VeeFan

Is the Brown Sugar Cafe serving just coffee, or is it going to have sandwiches and other finger foods too?

I think the Times still went through Spring, because I picked up a new issue in June. But when I was up at U of M getting my books last week, it was still the same issue on the stands. I don't see why they would stop completely all of a sudden, so expect to see updates happen once the Fall semester gets under swing. [.color]

We had an article about this in the Flint Journal last week, and we were talking about it in the River Town and Flint River thread.

There should be an asterisk next to the Flint school system denoting the number of schools that have had to close due to financial problems within the past few years. I actually think that this year has been one of the better years in terms of crime. It's still high, but I don't think this year has been as bad as just a few years ago where it seemed like there was a murder occurring every day practically. As for 19th-century architecture, try Crossroads Village. But Carriage Town is probably the best bet, the Whaley House, and there are possibly a few other houses scattered across the city that have managed to avoid the wrecking ball.

I love spiral staircases! Very nice pictures. Remind me again how this skylight works again. Does is make up an atrium on the second floor, or the first floor?

Did you get any pictures of the LBC lofts? Those sound really nice!

They need to turn one of those rooftops into a garden, just to give the loft residents something to look at other than concrete and bricks. lol

University Village Plaza on Saginaw and Wood Streets has finally gotten a tenant! There was an article in the Journal last week about how the owner of the Plaza was tired of waiting for tenants to sign the agreement so he finally started his own business (clothing I think) to be the first tenant. Supposedly two restaurants and another business are in the process of being signed up. I hope they agree to the deal!

I hope it's something like Papa John's or Cottage Inn Pizza that's going in the Pavilion. lol

I wish there could be something more than just an ATM going in at Windmill Place, but development is development. Hopefully if I wake up in time tomorrow, I'll be able to see the new sign on the Lofts when I go to U of M in the morning. I don't know why, but I love seeing new signage. Maybe it's just an indication of how much downtown is starting to revitalize.

Interesting building, the picture is a good find! Any idea where it was located in Flint, and why it was torn down? On my way to FIM today I noticed that part of the parking lot of Windmill Place was being redone (curbs replaces, asphalt being torn up, etc.), so it makes me wonder if there are plans for Windmill Place in the near future. It wouldn't make sense just for this work to be done solely for the sake of Rally's, or at least I'd hope it wouldn't be!

Me going into any bookstore is dangerous, mostly for my wallet. And being an unemployed college student at the current time is makes the situation even more dangerous. lol I'd really like to check Pages' out, but it'd be bad for me to do so right now. I'm finally finished with Spring classes, and other than getting some forms for an internship I'm applying for, I'm not downtown as much right now. But hopefully once Fall rolls around there will be more projects (Rowe building...lol) for me to check out. I'm sure there's a lot of interior work going on at the LBC and the Brown Sugar Cafe, but I agree that exterior work seems to have stagnated for the moment. I just remembered about this, but about a month ago it looked like the Soggy Bottom Bar and a few other stores in that area of MLK between (Third?) and Fifth Ave. took it upon themselves to improve the streetfronts by doing a little landscaping. It definitely spruces the area up.

I found the big article from a few months ago that the Journal featured on the 400 and 500 block redevelopment, and the new facades have been following the sketches in the paper down to every detail. If the other facade projects follow the sketches as well, we're in for some very nice facades downtown. And I was surprised that the blue divider on the LBC was even in there!

The mysterious scaffolding has returned on the State Building.

But the cafe was never painted, the bricks were that dark brown to begin with. But I have to say the red does make the building have a more updated look. Now if something could just be done with that monstrosity of a frontage J. London's has. lol

Curious...I wonder why they didn't continue the modern look all the way to the top. That blue divider just makes to look worse.

Jewelry World moved into its new location at the Mad Hatter yesterday, but it's staying open in its current location until the end of the month to clear everything out that they're not taking with them. I'm going to take a guess and say we won't see any development until late-July to early-August.

I actually saw people working on the Republic Bank this morning when I was on my way to class. Looks like they're working on the upper floors now.

But wasn't the reconstruction of 3rd Ave. supposed to coincide with some project for expanding the Kettering campus? And more windows went up on the modern side of the LBC, and it's looking better everytime I see it! I still haven't a clue what the crane is doing on Marion Hall. I could see a little bit of working happening as I left U of M today, and it looks like there's something being done to the back of it. I can only hope they're adding a second floor to the row of buildings next to Marion Hall.

Is 3rd Ave. getting the streescape for sure?

Atwood Stadium renovations have gotten a boost today. $100,000 has been donated by Robaire Smith, and the Mott Foundation is providing a $300,000 grant, that has to be matched in public donations. Work is expected to be underway late this summer to restore the wrought iron gates and install classic light fixtures, among other things.

That's what I was thinking too, but the crane is around the back of Marion Hall, not in a good position to do the lighting on the mural.

I'm not sure what's going on, but there's been a crane behind Marion Hall all this week. And I have to say, the Brown Sugar Caf

What's CNN doing in Swartz Creek? They used to do that same thing at Flushing and there were water balloon fights too. But by my Freshman year they had to stop it because some people thought it'd be funny to put bleach in some of the balloons...

Looks like all the windows are in now on the brick side of the LBC. I'm really curious to know how the inside is going to look.