Imagining What's Next for Downtown Duluth

Downtown Duluth is more than a business district, it’s the center of our region. It’s where people come together to work, eat, shop, and connect, and it plays a vital role in the economic and cultural health of the entire Boreal Waters area.

That’s why the Imagine Downtown initiative matters. The five-year work plan outlines how community partners can revitalize downtown into a vibrant, safe, and welcoming neighborhood. Led by Downtown Duluth, with support from Boreal Waters Community Foundation, the City of Duluth and others, the plan is built on a clear premise: no one is coming to fix this for us. Progress will come from local collaboration and action.

Why This Work Matters

‍

Like downtowns across the country, Duluth’s city center has changed significantly in recent years. Remote work, shifting retail patterns, and public safety concerns have challenged traditional downtown economies. The Imagine Downtown plan is a proactive response to those challenges. Through surveys, focus groups, and public meetings, more than 1,500 residents, business owners, and visitors shared their priorities for the next five years.

The most common themes include:

• Downtown should be safe and welcoming for everyone.
• It should be connected and walkable.
• It should support local businesses and celebrate Duluth’s character and history.

‍

Turning Vision Into Action

‍

At Boreal Waters, our role was to help make this planning process possible by providing a $150,000 matching grant from our Knight Fund that supported community engagement and plan development. As Boreal Waters President & CEO Shaun Floerke said at the press event:

We can admire the problem forever, or we can roll up our sleeves. This plan had to start with community voice, and it had to be an action plan, not just theory. The easy part is done. Now the hard work begins.

The Imagine Downtown work plan focuses on five key areas:

• Quality of Life and Safety: Building partnerships to ensure a clean, safe, and welcoming downtown.
• Housing: Creating 1,500 new residential units to make downtown a true neighborhood.
• Neighborhood Amenities: Expanding access to food, markets, and essential services.
• Infrastructure: Improving walkability and connectivity to surrounding neighborhoods and the lakefront.
• Economic Development: Strengthening small businesses and attracting new investment.

You can read more about these strategies in the Imagine Downtown Duluth Executive Summary and Full Work Plan.

‍

A Shared Commitment

‍

This effort aligns closely with Boreal Waters’ mission to strengthen local communities through collaboration and investment. Downtown Duluth’s success supports the broader regional economy and quality of life across northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin.

Looking Ahead

‍

The planning phase is complete, the implementation has already begun. Working groups are now forming to move the plan forward, guided by clear metrics and accountability.

Boreal Waters is proud to be part of this next chapter for Duluth and the region. When downtown thrives, our whole community benefits.