With the help of PHOTO SHOP… And Roberta The paint is clean and fresh The rust is removed from the bolts

Mobile Watch

Events

Mobile Watch Events Area Plan

Mobile Watch Events Area Plan Business Block Captains

Mobile Watch Events Area Plan Business Block Captains Joint Marketing

Did you know more than 15,000 cars use the Leonard Street Corridor? …I:30 PM on a Thursday afternoon

Did you know more than15,000 cars use the Leonard Street Corridor? If they are not stopping at your business, where are they going?

Did you know more than 15,000 cars use the Leonard Street Corridor? If they are not stopping at your business, where are they going? What do they see when they are on the street?

Vacancies

Walkability

Storefronts

Walkability Storefronts Building Maintenance

Walkability Currently our residents use whatever means to get from point A to point B via the most direct method available. There is no respect for the personal property of others; a fence is something that is hopped over, a garden is something that is walked through, and a sidewalk is for decoration.

Storefronts Are used as a newspaper ad, filling up as much glass space as possible, so that a potential customer has access only to what is featured, and not stop in see what there is to offer.

Building Maintenance Façade appearance is comparable to a book cover. It tells the potential customer what type of business owner you are. Our block captains took a walkthrough of their blocks. A new type of understanding of what their block had to offer brought to some a sparkle, while to others a sense of hope, desire to see in some cases improvements, they also saw the vacant, broken, undesirable buildings, and knew instantly that changing the face of West Leonard needed to start right there.

First and foremost, WLBA is here to help, organize, and share in whatever business venues are within its boundaries.

WLBA is a consortium of business, services, education, and neighborhoods, which are constantly looking for ways to increase our businesses, awareness, and ultimately the perception of shopping and visiting locally.

First and foremost, WLBA is here to help, organize, and share in whatever business venues are within its boundaries. WLBA is a consortium of businesses, services, education, and neighborhoods. We are constantly looking for ways to increase our businesses, awareness, and ultimately change the perception of shopping and visiting locally. With the cooperation of our friends and neighbors, we will transform the West Leonard corridor into the vital, thriving district it once was, and make it the new and inviting place to work, shop and live.

WLBA is using the Broken Windows theory as a basis for positive reinforcement to compliance: Consider a building with a few broken windows. If the windows are not repaired, the tendency is for vandals to break a few more windows. Eventually, they may even break into the building, and if it's unoccupied, perhaps become squatters or light fires inside. Or consider a sidewalk. Some litter accumulates. Soon, more litter accumulates. Eventually, people even start leaving bags of trash from take-out restaurants there or breaking into cars. A successful strategy for preventing vandalism, say the book's authors, is to fix the problems when they are small. Repair the broken windows within a short time, say, a day or a week, and the tendency is that vandals are much less likely to break more windows or do further damage. Clean up the sidewalk every day, and the tendency is for litter not to accumulate (or for the rate of littering to be much less). Problems do not escalate and thus respectable residents do not flee a neighborhood.

Sidewalks – should have all weeds removed from the cracks

Bushes – should be trimmed to 3’ in height or less

Sidewalks – should have all weeds removed from the cracks Bushes – should be trimmed to 3’ in height or less Trees – should have at least a six foot clearance from root to branch.

Sidewalks – should have all weeds removed from the cracks Bushes – should be trimmed to 3’ in height or less Trees – should have at least a six foot clearance from root to branch. Trash – this should be a daily routine to police the outside of your building.

Sidewalks – should have all weeds removed from the cracks Bushes – should be trimmed to 3’ in height or less Trees – should have at least a six foot clearance from root to branch. Trash – this should be a daily routine to police the outside of your building. Façade Perception - One of the long lost characteristics of generations past was the storekeeper wearing his apron and sweeping the front of his store, while greeting his friends and neighbors as they entered. That is something we need to get back to.

Sidewalks – should have all weeds removed from the cracks Bushes – should be trimmed to 3’ in height or less Trees – should have at least a six foot clearance from root to branch. Trash – this should be a daily routine to police the outside of your building. One of the long lost characteristics of generations past was the storekeeper wearing his apron and sweeping the front of his store, while greeting his friends and neighbors as they entered. That is something we need to get back to. Landscaping – the upkeep of all landscaping should be neat and tidy.

Smoking Ban – this has brought out groups of people who stand in doorways, some without that smoking bucket to put the butts in. Make room for your smokers, with the appropriate receptacles to place their discarded butts.

Remember one of the greatest things about your smokers – is they are your new built in neighborhood watch, and they don’t even know it. Furthermore, the sight of your patrons all gathered together in a huddle in the front of your building can also intimidate would be consumers, deterring them from stopping at your business or the surrounding businesses.

Structures – should be solid, and well maintained.

All parts of your building and/or façade should be intact There should be no peeling paint or bare wood showing

Storefronts – signs or advertisements should occupy no more than 25% of any window space per City Ordinance. The CPTED theory suggest no more than 15% City of Grand Rapids Zoning Code Section article S

Storefronts – signs or advertisements should occupy no more than 25% of any window space per City Ordinance. The CPTED theory suggest no more than 15% All cash registers should have a window view, with no signs or structures blocking the sight line and this means for customers viewing from the outside as well as customers viewing from the inside. Windows should be lit, and a great crime prevention tool is to keep these lights on at all times. This will show off what you have to offer to all potential customers when they drive by. Appearance of windows is an asset to your area. Window washing should be a part of your weekly maintenance. Displays – remember that sometimes less is more, and trying to place all your wares in your windows is not attractive. This creates a negative atmosphere for not only your storefront, but the store front of others who work alongside of you.

Signs – we should all make sure our store signs are well maintained and intact.

No peeling paint Well lit so that everyone knows who you are and where you are. Some signs are grandfathered in, and changing them to a match your façade does not seem cost efficient or necessary, however this could enhance your business and the business around you.

As business owners, our goal is to promote not only your business but the businesses of your neighbors. Changing the face of our business district will create new business, a profitable market, a safe and viable environment, which in turn creates a walkable, and lucrative neighborhood.

Taking one step at a time, we will change the face of Leonard Street and build a strong future for generations to come.