Experts suggest downtown play up its fun offerings

Wednesday, June 22, 2005
By Dave Alexander
CHRONICLE BUSINESS EDITOR

A group of national experts on downtown development suggests Muskegon should play to its strengths when planning to market and develop its "city center."

That means promoting and expanding the existing downtown arts, culture and entertainment facilities and activities, the analysts said.

And they said there's plenty to ballyhoo.

Consider that downtown Muskegon played host this past weekend to a successful Party in the Park, a gala at the Muskegon Museum of Art, the traveling Earth Harp exhibition and the Miss Michigan Scholarship Pageant.

Coming up in the next weeks will be Summer Celebration and the Art in the Park and Village Craft Market, which takes over Hackley Park along with Clay and Western avenues during the Fourth of July weekend. Both events draw tens of thousands of people downtown.

A downtown Muskegon market study unveiled this week by the Muskegon Main Street project points to the strengths that Third Street and West Western Avenue have in drawing residents and visitors.

The national downtown marketing team from Downtown Professionals Network for Batavia, Ill., focused on the drawing power of the Frauenthal Center for the Performing Arts, L.C. Walker Arena, the Holiday Inn Muskegon Harbor and institutions like the Muskegon Museum of Art, Hackley Library and the Muskegon County Museum.

It's a "glass half full" look at the downtown. The experts and local leaders say too many citizens have been more inclined to look at the "glass half empty."

Most local residents can't get over the fact that the downtown, as generations knew it, no longer exists. With the former Muskegon Mall demolition leaving only five buildings and the U.S. Post Office in what was the heart of the downtown commercial center, the sand lot that is now the focus of redevelopment is all that most local residents can see.

"I suspect that downtown Muskegon has a lot more going on, economically and otherwise, than most visitors -- or even area residents -- are aware," said Lisa Bennett, a staffer for DPN who worked on the Muskegon market study.

An unveiling of the market study was scheduled for noon today at the Grand Valley State University Lake Michigan Center. The study for the Michigan Main Street program of the Michigan Economic Development Corp. focused on the Third and Western corridors and did not specifically address redevelopment of the "city center" site nor the nearby Edison Landing on Muskegon Lake.

"I think I first remarked upon this as a 'bigger on the inside than its seems on the outside' type of phenomenon," Bennett said in an interview with The Chronicle. "Not every downtown -- in fact, very, very few in a community of Muskegon's size -- can boast the sort of traffic generated by the Frauenthal, Walker Arena and the hotel."

Just as tourist-based entertainment and cultural attractions are Muskegon's strength, the demolition of the old downtown Muskegon Mall and movement of retailers out to Sternberg Road near The Lake Mall has left the central business district devoid of retailing.

In downtown's "primary trade area" -- including the cities of Muskegon, North Muskegon, Muskegon Heights, Roosevelt Park and northern Norton Shores -- the central business district captures only 1.5 percent of the potential spending on retailing, food and drink of the 91,400 people living in the core cities, according to the study.

Retailing opportunities abound, but the major thrust of the marketing study was to play up the entertainment and cultural strengths of the downtown and continue to develop its residential potential.

"(Downtown Muskegon's) undeniable appeal as an entertainment destination points to continuing marketing and promotion efforts that target the important tourist market," the report states. "Tourism undoubtedly is and will continue to be a strong factor in the success of downtown Muskegon."

At the same time, "Market study results suggest that downtown Muskegon is suffering from an image problem in the sector which is demonstrably its strongest -- entertainment."

A 391-sample survey of those who had visited downtown Muskegon or live nearby shows that strong majorities frequent sporting events, art and theater events and festivals in the downtown at least once a year. Many in the survey reported multiple visits to the downtown for sports, entertainment and cultural events.

However, when asked about their impressions of the downtown, that same survey group found the downtown "weaker" than other downtowns in the areas of attractiveness, cleanliness and entertainment options. Only festivals scored "stronger" than other downtowns as parking also was seen as a strength.

Community leaders and downtown proponents have their work cut out for them in terms of changing citizen perceptions, according to Dan Rinsema-Sybenga, Main Street manager for Muskegon Area First, the economic development agency.

"People have to be aware of what is going on downtown," Rinsema-Sybena said. "We have to take some pride in downtown. Residents have to take some ownership in their downtown."

The market study praised such new downtown events as a car show on Third Street and a barbecue event on Western Avenue as ways to increase downtown activity. Other suggestions would be for events such as extreme-sport demonstrations and competitions.

The survey showed that citizens wanted more eating and drinking establishments and entertainment venues and attractions. A number in the survey mentioned the wish for a casino downtown.

Housing trends and projects showed a market need for 80-100 new housing units as either apartments or single-family residents in the next four years. The study suggested urban-style residential units and indicated that the redevelopment of the Amazon, the WaterMark and now the ArtWorks buildings for residential use will gauge the potential for the downtown residential market.

© 2005 Muskegon Chronicle. Used with permission