EAST LANSING, Mich. (WLNS) – As the weather warms up, East Lansing and Lansing city and business officials are working to keep their respective downtowns busy.
Music, lawn games and giveaways kicked off the return of Albert El Fresco Thursday evening in Spartan country. The closed portion of Albert Avenue in East Lansing has been a part of the city’s playbook to draw in business to downtown when many Michigan State University students are back home for the summer.
That’s a customer base many restaurants and stores on the avenue depend on. But shutting down part of Albert Avenue keeps the area busy.
“We can have a place that brings people downtown, brings foot traffic to our businesses, and keeps this community as vibrant as we know it all is,” said East Lansing community and economic development specialist Matt Apostle.
He says business owners have said the plaza not only helps with brand awareness and bring in potential customers.
“It also financially beneficial to them, increases the foot traffic and brings people to their doors.” Apostle says. “We have gotten great feedback from businesses on this updated layout.”