Sandusky Main Street and the City of Sandusky contracted Anderson Economic Group (AEG) to develop a strategic plan to enhance its historic downtown which is situated along Sandusky Bay and Lake Erie.
To assess public concerns, habits, and preferences, AEG conducted an on-line survey and met with key project and district stakeholders. The on-line survey, which was promoted in the local newspaper and on stakeholder websites, received over 350 responses. After evaluating the survey and stakeholder responses, AEG analyzed market characteristics of Sandusky and Erie County (including the area’s demographic and socioeconomic profile), and the retail composition, spending behavior of its residents, and the implied opportunities for growth and expansion of specific retail categories. Through a supply – demand analysis, primary data analysis, market assessment, and interviews with local realtors, we also determined the number of residential units – both owner occupied and rental – at specific price ranges the local market could support.
Results from each of these analyses provided insight into the unique opportunities for future growth, and strategies the community can use to achieve their vision. AEG completed this project with strategies and specific recommendations for increasing residential use and diversifying the retail and entertainment offerings in the district. We provided the Sandusky Main Street with our analysis, key findings, and recommendations in a loose-bound report, complete with executive summary and appendices. Included in the appendices are detailed results from the public outreach process, demographic and socioeconomic analysis, several custom maps, methodology, and complete findings from the residential and retail supply-demand analyses. As a final task, we made presentations of our findings and the strategy to both the Main Street Organization and the Sandusky City Commission.