Business Owners and Residents Gather to Learn Main Street Plans

A room full of Clawson residents, businesses owners and board members of various committees gathered at City Hall on Thursday to learn about the upcoming plans for downtown Clawson.

Clawson recently became the 12th community to join Main Street Oakland County (MSOC). MSOC is the only downtown development program in the nation that is conducted at a county level instead of a state level. It generates the third most investment nationwide.

Bob Donohue, MSOC principal planner for downtown redevelopment, gave a presentation about how Clawson can be successful in achieving its goals in the next few years.

Donohue noted that in the past 10 years, Oakland County has seen the creation of more than 6,000 jobs and 700 new businesses (with nearly 4 million square feet of new business space).

Clawson's Downtown Development Authority (DDA) has three goals: preserve the past, maintain Clawson's unique character and prepare for the future.

Clawson DDA Director Joan Horton delivered hand-written invitations to business owners to ask them to attend the meeting.  

“When you can look someone in the eye and ask them about something you have better results,” Horton said.

Horton encourages everyone to participate in the plans for downtown because many of the topics could be community changing developments, such as the addition of crosswalks, she said.

"Downtown tells people something about the health of the community, especially in a town like Clawson," Horton said. "That's why we need the community involved, so we can hear the voices off everybody."

The Clawson DDA has four committees to accomplish their goals:

• Organization: Communications and volunteer recruitment will help the Clawson DDA in informing Clawson residents of meetings and events related to the process.
• Economic Restructuring: Programs will help keep and attract new businesses to downtown Clawson, such as grant programs for business improvements and unique signage and advertising approaches.
• Design: Improvements to historical buildings and the infrastructure downtown will help Clawson maintain its unique identity. The 2011 Streetscape program is a prime example, as well as possible plans to develop better pedestrian road crossings and bike routes.
• Promotion: Advertising and marketing help attract more people to downtown events like Cinema in the Street and Trick or Treasure.

What's Next? A representative from Washington D.C. will conduct a 'Needs Assessment' on March 14 to identify the strengths and weaknesses of Clawson and decide how to procede. Residents are invited to attend at the tentative location of City Hall.