflects the diversity of Flint’s greater community.

Incorporate social justice into all redevelopment opportunities All of our recommendations encourage and respect these fundamentals of social justice and community engagement, but this goal reinforces the importance of these concepts.

These are essential steps for any successful city and should be incorporated into every aspect of the decision making process.

Specifically accountability should exist at every level of the community, among residents, students, and the government alike. Finding ways to bridge the rifts created by feelings of distrust and resentment between the city and the community, or even among segments of the city government itself, will, in the long run, help Flint mature into a solid and unified community.

This can happen through the acknowledgement of deeply rooted tensions and controversial issues, the discussion of these issues, and the use of dialogue as a tool to move forward.

Back to the Bricks in front of the Durant Hotel Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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Introduction

C o n s u l t i n g

S A G E

ustainable

Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning 2000 Bonisteel Boulevard Ann Arbor, MI 48109 vibrant_downtown@ctools.umich.edu

ction for reat nvironments

Flint, one of Michigan’s oldest regional centers,

focused implementation of the resulting plan.

For the purposes of this project, Flint LISC, the

experienced rapid growth in the mid-20th

The consultancy phase began in April 2010.

Flint DDA, and other downtown stakeholders

century due to the expansion of the automobile

SAGE’s Vibrant Downtown Plan is a set of

identified a 13-block corridor as the primary

industry. However, the retraction of the industry

preliminary recommendations commissioned

focus area. It centers around Saginaw Street,

in recent years, alongside auto-dependent

by Flint LISC intended to support this process.

the area’s main thoroughfare, running from 5th

development

patterns

that

have

crippled

traditional centers nationwide, has contributed to the decline of Flint’s historic downtown.

Hotel Durant

The Riverfront Residence Hall

Consequently, functions traditionally served by the downtown area, such as retail, have

UM Flint

S. S

scattered throughout Genesee County, leaving the city center in great need of economic

St. 3rd W.

St. rd E. 3

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Capitol Theatre Wade- Trim

2n W.

Downtowns of Promise or simply “Blueprints”).

n ve Ste

Rowe

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Michigan Downtowns program (now known as

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4t W.

Flint was selected as one of seven cities that

.

St

City Hall

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St t. eS

ers rav dT

Map of Landmarks

th

5 W.

ran

their downtown areas. As part of the program,

t. rt S

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strategies for the economic development of

Downtown has a high density of Flint’s landmarks

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

St. rg be en

t. tS

State Housing Authority (MSHDA) Blueprints for

10

Mott Foundation

1s W.

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n E. 2

ll Wa

Ke W.

of committed partners applied for the Michigan

the city has committed the next 5 years towards

t. tS

s E. 1

St.

le ars

In 2009, the Flint DDA, Flint LISC, and a coalition

contracted consultant firm, to create action

St.

on rris

Flat Lot

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will work with Beckett & Raeder, a MSHDA-

ley

ars

e E. K

Ha

redevelopment.

UM Pavilion

t. wS ina ag

Riverbank Park

e.

Av 1st W.

Avenue north of the Flint River to Court Street

The current effort to revitalize downtown is

in the south. The corridor is narrow and extends

part of a larger movement towards redefining

only a block on either side of Saginaw. Major

the city as a whole. Mayor Dayne Walling

landmarks within the focus area include the

and his administration have been conducting

Hotel Durante, the University of Michigan-Flint,

Neighborhood

the University Pavilion, Riverbank Park, the Flat

public input sessions held in each of the city’s

Lot, and government buildings. Other features

wards—as part of the decision-making process.

include the Vehicle City arches erected by the

Additionally, Flint has begun the process of

Flint Historical Society, historically designated

updating its master plan in order to guide future

brick paving along Saginaw, and a number of

development towards a comprehensive vision.

historic buildings. The area lied at the heart of

These two developments together represent

Flint’s DDA district.

great opportunities to determine a direction for

Action

Sessions—structured

downtown, and to involve the community in the A great deal of redevelopment has taken place downtown in recent years—many community members attest that the area is much livelier than it was even 5 years ago. Numerous new restaurants have settled in Saginaw’s groundlevel retail spaces, and in many cases offices and lofts sit above.

process.

Strengths and Weaknesses • An inefficient parking system • Underutilized space • Vacant store fronts that detract from the overall appearance

• A disconnect between universities and downtown

• • • •

Limited hours of operation Lack of diversity in types of retail Lack of options for a variety of age groups Streets not designed for multiple forms of transit

• Unsolidified sense of identity • Negative perception by the media, region, and other outsiders

• Loss of funds • Lack of employment in the region • Limited options for affordable housing and other services

• Long stretches between big events and neighborhood-wide celebrations Fortunately, it can depend on many inherent strengths and existing opportunities.

• Engaged and active community members

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

11

Research Methods • • • • • • • • • •

SAGE’s process centered around two main

communication was conducted through phone

Flint)

research methods. The first was an inventory

and e-mail interviews, but some—like our

Sizeable student population

of commercial space within the study area. This

contact with students and residents—were in-

The Mott Foundation

involved a field investigation in which our team

person. We also attended both the Downtown

Historical continuity

physically surveyed every commercial structure

Neighborhood Action Session (See Appendix

Proximity to Cultural Center

between 4th Avenue and Court Street. We

F) and the Student Neighborhood Action

Proximity to growing neighborhoods of

measured the length and width of the buildings

Session held by the city, and collected survey

Grand Traverse & Carriage Town

to determine their footprints, and counted the

responses from the participants (See Appendix

Walkable corridor

number of stories in order to calculate total

E). Surveys were also collected electronically

Riverbank Park

square footage. We also noted whether or not a

from students at Kettering University.

Existing supportive business community

space was occupied, and if so, what use existed

Committed

nonprofit

there. This data was placed into a spreadsheet

Through our research and interactions with

development

corporations,

for further analysis, and many of our figures

downtown community members, as well as a

were derived from it (see Appendix A).

review of previously commissioned plans, we

Connections to a regional University (UM-

organizations, and

other

agencies

• Active developers • City administration willing to involve the • • • •

were able to determine a vision to focus the The second was an analysis of public input. We

development of this plan. The vision is simply to

public in decision-making

desired perspectives from as many aspects

“foster a vibrant, active, and diverse downtown

Renaissance Zone designation

of the community as we could reach, and

corridor,” and from it came the four goals that

Opportunities for government funding

thus spoke with business owners, university

form the main body of this report.

Ample parking

students,

Development momentum

workers, developers, and members of Flint’s

residents,

activists,

non-profit

Downtown Development Authority, Downtown Small Business Association, and Downtown Neighborhood 12

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Association.

Much

of

our

Inventory of Properties Overview The analysis of the downtown property inventory

gross square footage (GSF) is calculated by

conducted by SAGE has focused on privately-

measuring building footprints in situ. Multiplying

held market properties.

Churches, parking

the GSF by the number of full or partial stories

garages, infrastructure, and institutional uses

and reducing the gross total by a standard “loss

that are supplied not by private markets but

factor” of 20% yields the rentable square footage

by bonding and taxes are noted in SAGE’s

(RSF) area. SAGE verified this “windshield”

survey, but excluded in the statistical analysis

survey assessment with available market data

described in this section. There are several

and the opinions of professionals immersed in

large single-purpose complexes downtown, the

Flint’s property market.

Residential Market Synopsis Commercial Occupancy Synopsis Ground Floor Retail Occupancy Synopsis

typical downtown structure is built two or three stories, each with a roughly 2,500 rentable

The aggregate numbers revealed in the survey

square foot floor plate (SAGE has assumed that

are not completely satisfying, however, because

all privately occupied spaces are “rentable”).

not all tenancies are of equal value to lessors,

The most common configuration is the office

and there are many low-intensity uses currently

floor situated above a single ground floor retail

spread across the office and ground floor retail

tenant. A thorough mix of uses is normal in

categories that are, for the purposes of SAGE’s

downtown Flint.

survey, fully counted in the occupancy data.

This would tend to make the market picture look

SAGE observed three kinds of market-driven

even less sanguine than the research presented

occupancies in Flint’s downtown: residential,

in this section, although this inflationary effect

commercial office, and ground floor retail. To

is offset somewhat by SAGE omitting from the

understand the condition of each market, SAGE

survey area the institutional use capacity of the

ascertained the supply of rentable square

many properties in the government sector.

footage (RSF) of each rentable structure in the survey area.

First, an approximate

(See Total Occupancy Map Color Insert)

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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Residential Market Synopsis Among the various use categories found

Several other sites, including the Wade-Trim

There is very little affordable housing product

downtown, residential properties have the

building, completed in 2007, the Berridge Place,

elsewhere in downtown Flint, SAGE observes,

highest occupancy rates by a significant margin.

and the recently completed Rowe building, have

and it is unlikely that affordable housing can

SAGE anticipates that in excess of 81% of the

housing components mixed with office and

soon be supplied by the market.

total available residential space will be occupied

retail uses. The Rowe Building development is

developer’s point of view, it is a challenge to

by the end of the year. (See Residential Map

exemplary in that it provides for two “affordable”

make any project work at all, let alone affordable

color insert) Following the steady growth in the

units (according to Department of Housing

housing developments.

last decade, the housing market in downtown

and Urban Development criteria) among its

financial crisis, however, affordable housing

Flint exhibits the signs of a healthy market

eight upper-story lofts; attaining at least 20%

is nevertheless becoming a more attractive

from both the demand and supply sides.

affordable housing in a project is just one of the

program for prospective developers.

Whereas downtown was virtually empty of full-

Michigan State Housing Development Authority

the weakness in the housing market and the

time residents in the 1990s, it is now home

(MSHDA) programs that qualifies developers

dearth of mortgage capital, this means that, in

to hundreds of people and will perhaps soon

for access to more favorable financing. Even

the near-term, rental housing is the only viable

have a population exceeding 1,000. Much of

if the MSHDA programs are used to their fullest

housing product that the market can supply.

this new housing stock has been provided by

potential, however, the impact on the supply

historic renovations or new construction that

of affordable housing will only be marginal.

Downtown

keeps with the historic character of downtown’s

Federal programs such as HOPE IV and

advantages to housing developers beyond its

many turn-of-the-20th-century buildings. The

Community Development Block Grant funds

intrinsic appeal on the demand side: namely,

largest of these recent projects are clustered

can be attracted to diversify the incoming

downtown Flint does not have a parking

near the University of Michigan campus in Flint.

downtown population. These programs are the

requirement, and the criteria for both obtaining

The demand for housing is particularly strong

best hope for those interested in attracting a

historic and brownfields credits are attainable

among students, who are downtown’s largest

supply affordable housing to downtown that are

in downtown. Yet even in possession of the

regular user group.

commensurate with the population in greater

maximum of Federal and State Historic and

Flint in need of it.

brownfields credits, the rental incomes that

Flint

offers

From the

In the wake of the

some

With

strategic

justify the investment to the developer—and 14

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Commercial Occupancy Synopsis especially the significant risks of developing

The redevelopment of the Capitol Theater on

assuredly used at something less than capacity

in

market-rate

East 2nd Street is planned, and it appears

given the current shape of the banking industry.

housing tenable even in the most favorable

likely to become a reality within the next several

Downtown stakeholders should also consider

circumstances. Other common tools such as

years. Currently the Capitol Theater’s upper

the possibility of a scenario in which Citizens

New-Market Tax Credits are unlikely to apply to

floors are outfitted for commercial office use,

Bank’s assets are purchased—a transaction

most prospective projects, because it requires

virtually all of which is vacant. The developer

that would likely relocate its headquarters and

that a certain percentage of income obtained

of the Capitol Theater would, we feel, be wise

staff away from Flint. This would mean the

from the operation of the building be drawn from

to replace office uses with residential, if a build-

loss of the district’s largest private tenant and

sources other than residential, and the demand

to-suit or pre-leasing arrangement cannot be

one of its most prominent anchors, an ominous

for these other uses can scarcely be said to

secured. (See Commerical Occupancy Map

prospect for the future of the downtown office

exist at this moment. Additionally, Genesee

color insert)

market.

financing (TIFs) in the current market. Creative

Many of the commercial office properties we

A large share of the total vacant commercial

solutions will therefore have to be engaged to

counted are the small, narrow rectangular

office space is concentrated in the 352 building

bridge the gap toward making rental housing

spaces in the upper stories of the many turn-of-

and the terminally vacant Genesee Tower.

construction tenable, but where financing can

the century row properties along Saginaw Street.

The former appears destined to us to be in

be obtained, SAGE’s inventory suggests that

This class of property is largely unoccupied.

the line of historic redevelopments; the latter

an increased supply of affordable new housing

Many office uses have migrated to the former

structure has no such apparent promise, and is

products downtown will be readily absorbed.

single family residences on the outskirts of

a mismatch with any conceivable direction that

downtown. It concerns us that the dearth of

an expanding market in downtown Flint could

quality properties among the roughly half-million

take.

Flint—can

scarcely

make

County is reluctant to explore tax increment

vacant square feet of commercial office space distorts our occupancy rate estimate, but that is

Although it is still the largest use group by the

balanced somewhat by the full credit given to

volume of square feet devoted to it, the demand

the Citizens Bank structures, which are almost

for new office space is, for practical purposes, Sustainable Action for Great Environments

15

Ground Floor Retail Occupancy Synopsis Given the bleak outlook in the

The market for ground floor retail uses is, on

that are move-in ready; two high-quality retail

national commercial office market at this writing,

the surface, the weakest among the different

spaces with large footprints that can be shaped

we believe that the era that defined downtown

use groups.

(See Retail Occupancy Map

to a variety of different uses, and the Wade-Trim

primarily as an institutional and commercial

color insert) Retail also has the smallest

Building across the street also has a vacant

nexus has ended, and that property owners

share of aggregate square feet of rentable

retail space as of this writing. The continued

would be wise to market to alternative types of

space downtown. Its importance lies beyond

growth of a residential population downtown

uses to fill these available spaces.

its economic impact, however.

Fortunately,

will create the demand for basic services to

the trends in retail are relatively positive. The

occupy retail spaces throughout downtown

downtown of the ‘90s has been described by

(e.g. a laundromat, a drugstore and pharmacy,

some Flint residents as desolate and vacant.

and eventually a gym). The upcoming opening

Since then, a small but tight-knit collection of

of the Witherbee’s grocery is a good example

downtown business owners has emerged,

of convenience retail that meets the demands

encouraged by the tax-abatements offered by

of the growth in housing around it, and a

the Renaissance Zone created a decade ago in

feature that enhances the convenience and

Flint. This small boom of downtown businesses

attractiveness of downtown living even further.

nonexistent.

in the last several years has sparked the creation of the first downtown business association that

Note: Building Condition Map color insert also

is representative of actual business owners.

included

The Rowe Building currently has two vacancies

16

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Vision:

Foster a vibrant, diverse, and active downtown corridor

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

17

18

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Identity Overview

Objectives

Downtown Flint’s character lies in its community

its character in order to achieve focused and

and in the physical fabric of the city. These

purposeful growth. In the last few years, the

are the things that give visitors a sense of the

area has seen a resurgence in community

area’s history as well as its future potential. As

efforts

the influence of the automotive industry has

discusses physical improvements to improve

declined in recent decades, Flint has struggled

the perception of downtown, strengthening

to redefine that character. Though identity

and defining the roles of guiding organizations

runs deeper than simple aesthetics, downtown

like the Downtown Development Association,

Flint will need to address issues of design

and laying the groundwork for environmental

and placemaking—developing consistent and

stewardship that can develop alongside the

perceptible cues to set downtown apart as a

city.

unique neighborhood. Identity also provides

towards

this

end.

