Jim Carruthers | Author

Promises Made, Promises Kept

May 20, 2023

Several decades ago (mid 1990s), Traverse City convened area businesses and citizens to talk about “blight” in downtown. They formed the Downtown Development Authority (DDA) TIF Advisory Committee, whose mission was to come up with a plan to do something about it.

A ta... Read More >>

Looking at the Next Master Plan

Oct. 8, 2022

As the City Commission and Downtown Development Authority review our Master Plan, it’s important they consider decades of planning that got us to this point.

Several themes have prevailed, and it’s important these governmental bodies understand that planning does not m... Read More >>