Omicron Delta Kappa, Hillsdale’s leadership honorary, provided student input to the Michigan Economic Development Corporation at a public forum Tuesday evening in an effort to help revitalize the city of Hillsdale’s downtown life and repurpose the courthouse annex. ODK shared the results of their survey of Hillsdale College students, which include requests for more restaurants, cafes, and longer business hours downtown.
Some students want more local cafes, while some specifically requested a Chick-Fil-A or a Chipotle. The report revealed an overwhelming student-driven desire for off-campus options where they can both study and relax. As of now, downtown Hillsdale remains largely inaccessible in this respect.
“Students would like businesses to stay open later,” ODK President and senior Eric Walker said. “Classes generally get out at four — right now, that leaves them only an hour to go downtown before business hours end.”
“Hillsdale is a unique place — it offers both a small town experience and a college town experience. We really think fostering a ‘town-gown’ relationship will give new life to the atmosphere in downtown Hillsdale,” MEDC design consultant Lisa Sauvé said.
The current plan for the annex the MEDC seeks to repurpose — the strip wedged between Broad and Howell streets— consists of adding a coffee shop on the corner where the two streets meet, retail shops along the sidewalks, and rental room for entrepreneurial start-ups on the end. The MEDC explained that similar schematics have rejuvenated business in towns like Holland, Michigan and Rome, Georgia.
In addition to redeveloping the annex, the MEDC hopes to make Howell Street a two-way road again. This proposal received support from local business owners who noted a decrease in sales since Howell became a one-way street 15 years ago.
“To really renew this town, we need to make it a destination, not a pass-through,” said Andrew Gelzer, owner of two local businesses, Gelzer & Son’s Hardware and Gelzer & Son’s Furniture. “Since Howell became a one-way street, our overall business dropped 33 percent.”
Peter Allen, president of an Ann Arbor-based real estate company partnered with the MEDC, said creating an area for pedestrian thoroughfare by opening up streets has strengthened communities in the past.
“Once Ann Arbor removed its one-way streets and encouraged local businesses to integrate more solidly with college preferences, the town began to thrive,” Allen said. “Hillsdale could see a similar situation if we repurpose the downtown area.”
The MEDC will return to Hillsdale on Oct. 27 with its completed proposal for redeveloping downtown Hillsdale.
Walker said he hopes ODK’s services to the city will aid Hillsdale’s revitalization.
“Students are really hungry to make this a better town,” Walker said. “We have a bunch of great ideas feeding into that project.”