Birmingham Ponders Kicking Offices Out Of Downtown

BIRMINGHAM, MI — While America’s move toward online shopping is hurting large and medium-sized retailers nationwide, it’s also affecting suburban downtowns in metropolitan Detroit. Now, in places like Birmingham, city leaders are struggling to figure out and define what the right mix is between retail, restaurants and office space.

It make come down to court action in Birmingham, according to a Detroit Free Press report. The city is considering changing an ordinance change that would exclude business services, medical, dental and/or mental health services. A group of downtown business owners, and landlords are vowing to fight the change with litigation.

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"Business owners and our resident members alike believe that your actions will place the city at a competitive disadvantage," attorney Paul Magy wrote to city officials earlier this month. "The proposed changes will have a devastating effect on the city’s commercial tax base. We are prepared to initiate litigation if warranted."

“Esshaki said eliminating things like medical, dental, brokerage houses, banking, real estate offices would mean fewer people downtown.”

For more, go to the Detroit Free Press.

Photo by Ken Lund via Flickr Commons.