This

chapter

Improve look and feel of physical elements Promote awareness of historic assets Improve Riverbank Park Develop a plan for environmental stewardship Develop university partnerships Strengthen downtown stewardship

direction. Downtown Flint needs to define

Flint’s Sesquicentennial Parade

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

19

Improve look and feel of physical elements The main Saginaw corridor has undergone a

and lofts line the sidewalks with bright, clean

including addressing the way these storefronts

number of physical improvements in recent

storefronts. Unfortunately, while these elements

engage passersby, as well as engaging the

years. Streetscaping is more or less complete:

create a positive downtown experience for

city’s artistic movement and developing the

the sidewalks are studded with planters, trees,

visitors, unmaintained vacant storefronts detract

potential of the corridors alleyways.

trash receptacles, benches, and light posts.

from it. There are a number of opportunities for

Meanwhile, the strip’s restaurants, offices,

the further physical improvement of downtown,

Saginaw St. between 2nd and 1st, newly opened Rowe building at the center 20

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Use of Vacant Buildings Though some buildings may not currently

• Advertisements: Some buildings are owned

In terms of funding, the best case would involve

be in use, their display windows present

by developers who have already completed

building owners, artists, and developer willing

an opportunity to showcase Flint’s cultural

other projects downtown. At the very least,

to cooperate on a volunteer basis. However,

heritage, artistic activity, and commercial

the displays could draw attention to those,

the first two options may qualify for grant money

development. Now, these vacant facades are

or give more information about upcoming

that could go towards a small fee for renting

more representative of the negative aspects

projects.

the display space and commissioning more creative exhibits.

of Flint’s recent history and add nothing to a visitor’s experience on the street. Instead, the Flint DDA should negotiate with building

before

after

owners to install any of the following temporary displays.

• Public Art: Flint is home to a thriving artistic community. Inviting local artists to decorate the empty windows would be a way of adding interest to the street while also supporting the artistic movement and highlighting one of the city’s important cultural assets.

• Information about the City: From basic event calendars to poster boards detailing historical milestones, there are many options for promoting the city itself.

Future infill concept of Saginaw Street Sustainable Action for Great Environments

21

Reimagining the Alleyways These

recommendations

observations

of

are

Buckham

based

Alley

on

behind

Saginaw’s 500 block. Currently, Buckham serves various important functions in downtown.

before

after

It offers additional parking, a site for dumpsters, and entry into The Torch—a popular bar and grill—and some other businesses. Yet, with broad swathes of uninterrupted brick walls and very limited through traffic, an alley like this has the potential to be much more. The walls present an opportunity for a public art project that could engage the community on a number of different levels. Additionally, with so many food service businesses occupying the length of the alley, there is the clear opportunity to create outdoor seating.

In general, finding methods of incorporating the artistic movement into the downtown environment

seems

particularly

desirable

because it showcases and supports one of the city’s active communities and can result in a productive relationship both for the artists and downtown.

22

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Concept for alleyway connectivity improvement for Buckham Alley

Recommendations • The DDA should coordinate with developers

• Businesses adjacent to any of downtown’s

and property owners to install temporary

alleys should consider alternative uses

displays in empty storefronts.

for the space. One possibility would be

• For displays of public art, the DDA

to introduce outdoor seating. This would

could approach the Flint Creative

require negotiation with the City, likely

Alliance, a non-profit organization

through the request of a temporary or

composed of artists and performers

seasonal street closure. In order to make

whose

to

alternative uses feasible, business owners

promote the arts, culture, education,

would need to address garbage collection—

and community service in the city.

by organizing a new location and scheduling

• For Flint-centric displays, the DDA

pick-up times— the removal of parking, and

could

programming

approach

any

seeks

number

of

conformance to health codes. This would

entities, including the Flint Historical

require cooperation among business and

Society, the Convention and Tourism

property owners, possibly through a block

Bureau, and the Sloan Museum.

association.

• For advertisements, the DDA could approach the developers themselves.

• The DDA should approach property owners and the Creative Alliance to organize a

• The DDA should work with the Creative Alliance

and

other

arts

organizations

to develop programming and public art projects.

public art project that would result in a mural, sculpture, or other installation, possibly sited in one of downtown’s alleys. Such a project might involve a design contest or community involvement in construction.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

23

C o n s u l t i n g

S A G E

ustainable

Taubman College of Architecture & Urban Planning 2000 Bonisteel Boulevard Ann Arbor, MI 48109 vibrant_downtown@ctools.umich.edu

ction for reat

Promote awareness of historic assets nvironments

would

Discussions with members of the Genesee

maintenance of existing historical assets.

enhance Flint’s charm and identity within the

County Historical Society and The Carriage

This issue stems from the lack of coordination

region, while incentivizing potential business

Town

Association

between the local historic districts, which limits

investors. One of the major obstacles facing

emphasize the need for the rehabilitation and

both funding opportunities and the economic

Promoting

Flint’s

historical

assets

Historic

Neighborhood

the city is maintenance of historic buildings and districts, a challenge that can be addressed

Hotel Durant

through more proactive identification and

Jackson Hardy House

registration of historic sites to gain access

Berridge Hotel Smith/Aldridge House

W.

Charles Nash House

First National Bank

Mott Foundation

St.

2n W.

Masonic Temple

4t W.

Genessee County Court House

Methodist Church th

.

St

h ac

5 W.

Be

t. rt S

u Co W.

.

St

ch ur

Ch .

St

Drawing Not to Scale

t. eS

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

ers rav dT

ran

S. G

Map of Historical Assets

t. hS

t E. 4

t. hS

Dozens of contributing historic resources in Flint are concentrated in and around downtown

St. rd E. 3

t. sS

rg be

t. dS St. 3rd W.

24

en

Capitol Theatre

ll Wa

t. tS

1s W.

and sites as historical assets.

n ve Ste

St.

St.

K W.

allows it to designate still more of its buildings

t. dS

n E. 2

on

ley

s ear

past relationship with the automobile industry

t. tS

s E. 1

rris

Road Cart Factory

in Flint. However, the special nature of Flint’s

t. yS

sle

ear E. K

Ha

and designated as historic districts or buildings

e.

Av 1st

t. wS ina ag

currently 30 areas that have been recognized

S. S

to tax credits and grant monies. There are

t. hS

t E. 5

opportunities that often accompany proper historical

preservation. Additionally,

Flint’s

abundance of historic districts and sites can make

maintaining

collaborative

dialogue

between districts difficult. The lack of continuity

Potential Funding Options from Historical Preservation

among the existing historical districts is a major obstacle in establishing Flint as a historical destination. The City should create a body dedicated to performing functions related to historical preservation. This body would help identify historic properties and encourage their owners to pursue registration through the State Housing and Preservation Office and the National Park Service. It would inform owners of historic properties of the benefits of historical designation, such as access to funds to assist in maintenance. The development and unification of Flint’s historical assets can contribute to a successful promotional campaign that can add definition to Flint’s identity as well as generate activity and support of Flint’s local economy.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

25

Recommendations: • The City could create an authority that

• Alternatively the DDA could create a Historic

• Installing commemorative plaques

represents all of the historic districts and

Preservation subcommittee. Its objectives

at sites of historic events. This may

sites in the greater Flint community. This

would be:

require the cooperation of Cultural

Historical Preservation Authority would be a

• To work with the Flint Historic District

Center institutions as well, such as the

formal council that includes representatives

Commission to identify opportunities

Sloan Museum. One potential model

from the City’s historic district associations.

for designating new historic assets

for this option would be Louisville

Membership could be extended to all

• To protect historic properties and

Kentucky, whose plaques tell brief

owners of historic property and would be

maintain

open to all community members. The main

character

objectives of this authority would be:

• To create a forum for open dialogue

the

downtown’s

historic

• To promote Flint as a historical destination within the region.

narratives movements,

of

significant figures,

events,

and

other

anecdotes associated with various sites throughout the city.

• The DDA and the Genesee County

• Organizing murals or community art

Convention and Tourism Bureau should

project that would represent historical

• To work with the Flint Historic District

work together to promote awareness of

milestones

Commission to identify opportunities

downtown’s historic sites. This could include

associated with the city. This would

for designating new historic assets

creating printed materials, walking tours,

be an excellent opportunity to involve

• To protect historic districts and

educational opportunities, youth events,

artistic

family-oriented programming, and historical

Alliance, K-12 students, university

festivals.

students, and other members of the

between historic district members and property owners

maintain the city’s historic character

• To work with the DDA to promote Flint as a historical destination within the region.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

groups

art

like

movements

the

Creative

• The DDA should coordinate with the

community. These pieces could also

Genesee County Historical Society for the

be located throughout as points in a

dedication of the Society’s 2013 gift. Two

walking tour.

potential ideas for this gift are:

26

and

Improve Riverbank Park Riverbank Park, located at the intersection

The park is owned by the City and maintained

Building on the Downtown Flint Placemaking

of Flint River with downtown, is an award-

by the Downtown Development Authority.

Project recommendations to connect Riverbank

winning park, winning the American Society of

However, years of only the most basic upkeep

Park with downtown, there are a number

Landscape Architects Honor Awards for Parks

have left the park with a negative image. The

of

opportunities

and Recreation Planning in 1982. Designed by

park currently suffers from an appearance of

of

Riverbank

Landscape Architect Lawrence Halprin in 1976,

desolation and a lack of safety when no visitors

opportunities, event programming, and physical

the park was planned as a series of 5 connected

are present.

design improvements.

market stalls, a grand fountain, and many other

The Downtown Flint Placemaking Project—a

The New Directions for Public Spaces in Flint

water features designed to incorporate the

collaborative

DDA,

plan, prepared by the Project for Public Spaces,

flows of both the Flint River and storm water

University of Michigan-Flint Outreach, and the

suggested that a revitalization of Riverbank Park

run-off.

Project for Public Spaces that was funded by

is necessary for the revitalization of downtown.

the Ruth Mott Foundation—created a plan for

Through

the redevelopment of Riverbank Park. The plan

improvements, and recreational opportunities,

cast Riverbank Park as an existing asset to

Riverbank Park has the potential to transform

downtown, highlighting the amphitheatre as an

into a vibrant, active, and diverse public space

important event space and the available public

for the community.

for

Park

further

improvement

including

recreational

block parks and includes an amphitheatre, effort

between

the

developing

programming,

design

space as a key component of downtown’s landscape.

Riverbank Park from the Harrison Street Bridge

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

27

Development of a Riverbank Park Authority Riverbank Park is currently owned by the

Responsibilities of the Riverbank Park Authority

Event Programming Opportunities

City of Flint and maintained by the DDA.

should include:

Downtown Neighborhood Action Sessions

Unfortunately time and financial constraints

• Performing maintenance functions • Locating funding streams for maintenance

highlighted the development of programming

have led to decline in the intensity of upkeep, with Riverbank Park currently struggling with a

and

negative image in terms of safety and lack of a

additional fundraising opportunities

park-like appearance.

Feedback from Flint community members

upkeep,

as

well

as

developing

• Organizing programming and events • Organizing public input events to form the basis for redevelopment of the park.

and

Recreational

for Riverbank Park as one of 15 top action item priorities for downtown.

Public input called

specifically for ethnic and food festivals to be held at Riverbank Park. Additional programming and recreation-based action items included more programming opportunities in general,

suggests that the development of a Riverbank

• Organizing volunteer clean-ups of the park

kayaking and fishing at the river, student

Park Authority as a separate entity from the

to help with upkeep and connect community

-specific programming, and concerts and other

DDA and City will provide an opportunity to

members with the park.

events at Riverbank Park.

develop Riverbank Park into a well-maintained and well- landscaped park that provides

If the development of a new entity is not an

Riverbank Park already hosts a number of

programming and recreational opportunities in

option, the role of the Downtown Development

successful events. The annual summer Flint

a safe and enjoyable environment.

Authority should be expanded to include these

Jazz Festival, presented by the Greater Flint

responsibilities.

Arts Council, draws over 10,000 visitors downtown every year. The summer of 2010 will be the festival’s 29th year providing a venue for local talent, encouraging the Flint music scene, and drawing people to downtown Flint.

Currently in it’s 11th year, the annual Keep On Keepin’ on Afrikan American Festival draws roughly 1,000 people to Riverbank Park.

Aerial perspective of the Flint River 28

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Design and Landscaping programming

Downtown Neighborhood Action Sessions also

highlighted additional lighting and signage as

opportunities by providing additional family-

highlighted action items related to the design

an important component of increasing comfort

friendly and student-specific affordable and

and landscaping of Riverbank Park, including

and safety.

free programming, such as outdoor concerts

overall improvement, removing berms for

and movies, as well as ethnic and food

visibility,

increasing

Making Riverbank Park as a more “park-like�

festivals, would be one of many responsibilities

visibility and safety, softening the image (for

space with additional green landscaping, bbq’s,

held by the Riverbank Park Authority. Others

example, introducing ivy onto the concrete),

and picnic tables for leisure will enhance the

involve locating funding streams, developing

and improving lighting.

overall image of the park. Installation of covered

Expanding

on

existing

displaying

public

art,

programming that meets community needs,

pavilions for multi-use events and activities will

and establishing ongoing seasonal recreational

Extending the physical space of Riverbank

allow for additional accessibility and seasonal

opportunities. Additional cooperation from the

Park towards downtown will increase public

usages. Increased seating options and public

DDA and the City may be required.

green space for additional programming and

restrooms will provide for additional comfort

recreational opportunities, as well as reduce

for park users. Installation of bike racks within

Additionally, the developed Riverbank Park

the amount of impervious surface. Reducing

the park will encourage bicycle connectivity

Authority, in cooperation with the DDA and city,

impervious surfaces decreases storm water

to downtown and the use of the Flint River

would provide recreational opportunities such

run-off and the amount of pollutants entering the

Trail. Additionally, incorporating public art into

as fishing, kayaking, and/or canoeing along the

river and other water streams. The Riverbank

the design of the park in coordination with the

riverfront as highlighted by public input.

Park Authority should work with the City and

Creative Arts Alliance and greater Flint Arts

the Genesee County Land Bank to identify

community, will increase overall public image

possible space within downtown to extend

of the park.

Riverbank Park, as well as potential funding

should take an active role in finding funding

opportunities for purchasing and maintaining

opportunities to enhance the landscape of

the additional space.The community has also

Riverbank Park.

