Traverse City Downtown Development Association (DDA) Director Jean Derenzy has a lot of balls in the air, from shifting the way traffic moves to questions about parking, managing the retail/restaurant mix, events, and the ambitious new unified plan for the lower Boardman River. The Ticker sat down with her to get insights on how it's all going and what's to come. 

Ticker: We have a lot of ground to cover so let’s get to it. The downtown traffic changes. How’s it going? And why did we make these shifts again?
Derenzy: I think it’s going well. We’re slowing traffic for pedestrian ease. And remember, it also relates to how downtown connects to the larger grid system, and it’s also not just cars but how we are accommodating other mobility pieces. You don’t have to circle to get directly to the east or the west, so it’s a more direct route. And now we’re not using downtown as a pass-through; when it’s one-way, you’re just driving faster right past much of downtown.

Ticker: The intersections just seem a little rushed or ill conceived, particularly at State and Cass, and Union and State. 
Derenzy: Yes, that’s some of the feedback we’re hearing, and we will look at amending those as needed, particularly as State and Cass, State and Union, and Front and Pine. We are working with the engineering department to hear what options there are to address those concerns. Minor tweaks like additional signage we could change in February or March; more substantial changes like the intersections of Cass and State or Union and State would likely come in May or June when the weather clears.

Ticker: How healthy is our downtown in terms of the retail mix, and are businesses doing well?
Derenzy: My overall sense is that the retail/restaurant mix is fantastic. It’s very healthy and we are very happy with that makeup. In talking with some of the retailers, the supply chain is still impacting them, depending on who you talk to. But we also need to continue to beat the drum on shopping local, encouraging people to enter that door and enjoy that experience of shopping downtown.

Ticker: Is there such a thing as doing “too well?” I know downtown is very, very busy 3-4 months out of the year with little or no room in many restaurants. 
Derenzy: Yes, but we haven’t tapped or looked at the district as a whole. Even when I talk to people from downstate who visit, they say, “what a charming downtown.” But I ask, “did you go to Old town? Did you check out Garland or Hall Streets or Union or Cass?” And they’ll say, “Oh, is there another part past Front Street?” 

Ticker: So we need more infill.
Derenzy: Yes! But this also goes back to the focus on having two-way streets to help spread it all out. That’s the focus we’re striving for.

Ticker: We did a survey in 2016 and parking was the biggest issue. Now this year in your own survey people said it’s gotten worse in the past five years. What steps are you taking to fix it?
Derenzy: We’re looking at both parking and mobility, the different modes of transportation. We’re also working with BATA. And any new infill development will take parking off, but will encourage use of the parking garages. People just don’t want to walk quite yet. Did you use Hardy Deck when you came here today?

Ticker: No.
Derenzy: Why?

Ticker: I'm not sure! But I'm also not sure if this problem only happens here? I’m used to walking blocks to park in other towns. 
Derenzy: I’m not sure either. I do know we have to manage expectations and change at the same time. We have to change the experience to make it more of, "I'm ok to walk, and it’s an enjoyable walk.” For instance, an inch of ice on the sidewalk is not an enjoyable walk.

Ticker: What will it look like in five years?
Derenzy: Well, we will likely have three parking decks. We have to change behavior over time. And remember, in our most recent survey, parking was not the number one issue. It was protecting the environmental aspects of our town. And why do you come downtown? Of course shopping, but also the outdoor amenities. So we need to embrace not just the buildings but the water aspects, and develop a different look and feel downtown. You want to make parking a non-experience. And by the way, parking will be a huge issue — real or perceived — in any healthy downtown.

Ticker: What do you say to those who say they don’t come downtown because of the parking situation?
Derenzy: I don’t want to overreact to critics, but I would say to give it another try. It’s part of our community and it’s your downtown that we provide for you. If you say you can’t find parking, we have parking. So is it just too far for you? I’d want to dig into the why.

Ticker: What about the Riverfront plan? What are the next steps?
Derenzy: We dig into a phased approach to implement it. That last 1.6 miles of the Boardman/Ottaway River has been piecemealed for years. So we’re presenting the concepts to the planning and city commissions in February and March and then back to the DDA for a phased approach. That’s the plan. 

Ticker: I'm wondering about events. You haven’t done Friday Night Live in a few years, the Chili Cookoff was your biggest winter event and that’s canceled. Just wondering if events don’t fit into the strategy? 
Derenzy: Not doing the Chili Cookoff in 2020-2021 provided us an opportunity to look at what’s next and who are possible partners. So we’re exploring a possible cultural event on Juneteenth in the new civic square. But does that replace the Chili Cookoff? No, but we’ve also brought back a comedy festival and have the light parade. So it’s also about how much can we do as a small staff. So it’s not that we’re getting away from events. With Friday Night Live, we’re looking at it with our new experience coordinator to identify different experiences in August for our community that could revolve mostly around music and the arts. The pandemic gave us an opportunity to look at all these things differently. 

Ticker: I know there’s been some frustration around the State Theatre being closed, if and how and when it opened, and then also the various iterations of the Film Festival. And now they’ve stopped their comedy fest, while you started your own. Just wondering about your relationship with that organization and Michael Moore. 
Derenzy: I’ve not met the newest executive director of the State Theatre and the Film Festival, and I have not talked to Michael in at least a year. I can’t blame that on one or the other; I can call just as easy as he can call.

Ticker: But it’s a huge component of downtown you have zero control over.
Derenzy: Zero. We work with the Opera House and their board. We had Old Town Playhouse down here for the Halloween Walk. So having a stronger relationship with the State Theatre is a need and priority.

Ticker: OK, a few rapid fire questions and answers. What’s the biggest complaint you get from local stakeholders about downtown?
Derenzy: I would say parking.

Ticker: Biggest compliment you get?
Derenzy: The success. The people are here and the doors are open and businesses are doing well. 

Ticker: Percentage chance the west end parking deck gets going in 2023.
Derenzy: It will not in 2023, no.

Ticker: Thoughts about Hagerty layoffs and the effect on downtown.
Derenzy: They have such a huge footprint and it does have an impact downtown. It goes back to what we have identified as a board that we have to diversify our economy quickly, and work with our partner Traverse Connect to bring in more office workers. 

Ticker: One sentence about why we still need a DDA.
Derenzy: For the viability of downtown.

Ticker: How will the DDA look different in 10 years?
Derenzy: The focus will always change…to respond to international, national, local impacts on a downtown, office to retail…the dynamics are ever-changing. 

Ticker: The number one project you want to complete in 2023.
Derenzy: I’d say the lower Boardman. 

Ticker: Grade your performance on the job.
Derenzy: B. You always leave room for improvement, and that’s what I always strive for. For a downtown you can never give yourself an A. You just can’t sit back ever in this position.