Northwest Lower Michigan’s diversity of office buildings is matched only by the assortment of tenants: from large financial institutions and insurance companies to homebased accountants and travel agents.  While large offices drive the regional economy by generating business opportunities for other support services, smaller firms offer a wide range of specialties.  Local communities benefit when offices are located near residential and institutional areas through a balance in land uses and the resulting pedestrian traffic throughout the day and evening.  Whether a cluster of rooms above a retail establishment or large, multi-story buildings, offices can function as a transition between low and high usage areas (e.g., residential and retail areas), as well as within a mixed-use building (e.g., retail on the ground floor, offices on second, residential on the third).  With thoughtful, quality design, offices throughout Northwest Lower Michigan can be developed to complement both the surrounding neighborhood and region.