The Riverbank Park Authority

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

29

after

before

Riverbank Park with examples of proposed improvements

30

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Recommendations • The City should establish a Riverbank Park

• The Riverbank Park Authority should work

• Install bike racks within the park to

Authority to develop Riverbank Park into a

with the City and the Genesee County

encourage bicycle connectivity to

well-maintained and landscaped park that

Land Bank to extend the physical space

downtown and the use of the Flint

provides programming and recreational

of Riverbank Park towards downtown to

River Trail.

opportunities in a safe and enjoyable

increase public green space for additional

• Incorporate public art into the design

environment. The Riverbank Park Authority

programming and recreational opportunities

of the park in coordination with the

should take an active role in finding funding

and reduce the amount of impervious

Creative Arts Alliance and greater

opportunities to enhance the landscape

surface.

Flint Arts community.

• The Riverbank Park Authority should make

and programming of Riverbank Park.

• The Riverbank Park Authority should expand

on

existing

Riverbank

Park

programming opportunities by providing

the following physical improvements:

• Add additional lighting and signage for increased comfort and safety.

student-

• Make Riverbank Park as a more

specific affordable and free programming,

“park-like” space with additional green

such as outdoor concerts and movies; as

landscaping, bbq’s, and picnic tables

well as ethnic and food festivals for the

for leisure to enhance the overall

greater Flint Community

image of the park.

additional

family-friendly

and

• The Riverbank Park Authority should rovide

• Install covered pavilions for multi-

recreational opportunities such as fishing,

use events and activities to allow for

kayaking,

additional accessibility and seasonal

riverfront.

and/or

canoeing

along

the

usages.

• Increase seating options and public restrooms

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

31

Develop university partnerships Downtown Flint and the Universities located

•

The Early Childhood Development Center,

At Kettering University, the Student Civic

nearby all have a lot to gain from strengthening

which provides childcare to community

Engagement Center (SCEC) provides students

their

members and training to early childhood

with opportunities to serve the Flint community,

caretakers and educators

and

relationships.

The

downtown

area

depends on the schools to bring in student traffic, and the student population forms a

•

LAUNCH, which hosts workshops and

also

coordinates

community

service

initiatives with other Flint universities.

large potential user base—whether of housing,

community programs to promote creativity

dining, or retail. The schools are also a source

and entrepreneurship

Mott

Events and building services

incorporated grant money into the new Flint

The urban health and wellness center

North Central Community Outreach Partnership

of excellent informational, practical, and human resources. Meanwhile, downtown serves as an

• •

Community

College

has

recently

attraction for prospective students and offers

Center (COPC). The Center’s programming is

opportunities for civic engagement and a place

designed to engage community members and

for students to apply their knowledge and

organizations to address issues of housing, job

passions.

training, crime prevention, and neighborhood beautification. and

support

in

many

ways.

K ML

assistance

e Av

Community outreach is a key element to each

Saginaw St

The local universities have pledged their

Robert Longway Blvd

university’s mission and serves as a way to link area.

Kettering University

The University of Michigan-Flint (UM-Flint) is host to many programs that seek to extend

32

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

21 69

their resources to the greater Flint community.

Proximity Map

UM-Flint

Mott Community College

t wS ina ag

ity

rs ive Un

SS

university resources needs in the surrounding

Some programs at UM-Flint include:

= .5 mi

475 e Av

Proximity of Flint’s Higher Education institutions from downtown and the connections between them

The current supportive role taken by the

Recommendations: • The universities should coordinate to

universities is valuable but could be developed

implement a looping shuttle that runs

downtown’s numerous government and

further with a stronger partnership with the city.

between

or

non-profit agencies, and possibly offices

Ultimately, these partnerships, which will help

parking lots and downtown residence halls.

and firms to develop more internship or

shape downtown development, should seek a

• The DDA should work with the DSBA

reflection of student interests and schedules in

and the universities to forge a stronger

the things that take place downtown, as well as

connection between local businesses and

communication

a sharing of resources and ideas.

student lifestyles. First, they should work on

downtown

bringing more students downtown, possibly

advocate for student interests throughout

Public input shows that students would like

through promoting “student days” that

the development process.

more transportation options into downtown.

involve either student discounts or sidewalk

Currently, only UM-Flint is within a comfortable

fairs. Potential programming for sidewalk

walking distance of downtown, and even then,

fairs could include samples and space for

some of its buildings across the river may seem

student organizations and Flint agencies

too far at night or in winter. The universities

looking for student volunteers to set up

could both strengthen their relationships with

display tables.

main

university

buildings

one another and help facilitate the movement

• The DDA and other downtown groups like

of students into downtown by coordinating a

the DNA or DSBA should create roles for

loop shuttle to serve main campus buildings

individual students or student committees

or parking areas, and downtown residence

to play in the development of downtown.

• The

universities

should

work

with

employment opportunities for students.

• The

universities with

should the

development

formalize DDA

and

partners

to

“Finding ways to utilize the surrounding educational establishmentsand partnering with big companies will help build the foundation for downtown and create networking opportunities.”

(See Grand Rapids case study, Appendix B)

halls. Such a shuttle would have to coordinate scheduling with classes and with downtown’s hours of operation, and may be a useful tool in developing a downtown that stay later longer.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

33

Develop a plan for environmental stewardship Flint’s current mayoral administration has

economic benefits to all people. Through

initiated the Green Flint Initiative to develop

providing

long-term urban sustainability in the city, while

environmental, social, and economic health,

enhancing the lives of Flint’s residents in their

future smart growth, future land development,

environment. Current elements of the initiative

and land conservation decisions are better able

include

recycling

to accommodate changing population growth

program, utilizing wastewater for energy, urban

and protect and preserve community assets

farming, brownfields reuse, and the creation

and resources.

developing

a

curbside

an

ecological

framework

for

of green space and access to nature for the community.

Utilizing the momentum of the current Green Flint Initiative, the City and the DDA should direct

Protecting the natural systems of Flint must

an effort to create a long-term environmental

be a priority as the city moves forward with

stewardship

future downtown development. Conservation,

development and protect natural features.

restoration, and maintenance of functioning “Urban sustainability is not just about a hike in the woods,” Mayor Walling Dayne Walling said during a recent interview on April 23, 2010 as part of the Greening of the Great Lakes conversation on News/ Talk 760 WJR. “It really is about how you make life better for people. You have to come up with ways to create green space and access to nature but also develop projects in a way that are appropriate for the

34

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

natural systems protect ecosystem functions and provide diverse recreation, social, and

plan

that

will

guide

future

Green Space and Parks Community input highlights the importance of expanding of Riverbank Park and creating more green space within the downtown vicinity.

Establishing Riverbank Park as a green space

FLINT GREEN SPACE

hub in the greater riverfront open space system

Dayton Park

as outlined in the “Flint River District Strategy Avondale Cemetary

Plan� will support conservation and associated recreational opportunities, while connecting

Kearsley Park

Ballenger Park

existing resources along the river. Additionally, extending the physical space of Riverbank Park towards downtown will increase green space and reduce the amount of impervious surface,

Mott Park

Riverbank Park

Wilson Park Burroughs Park

reducing the amount of storm water run-off and pollutants entering the water cycle.

Aldrich Park

Utilizing native landscaping in parks and along

DOWNTOWN FLINT

streets and pathways is suggested as a way to both support biodiversity of the ecosystem, as well as reduce overall maintenance costs.

Native landscaping attracts a variety of birds, butterflies

and

other

animals,

supporting

Glenwood Cemetary

Greenspace Diagram Riverbanl Park as part of a potential network of green space and active recreation

biodiversity. Once established, native plants do not need fertilizers, herbicides, pesticides or watering, thus benefiting the environment and reducing maintenance costs.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

35

Green Streets & Storm Water Management According to the Environmental Protection Agency, storm water run-off is created when water flows over terrain or impervious surfaces (paved streets, parking lots, building rooftops) and does not permeate into the ground.

As

the run-off flows over the land, it accumulates debris, chemicals, sediment and other pollutants that can negatively impact water quality.

Existing Partial Street Plan

Green Streets Concept Plan Small modification applied to existing street infrastructure can improve connectivity, better manage parking, and reduce stress on stormwater systems

36

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Portland, Oregon is currently a leader in

• Reducing demand on the city’s sewer

developing and using strategies to effectively

collection

manage storm water run-off. In 2007, Portland

constructing expensive pipe systems

began incorporating green street facilities into urban development.

Green streets, as a

sustainable storm water management strategy, use a natural systems approach, reduce flows, improve water quality, and enhance watershed

system

and

the

cost

of

• Addressing requirements of federal and state regulations to protect public health and restore and protect watershed health

• Increasing

opportunities

for

industry

Recommendations: • The City should cooperate with the DDA to develop a long-term environmental stewardship plan should be created to guide future development and protect current natural features.

• The City should establish Riverbank Park as a green space hub in the greater riverfront open space system

professionals.

• The City should extend the physical space

health. A Green Street uses vegetated facilities Utilizing a similar approach to the one Portland

of Riverbank Park towards downtown to

has undertaken, Flint has the opportunity to

increase green space and decrease the

Elements of Portland’s Green Street Program

develop a “green streets” initiative to incorporate

amount of impervious surface.

include:

storm water management practices into the

• The City should utilize native landscaping

• Reducing polluted storm water entering

design and renovation of parking, streets

in parks and along streets and pathways to

and other major pathways.

support biodiversity of the ecosystem, as

to manage storm water run-off at its source.

rivers and streams

• Improving pedestrian and bicycle safety • Diverting storm water from the sewer system and reducing basement flooding, sewer

The community

expressed a desire to develop innovative storm water management during downtown Neighborhood Action Sessions.

• The City should develop a “green streets” Initiative

to

incorporate

storm

water

management best practices into the design

backups and combined sewer overflows

•

well as reduce overall maintenance costs.

Reducing impervious surface so storm

By encouraging the incorporation of rain

and renovation of parking, streets and other

water can infiltrate to recharge groundwater

gardens, green roofs, swales, porous pavement,

major pathways.

and surface water

and native landscaping into new and existing

• Increasing urban green space • Improving air quality and reducing air temperatures

parking lots and streets, Flint can take an active role to improve water quality, reduce runoff, and remove pollutants.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

37

Strengthen downtown stewardship Successful stewardship will require downtown

coordinate development projects and downtown

tasked with overseeing the economic and

stakeholder groups to make a commitment to

activities, to oversee the development process,

physical development of the downtown district.

working together over the long term in order to

and to ensure that downtown’s character stays

The DDA lists the following as its primary

maintain and promote a shared vision of what

consistent with an established long-term plan.

responsibilities:

need forums to discuss issues that are important

The Vibrant Downtown plan proposes a

• Development and advocacy of long range

to them, as well as a clearly defined downtown

stewardship

manager to help them implement ideas that will

Downtown

improve the downtown experience. Meanwhile,

Downtown Small Business Association, and

the district as a whole needs this manager to

the

downtown should be. Businesses and residents structure

that

Development

Downtown

includes Authority,

the

plans for the reuse of vacant facilities

the

• Acquisition and disposal of property • Restoration and preservation of

Neighborhood Association.

These organizations already exist in Flint, but their roles need to be more clearly defined, especially in relationship to one another.

Flint has a Downtown Development Authority

old

buildings

• Correction and prevention of deterioration • Promotion of economic development projects in Downtown

• Managing off-street and on-street parking facilities

• Maintenance and beautification throughout the

District

View of Flint’s historic and modern adaptation of historical currents extending from 1st Street to 2nd Street 38

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Currently, this translates into street maintenance,

The DDA may need to make several internal

Recommendations: • The Mayor should show that downtown

parking management and the recent dedication

changes as well, and this will require attention

redevelopment is one of the city’s priorities

of a new downtown parking structure, some

from City Hall. Due to difficult political transitions

by completing new appointments to the

maintenance of Riverbank Park, and taking

over the past few years, the appointment of

DDA.

a part in holiday programming. The DDA also

new members to the DDA has been forgotten—

• The Mayor should appoint a new CEO

works in conjunction with other organizations

most of the DDA’s current members are serving

who has a thorough knowledge of how

to share the burden of beautification efforts like

expired terms. A common theme in feedback

successful DDAs have operated in other

clearing snow and planting flowers, and cleans

from community members is that the DDA

cities. Alternatively, the DDA could hire

up after large events.

needs to be refreshed, that its members need

a consultant who could advise on these

to be more proactive and open to new ideas.

matters. The goal, however, is for someone with outside knowledge to combine his or

Unfortunately, there is a disconnect between the DDA’s work and public perception of its work.

Ideally, the DDA will expand its capacity to fulfill

her expertise with the knowledge of current

Input from the community indicates that the

the role of primary manager of the downtown

board members to steer the DDA in a new

DDA’s involvement in downtown development

district in time to execute the 5-year plan that

direction.

is relatively low, and reveals public skepticism

results from the Downtowns of Promise program.

about the DDA’s operations in general. Some

Its role at that time will be to act as the hub

statement

claim that the DDA accomplishes very little, and

in a formalized working relationship between

a series of benchmarks to measure its

still others are unaware of its existence. This

itself, the DSBA, and the DNA. It should also

success, and create a short-term plan—up

disconnect is problematic because the DDA’s

be able to synthesize public opinion and expert

to 5 years—to reach those benchmarks.

success depends on the trust of the people and

recommendations into a comprehensive area

their willingness to support its initiatives. The

plan to be incorporated into the City of Flint’s

DDA will have to improve its public outreach

official updated master plan.

by

increasing

transparency

and

• The DDA should review its mission and

responsibilities,

create

actively

communicating with the public about its work.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

39

• The DDA should promote transparency and make an effort to connect to the public.

• Encourage members of the public to attend all DDA meetings

• Ensure that meetings take place at

reasonable

times

for

public

participation

• Information about how community

The Downtown Small Business Association

members can participate or assist in

and the Downtown Neighborhood Association

current and upcoming projects

also have roles to play. The two organizations

• Profiles and contact information of all DDA members

• Frequent and regular updates

have similar missions. Anyone can join the DSBA; currently the membership includes business owners, supporters, and others who have an interest in the downtown area.

• Announce meeting dates and times

Members determine initiatives that would

on the internet, in the local newspaper,

benefit downtown businesses and then find

and on the City of Flint website

the proper channels to implement them. Past

• Incorporate

public

input

into

development strategies

initiatives include consolidating trash collection among business owners, and the group is

• Make the DDA website more open

working to install bike racks on Saginaw

and informative. The website should

Street. Recently, the DSBA has become more

provide the following:

active in terms of outreach, and will be using

• Details about the DDA’s current initiatives

• News

members to the organization. Much of the related

to

downtown

development

• Details about past achievements • Recognition of the DDA’s community partnerships

• A calendar of events

40

programming to introduce more community

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

DSBA’s cooperation in the past has been with the DDA, especially regarding snow clearance and other maintenance, but there is room for growth and for cultivating a relationship with the DNA.

