There's a new
Downtown Development Authority director in Sault Ste. Marie, and he hails from the U.P. Justin Knepper, 30, a native of Watersmeet, replaced outgoing director Lee Brown, after the city decided not to renew her contract.
"Being from the U.P. helps," says Knepper when asked about the challenges he faces as the new DDA director. Knepper seems well equipped for the task. He has a masters degree in public management from Grand Valley State and worked at a large chamber of commerce organization in Grand Rapids.
Knepper comes to the Soo at a time when things seem to be looking up for the city-- literally up, as War Memorial Hospital, located just off the Soo's main drag, is completing work on a skywalk to connect the parking garage with the hospital.
The Soo Theatre Project, which is brimming with creativity and filling up storefronts downtown, brings in more than 400 people downtown just to attend classes in the performing arts, not to mention those who come for the shows. A historic six-story building recently started renting out top-notch apartments, and the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, the largest employer in the area, has set up shop in the center of the downtown.
"We have successful big box stores on the business spur, now what we need are some specialty stores downtown," says Knepper.
He adds developing the Soo's downtown won't necessarily follow the trend or try to copy the way other downtowns have been developed, because every city is unique as to what it has to offer. He realizes the uniqueness of having the Soo Locks in the downtown area. Some new options might be to bring a sporting goods store downtown to replace Hank's Sporting Goods, which is closing its doors soon, and a bakery for fresh baked goods.
Knepper says young people are the key to future development of the downtown. They'll need to take the risk to open up a business in a downtown, which like most cities, was once a thriving hub of retail activity, but now is a mix of business and retail establishments.
"They need to be flexible and willing to change with the economy," says Knepper.
Other challenges facing Sault Ste. Marie and the new DDA director are the usual issues that tug and pull on city planners and limited tax dollars: parking, snow removal and maintenance of an aging infrastructure. All these issues must be addressed, according to Knepper, with taxes collected from businesses based on 1980s tax assessments.
Despite the challenges, the new director seemed upbeat, if not calm about the situation as I interviewed him in his unobtrusive headquarters on Arlington Street, next to the Soo Evening News, a city landmark that has been downtown since 1903.
Besides recruiting new businesses to the downtown area, Knepper hopes to route more tourist traffic from the strip of fudge shops in front of the Soo Locks along Portage Street. Also on his agenda is working with other agencies in the community, particularly with the Chamber of Commerce and the Sault Ste. Marie Convention and Visitors Bureau.
Neil Moran is a full-time copywriter and owner of Haylake Business Communications, based in Sault Ste. Marie. You can view his services and read more of his articles via his website.
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.