Land of Oz

Saginaw Continued

I've given some thought to what might be done to help Saginaw recover its past glory. Or at least put a hold on its current decline. I think one of the big problems with Saginaw is that it is at the end of the supply line. If you look at a map, Saginaw is stuck up towards the top of a peninsula. It isn't on the way to anywhere. To get here, you have to drive up to Saginaw and then back down to wherever. At one time the river led to other places, but those days are past. The main route to Canada is farther south through Detroit and Port Huron. Again, to get to Saginaw from those places, you have to go up the Saginaw and then back down.

Look at other Great Lake cities like Toledo, Gary, Toronto, and Chicago for example. If you ship something there, you can keep on going without having to doubleback on your route. I think any type of industry is pretty much dead in the water, so to speak, for the Saginaw area. Having to ship stuff here and doubleback on the route is just too much waste for today's business. Saginaw has to find something that doesn't need shipping.

The biggest growing business here is medical. Other than the occasional small-scale manufacturer, I think that's about it. However, I think a people intensive business might do well here. Like a service call center or some type of mail fulfillment center. There are colleges in the area that can be tapped for expertise and supply trained people. Saginaw Valley University, Central Michigan, Delta College, and Northwood University are all four year colleges near by. Housing is really cheap and the area has a lot offer new residents. Low traffic, good medical care, and a low-stress rural atmosphere should be able to draw employees. Why fight a one or two hour commute in some city south of here, when you can drive to work in 15 or 20 minutes. There are some great buildings still in the city, that could easily be converted to new use. I can think of a couple of multistory buildings right on the river just crying to be reused.

While I don't the river is still a viable business option, it still bodes well for recreational use. Fishing and boating are still a draw and Saginaw offers a lot of both. Condos and offices on the riverfront should be a big draw for professional people. You could build and offer a lot of value in riverfront construction for pretty low costs. Saginaw isn't completely dead, but could really use some serious influx of business.

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