We all remember back in the day when the Pontiac Silverdome hosted the Super Bowl on Jan. 24, 1982.
Michigan was in the midst of recession/depression and downtown Pontiac looked downright pathetic. Some bars re-opened just for the week. The downtown screamed "depression."
Fast forward to today.
Some residents and business people talk about Pontiac's revival and say it could be the next Royal Oak or Ferndale.
Dustin Blitchok of the Oakland Press reports that artists and developers are driving a revival of the downtown.
He writes:
Major projects either completed or underway include the redevelopment of a former Sears department store into the Lafayette Place Lofts and Lafayette Market; the renovation of the Strand Theatre; the opening of a wine cellar, painting studio and bakery at the former Whiskey’s Steakhouse; the transformation of the former Clutch Cargo’s nightclub back into a church, Grace Gospel Fellowship; a planned revamp of the McLaren Oakland emergency room and streetscape; and more.
“There’s incredible potential. This has got to be the biggest suburban downtown in terms of square footage and history. There’s a lot to build off of,” said Michael Boettcher, who has just signed a contract to become the Pontiac Downtown Business Association's downtown manager.
