It's better than anything Engler ever did for Michigan cities. It may not be a big thing, but it shows the state governments committment to cities like nothing has ever shown it recent years. It's more symbolic than anything else, but, sometimes it's just government interest in cities that spurs development from the private sector. I think it's a great program, and I wish Granholm would committ more to it, and make it even more public and known.
This program is growing and evolving every year. Once a city wins a grant with a project, its really up to them to then run with it, some have succeeded and others, not so much. Brian Anderson at the EDC is working very hard to bind together the Stadium District owners to try to really give it some legs. The big prize, may not be quite so much the grant, but the other programs it opens to you. The way it is being presented to us, is that cool cities winners also have priority consideration for these specific grant and loans, there are almost 180 programs. Depending on how you want to shape your area, some are more pertinent than others.
I think you are going to see some neat things come from the Stadium District grant. I'm not sure the plan with Old Town yet.
So far it is very broad, as that was the purpose of bringing the group together. About 35% of the 100k is earmarked for very broad use. Signage and streetscaping is about it, but not a single specific yet. If the group is successful the money will be spent effectively to really reshape the area. There is a mural planned for the rivertrail.
I hope to see all those places moved off of Museum Dr some day and that area redeveloped into some mid rise apartments or condos. I think getting the museums into higher quality/higher visiblity buildings could greatly help the city and so could the prospective redeveloment of that street. Of course it would be nice to see Museum Dr connect to a street on the other end, if they could somehow squeez it by the water treatment tanks and hook it up with Kalamazoo that would be good.
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I think you are going to see some neat things come from the Stadium District grant. I'm not sure the plan with Old Town yet.