The Cost of an Empty Downtown

When we talk about revitalizing downtown Welland, we often talk about attracting new businesses, new development, housing and investment. All of that matters.

But I think we also need to look at what is already here — and why so much of it isn't being used: Empty storefronts. Vacant buildings. Unfinished renovations. Empty lots.

Individually, these might seem like private property issues. Collectively, they affect the entire downtown.

A storefront that stays empty for years means less activity on the street. A building that remains unfinished contributes to the perception that nothing is happening. A vacant lot breaks up the continuity of the downtown and removes another opportunity for housing, business or public use.

When enough of these properties accumulate, they can create a cycle that's difficult to break. Fewer people come downtown. Businesses have a harder time. Potential investors see uncertainty. More spaces remain empty. And perception becomes part of the problem.

So what can the City do?

There isn't one magic solution, and Council can't simply tell private property owners what to do with their buildings. But the City does have some tools.

Community Improvement Plans can provide financial incentives for eligible improvements, such as building rehabilitation, façade improvements and other forms of redevelopment. Welland is currently reviewing its Downtown and Connected Districts CIP, so this is an opportunity to examine whether those incentives are actually addressing the problems we see on the ground.

Property standards and vacant-building enforcement can deal with buildings that are unsafe, unsecured or poorly maintained. That's different from forcing an owner to open a business, but it does establish a basic level of responsibility.

There are also less complicated tools. The City could encourage temporary uses for vacant storefronts — pop-ups, exhibitions, local artists, community projects and short-term retail. An empty window doesn't have to remain an empty window while a permanent tenant is being found. The City can also look at how to make better use of existing buildings, including incentives that encourage unused upper floors to become housing.

And then there is the more difficult question of long-term vacant properties and land banking. This is where I think we need a broader discussion.

A property owner has rights. But when a strategically important downtown property sits unused for years, there are consequences beyond that property.

The community continues to invest in the streets, sidewalks, infrastructure and public spaces around it, while the property contributes little to the economic life of the area.

That doesn't mean every vacant property should be penalized. It means we should distinguish between a property that is temporarily vacant, one that is genuinely being redeveloped, and one that has remained inactive for years with no apparent progress. Those situations shouldn't necessarily be treated the same way.

We don't need to start from scratch. Welland already has many of the ingredients of a good downtown. The canal and trails. Restaurants. Independent businesses. Professional services. Arts and culture. Historic buildings. Public spaces. People who care about the community.

The challenge is connecting those pieces and making better use of the spaces between them.

Downtown revitalization shouldn't just be about bringing in the next big project.

It should also be about getting existing properties back into productive use.

That means using the tools we already have more effectively, being creative about temporary uses, encouraging rehabilitation and redevelopment, enforcing basic property standards, and having an honest conversation about what should happen when properties remain vacant or stalled for years.

I don't pretend there is one answer. But I do think this deserves to be part of the downtown conversation — especially while the City's downtown improvement plan is being reviewed.

What should we be doing differently with the empty and underused properties downtown? I'd like to hear what other people think.