Keeping Downtown Main Streets Full

Sherri Welch reports that the new initiative is "focused on drawing destination retail to 13 downtowns or historic corridors in Oakland County that are the furthest along in adopting the tenets of the Oakland County Main Street development program, making them most attractive to retailers."

Many of the corridors involved in the initiative already have healthy vacancy rates, according to Welch, but stakeholders are taking a proactive approach to ensure rates stay strong. Meanwile, higher rents are pressuring some existing tenants.

Participating cities Berkley, Farmington, Ferndale, Franklin, Holly, Lake Orion, Pontiac, Rochester, and Royal Oak, all of which are already underway with projects devoted to "streetscaping, facade and signage improvements and public space upgrades such as parks and trails," according to Welch.