City invites residents to weigh in on the future of the Beckley Road corridor

BATTLE CREEK — The city is working on a new vision for the the Beckley Road corridor and invites the public to weigh in during a community visioning session April 25.

The session, slated from 5 to 7 p.m. April 25 at the Lakeview Square Mall, is open to all community members, including residents, business owners, students and stakeholders interested in shaping the future of the community.

The session will be held in the central atrium of the mall. The closest mall entrance is around the back, on the I-94 side of the mall.

"We are working with consultant Progressive AE to rethink what the Beckley corridor could look like with future redevelopment, to increase the economic vitality and attractiveness of this aging part of the city," city officials said in a news release. "This work will incorporate housing opportunities, day and night uses, and better mobility for cars, pedestrians, and public transit, while enhancing the area’s natural environment."

The Battle Creek City Commission approved this assessment project last fall, estimated to cost $288,833 and paid for by American Rescue Plan Act funds. There are no plans for immediate projects following this assessment, "but it is a needed step to help guide future opportunities," city officials said.

Throughout the process, residents can give feedback about Beckley Road and what they'd like to see in the corridor via an online form on the city's website, battlecreekmi.gov.

For more information about the session, email Eric Kehoe at ekehoe@weareprogressive.com.

Contact reporter Greyson Steele at gsteele@battlecreekenquirer.com

This article originally appeared on Battle Creek Enquirer: Community invited to Beckley Road visioning session April 25