Minding the Central Corridor store

Everyone wants to see a thriving, diverse business community along the Central Corridor. And no one cares about its future more than the people already doing business along University Avenue.

The Business Development Taskforce grew out of a series of informal meetings among public agencies, area nonprofits, and local businesses concerned about parking and disruption during construction of the Central Corridor Light Rail Transit project.

From there, a “First Friday” group began sharing information and seeking answers to a variety of questions related to construction mitigation, business support, marketing, property tax and special assessments, timing and duration of construction, and overall communication.

It soon became clear there was no single entity minding the Central Corridor store from a business and economic development perspective. No public agency had all the answers to the concerns — and some questions couldn’t yet be answered. This information void contributed to small business fears that nothing was being done to ensure their survival during and after construction.

The Business Development Taskforce has evolved as a way to work together toward a common vision and to plan short- and long-term actions that will allow businesses to survive and thrive as LRT moves forward.

If you care about business in the Central Corridor, our group will be a place for you to plug in, share ideas and, before long, to get resources.

Jim Roth, Chair, Business Development Taskforce
Executive Director, Metropolitan Consortium of Community Developers