Popular Suburban Downtown Receiving National Help

ROYAL OAK, MI-Three team members from the National Main Street Program in Washington DC are spending three days interviewing residents, community leaders and businesses to determine ways to improve this city’s Downtown area. The Royal Oak Downtown is one of Southeast Michigan’s most popular nightlife attractions, with an eclectic mix of restaurants, nightclubs and unique stores and boutiques.

The city recently earned a grant from the Main Street Program, through the help of Oakland County, to sustain the success indefinitely. Program advisors will be spending three years and $50,000 to improve Downtown in four areas: design, promotion, organization and economic restructuring.

“We see growth pressing on all aspects of the district. We’re going to help the community manage this growth in the best possible way for the city,” says John Dalzell, a senior architect with Boston’s Redevelopment Authority and a member of the Main Street Program Associate team.