What is the Southside BIZ?
The Southside Business Improvement Zone (The BIZ, for short) is a public body established under Michigan law to invest in and improve the State Street area on Ann Arbor's south side.
Our purpose is straightforward: coordinate the people, resources, and partnerships needed to transform this district into a neighborhood where people actually want to be – to work, shop, dine, stay, move, play, and live.
Creating a Neighborhood Where You’ll Choose Your Own Adventure
DINE
WORK
SHOP
LIVE
PLAY
MOVE
STAY
State Street is Ann Arbor’s gateway and the largest commercial district in Washtenaw County. The offices, retail stores, hotels, restaurants, and cafes in this neighborhood see thousands of people coming and going every day. What we’ve lacked is a unified organization with the authority and resources to shape how it all comes together and help this area reach its full potential as a neighborhood.
For years, individual businesses and property owners could imagine that potential but had no real mechanism to act on it collectively. Ann Arbor SPARK, the City of Ann Arbor, and Oxford Companies worked together to change that. They pushed the BIZ concept forward and navigated the significant undertaking of encouraging a necessary change in state law. All that work paid off: When property owners in the district were asked to vote on the BIZ, 96% said yes.
The BIZ Map
Green = Southside BIZ
Blue = U-M Property
Click to enlarge!
How We're Organized
Simply put, Southside BIZ is a coalition of businesses and organizations local to Ann Arbor’s Southside. More technically, we are a public body established under Michigan law, funded by a self-imposed tax assessment among property owners, and governed by a board of directors. This structure gives us the stability and authority to coordinate with the City of Ann Arbor, MDOT, Pittsfield Township, and other regional stakeholders over the long term.
Our Purpose
The BIZ is focused on making the Southside a place where people choose to be, not just pass through. A genuine neighborhood where residents, workers, and visitors can move around with ease, enjoy public spaces, and feel at home.
We pursue that through investments in beautification, public art, wayfinding, and infrastructure – always in partnership with the City and regional stakeholders. For a look at what's on the horizon, visit The Roadmap.