The DNA is a very new organization, formed

Recommendations • The three organizations should formalize

in 2009 by members of the Downtown Loft

their interactions in terms of a communication

Association. The membership consists mostly

schedule to maintain a constant exchange

of loft residents from central downtown, but

of ideas and initiation of projects. This may

also includes those living in houses on the

involve meetings between representatives,

outskirts that are not a part of any other

presentations made by each group at the

neighborhood. Its mission is to make the area

regular meetings of the other groups, and

more livable for residents by working with

the appointment of liaisons.

local government and the DDA to bring new

• Once a working relationship has been

businesses and tenants downtown. The DNA

established, the DDA should organize

foresees itself helping prospective residents

efforts to create an area plan to be included

find housing within their budgets by compiling

in Flint’s updated master plan. The DDA

a list of all the available spaces being provided

should coordinate with the DSBA and DNA

by different companies. The group also plans

to gather input from downtown stakeholders

to advocate for what residents need in terms of

to be incorporated into the plan. This plan

products and services, and to determine how

should encapsulate a vision for the types of

many residents are available to support those

uses and physical designs that will define

businesses. The Loft Association may have

downtown Flint for years to come.

had some cooperation with the DDA in the past, but the new DNA has the capacity to form much more productive relationships with both the DDA and DSBA.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

41

New Flint business cluster in concert with loft housing development between Kearsley and 1st Street 42

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Activity Overview

Objectives

For downtown Flint to be vibrant, it needs to

to be spontaneous downtown, and would like

be a setting where things take place—where

to see greater accessibility to activities during

people can be active and engaged with the

leisure time that, currently, does not necessarily

neighborhood.

generally

coincide with downtown’s hours of operation.

agrees: downtown is much livelier than it was

Flint residents are proud of the signature

even 5 years ago, and people are happy to

activities

see new businesses emerging along Saginaw.

festivals, the restaurants—but they would like

Even so, community members have expressed

to see more. This chapter discusses event

a readiness for more variety in the types and

programming as an attraction and expression

affordability of the products and services

of local character, the expansion of business

available downtown. Residents especially have

types and support for entrepreneurs, and the

a very strong desire to see more businesses that

development of a 24-hour downtown to suit the

would serve their everyday needs. Meanwhile,

lifestyles of the surrounding community.

The

community

already

present

downtown—the

Organize event promotion and programming Develop diversity of uses Encourage 24-hour activity

most of the community agrees that it is difficult

Crim Festival of Races Sustainable Action for Great Environments

43

Organize event promotion and programming Recommendations • The DDA should

form

an

events

with

four seasons would help maintain consistency

opportunities to stay downtown, and attracts

of activity downtown. This consistency could

subcommittee within its Marketing and

visitors to the district who might otherwise have

further be established through ongoing weekly

Planning Committee. This subcommittee

chosen alternate venues. A number of festivals

or monthly events (such as a specific activity

would develop a formal submission and

and celebrations currently take place downtown,

every Friday evening).

review process for the programming of

Programming

provides

residents

but the community should encourage further

year-round events. Because these events

diversity in programs to meet the needs of

are intended to draw all members of the

residents and attract students and visitors. One

community together, the committee would

thing that would facilitate this is the creation of

endorse those that are non-biased, open,

an easily accessible process for community

and which reflect the community’s interests.

associations,

• The DDA should create and maintain a

religious organizations, non-profits, and student

website that contains a complete listing of

groups—to organize events through a central

all of the events taking place downtown, as

downtown management body. Ideally, this body

well as their dates, times, and details.

groups—such

as

cultural

would be the DDA.

• The DDA should offer planning support for event organizers by keeping records of

Public input consistently highlights a desire for

details of past events, including contacts,

family friendly programming such as outdoor

venues, pricing, catering, security, and

movies or concerts, including those using existing

funding sources. This resource should be

space, such as Riverbank Park. Community

made readily available to people who are

members have also expressed a desire for more

interested in hosting events downtown.

student activities and opportunities downtown, particularly free and affordable programming options.

Furthermore, programming that is

spread evenly and frequently throughout all 44

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Develop diversity of uses A common theme in interviews, conversations,

Meanwhile, the downtown district does not

and public input sessions with members of the

have to wait to employ measures to support

downtown community was a demand for more

the ventures of entrepreneurs who are already

variety in the types of businesses downtown,

willing to take more risk. Downtown partners

offering a range of products and services.

committed to nurturing development should

Common requests are for convenience retail,

be especially supportive of local businesses,

such as a drugstore, and specialty retail,

which add to the city’s uniqueness by

such as boutiques and crafts. Most downtown

representing its local character. Flint LISC,

stakeholders seem to be aware of this demand,

the DDA, and other partners should work to

including developers, but the question is

create a business incubation and support

whether and how to encourage such a range

center where entrepreneurs can easily access

when there is no guarantee that the area has

advice, a review of their plans by someone

enough users to support them. The current

who understands city and state ordinances,

development pattern, which is mixed use that

and information regarding potential funding

typically stacks offices and lofts on top of

sources.

ground-level food service, is the result of careful “...You have to stay positive… setting up a business in downtown is a huge gamble that people should be willing to take because it is fun and being a part of the revitalization effort is amazing…”

(Tami O’Neill Harchick, Owner, Garibella Salon; See interview, Appendix C)

strategizing by developers who are waiting for that guarantee. For further discussion, see Scott Whipple’s interview in Appendix C.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

45

South Downtown

North Downtown

Existing Activities Map 46

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

One past source of financial support is the Flint

Such associations would be able to coordinate

Renaissance Zone program, which provides

initiatives like alley enhancements.

Recommendations • The DDA should

communicate

with

developers to understand their strategies

state and local tax exemptions, as well as grants

for undertaking projects. If developers

and loans, to businesses and residents within

While a market study was beyond the scope of

are waiting for specific conditions that are

one of seven designated areas in the city. The

this project, SAGE can make suggestions as to

compatible with the district’s long-term

downtown district is one of these areas, but its

what types of businesses to encourage. First,

vision, then the DDA should work with them

designation expires in 2015. It is unclear how

the DNA is an excellent forum for residents to

to bring about those conditions.

much this designation has contributed to the

discuss the types of products and services that

• The downtown development community

recent increase in downtown development, but

would make downtown more livable for them

should encourage local entrepreneurs by

the correlation warrants an in-depth evaluation

and more attractive for potential residents. It

creating a business incubation and support

that weighs the actual benefits created by

will also be an important player in organizing

center. This center should provide access to

the program against the costs that the city

area residents to support those businesses

advising, plan review by city administrators

incurred as a result. For further discussion of

once they emerge. Second, a good measure of

or other persons familiar with city and state

this evaluation and the potential renewal of the

business diversity is how well the area provides

code, and information on funding sources.

program, see Appendix D.

for people in every age group. The downtown

Ideally, this center would be in proximity

community

to relevant municipal buildings or financial

includes

families

with

young

The DDA and DSBA can offer further support

children, students, and seniors, and community

for existing businesses through promotion

members have expressed a desire to see

and by responding to the needs of business

amenities geared towards them. These two

owners. An additional level of management

suggestions really go towards ensuring that the

could be provided by block-level associations

businesses developed in valuable downtown

of business and property owners in close

space are relevant to the community that will

proximity to one another that share either a

use it.

institutions.

block with a unique character, or one that has a shared physical resource like an alley.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

47

• The DDA should conduct an evaluation of

the

downtown

Renaissance

Zone

designation to determine whether or not it is worth extending past 2015. The evaluation should consider the following information:

• The

number

and

type

of

job

opportunities created and lost since 1997

• For recommendations for extension of the designation, see Appendix D

• The number of businesses downtown

• The DDA should encourage businesses

annually starting in 1997 (the year the

that provide products and services for all

Renaissance Zone was instated): this

age groups.

data should track type of business,

• Business and property owners that share

size, number of employees, and

a common character or physical resource

number of patrons

should consider forming an association

• A survey of business owners to find out what impact the Renaissance Zone has had on drawing them to the area and/or maintaining their businesses downtown

• An annual report of financial tax loss to determine availability of future tax base

• A report on openings and closings of businesses starting in 1997

48

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

to deal specifically with activities and promotions taking place on their block.

Encourage 24-hour activity Although a substantial amount of development

Flint’s downtown should be a vibrant corridor

has occurred recently in downtown Flint that

with a range of affordable options, aimed at a

provides

retail

variety of people, including students, families,

opportunities, the opportunity to LIVE, WORK,

local residents, youth, and seniors, with

and PLAY downtown is greatly limited by hours

opportunities available throughout the day and

of operation and lack of pubic space for leisure

evening.

increased

restaurant

and

activities.

Public input continues to highlight community members concerns about the lack of diversity in amenities and retail opportunities available downtown.

Making downtown Flint a 24/7

city was one of 15 action item priorities for downtown

from

Downtown

Neighborhood

Action Sessions. There is a strong desire for a LIVE/WORK/PLAY environment with 24-hour opportunities available. People are currently able to live and work downtown, but few options exist for leisure activities, particularly in the evening. Many establishments shut down in the early evening, requiring residents to drive to necessary or desired services. Meanwhile, students have limited options for socialzing with peers after class in the downtown district.

Saginaw Street festive illumination hilghlights historic arches and laterns

Streets are emptied at dark.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

49

Spontaneous Recreation

Private Activities

Spontaneous recreation provides users with

encourages users to interact with both the art

One of the major concerns of current residents

informal opportunities to come together and build

piece and each other.

Incorporating small

and community members is the limiting of

community through play and leisure activities.

plazas and informal outdoor seating space

activity downtown due to hours of operation of

Informal gathering spaces provide users with

into downtown allows for opportunities to

private establishments. In order to establish

opportunities to congregate and eat, study, and

gather, relax, and interact outside of formal

downtown as a vibrant LIVE, WORK, and PLAY

converse together. Few opportunities currently

establishments.

environment, attempts should be made to work

exist in Flint for spontaneous recreation, and

with current business owners to extend hours

there is little to no informal space available for

and provide affordable opportunities for all

communal gathering in the downtown district.

users.

Users must rely upon formal establishments and are bound by hours, cost, and rules set

The Downtown Small Business Association

forth by those establishments. It is essential

should find ways to make it feasible for

to develop space for informal gathering and

businesses to stay open later, and work with

spontaneous recreation within the district that

business owners to develop opportunities to

provide affordable opportunities for a variety of

further connect with students, such as open

users.

houses, evening events, and special weekly or monthly events.

By providing sport courts—such as bocce ball, basketball, and/or volleyball—in public spaces, will encourage physical activity and opportunities for populations that may not have other accessibility to yards or private open space. Incorporating public art into downtown

50

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Recommendations: • The City should provide sport courts, such as bocce ball, basketball, and/or volleyball, in public spaces to encourage spontaneous recreation.

• The DDA should work to incorporate public art into downtown.

• The City should incorporate small plazas and informal outdoor seating space into downtown to allow for opportunities to gather, relax, and interact outside of formal establishments.

• The DDA should develop family friendly programming and specific student activities and opportunities downtown. ongoing

opportunities

Provide

throughout

all

seasons to maintain consistency of activity downtown.

Sidewalk seating and dinning along 2nd Street with perspective of the Dryden Building

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

51

52

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Connectivity Overview

Objectives

Downtown Flint is the center of a larger region.

next step is to focus on details. This chapter

It serves as the juncture between important

proposes the adoption of a wayfinding system

neighborhoods in the area, like Grand Traverse

to guide people into and through downtown,

to the west, Carriage Town to the northwest, and

improvements to downtown’s connections to

the Cultural Center to the east. The university

nearby neighborhoods to encourage more

campuses are also located nearby—much

traffic into downtown, and a comprehensive

of the University of Michigan-Flint lies in or

parking plan.

Adopt wayfinding standards Strengthen connections to other neighborhoods Create a comprehensive parking plan

adjacent to the main corridor, and new student residences are sited near the heart of downtown.

Strengthening downtown means enhancing its connections to all of these places and to the region as a whole. Recent initiatives have laid the groundwork for this enhancement, but the

Park”ing” Day 2008 Saginaw - Rethinking connectivity as a public space in downtown

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

53

Adopt wayfinding standards Vehicular

Pedestrian

Wayfinding refers to a system of signs and

The downtown corridor lies within one mile of

Signs meant for pedestrians can serve two

maps designed to help people navigate an

I-69 and I-475, and within five miles of I-75.

functions. First, they indicate that walking is

area. This plan recommends that downtown

However, no clearly indicated paths exist

a safe and acceptable method of exploring

Flint implement wayfinding signs throughout

between the interstate ramps and Saginaw

downtown and nearby neighborhoods like

downtown and in nearby neighborhoods. The

Street. There should be signs to direct traffic

Carriage Town and the Cultural Center. They

addition of wayfinding signs and directories will

along an efficient path into downtown and

reinforce the idea that downtown is not isolated

help guide infrequent visitors to Saginaw from

towards public parking structures. In the same

from these areas. Second, they can inform

the highway and other entrance points. They

vein, there should be signs to help people return

people about potential activities and attractions,

will also help define the spatial relationships

to the highways from downtown. This would be

and encourage people to visit them by making

between

and

especially useful for newcomers and infrequent

them easier to find. The City of Ann Arbor uses

attractions, as well as downtown’s relationship

visitors who are unfamiliar with the area’s one-

signs that state the distance between locations

to surrounding areas.

way street system.

both in length and in the amount of time it takes

• Signs directing traffic to and from highway

to walk that distance. The signs can direct

downtown’s

landmarks

Scale

entrances and exits

pedestrians towards well-maintained connector

Wayfinding signs and directories should serve

• Signs directing traffic to and from major

streets that are fitted with amenities like lighting

the different modes by which people access

roads, neighborhoods, parks, the Farmer’s

and planters that can make walking a safer and

downtown.

Market, and the universities

more pleasant experience.

• Signs directing cars towards parking structures

54

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Bicycle

Destinations

• Signs indicating the direction and distance

Cycling is not currently a well-supported form of

Wayfinding signs also serve to make people

of Grand Traverse, Carriage Town, and the

transportation in Flint. As this plan proposes the

aware of other places that they might want to

Cultural Center

addition of bicycle lanes and paths to the city’s

visit and would increase public awareness of

• Signs leading pedestrians along specially

transportation system, it proposes coordinating

Flint’s major landmarks. Though Flint should

designed connector streets (for longer

signs as well. This would signal that cycling is

be careful not to overwhelm the relatively small

distances)

an acceptable and expected way of traveling

downtown corridor with excess signs, it should

through downtown and potentially encourage

use wayfinding to draw attention to the following

more casual bike travel from nearby residential

sites:

neighborhoods and suburban areas.

• • • •

• Signs indicating the direction and distance of attractions, parks, and UM-Flint

• Directory maps showing the viewer’s location relative to downtown attractions, as well as nearby neighborhoods and their main attractions

• Signs indicating dedicated bike lanes and paths

• Signs directing cyclists between downtown and

other

neighborhoods,

distance information

including

UM-Flint Riverbank Park Flint Farmer’s Market Grand Traverse,

Carriage Town,

and

Cultural Center neighborhoods

• City Hall In many other cities, wayfinding has been implemented by the DDA. Because it has components

related

to

beautification,

transportation, and marketing, this project would be best implemented by the Flint DDA.

Examples of signage give detailed information about how to navigate the streets Sustainable Action for Great Environments

55

Recommendations • The DDA should implement a wayfinding system that serves drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists, and which calls attention to main destinations in and around downtown.

