As many communities begin their recovery from COVID, Lansing MI faces an uncertain future. The State has cancelled leases on over 1 million square feet of Downtown office space and many State workers are still working remotely. The thousands of State workers that powered retail, lunch and happy hour business are nowhere to be seen...which has set off a cascade of business closings. Converting the vacant office space to apartments and condos isn't financially viable. It's a situation that, quite frankly, we haven't seen at this devastating a level anywhere else in the country.
Julie Pingston (CEO of the Greater Lansing CVB) along with the CEOs of the Regional Chamber of Commerce and the Economic Area Partnership recently penned a letter to Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer asking her to direct $5 million in Federal Recovery money into Downtown Lansing.
Besides the fact that the State has a responsibility to its Capital City...what caught my eye is that none of the 3 community development agency signatories are asking that the money come their way. Instead, they are urging the Governor to invest the Recovery funds with Downtown Lansing, Inc., which has a plan to reduce office vacancies and establish a revolving loan fund to keep those businesses still standing afloat.
That's what Community Collaboration looks like. And, here's hoping that the State recognizes how dire the situation there has become for local businesses.
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