Walk-able, welcoming downtown Oxford Michigan

Have you ever noticed how much traffic controls the feeling you get for certain places you visit?  When you visit a town what are the things that really count to make you a repeat visitor?  Is it the selection of stores or restaurants that attract you to come back again?  Here in Oxford Michigan we have a pretty good vibe going on for the past several years.  It has been growing and gaining momentum.....even defying the poor regional economy.   This past year we regained our "Main Street Accreditation" from Oakland County and in fact are up for review again tomorrow.  I am confident we will again keep that and perhaps gain more attention for the good things going on in our once sleepy little North Oakland County community. 

What starts the wheels of progress for a town?  Why do businesses want to locate here versus the next town over?   It seems that this might be the movement away from the desire to shop and dine in an indoor mall setting.  Statistics show that the once coveted indoor mega malls are being passed over for the new trend in the out door, walkable , upscale shopping experience.  I have come to the conclusion that mall developers are really trying to create what we already have.  Think of it as a design studio that takes a blank sheet of paper (empty land space) and attempts to create a fantasy version of the down towns of old.   Store fronts and facades designed to look and attempt to feel like the days of yesterday.    So the question you have to ask yourself is why do major retailers fall for the designer replica when they can have the real thing?

Think about it... we have the old store fronts.... with many new facades that have been updated with incentives provided by grants from the Oxford Downtown Development Authority.   Take a look around town and you will see major renovations (keep it in prospective as "major" defined by a small town) being encouraged with DDA facade grants.   Our stores have the squeaky floors and unique architectural components you will not find in any Mc-Mall. 

We have just compleated a major rebuilding of our parking in the four quadrants which should give us a one up on the malls or other towns with parking space problems.  It is amazing what you can do when you get the opportunity to revisit the use of the space.  The bottom line in my opinion is that this is in fact economic development.   Adequate parking may not get modern shoppers excited... but it does mean a lot that it is available, well lite, well striped, AND convenient.  Consider the mid December visit to the local mega mall.  In years past you had to troll around hoping for an opening and in many cases you'd have to pull up on a section of the lawn.   Now... visit a town like Oxford and you will have a short walk... but typically a pleasant walk in an area you know has "character" and lots of history.  Think of it as "distressed" furniture!  Over time we begin to value those little dents and bumps in the street scape... because it feels familiar and comfortable. 

Tomorrow we meet with world renowned guru of walk-able streets in Dan Burton.  He will be here walking our streets looking the one thing most of us here in Oxford have wanted for a long time.... the one thing that has eluded us for 3 or more decades now.... the taming of traffic on M-24... or Washington Street as we call it in the Village.   What is the problem you say?  Why does a piece of road cause you fits?  Imagine moving 60,000 cars, trucks, gravel haulers and motor cycles every day through the middle of one of the "fake main streets" I mentioned earlier.... and now you start to get the picture.  Seems pretty silly doesn't it?  But.... that is the reality. 

Our goal is simple... it is not to create a "bypass" or move people around town.  It is really an issue of taking a look at a plan that was set up long before this down towns current state of vitality.  Then the goal was simple... move traffic through town as quickly and efficiently as possible without interruption.  What does that mean for the pedestrian or non motor vehicle mode of transportation?  How about skip the visit to the spa... standing on M-24 during peak traffic provides a free skin exfoliation compliments of the sand kicked up by the trucks and traffic zooming past! 

So... we begin with turning the model around and looking at pedestrian safety and alternate non-motorized modes of transportation first... and movement of traffic as an important... second.  The buzz words here are "traffic calming" and "walkabililty".   The reality is that this means different things for the variety of people who need to walk safely up, down, and across our busy streets.   Consider the cross trip for an elderly or wheel chair bound pedestrian compared to a youngster on a bike or skate board?   What can we do to facilitate the needs of all types of walking abilities? 

I surely look forward to the meeting tomorrow as I truly believe that this is the next big thing in the development of our down town.  Stop in and visit tomorrow evening over at the new Oxford Community Schools Offices in the North East quadrant.  I believe we get started around 6 pm.