• The DDA should work with the City of Flint and the surrounding neighborhoods

• The final design may be modified to fit wayfinding conventions

• The

process

certain features like color or icons could

a

be unique to each neighborhood in order

consultant familiar with wayfinding

to differentiate between their separate

conventions

identities.

or

guided

still

standardized throughout neighborhoods, be

moderated

should

by

of Grand Traverse, Carriage Town, and

• Hold a design charrette to determine

the Cultural Center to coordinate similar

community preferences, then hire

signage to facilitate navigation between

a designer or firm to create a small

these areas.

number of options based on those

• The DDA should seek a design process that involves the community as much as possible. Here are two possible options for

• The public would be welcome to judge charrette designs

from

community members and students of

number of designs based on the

all ages

results of the charrette

• Solicit

design

submissions

• Highest level of engagement with the community

• Has an event-like quality • Could be very fruitful given the robust artistic culture in the area

• Entries would be presented to the public for input and critique before selection 56

preferences

• Has an event-like quality • A designer or firm would create a

undertaking the design process.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

• Though aspects of the signs should be

• The public would vote on the final options created by the designer or firm

For information on how other cities have approached wayfinding, see the Wayfinding Recommendations and Analysis Ann Arbor, MI (Corbin Design), which details the strategy behind the city’s wayfinding system, as well as the Downtown Wayfinding Plan for Baton Rouge, LA (Sasaki), which is a catalogue of all of the styles and standards to which the city’s signs adhere.

Strengthen connections to other neighborhoods Flint’s downtown should be a pedestrian-

Both the Uptown Reinvestment Strategy and

Developing multimodal forms of transportation

friendly environment that attracts residents from

the Flint Cultural Center Master Plan express

into downtown, particularly via bicycle and

all over the city. Currently, the automobile and

a need for a developed connection between

pedestrian trails, will encourage more people

roadways serve as the major linkages between

the cultural center through downtown into

to go downtown from adjacent neighborhoods,

Flint’s

and

UM-Flint campus. Additionally, it is difficult to

including Grand Traverse, Carriage Town,

neighborhoods. Few safe pedestrian pathways

navigate the intricate web of highway systems

the Cultural Center, and the three university

or bicycle paths currently exist. Reliance on the

into downtown that lead towards the UM-Flint

campuses. Accessibility for diverse users and

automobile to draw users to downtown severely

campus.

an availability of transportation options will

major

landmarks,

institutions,

limits a diversity of users.

further encourage downtown activity.

FLINT NEIGHBORHOODS Buick City

Kearsley-Longway-Eastside

Cultural Center Mott Community College

University of MichiganFlint

Mott Park

Carriage Town Third Avenue

Central Park Neighborhood

College and Cultural Neighborhood

DOWNTOWN FLINT Glendale Hills

Kettering University

Grand Traverse

Neighborhoods Map Sustainable Action for Great Environments

57

Flint River Trail

Multimodal Options

The Flint River Trail currently connects the

City and Regional Government in collaboration

Connecting to the Cultural Center and Grand Traverse neighborhoods

riverbank with downtown and other potential

with the DDA should increase multimodal

The Flint Uptown Reinvestment Strategy

points

options

and

recommends improving pedestrian connections

connections. The Flint River Corridor Alliance

pedestrian friendly pathways into downtown;

between downtown and UM-Flint to the Flint

Final Report cites assisting in the completion of

utilizing additional pathways to create major

Cultural Center, and specifically highlighting

the river trail as a regional system and improving

nodes and hubs through downtown and greater

Kearsley Street as a way to draw visitors from

and establishing a wayfinding system as one of

Flint and further establishing a pedestrian

the Cultural Center to downtown amenities.

the group’s goals. Providing additional signage

friendly network throughout the city.

By

of interest including

existing

trail

through

additional

bicycle

and lighting for the Flint River Trail could help

designating

two

major

pedestrian

pathways between the Cultural Center and

establish the trail as a major greenway trail

Introduction of bike racks at key nodes

Downtown Corridor, and implementing lighting,

corridor between Kettering University, UM-

throughout downtown and instituting bike lanes

landscaping, and signage to increase safety

Flint Downtown, Riverbank Park, the farmers

along major auto and pedestrian pathways

and accessibility, downtown can link to the

market, and other points of interest in Flint.

entering and exiting downtown will increase

large number of people that visit the Cultural

accessibility. This has been supported by public

Center each day.

This should be a collaborative effort between the Riverbank Authority, City, and DDA.

input from the community.

A similar opportunity exists to connect downtown with the Grand Traverse neighborhood, a 70 square block neighborhood west of downtown Flint. Two major pedestrian pathways should be established between Grand Traverse and the downtown corridor, as well as implementing lighting, landscaping, and signage to increase safety and pedestrian accessibility to downtown.

58

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Connecting to University Campuses students,

Recommendations • The City should provide additional signage

• The DDA should work with neighborhood

brought up the importance of providing safe

and lighting for the Flint River Trail and

associations and the City to designate

and accessible transportation between the

establish its role as a major greenway

two major pedestrian pathways between

university campuses and downtown.

Few

trail corridor between Kettering University,

the Grand Traverse Neighborhood and

transportation options currently exist between

UM-Flint Downtown, Riverbank Park, the

Downtown Corridor.

the campuses for students, professors, and

farmers market, and other points of interest

landscaping, and signage to increase safety

employees.

in Flint.

and accessibility.

Public

input,

particularly

from

By Employing a Campus Loop

Implement lighting,

Shuttle between Kettering University, University

• The City should increase multimodal options

• The DDA should work with neighborhood

of Michigan-Flint, Mott Community College and

through additional bicycle and pedestrian

associations and the City to designate two

downtown, there will be increased accessibility

friendly pathways into downtown.

Utilize

major pedestrian pathways between the

between the campuses, as well as the potential

additional pathways to create major nodes

Cultural Center and Downtown Corridor.

for drawing additional people downtown. The

and hubs through downtown and greater

Implement

shuttle will provide increased options for parking

Flint and further establish a pedestrian

signage to increase safety and accessibility.

downtown or on campus, increased access to

friendly network throughout the city.

lighting,

landscaping,

and

• The DDA should establish a safe and

downtown amenities and restaurants, and a

• The DDA should introduce bike racks at key

pedestrian friendly path on the bridge

reduction in automobile usage in the downtown

nodes throughout downtown and institute

connecting University of Michigan-Flint and

area.

bike lanes along major auto and pedestrian

Carriage Town with Downtown.

pathways entering and exiting downtown Additionally, establishing a safe and pedestrian friendly

path

on

the

bridge

connecting

University of Michigan-Flint and Carriage Town

for increased accessibility.

• The universities should employ a Campus Loop Shuttle between Kettering University, University

of

Michigan-Flint,

Mott

Community College and downtown.

with Downtown will draw students to downtown services and amenities.

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

59

Create a comprehensive parking plan The downtown area needs to implement a

Parking

management

falls

under

the

The Flat Lot, a surface parking lot owned and

constructive planning approach to parking that

responsibilities of the DDA, which recently

operated by the DDA that occupies a full city block

will identify the locations best suited for parking

constructed the Rutherford parking deck at the

along Saginaw, is the quintessential example of

and direct motorists there, make the existing

intersection of Kearsley and Beach Streets.

low-intensity parking disrupting the urban fabric

parking infrastructure more profitable, and

Unfortunately, the structure was not as profitable

of Flint’s downtown core. Countless public input

encourage policies that will reduce the amount

as the DDA had projected and revenue could

responses call for new development on that

of surface area devoted to parking while

not cover the cost of the project. The City of

site, and suggested uses run the spectrum from

promoting density and redevelopment.

Flint had to draw from its general improvement

public park space to a mixed use project. The

fund to pay the remaining balance. While there

University of Michigan-Flint Campus Master

may be other factors involved in the revenue

Plan, produced by Sasaki, recommended that

shortfall of the structure, the most critical

the site be developed jointly by the City and the

seems to be demand that was far less than

University as a park and plaza space, a new

the DDA had anticipated. The existing supply

residence hall, and potential retail uses in the

of downtown parking, whether in surface lots

ground floor such as a bookstore, small cafe,

or along the curbs, is too large. The DDA, or

or neighborhood retail. In the presence of so

one of its partners in downtown development,

many ideas, and due to the high-profile nature

needs to create a comprehensive parking plan

of the site, any redevelopment process should

to reduce the supply of parking, targeting the

include a vigorous public input phase. However,

least spatially efficient sites first.

without guarantees that ample convenient parking exists outside of the Flat Lot, the DDA is reluctant to begin redevelopment. That is why a complete count of available parking areas, and a plan to use them as part of an integrated

Example of potential metered parking solution 60

Sustainable Action for Great Environments

system, is so important. SAGE conducted a preliminary count and found‌

South Downtown

North Downtown

Parking Map

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61

Though the redevelopment process for any of

vulnerability to vandalism that Flint’s former

Recommendations • The DDA should conduct a parking study to

these sites will take time, the City should resist

meters had, and the new meters allow for the

make a full count of available parking and

the temptation to allow interim parking. Instead,

use of credit cards, which are replacing cash as

assess an appropriate price for metered

other temporary uses might be considered.

means of exchange.

parking.

• Using the above study, the DDA should Part of the plan would involve the restoration of

Generally, a well-planned parking system would

identify the most inefficient extraneous

metered parking on Saginaw Street. The City

transform downtown’s parking supply from a

parking

has approximately 100 of its formerly active

financial liability that consumes valuable space

redevelopment.

meters in storage, but at least 300 curb spaces

into an asset that supports downtown vibrancy.

from downtown because their low-quality

For more discussion of downtown parking, see

construction were prone to theft and vandalism.

Appendix D.

than

selectively

reinstating

these

devices, the DDA should opt for new “pay-anddisplay” meters. The economist Donald Shoup argues that these meters are more profitable and easier to maintain in the long-run than mechanical meters: even though a city will endure a short-term loss from general fund to finance the installment of the new technology— the common rationale for resisting the change— it would be sound fiscal policy for many cities to do so if demand for space is sufficiently high.

The “pay-and-display” meters currently being used in Ann Arbor, Michigan do not have the 62

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and

slate

them

for

• Closed sites should be kept closed to parking, but offered for other interim uses if

to account for. The meters have been absent

Rather

sites

necessary, based on suitability of location.

• The DDA should install updated “pay-anddisplay” parking meters along Saginaw Street.

• The DDA should adjust the price of parking based on the parking study’s findings.

Diversity Overview

Objectives

Downtown Flint is at a defining moment in its

social justice and community engagement as

transformation from a post-industrial center to a

essential elements of the development process

modern, vibrant, and active destination. The city

that will ensure that the heart of the city reflects

has the ability to develop options for residents

its diverse community.

Incorporate social justice into all redevelopment opportunities Engage the greater Flint community

who have, until now, been underserved. Thus, it is paramount that the current revitalization efforts represent the authentic needs of those who have a stake in the future of downtown Flint. This chapter reinforces the values of

Flint residents collaborating to create a mural for a community service project Sustainable Action for Great Environments

63

Incorporate social justice into all redevelopment opportunities Social Justice is an elusive concept that

Already, many students and residents have

Though unequal representation has been

centers around notions of equity, impartiality,

expressed that they cannot frequent restaurants

an obstacle in the past, initiatives like the

and opportunity. Flint needs to recognize the

downtown because of budgetary constraints,

Neighborhood Action Sessions used by Mayor

role that it plays in community stabilization

and that even the lower-priced lofts are far from

Walling’s administration to gather public input

during periods of rapid growth and change.

affordable. Some have also noticed that not

are the kind of inclusive policies that will help

Redevelopment can present threats to any

many socio-economic groups are represented

the community move forward. Additionally,

community, often because of its ties to economic

in the downtown business community. Those

Flint is home to a large network of dedicated

growth. In particular, gentrification may be

spearheading the development effort should

community leaders, and their ability to facilitate

a challenge that the downtown community

stay mindful of these challenges, and look to

discussions between different components of

will face in coming years. If redevelopment is

Flint’s strengths to resolve them.

Flint’s population is extremely valuable.

successful, the value of space downtown is likely to increase. This could lead to questions of affordability in terms of the products and services available, and even of starting and maintaining business operations.

Including social justice in conversations about redevelopment to improve well-being of the current and future residents

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Engage the greater Flint community The Neighborhood Action Sessions represent an important dynamic of the community

Recommendations: • The community should acknowledge deeply rooted and contentious issues.

engagement process. These sessions were

• Facilitators should bring discussions of

initiated by the mayoral administration, but have

these issues into open forums that are

been guided by community activists familiar

accessible to all.

with the needs of their neighborhoods. This

• The community should use the relationships

relationship between the City and community

created through dialogue as tool to move

representatives shows that cooperation and

forward.

communication are key. Through this and similar

• In collecting public input, facilitators should

efforts, Flint can ensure that development

consider issues of accessibility. They

decisions are responsive to the needs of the

should offer a variety of meeting times

people, grounded reality, and supported by the

and locations, provide adequate notice of

community.

meeting schedules, and offer alternatives to public meetings such as online or mail-in surveys.

• The

development

community

should

recognize the spectrum of ways different people

can

redevelopment.

benefit

from

downtown

The

DDA

especially

has a responsibility to balance the uses developed downtown in terms of the people served. The DDA should consider things like affordability and the benefits of public versus private spaces.

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Conclusion The following table summarizes SAGE’s final recommendations.

The next step for downtown Flint will be to

must recognize that the key to successful

community building, downtown Flint needs

define the working relationship between the

redevelopment is a shared vision among

to plan. The recommendations contained

many partners involved in its development.

all members of the community. The City’s

within this report are meant to help downtown

Essential to this process will be the improving

Neighborhood Action Sessions have already

express the true character of its community

the capacity of the Downtown Development

given us a glimpse as to what that might be.

and preserve that into the future. The last

Authority so that it can effectively manage

Once downtown Flint has its own personal

word on this project will be a simple guiding

development activity. However, all downtown

vision, community members can use that

question: Who does this downtown belong to?

stakeholders have a part to play in ensuring

vision to plan. Through all of the self-definition,

that cooperation runs smoothly. Everyone

drawing of connections, revitalization, and Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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Appendices Table of Contents Appendix A: Inventory Analysis

69

Appendix B: Case Study-Grand Rapids, MI

70

Appendix C: Interviews

75

Appendix D: Implementation Tools

85

Appendix E: Survey

94

Appendix F: Public Input

96

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Appendix A Inventory Analysis

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Appendix B Case Study: Grand Rapids Vibrant Downtown Flint – Request for Proposal Background Establishment Grand Rapids was founded in 1836 on the Grand River. The first formal census in 1845 reported the city had grown to a population of 1,510 and encompassed an area of 4 square miles. When the city was officially created in 1850 it had grown to 2,686 inhabitants and by 1857 the city boundary totaled 10.5 square miles. 1 Industry Grand Rapids had long been know as a center for furniture and automobile manufacturing. From 1880 through 1922 Grand Rapids saw the growth of the furniture industries including the arrival of Sligh Furniture Company (1880)2, Kindel Furniture Company (1912)3, and Hekman/Woodmark Furniture Company (1922).4 Today, many major furniture manufacturers are still headquartered in Grand Rapids including American Seating, Steelcase, Haworth, and Herman Miller.5 Turning Point In the 1980s economic decline, suburban flight, and falling sales caused major department stores Lazarus, Jacobson’s, Sketetee’s, and Wurzburg’s to close or consolidate leading to the downfall of downtown. Although reinvestment efforts started during this tumultuous time, economic developers and city officials believe that the turning point of the downtown area occured in the mid-1990s with the development of the Van Andel Arena.6 Since opening in 1996, the Van Andel Arena has become one of the highest performing arenas in the country for its size.7 Over the last 20 years, revitalization has continued with the redevelopment of the west shore of the Grand River, as well as projects like the Gerald Ford Presidential Library, the new Grand Rapids Public Museum, and 70

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the downtown campus for Grand Valley State University.8 Revitalization Strategies Public/Private Partnerships One of the driving forces that account for the success of Grand Rapids is attributed to the vitality of public/private partnerships with big companies with roots in the city like Steelcase, Amway, and Meijer. Many of the buildings on the Grand State Valley Campus and downtown bear the names of the business leaders such as Meijer, Devos (Amway), Stryker, and Pew (Steelcase).9 Life Sciences Cluster In 1997, the area’s two largest hospitals merged to form Spectrum Health. This was one of the most significant elements of Grand Rapid’s redevelopment and laid the foundation for the concentration of health care assets in one part of the city know as the “Medical Mile,” along Michigan Avenue.

