Tools for Creating and Strengthening Main Street Districts

SEMCOG recently introduced two new resources the Main Street Handbook and Main Street Checklist, two new resources designed to help communities plan for downtown and main street revitalization. These tools support both long established downtowns and communities working to create or reimagine a Main Street for the first time. Interest in the topic was clear with more than 30 participants joining the Introduction to the Main Street Handbook and Checklist webinar from communities large and small across Southeast Michigan.

View overview of the resources

The webinar opened with an overview of the Main Street Handbook and Checklist. These tools are designed to work together, the checklist can be used on site to evaluate strengths and gaps while the handbook provides deeper guidance examples and implementation strategies. Topics include pedestrian experience and safety, land use and zoning, mobility and access, green space and environment, image and character, and business support. The resources are intentionally focused on how SEMCOG’s planning data and technical assistance can support communities at every stage.

Pedestrian Safety and Experience

Brian Pawlik, Planner III, SEMCOG’s Transportation Modeling and Mobility, followed with a discussion on main street safety and design. Through examples from communities across the region, Pawlik showed how design elements such as curb extensions, wide sidewalks, pocket parks, pedestrian crossings, grid street plans, and multimodal connections can improve safety while making main streets more welcoming for people walking, biking, and spending time downtown. The presentation (part 1 and part 2) includes examples from each county.  

Streetscape Projects in Detroit

The webinar concluded with a local case study from Kim Tandy, District 2 Manager, City of Detroit Mayor’s Office, focused on the Livernois-McNichols corridor, also known as the Avenue of Fashion. This streetscape transformation demonstrates how coordinated investment in design, mobility, and business support can revitalize a main street.  

The project reduced an overly wide roadway, added 24-foot sidewalks to support cafe seating, added raised bike lanes, improved lighting, removed a median, and added landscaping between pedestrians and traffic. These changes shortened crossing distances at high crash intersections and slowed vehicle speeds that were once dangerously high. Along Livernois, a former department store has been redeveloped to include retail at the ground level and 12 apartments above. This marks the first time in decades that people are living above businesses on the corridor and has encouraged walkability and daily activity. 

On McNichols, a complementary streetscape project addressed speeding and pedestrian safety through improved lighting, refreshed landscaping, dedicated parking, upgraded sidewalks, bike lanes, and bus stop improvements. Together, these projects have reduced crashes, slowed traffic, and supported new business openings. According to Tandy, vacancy along Livernois has dropped from roughly 25 percent to about 1 percent, and McNichols has seen nine new businesses open since construction was completed. 

Equally important was the process behind the physical changes. The city held extensive community engagement before during and after construction including nearly 150 meetings. Businesses were supported through frequent updates marketing assistance a temporary shuttle to replace lost parking and innovative programs such as the Livernois Soup crowdfunding initiative which raised more than $155,000 for local businesses during construction.

The project team also shared lessons, including the need for adequate watering and shade in large concrete corridors, carefully planning the location of garden beds, which can interfere with exiting parked cars onto the sidewalk, and the value of adaptable design solutions such as self-watering planters and revised curb treatments. 

Together, the Main Street Handbook, the Main Street Checklist, and the regional case studies highlighted show how thoughtful design, strong partnerships, and sustained engagement can transform a main street corridor. Whether revitalizing a historic downtown or planning a new main street, these resources provide a clear, practical framework for building safer, more vibrant destinations where people want to visit, live, and invest.