First impressions are important, and the face of your downtown has a huge impact on perceptions. If a district looks well cared for and active, people see it as vibrant and prosperous, encouraging customers to shop and businesses to invest.
But vacant and poorly maintained properties give the impression of an area in decline. Districts with multiple poorly maintained or chronically vacant properties often experience broader negative economic impacts. These impacts can range from decreasing property values to reduced foot traffic, which hurt adjacent properties and businesses.
Planning to address these ‘problem’ properties requires support and alignment from many community partners. It can take years to fully reverse what is often the result of decades of apathy and disinvestment.