In 2000, the Van Andel Institute was created to support efforts to make Grand Rapids a leader in medical science and education. It is estimated that the Institute brings in $30 million to the local economy each year. Additionally, Michigan State University recently announced that it will build a $70 million medical school in Grand Rapids.10 Renaissance Zone Program One of the smartest incentives for downtown development was the creation of the Renaissance Tax Free Zone. It allowed eligible businesses and residential homes be exempt from paying Grand Rapids City income tax, Michigan income tax, Michigan SBT tax, and Property tax until 2009.

When the benefits expired in 2009, recipients were responsible to pay 25% of their tax burden, 50% in 2010, 75% in 2011, and 100% from 2012 on. This act has been a positive economic stimulus, and has expanded to similar programs encouraging rental properties and condominium development.11 Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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Support Organizations Grand Action Committee: The catalyst for public/private partnerships. A non-profit organization of local group of civic leaders that seek out new public/private investment opportunities that will spark development in the community.12 The Downtown Alliance: An organization designed, governed and implemented by downtown stakeholders to strengthen the area. It is composed of a 24 person Board of Directors, which include property and business owners, residents, non-profit entities, education and government representatives. The alliance includes four committees that specifically look at maintenance and beautification, marketing, merchants, and policy for driving development.13 The Downtown Development Authority (DDA): Established in 1979, has helped to finance projects and incentivize construction by allowing an incremental property tax. Examples of past projects: Van Andel Arena Expansion of the convention center (now known as Devos Place) Construction of the new Grand Rapids Art Musuem, Construction of the Interurban Transit Partnership’s Rapid Station Transit Center Reconstruction of Monroe Center & Rosa Parks Circle Construction of Heartside Park Reconstruction of historic Ionia Ave. The Downtown Improvement District (DID): Launched in 2001, the DID helps to manage the renewal process, and ensures that the work of the Business Improvement District (BID) is carried out.14 Challenges for the Future Unemployment and the school system are struggling to turn itself around. Though downtown growth has experienced an emergence, the community is still in need of repair. Adapting from and 72

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industrial-based economy to a knowledge-based economy will require the community to produce education that is competitive in the new, global economy. Additionally, without adequate schooling, young families may be reluctant to move to the city to maintain activity and sustain business.15 The life science cluster has helped to usher in technology-based economic development, but much of the city’s legacy industries are related to manufacturing. Strong schools and public support will be needed so that students can compete in a global manufacturing market.

Implications Grand Rapids’ success can be attributed to the identification of how to use its main resource, the river, innovative tax incentives, creation of a life sciences corridor, and partnerships with big businesses and Michigan State University. Learning from these efforts, there is an opportunity to successfully promote growth of the downtown area and re-frame Flint’s character from an industrialbased economy.

Though Flint does not have a major river on which to focus, it has many other assets to develop the downtown area. It has support organizations like the Mott Foundation, the Genesee Institute, and LISC that are dedicated to redevelopment. It has a groundswell of local agricultural initiatives, many local private businesses, and is host to a variety of academic institutions including University of Michigan-Flint, Kettering University, and Mott Community College. Finding ways to utilize the surrounding educational establishments and partnering with big companies will help build the foundation for downtown and create networking opportunities. Some companies in the area include: Amtrak Rowe Professional Services Company Citizens Bank A program that is garnering momentum in Flint is the idea to create a vibrant core for commercial business and gradually develop sections of downtown around it. In the last 5 years, the most recent Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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Downtown Grand Rapids

example is the blocks between 1st and 3rd street. As this model begins to flourish, downtown Flint businesses can use some of the strategies implemented in Grand Rapids over the last 20 years to greatly increase efficiency, improve the development, and attract public interest.

Resources 1. Official Site of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Grand Rapids Historical Perspective. Retrieved February 24, 2010. Available from www. ci.grand-rapids.mi.us/index.pl?page_id=12 2. Sligh Furniture Company. History. Retrieved February 23, 2010. Available from www.sligh.com/history.php. 2010.

3. Kindel Furniture. History. Retrieved February 23, 2010. Available from www.kindelfurniture.com/history/. 2009.

4. Hekman/Woodmark Furniture Company. Hekman History. Retrieved February 23, 2010. Available from www.hekman.com/Info/About/ Hekman.aspx. date=2007 5. About Steelcase: www.steelcase.com/na/about_steelcase_ourcompany.aspx?f=10036 6. Sustainable Land Development Today. The Revitalization of Grand Rapids Retrieved February 23, 2010. Available from www. sldtonline.com/content/view/132/37/ 7. Ibid.

8. Ibid.

9. Ibid.

10. Ibid.

11. Grand Rapids Real Estate Musings. How Smart government is Revitalizing Dowtown Grand Rapids, MI. Retrieved February 24, 2010. Available from sellgrandrapidshomes.wordpress.com/2008/02/08/how-smart-government-is-revitalizingdowntown-grand-rapids-michigan/ 12. Sustainable Land Development Today. The Revitalization of Grand Rapids Retrieved February 23, 2010. Available from www. sldtonline.com/content/view/132/37/ 13. Downtown Grand Rapids. Downtown Resources. Retrieved February 23, 2010. Available from downtowngr.org/about_us.php 14. Ibid.

15. Sustainable Land Development Today. The Revitalization of Grand Rapids Retrieved February 23, 2010. Available from www. sldtonline.com/content/view/132/37/

Center City 1

Maps 1. Official Site of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Map of Downtown. Retrieved February 24, 2010. Available from www.ci.grand-rapids.mi.us/ index.pl?page_id=203 2. Official Site of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Center City. Retrieved February 24, 2010. Available from www.ci.grand-rapids.mi.us/index. pl?page_id=10523

2

1. MSU Secchia Center 2. Van Andel Institute

3

3. Devos Place

4. Amway Grand Plaza Hotel

4

5. Van Andel Arena

5

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Appendix C Interviews Tami O’Neill Harchick, Owner, Garibella Salon

Tami O’Neill Harchick is originally from Davison, MI, approximately fifteen miles east of

Flint. Her decision to open Garibella Salon downtown was driven by multiple factors including a demand from the college students, tax breaks for locating in a Renaissance Zone, less expensive rent, and being located in a brand new building. Additionally, she has family connections to the historic Torch bar and grill in downtown. Garibella salon was opened on December 2, 2009. It is part of the crop of new businesses on Saginaw Street between 1st and 3rd.

Key Themes and Lessons Resurgence

Over the last five years, a resurgence of new businesses and residential areas have

sprouted up in downtown Flint. It is part of a continuing effort to change the area and create a core of activity in the city. Businesses owners have met the efforts with resilience and are creating a tight knit infrastructure with the intent to reframe downtown. When I asked Mrs. Harchick to name one thing that anyone looking to develop downtown Flint should keep in mind, she responded that “you have to stay positive. Setting up a business in downtown is a huge gamble, but a gamble that people should be willing to take because it is fun and being a part of the revitalization effort is amazing!” Many of Mrs. Harchick’s comments in this interview were filled with passion and a sense of esprit de corps.

Mrs. Harchick was adamant about expressing her role to in the effort to rebuild and

revitalize the area. She acknowledged that not that many people are aware of the effort, and that many who live around Flint are still afraid of the negative stigmas caused by the attraction of crime and homeless people after the collapse of the auto industry. When asked about being a part of the revitalization effort she commented that “more and more the news is broadcasting all the changes that have started happening” acknowledging the opening of new businesses.

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Increasing awareness of Flint’s revitalization of downtown was a major theme of the

conversation. To get a more focused understanding, I asked her what she did to get word out about the salon. She replied that most of the salon’s advertising is primarily conducted through word of mouth and targeted at the downtown area. According to Mrs. Harchick, during the week there are five thousand people in downtown. One of the most effective ways of spreading the word is to approach people on the street or talk to people who walk by the salon. Other ways of creating awareness include meet-and-greets, some television and radio promotion, and Facebook. While Mrs. Harchick is reaching people in the downtown area, creating awareness in the greater Flint area was not the case. As it stands, downtown exists as a pocket of activity that has yet to get regional recognition.

Downtown character

Though the goal is to recreate a downtown that will attract business, Mrs. Harchick

expressed that a sense of history must be maintained. In particular, she felt that the buildings, the arches, and the brick paving were an important elements of that character. She described the area between 1st and 3rd Street as being the place in which all the action happens. When asked about how she envisioned downtown in the next five years, Mrs. Harchick responded that she “would like to see a clothing store or boutique, a pharmacy and different things to complete downtown, so college students could have accessibility to everything they need.

Part of talking about character, was addressing the challenge of rebranding Flint as a

college town. Mrs. Harchick voiced her frustration about the University of Michigan-Flint’s policy about not advertising on campus saying, “None of us can let them know what we’re doing...I have heard several other business owner say they don’t even know we’re here or they don’t know the specials we’re running or anything about it.” Though 500 students now live in the dorms now and many more will be moving into the newly refurbished Hotel Durant this summer, the Unversity’s unwillingness to cooperate is still a point of contention that hinders growth.

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Despite the struggles with the university, new business developments are attracting a

wide range of customers including an elderly generation who remember what downtown Flint was like in the 40s, 50s, and 60s. As Mrs. Harchick put it, “For them, coming to shop downtown with their parents and eating on Sundays at the Durant Hotel was a huge deal, so to see that stuff coming back is really exciting.” She also talked about how the salon brings back memories for several old ladies who come in for perms and roller sets. This resurgence has not only added a spark to the community, it has brought back some of the character of downtown by bringing back the people who new what it was in its glory days.

Throughout the interview, Mrs. Harchick emphasized the family atmosphere of downtown.

She talked about how the salon has become a node for people downtown. It has attracted a variety of customers and “regulars” who often just come to visit. She referred to her relationship with other business owners as neighborly. They support each other by spending money at each others shops, and they socialize outside of work regularly. When asked about any politics or challenges dealing with other owners, she responded that the downtown community was made up of people who wanted to be there, and that politics between owners was not a factor.

Community is further promoted by an agreement with Uptown Reinvestment that

promised to encourage a local business focus and not let big store chains come in that would hurt them. Mrs. Harchick commented that this promise was one of the incentives that attracted her to downtown. It is an important committment to Flint’s business owners, who have invested a lot of money.

Implications

Though initially we had thought of physical design as a focus of creating a vibrant

character, it has become increasingly clear that downtown Flint is made up of more than just buildings, streets, and landscapes. This interview has underscored the importance of thinking about downtown by understanding the people. Moving forward, it is vital that the group integrate Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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this sensibility into our understanding of what we hope to contribute back to the community.

Talking to Mrs. Harchick, I realized that dowtown Flint is a place of hidden stories. The

efforts to regenerate activity and promote life in downtown are not being allowed to flourish in greater Flint, and are still overshadowed by the associations with the fall of the auto industry. As a result, only a small contingent of people are aware that a rebirth is taking place in downtown. This interview can teach us that the creating awareness about what is happening in downtown has to be a main part of its revitalization. Furthermore, the awareness needs to include the sentiment that a new generation is driving the regrowth and creating their own town - one that eliminates the reliance of a major industry and is deeply rooted in local businesses.

Finally, the interview was important to remind us about our role in this project. We must

recognize that the people of Flint were there before we started the project and will be there after we leave. Mrs. Harchick’s passion and connection to the community made this project meaningful, and made it clear that it would be a mistake to continue to think of it as learning experiment.

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Scott Whipple, Uptown Developments, LLC The following is a summary of an interview with Scott Whipple of Uptown Developments, LLC conducted on March 15, 2010. One goal of the interview was to help our team better understand Flint as an environment for development—whether projects there tend to be successful, what obstacles developers can expect to encounter, as well as what opportunities developers might use to their advantage. I’d like to draw your attention his insights regarding downtown development patterns, the difficulties that developers face when securing financing, and downtown’s pre-existing assets, as well as my own assessment of what they mean for our project.

Role of the Interviewee

Scott Whipple is a project manager at Uptown Developments (Uptown), which is a major

developer of real estate in downtown Flint. Uptown started a decade ago as the Focus Council, at a time when downtown Flint was greatly lacking in public-sector activity. The group received a grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to acquire about a dozen buildings along Saginaw, and began redeveloping them with private investments made by several well-established Flint families. In the years since, the company has been responsible for many of downtown’s most high-profile projects, including the Rowe Building, First Street Lofts, and the Wade-Trim Building.

Additionally, Uptown works closely with a group of dedicated partners, including the non-profit Uptown Reinvestment Corporation, which commissioned the Uptown Reinvestment Strategy in 2003.

Scott’s role is to oversee construction of Uptown’s projects, then manage them once

they are occupied. He is originally from Grand Blanc and attended Michigan State University as a student of urban planning. He has worked as a planner in a number of municipalities across the country, but returned to Flint seven years ago to join Uptown Developments.

Because so much of our project revolves around creating opportunities for local entrepreneurs, it was natural to seek the perspective of someone already familiar with the process. Scott Whipple’s passion for Flint, knowledge of the area, and experience as a planner make him Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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an excellent resource, and he was happy to share a great deal of helpful information with us.

Key Themes and Lessons Development Patterns

I asked Scott a series of questions about Uptown’s approach to the redevelopment of the

downtown area. His response was that their downtown properties should be redeveloped as mixeduse projects because that was the format for which they were originally constructed. In fact, he feels very strongly about the advantages associated with mixed use. Primarily, mixed-use projects can enjoy a more diverse income base—if one occupant suddenly loses viability, the others are still there to support the building. I also inquired after the density of existing uses along Saginaw and learned that about half is occupied office and residential space, not including the street-level store fronts.

