Where we’re at and where we’re going.
That will be the focus of the evening on Wednesday, Feb. 27, as Farmington officials, stakeholders, business owners, residents, and more will gather at the Farmington Civic Theater for a discussion on the direction of their downtown.
The event, An Evening with Metromode: Future of Downtown Farmington, is free and open to the public, though seating is limited and organizers encourage those interested to register online.
[Click HERE to register]
Rather than a one-sided presentation, organizers hope for an open conversation with the audience.
Farmington DDA President Todd Craft will moderate the event, which features a panel of local stakeholders and officials that includes Brian Boyle, CEO/Founder of Metromode; Steve Schneemann, Mayor of Farmington; Dan Gilmartin, Executive Director, CEO, Michigan Municipal League; and Farmington DDA Director Kate Knight.
"The overall idea is to communicate the amount of work we’ve done through this new platform, this open forum," says Craft.
"Our goal is to help people understand what we’ve been up to."
The evening’s theme, "How promoting a vibrant, walkable downtown improves community engagement and workforce productivity," reflects the projects Craft points to in demonstrating the development of downtown Farmington.
Making Grand River Avenue more walkable through traffic control efforts and streetscape improvements has resulted in new business, like Sidecar Slider Bar’s recent opening downtown. And a commitment to renovate Oakland Street has already resulted in a potential new tenant there, Craft says.
Future plans include extending the streetscape west, creating a gateway with installations and streetscape improvements that let visitors know they’ve arrived downtown. Farmington Road, too, could see road diets and streetscape improvements similar to what’s already occurred on Grand River Avenue, spurring development there.
While there will be no shortage of information shared, organizers hope it’s not a one-sided conversation. Audience participation is encouraged.
Got a development news story to share? Email MJ Galbraith here or send him a tweet @mikegalbraith.
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