Critical Mass the Lost Component of Downtown - Fall/Winter 2001

As our office vacancy increases and businesses are “right-sizing,” our whole downtown feels the loss of those employees. Retailers and restaurants depend on the daytime office crowds to enliven their stores and bottom lines. While our condo market downtown is lively, often the condo buyer is an investor or part-time resident who lives here only in the winter months. The year-round stability of office users is the fuel that maintains downtown’s vitality and generates the critical mass that will keep retailers and restauranteurs afloat off-season.