Uptown Developments has thus far courted three uses exclusively: food service, office, and residential. Our team has been especially curious about the prevalence of food service and loft housing along Saginaw to the apparent exclusion of retail and affordable housing, so I took the opportunity to uncover the rationale behind these developments. To explain the loft housing, Scott said that, from the beginning, developers in other cities recommended that Uptown “reach for the stars.” They knew that whatever initial development they attempted would set the stage for everything that would eventually follow, and therefore wanted to start with a more prosperous vision. So far, the lofts have been a success—all units are currently occupied and there is even a waiting list. Other developers have followed suit and provided more high-end housing in the area. I asked Scott whether downtown Flint would ever see affordable housing, and he was confident that it would. Uptown itself plans to eventually contribute more affordable housing options, though as far as pricing goes for a downtown loft, the current rate of $550 to $1,000 per month is still relatively low.

Meanwhile, Uptown Developments has made a conscious effort to develop restaurants

instead of retail. They feel that the area does not yet have the density to support successful retail stores.

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As that changes, they may consider developing for apparel, especially if it is marketable towards college students. However, particularly considering the economic climate, now is not the right time.

Our team also wondered about the lack of national chains in the downtown corridor. One suggestion we had received in the course of our case studies and other research was to create a balance of local and national or regional businesses. When I asked Scott why this did not already exist, he declared that they simply do not want chains, at least not yet. Uptown Developments wants to nurture Flint’s unique character through encouraging local entrepreneurship, and therefore has refused opportunities to develop for chains.

Lastly, I wanted to know how closely Uptown adheres to the Uptown Reinvestment Strategy.

Scott claims that they have been following it very closely and attests to the soundness of the plan. This is important information because it helps us understand the company’s long-term strategy for Flint. Because Uptown is so influential in its sector—it owns a large percentage of property in the main corridor and sets precedents for other developers—this knowledge can give us an idea of how Flint may actually develop over the next few years.

Here are the lessons we took away from this portion of the interview: 1) We realized that we may not want to encourage the development of national chains just yet. One of our main goals for this project is to foster a unique character and sense of place in downtown Flint, and we agree with Scott that the best way to do this is to encourage local entrepreneurs to develop their own ideas. Though we feel that there may be a time in the future in which the presence of chains will be both advantageous and complementary, we have removed the development of chains from our list of short-term objectives in favor of incubating local businesses.

2) Based on conversations and interviews with other downtown stakeholders, we do expect to find a demand for retail businesses and more affordable housing. If this happens, LISC and its partners should be prepared to start a conversation with Uptown Developments about moving into a phase Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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in which they are ready to develop these uses. However, because they may be reluctant to deviate from their current plans, we should consider methods of meeting their main condition: critical density.

Project Financing

I also asked Scott to walk me through the development process. From his account, I found

that financing seems to be the greatest concern for Flint’s developers. Uptown always begins the process by determining the project’s costs and then securing all of the financing before construction. They also try to identify a strong anchor tenant willing to sign a longer lease (about ten years), which helps them in acquiring bank loans. Once Uptown has raised enough capital, construction can begin. Unfortunately, the difficulty for most developers is in raising capital.

Uptown seems to be generally successful in terms of financing—they work hard to secure funds from agencies and organizations including LISC, the City of Flint, the State of Michigan, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and the Mott Foundation. Recently, they have been able to take advantage of tax credits for historic, brownfield, and new market developments.

However, Scott attests that many smaller developers and property owners simply cannot find financing for their projects. He says that the primary reason is that banks are just not lending.

Here are the lessons we took away from this portion of the interview: 1) Financing is perhaps the greatest obstacle for downtown development. When we begin our discussion of implementation tools for small-business incubation and façade improvements, we will really need to consider ways of helping owners locate funding opportunities. Entrepreneurs may need a resource to make this crucial step less daunting.

2) Because one of the biggest problems is the unwillingness of banks to lend in the current economic climate, I might suggest that LISC and its partners begin a dialogue to determine the conditions that banks would like potential borrowers to fulfill. We may 82

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also consider approaching long-time funders like the Mott Foundation for opportunities to reserve more grant money for private development projects that will benefit downtown.

Building on Existing Strengths

I’d like to close this memo by expressing the most important lesson we learned from the

interview: We are working on something that has already been in motion for a long time. At the beginning of our conversation, Scott called the downtown corridor of ten years ago a “ghost town,” echoing the sentiments of several other people we have spoken with so far. Downtown Flint and its various agencies and organizations have made huge strides already in the past decade. He described several opportunities and strong foundations for future development, which I will share with you: 1) Flint in the summertime is growing more and more active. The city already hosts two large annual events in the summer, as well as the Flint Art Fair and Tunes at Noon along the riverbank. Scott reports that all of these events are well attended, which implies that the area does have a base of users seeking to take advantage of downtown amenities where they exist.

2) Our team was curious about downtown’s potential for cart- or kiosk-based businesses, and I learned that Flint had at least two of them last summer (the Flint Crepe Company and a hot dog stand). This means that there is groundwork for permits for these types of businesses, which could potentially play a role in bringing more activity and diversity to downtown.

3) Though development faces its share of political stress, overall City Council and the mayor’s office have been receptive to Uptown Development’s work. Scott attributes this to the shared vision that the people of Flint have in common for the first time in many years.

Many people are optimistic about Flint’s prospects under the Walling administration, and even though the City continues to lose revenue (or perhaps because of this), we should be emphasizing all downtown partnerships, especially those with the City.

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When I asked Scott what actions he believes would realize our vision of a vibrant,

active, and diverse downtown, he said, “We need to keep doing what we’ve been doing.” Specifically, he meant developing downtown’s open spaces and creating highquality, exciting housing. We need to find ways to fuel the passion for redevelopment that already exists within the community, and encourage those with similar missions.

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Appendix D Implementation Tools Downtown Parking Plan Introduction SAGE consulting reccomends implementing a constructive planning approach to parking that’s consistent with the goal of enhanced downtown connectivity. The underlying principles behind this objective are 1) to steer motorists to the locations best suited to parking, 2) to make the City’s existing parking infrastructure more profitable, and 3) to encourage policies that reduce the total parking footprint while promoting density and redevelopment.

The Future Role of the DDA Downtown parking is currently managed under the auspices of the statutorily enabled Downtown Development Authority (DDA). To implement a comprehensive parking plan, Flint should seek first the cooperation of the DDA. If DDA rejects the plan, substantial reforms of downtown parking will require amendments to Flint’s zoning ordinance to restore some measure of control to the City. This is, however, as opportune a moment as there has ever been for the City to constrict the powers of the DDA. The DDA is currently operating with an interim director, and the terms of its board members have expired. Furthermore, the recent failure of the DDA to service its first debt payment on its newly constructed Rutherford parking deck required the City to draw from its general improvement fun to “bail-out” the DDA. The parking garage snafu thus weakens the credibility DDA as effective managers of parking and as stewards of Flint. The situation is so bad that one City Council member recently proposed that the City contemplate selling the new garage to a private contractor, presumably absorbing a huge loss.

The Future of the Rutherford Garage Rather than selling the foundering new garage, the City should instead adopt a comprehensive parking plan that redirects parking demand from its surface lots to the higher-intensity parking infrastructure. The new garage should be seen as an asset--not a liability--toward creating a Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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vibrant downtown. Doug Kelbaugh writes that contemporary downtowns cannot exist without parking garages, which accommodate the car while minimizing its footprint. In contrast to the recent experience in Flint, parking garages can also be very profitable ventures. There are quarrels between the City and the DDA over who’s to blame for the staggering revenue shortfall of the new parking deck, but it’s clear that a critical factor was a function of the demand for parking being drastically less than the DDA anticipated. In simple terms, this is because the existing supply is vastly too great, and the comprehensive parking plan should aim to reduce the supply, targeting the least spatially efficient parking sites first.

The Future of the Flat Lot Parking in Flint is plentiful and cheap. This is as obvious from the aerial views of Flint’s vast half-occupied downtown surface lots as it is on the ground. The “flat lot,” a surface parking lot occupying a full City block along Saginaw Street in the core of downtown, is the most egregious example of low-intensity parking disrupting the urban qualities we hope to foster in downtown.

Sue Peters described the presence of the “flat lot” as both a bane of urban density and a reminder of earlier failures to redevelop Flint.

SAGE Consulting recommends the immediate closure of the “flat lot” to automobile parking, and feasibility study regarding the reuse of the other surface lots downtown. The “flat lot,” despite its convenience to parkers, would be barricaded at its access points. In lieu of plans to develop the “flat lot,” the City should invite temporary uses to occupy the site. Doing so will prevent a reversion of the site to parking and contribute to downtown vibrancy. One such temporary use that should be encouraged is the food cart, a business model that appeared to thrive downtown before it was disallowed by the City. Food carts must in turn be enabled by a zoning ordinance, and the City Council should rethink its prior aversion to the business type. Portland, Oregon—a paragon of downtown vibrancy—has enabled cart businesses to occupy its former flat lots.

These cart businesses are flourishing—they number in the hundreds—and the cart model has 86

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become a de facto incubator of upstart brick-and-mortar business around the City.

The Future of Curb Parking To offset the loss of parking revenue caused by the closure of the “flat lot,” the City should restore metered parking to Saginaw Street. Flint’s City Council has also recently discussed installing parking meters for its presently unmetered curb spaces, an action that would likely require an amendment to the zoning ordinance to wrest parking authority from the DDA. The City has approximately 100 of its formerly active meters in storage, but at least 300 curb spaces to account for. The City hasn’t had meters downtown for three years because of theft and vandalism. Michael Freeman, the former director of the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) in Flint, informed us that, “the old meters were plastic. You could literally hit them with your shoe, and the money would pour out.” Rather than selectively reinstating these shoddy devices, new “pay-and-display” meters should be installed throughout downtown. The economist Donald Shoup argues that these meters are more profitable and easier to maintain in the long-run than mechanical meters. Shoup contends that even though a City will endure a short-term loss from general fund to finance the installment of the new technology—the common rationale for resisting the change—it would be sound fiscal policy for many cities to do so if demand for space is sufficiently high. The “pay-and-display” meters currently being used in Ann Arbor, Michigan do not have the vulnerability to vandalism that Flint’s former meters had, and the new meters allow for the use pricing policy,of credit cards, which are replacing cash as means of exchange.

In addition to replacing the parking revenues lost due to the closure of the “flat lot,” much of the displaced parking can be replaced through orienting curb parking spaces diagonally rather than parallel to the road curb. Charging an appropriate price for curb parking ensures its availability and increases turnover. the policy of charging the right price for curb parking is friendly to downtown business, and it can be a reliable source of revenue to the city as well.

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According to the Code of the City of Flint, prospective developers are not required to provide off-street parking in the D-4 Metropolitan business district, which includes much of downtown.

This policy allows the developer to use his or her judgment as to how best to provide for parking.

The policy also means that new developments in downtown Flint will increase densities and not merely displace low-intensity parking.

The case should also be made to the City Council—whose members are concerned about revenue loss and any depletion of the City’s general fund—that steering the demand for parking to the City’s underused garages, restoring metered parking on Saginaw, and re-pricing of the City’s parking supply will more than offset the loss in the long run. Furthermore, temporarily using the “flat lot” as a public space and cart business incubator has the potential to enhance downtown vibrancy while making a valuable social contribution in Flint.

1 Longley, Kristen. “City of Flint targeting loophole on downtown parking tickets,” in The Flint Journal. Feb. 4, 2010.

2 Longley, Kristen. “City of Flint tax dollars could be on the hook for payment on $10M downtown parking deck loan,” in The Flint Journal. Jan. 17, 2010.

3 Longley, Kristen. “Parking meters could be returning to downtown Flint streets,” in The Flint Journal. Jan. 20, 2010.

4 Shoup, Donald C (2005). The High Cost of Free Parking. APA Press: Washington, DC. p. 171, 529.

5 City of Flint, Michigan Municipal Code § 50-139. SCHEDULE OF REQUIRED OFF-STREET PARKING SPACES. 6 Kelbaugh, Douglas S (2002). Repairing the American Metropolis: Common Place Revisited.

University of Washington Press: Seattle, WA. p 151.

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Implementation of Tax Incentives to Spur Economic Development in Downtown Flint This memo discusses the implementation of tax incentives to spur economic development in downtown Flint. Using the current Tax-Free Renaissance Zone Designation in Flint, an analysis of the costs and feasibility of the current designation is conducted to determine appropriateness of continued implementation. This memo concludes with specific recommendations for modified implementation through the development of an evaluation plan, implementation of a measureable tool to determine loss of tax benefits over time, phasing out of tax benefits at a slower rate , securing of alternative funding sources for Long-Term Business Stability, and pursuing renaissance zone designation extension of all properties.

Tax Free Development Zone - Designated in 1997, the Flint Renaissance Zone now consists of 7 districts and includes 55.1 acres in downtown Flint (see table 2 on page 2). A renaissance zone is designated by the state per Public Act 376 of 1996, allows for the creation of tax-exempt zones, and is designed to encourage growth in Michigan communities experiencing economic distress.

Benefits to Eligible Businesses and Residents 1) State Taxes Waived- Personal income tax, single business tax, and tax state education.

2) Local Taxes Waived - Local income tax, real property tax on operating mills, and personal property tax on operating mills.

3) Grants and loans for site development needed to support projects that create private sector jobs.

Intended Goals of the Designation 1) Attract new private investment in the commercial, industrial, and residential sectors of the Flint economy 2) Provide job opportunities Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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3) Rebuild Flint’s economic base and generate funds to replace worn out infrastructure.

4) Serve as a catalyst to foster economic opportunities and growth in neighborhoods suffering from disinvestment.

5) Enable Flint to compete globally for new business opportunities.

Eligibility for Tax Exemptions Any business or resident that is presently occupying or moving to a renaissance zone may be eligible to receive tax benefits if they are not delinquent on taxes and the property is in compliance with state and local building requirements. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation and legislative body of the exiting community must approve a business with 25 or more full time employees wishing to relocate to Flint’s Renaissance Zone from another community.

Feasability of Implementation - Staffing, Financial, + Politial Costs Implementation of the renaissance zone designation requires costs related to staffing, financial, and political capital. In determining the feasibility of continued implementation, these costs must be taken into consideration Staffing Costs Administrative tasks related to the promotion of the tax incentive to draw business’ to downtown Flint.

Tracking and collecting of necessary data from businesses and individuals within the zone.

Developing and implementing an evaluation of the Flint downtown district renaissance zone in meeting its goals.

Staff time of all organizations and agencies responsible for aspects of implementation. For Example Time spent determining business and resident eligibility by the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, Flint City Council, & City Treasurer Financial Costs Potential tax-base loss from businesses that would have the means to exist regardless of the des90

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Table 1 - Flint Renaissance Zone Tax Exemptions In August of 2008 a resoluation was approved granting a 15 year extension on Flint’s Renaissance Zone until 2023 for 3 newly redeveloped properties on Saginaw Avenue.

(Wade Trim, the 500 block, and the Rowe bldg).

ignation.

