IPR's Dan Wanschura talks with Traverse City planner Russ Soyring about his 35-year career.
“Anytime that you’re involved with a community like Traverse City that is fully engaged and citizens care very much about it – it will always remain a challenging job,” Soyring says.
“I think that’s really great because it makes your job very interesting.”
One of the challenges Soyring navigated is how to honor Traverse City’s rich history and traditions with a desire to change and adapt. He says a good example is the Grand Traverse Commons.
The former psychiatric hospital was eventually closed and the state considered tearing down the buildings. But the community rallied to save the sprawling campus and surrounding parklands.