With recent news coverage that Windsor’s downtown has the highest commercial vacancy rate in the country, an expected exodus on well known anchor hospitality institutions, and the recently approved Strengthen The Core downtown revitalization plan, the Rose City Politics panel opines on the state of the downtown core and what it means for Windsor more broadly.
Doug Sartori
Downtown Windsor is in serious trouble.
Empty storefronts and residents in difficult circumstances are everywhere in our
central business district. The overlapping mega crises of homelessness, substance use, and a housing shortage a housing shortage are enveloping every urban centre in North America, including ours.
The city core is in a parlous state.
Thankfully, Windsor’s municipal government has taken a new interest in downtown revitalization.
The acrimomous relationship between former Councillor Rino Bortolin and Mayor Drew Dilkens was not conducive to downtown revitalization.
Ward 3’s current Councillor Renaldo Agostino came into office in part thanks to his promise of a more constructive relationship with the Mayor’s Office.
Councillor Agostino has delivered.
The City of Windsor’s Strengthen The Core plan may have been timed to serve as a distraction from the City’s legal woes, but it is also a welcome commitment of resources to our beleaguered downtown.
Is it the right prescription?
Certainly, perceptions of safety in our city core have deteriorated in recent years.
Petty crime and nuisance are ever-present elements downtown.
The Downtown Windsor BIA, representing downtown merchants, threw its weight behind the plan with a delegation at City Council, joined by numerous organizational leaders and local residents.
Business wants this plan. Will it deliver the relief they’re looking for?
On its own, I don’t think so.
There is more to be done to make downtown Windsor a thriving economic and social centre once again. This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t “Strengthen The Core.”
Stabilizing the street scene downtown is a necessary first step.
Windsor is applying a policy tourniquet to the problems downtown, but there’s more to be done to address the quality of housing and commercial property downtown, further encourage new businesses and support those that remain, and reinforce cross-border relationships.
When the city’s core business district is in serious competition for Windsor’s most downtrodden neighbourhood, it’s time for sustained attention and overinvestment from municipal government.
If we keep our eye on the ball, we can get it done.
Doug Sartori is a political observer and organizer. When he’s not recording podcasts or getting people out to vote he runs Parallel 42 Systems, a technology consultancy firm in downtown Windsor.
Don Merrifield Jr.
We’re #1! Unfortunately, we are number one in vacancy rates for downtown commercial space.
Recent numbers state the commercial vacancy rate downtown is over 40%.
The reality is much higher than that.
In a new initiative by the city with the Strengthen The Core revitalization plan, the city hopes once again to tum this around.
There have been many proposals, plans, consultant reports, over many years for “how to fix downtown”.
Unfortunately, many of these plans seem to be more of a political exercise to make it appear like the politicians are hard at work solving the core issues.
After the headlines the plan usually gets shelved and the status quo stays until the next political cycle happens.
As much fun as it is to blame politicians for everything, there is plenty to go around.
Many stakeholders and downtown advocacy groups have convinced themselves their ideas are the only ones that will work, or matter.
Which leaves us where we are today.
A downtown that most businesses have no desire to locate in, landlords with low quality lease space that is easier to just let sit vacant and in disrepair, and a part of the city most people don’t want to spend their time in.
Financially punishing money-losing property owners isn’t a fix.
Fun fact, all commercial property owners aren’t greedy billionaires. If you are a business, why would you go downtown when you can lease much higher quality cheaper space in the surrounding areas?
Mental health, homelessness, addiction issues, and the crime that dominate downtown are the crux of the problem.
Moving social services out of the core would certainly help relocate these issues.
Until that is dealt with we can paint all the buildings in fancy rainbow colours and wait for them to become nighttime bonfires. However, nothing will change.
Colourful garbage is still garbage.
Don Merrifield Jr. is a REALTOR serving Windsor and Essex County for over 21 years, a Co-Host on Rose City Politics for over 10 years, a father and grandfather, a former professional musician, and a former Ward 3 City Council candidate.
This article first appeared on Biz X Magazine
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