Political Costs As the programs is already existing within the community, political costs would relate to modifying and extending the designation. Political strife may occur with other communities if businesses and residents who are paying into the tax base become frustrated that those in the renaissance zone are not.

Appropriateness of Continued Implementation During the 1990’s economic activity in downtown Flint was at a standstill, attracting few visitors and offering few amenities. In the last 10-15 years, Flint has seen an increase in residential occupation, new restaurants, and new opportunity for activity downtown. Blackstones, Brown Sugar, Lunch Studio, and Wise Guys Pizza have all started up since renaissance zone designation. Yet, with designation set to expire in 2015, success of the designation must be analyzed to determine the appropriateness of continued implementation.

Determining the success of increased economic development in the downtown district of Flint, due to its designation as a renaissance zone, requires an understanding of how business growth, job opportunity, and downtown activity have changed since the start of the program. Few, if any, evaluation tools appear to be in place to determine whether the renaissance zone program is meeting its goals. If an implementation extension is considered, an evaluation plan should be developed.

Additional Information Needed for Evaluation 1) # of Business’ downtown annually starting in 1997. This data should track type of business, size, # of employees, and # of patrons.

2) Survey of business owners to find out what impact the renaissance zone has had on drawing them to the area and/or maintaining business downtown.

3) Annual Report of financial tax loss to determine availability of future tax base.

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4) Report on openings and closings of business’ starting in 1997 5) # and type of job opportunities created and lost since 1997 Long-Term Business Sustainability In 2015 most business properties will no longer receive tax exemptions in downtown Flint, with the exception of 3 properties set to expire in 2023. Currently in place is a system in which, within only 3 years, tax exemptions drop from 100% to o% (see table 1 on page 1). Based upon time, the measurement is arbitrary, and not based upon economic reality of the business or district. If an Implementation extension is considered, a measureable tool for tax increases should be enacted, such as # of occupied buildings, increase in downtown foot traffic, or % annual increased revenue. Phasing out of tax benefits at a slower rate, such as a 10% increase each year, should be considered to allow for business’ to develop long-range sustainability plans. Additionally, pursuing designation extensions of all properties in the downtown district of Flint, to allign with the 2008 extensions of three properties to 2023, would encourage long term sustainability.

In 10 years since the downtown district was designated a renaissance zone, a considerable amount of new business’ have appeared within the downtown corridor. Yet downtown Flint still faces many challenges including unoccupied buildings, lack of user and business diversity, lack of pedestrian foot traffic, and little connectiviy with surrounding neighborhoods. Business’ that have opened during the zone designation will still need considerable support in long term sustainability. Once tax benefits have been completely phased out, maintenance of business stability will require additional funding. Alternative sources of funding such as Tax Increment Financing or Historic Preservation Tax Credits should be secured.

Recommendations for Continued Implementation This program is deemed feasible, with new economic development and long term sustainability of existing business’ possible through a modified version of renaissance zone designation. Utilizing the following recomendations, a modified version of the Renaissance Zone designation of the 92

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Table 2 - Flint Renaissance Zone: Downtown - Office - Retail Subzone

downtown district of Flint, Michigan is recommended for continued implementation.

1) Develop a measureable tool for loss of tax benefits over time.

2) Phase out tax benefits at a slower rate to allow for business’ to determine long-range sustainability plans.

3) Secure alternative funding sources for Street Improvements and Long-Term Business Stability Maintenance.

4) Pursue a designation extension of all properties in the downtown district of Flint to allign with the 2008 extensions of three properties to 2023.

5) Develop an Evaluation Plan to determine current and historic success’ and failures of the Downtown Distrit of Flint in meeting the goals of the Renaissance Zone Designation.

Discussion of Feasibility with Local Initiatives Support Corporation Utilizing the information presented in this memorandum, it is recommended that SAGE Consulting approach LISC with requests for additional information needed to pursue the development of an evaluation plan and recommendations for continued implementation of the downtown district of Flint as a designated renaissance zone.

Resources Consulted City of Flint Department of Community and Economic Development. Renaissance Zone. Flint, Michigan City of Flint Michigan. (2008). City Council Meeting Agenda For August 11,2008 - Final. Flint, Michigan Flint Journal. (2008, July 12). Flint to lose renaissance zones; taxes looming for residents, business owners.

MICHIGAN RENAISSANCE ZONE ACT Act 376 of 1996 Michigan Renaissance Zones Website. http://ref.michigan.org/medc/services/sitedevelopment/renzone/

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Appendix E Survey distributed at Neighborhood Action Sessions

This survey is part of a University of Michigan Ann Arbor, Department of Urban and Regional Planning, graduate

student project to develop a revitalization plan for downtown Flint. For the purposes of our questions, “downtown” refers to Saginaw Street between 5th Avenue and Court Street. All answers are confidential and greatly appreciated!

The first five questions ask how well downtown Flint currently meets the following needs. For each of the fol-

lowing statements, please circle a number on the scale of 1 to 5, where “1” means that you strongly disagree with the statement and “5” means that you strongly agree.

1. Downtown Flint provides a diversity of dining options.

1

2

3

4

5

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

2. Downtown Flint provides affordable dining options.

1

2

3

4

5

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

3. Downtown Flint fulfills my entertainment needs.

1

2

3

4

5

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

4. There is a diversity of housing options in downtown Flint.

1

2

3

4

5

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

5. There are affordable housing options in downtown Flint.

1

2

3

4

5

Strongly disagree

Strongly agree

6. How often do you come downtown? (Circle one) Every day

More than once a week

More than once a month

7. What do you do when you come downtown?

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Almost never

8. What is your favorite thing about downtown Flint?

9. Is there anything about downtown Flint that you would change? If so, what?

10. Do you feel safe when you are downtown?

Yes

No

11. Do you have any ideas for making downtown Flint more vibrant? If so, please share one!

12. Which age group best describes you? (Circle one) 18-22

23-33

34-44

45-55

56-65

65 or older

13. Do you currently rent or own your home? (Choose one) Rent

Own

14. How many people live in your household?

15. What is the major intersection closest to your home?

16. Are you currently involved in the Flint community—for example, do you volunteer downtown or are you a member of a neighborhood association? (Circle one) No

Yes (please describe): ______________________________________

17. May we contact you for more information?

Yes

No

If so, please share your name and an e-mail address or phone number: Name: _____________________________________ E-mail or Phone: _____________________________

***We promise to keep your contact information confidential, and will only use it to clarify your answers to this survey or to schedule any future interviews.*** Thank you for completing our survey! We truly appreciate your time and input.

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Appendix F Public Input Results Downtown Neighborhood Action Sessions DOWNTOWN VISION The residents of Downtown envision a dense, active, 24-hour Downtown where people can live, shop, work, and play in a clean, safe, and beautiful environment that both engages this diverse community and sets the standard for sustainable, regenerative urbanism.

IDENTIFIED ASSETS + OPPORTUNITIES Events

Back to the Bricks - brings in commerce + good publicity

Greater Flint Arts Council – art walk, events, rental space

University of Michigan-Flint Campus – more community events, expand degree offerings

Parks + Recreation

Riverbank Park - create a central park in Flint, outdoors activities

Flint River Trail - extend trail through downtown

Memorial Park - gatherings + community events

University Pavilion - ice skating

Transportation

MTA Bus Station – extend hours, add routes, provide better service

Housing

Genesee Towers – provide low income rentals

Land Bank - reorganize + offer more homeownership

Economic Development + Downtown Business

New Business - develop all spaces except planned green areas

Saginaw Street Flat Lot – build 6 story mall + shopping center downtown 96

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Lunch Studio – extend hours

Hoffmans’ Deco Deli – extend hours

Mike’s Triple Grille – expand

Soyla’s – extend hours

Blackstone’s - great for gatherings + community events

501 Bar + Grille - great for gatherings + community events

Raspberries Rhythm Café - great for gatherings + community events

University Students – attract + retain young talent

IDENTIFIED GOALS Housing

More owner-occupied housing

Increased clean, safe, and affordable rental housing

More control over shape and future of downtown housing district

Public Safety

Less confrontational pedestrian traffic + ease of access to stores

Family Friendly

Feel Safe walking at night

Infrastructure

Create a green infrastructure

Pedestrian Friendly

Attractive to High Tech Industries

More Short Term Parking

Economic Development

Residents have access to goods + services downtown Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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Attract businesses from outside the city

Decrease Barriers to viable businesses

Open more diverse businesses and make attractive to entrepreneurs

A downtown that encourages interaction between young people + residents

TOP 15 DOWNTOWN ACTION PRIORITIES 1.

Have police take more of a zero tolerance approach for small offenses

2.

Enforce Codes on Rental Units and in the Historic District

3.

Re-zone to let downtown Restaurants have eating outside

4.

Invest in Genesee County Media Center

5.

Reuse Oak School

6.

Build Grand Traverse Trail

7.

Distribute NSP Funds to the Landbank for tax and mortgage

8.

Develop the Flat Lot on Saginaw Street

9.

Keep Downtown 24/7

10.

Create a more Diverse building population downtown

11.

Create Angle Parking on Saginaw Street

12.

Hold Ethnic Festivals + Food Festivals at Riverbank Park

13.

Provide Wireless Internet from Downtown to Kettering University

14.

Make more streets 2-way streets

15.

Install Public Restrooms at Riverbank Park

Additional Action Items Zoning

Enforce Zoning 98

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Overhaul City Zoning Codes

Parking + Transportation

Create underground parking at the Flat Lot on Saginaw

Reduce Parking requirements for businesses

DO NOT create angle parking on Saginaw Street

Enforce Calming of Traffic

Multimodal Connectivty

Make downtown more pedestrian + bicycle friendly

Install Sidewalk on Grand Traverse Connection

Beautify side streets

Parks + Recreation

Have kayaking to River

Improve Riverbank Park

Install a sound system, electricity, and rain cover on stage at Riverbank Park

Remove berms for visibility at Riverbank Park

Restore Downtown Rink

Expand Riverbank Park to Kettering University

More programming at Riverbank Park

Display public art at Riverbank Park

Fill the Canals full of water at Riverbank Park

Keep Riverbank Park mowed + maintained

Install Outdoor Benches for Chess + other spontaneous recreational opportunities at the

Flat Lot

Invest in and keep Grand Fountain running

Make Riverbank Park more visible and safe Sustainable Action for Great Environments

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Grow Ivy over concrete to soften the Image of Riverbank Park

Move the playground at Riverbank Park for easier access

Environmental Stewardship

Replace Hamilton Dam

Create Innovative Storm Water Management

Safety + Maintenance

Increase foot patrol + resident crime watch

Install Citizen access Security Cameras

Let people know about U of M and MCC Police Forces

Create a mechanism for Police Accountability

Replace Broken Streetlights quicker

Install dumpsters + recycling bins

Consolidate trash service in the 400 block of Buckham Alley

Install more LED lighting downtown

Economic Development + Downtown Business

Hold flea markets at the Flat Lot on Saginaw on Weekends

Allow Food Carts to sell food outside

Obtain the Google Fiber Optic Network

Increase Density downtown

Focus on locally owned businesses

Provide more information to support small business startup downtown

Events

Hold a Polka Festival at the Flat Lot on Saginaw

Hold concerts + other events at the Flat Lot on Saginaw

Hold Student Focused Events at Riverbank Park 100 Sustainable Action for Great Environments

Hold all season events with inter-focus

Community Engagement + Placemaking

Hold Summer Youth Clean Up Projects

Implement a Downtown Placemaking Project

Housing

Create a central location for downtown housing options

Create more housing options

Create a Senior Citizen Apartment

Complete Manhattan Place

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References Plans Baton Rouge, Louisiana Downtown Wayfinding Plan (Sasaki) Flint Cultural Center Master Plan (Sasaki) Flint River Strategy (Sasaki) Flint Uptown Reinvestment Strategy (Sasaki) Illuminating a Path to the River (Rowe) A Placemaking Strategy for Flint’s Farmers Market (Project for Public Spaces) Genesee County Regional Trail Plan (Genesee County Metropolitan Planning Commission) University of Michigan-Flint Campus Master Plan (Sasaki) Wayfinding Analysis and Recommendations Document for Ann Arbor , Michigan (Corbin Design)

Internet research Ann Arbor Downtown Development Authority Website City of Flint Website Flint Area Convention and Tourism Bureau Website Genesee County Historical Society Website Genesee County Land Band Website Kettering University Website Michigan State Housing Authority Website Metro Green Streets: Innovative solutions for stormwater and stream crossings Website Mott Community College Website University of Michigan-Flint Website Uptown Reinvestmant Corporation Website

Bibliography Shoup, Donald. The High Cost of Free Parking. APA Press: Washington DC, 2005.

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Interviews Alycia Cobb Angela Fortino Barb Spaulding-Westcott, Flint Downtown Small Business Association Chris Everson, Flint Area Convention and Visitors Bureau Christina Kelly, Genesee County Land Bank Dave Johnson, Consultant David White, Flint Downtown Development Authority Erin Caudell, Ruth Mott Foundation Joel Rash Katie Teeple Michael Freeman, Center for Community Progress Mitch Socia Scott Whipple, Uptown Developments LLC Sue Peters, Flint Local Initiatives Support Corporation Tami O’Neill Harchick, Garibella Salon

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Image References Cover Page Pictures taken by Sage Consulting Page 3 www.flickr.com/photos/sarahrazak/3660767839/in/set-72157601394252223/ Page 4 Illustration by Sage Consulting Page 9 www.flickr.com/photos/ebrow/2771729291/in/set-72157606791764639/ Page 13 www.flickr.com/photos/flintpubliclibrary/2713303845/ Page 14 Illustration by Sage Consulting Page 15 Photograph and Illustration by Sage Consulting Page 16 Photograph and Illustration by Sage Consulting Page 18 Illustration by Sage Consulting Page 21 http://www.flickr.com/photos/flintriverbankpark/3773944103/ Page 22 Google earth pro aerial image of riverbank park Page 24 http://www.flickr.com/photos/umflintoutreach/2677802680/ Illustration by Sage Consulting Page 26 Illustration by Sage Consulting Page 28 www.flashalertnewswire.net/images/news/2010-03/1072/Kids_planting.jpg Page 29 Illustration by Sage Consulting Page 32 Photograph and Illustration by Sage Consulting Page 36 Photograph and Illustration by Sage Consulting Page 37 www.flickr.com/photos/swapstudio/3845710460/in/set-72157621986343561/ Page 39 www.flickr.com/photos/loudouncountyva/4078332488/ Page 34 people turning in applications → http://blog.cleveland.com/business/2009/04/large_job-fairmarch.jpg Page 43 http://puremichiganphotoclub.com/files/2009/07/3-14.JPG Page 45 www.flickr.com/photos/ifmuth/3816796776/ Page 47 www.flickr.com/photos/umflintoutreach/2879459642/ Page 49 www.flickr.com/photos/expomuseum/67838755/ Page 50 www.flickr.com/photos/redirections/3629565113/in/set-72157619791224856/ Page 51 Illustration by Sage Consulting Page 54 www.urbanreviewstl.com/?p=9449 Page 58 www.flickr.com/photos/umflintoutreach/2948778051/

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