In this fast-paced world of strip malls, mega malls and spaghetti-looped super highways, the city of
Plymouth, with its tree-lined downtown, park benches and decorative lamp posts, offers an escape, a change of pace.
One of the oldest cities in the region, Plymouth, with a population of 9,000, is doing what it's always done -- and done well: nurture a walkable community which is joined to a vibrant downtown with a central square anchored by Kellogg Park, a setting that the American painter John Singer Sargent would have relished to put on paper with washes of brilliant color.
InvestmentWalking around Plymouth one cannot help but notice its tidy, picturesque facades that house a variety of shops and businesses. Its downtown draws residents from Plymouth Township and Canton Township. The positioning of this family-oriented downtown gives the commercial district access to a market area of 500,000 people.
Over the last 10 years, the city invested $2.8 million in streetscape improvements and is drawing up an aggressive plan to add parking and maximize existing parking to better accommodate the nearly one million people who visit the downtown annually.
Over the next three years, Plymouth leaders anticipate an additional $20 million in new investment.
Plymouth's downtown also bucks the trend in building vacancy rates. In the
Downtown Development Authority (DDA) footprint, there is a one percent vacancy rate.
Plymouth City Manager Paul Sincock said there are vacancies that new businesses are interested in, but the owners of the buildings don't want to lease the space for tax write-off reasons.
"When a business does leave, generally there's one that wants to move in pretty quickly," Sincock said.
New StartsNew businesses are constantly moving in to take advantage of Plymouth's vibrant economic draw.
Kilwin's Chocolates is one of them, a national chain that began in northern Michigan, which has 18 locations in the state including
Ann Arbor, Harbor Springs and
Birmingham. They specialize in chocolate, fudge and ice cream.
If you are fancying a delicious pint of beer -- a bohemian pilsner, a blond ale or a robust stout, to name a few – have one at the new
Liberty Street Brewing Company in the historic Old Village area.
Most of the business-friendly shops are owner-operated and deliver great services, said John Buzuvis, DDA assistant director of operations.
"The people who live here, shop here. It's a great hometown feel", he added.
DiversityOne of the things Plymouth leaders point to that has led to the city's stable, successful downtown is demographic diversity.
"Our housing stock spans all generations. Within walking distance of downtown we have senior citizen housing, housing stock desirable for twenty-somethings, housing stock for families just starting out, and finally housing for people nearing retirement," Sincock said. "Our residential base is valuable. It's broad-based."
As spring brings warmer weather and greater foot traffic, Plymouth is readying for another season of events. The city hosts some 130 events throughout the year.
"Events are us," Sincock said. "I always say in the summer time I feel like I work for Walt Disney." He added that these events are critical in the current economic climate.
Regional AppealTaking a broader look at the region, one sees the development of hi-tech start ups, in some cases start ups that are unique to the Midwest.
One of the centerpieces of the region's hi-tech corridor is a 57,000 square foot building on eight acres of land located directly off M-14 in Plymouth Township. Named the Life Science Research and Innovation Center and spearheaded by Roger S. Newton, PhD and co-inventor of the cholesterol reducing drug Lipitor, this economic development, unique to the Midwest, will unite entrepreneurs in the life sciences industry with business accelerator organizations and other start-up companies under one roof. There's vivarium space for example, which is an operating room for pharmaceutical research.
The Life Science Research and Innovation Center was a collaboration of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, the Wayne County Economic Development Corporation, Washtenaw County and Ann Arbor SPARK, academic institutions and business leaders in southeast Michigan.
Another exciting development was the announcement in March that a hi-tech company was locating in Plymouth Township. Secure-24, a provider of managed hosting, disaster recovery and other managed services, will create a new state-of-the-art data center and technology resource center.
There has also been discussions between Wayne County and Plymouth Township to create and market an advanced technology park which would provide a campus and incubator space for energy-based solution companies.
"Some of those folks that work in those industries decide to live in our community because of our parks, our service groups and other amenities," said Sincock.
Plymouth offers citizens a balance between a great living environment with a cutting edge business environment.