RustTown

I agree. With all of that said, it doesn't have to be personal. I feel that it is inately human that developers try and work the system as much as they can, and for the average citizen and its city government to demand much as it can of developers. It's two sides of a whole, IMO. IMO, central cities have concede far too much to many developers, and the balance is currently tilted their favor. Of course there are exceptions, but this is my general view on things at the moment. I think it's good for both sides to realize that you're not going to win everything that you want, and that concessions on both sides must be made.

Most township surrounding sizeable cities are charter. Actually, that was a huge reason charter townships were created (just 50 or so years ago). It was to keep cities and villages from annexing land. Michigan is very similar to many northeastern states in that its townships almost have as much power as incorporated cities and villages.

Actually, I'm for asking more. Council regulars are simply for killing development, period.

There was only ONE opinion I agreed with tonight concerning tax breaks, and that was from a southside regular, who's a pretty smart guy and always handles himself relatively well. I forget his name, but all that he offered tonight was that the council quit acting like a door mat to the business community, and I completely agree. In fact, this goes for other municipalities in Michigan such as Detroit, Flint, Kazoo...that is that cities start demanding more of the business community when they look to build in a city, and yes, that means sometimes risking pushing a few developers away. For instance, the city should have at least tried harder to get Gillespie to build the city a parking garage behind the stadium district. They did this with the Boji's, and I don't see why they didn't push harder on this one, especially seeing as how cities concede SO much in giving developers what they want (countless city abatements not to mention all of the state and federal abatements these developers already get). Cities should start demanding more of developers in helping to rebuild the areas where these development are going, meaning helping pay for or building new sidewalks and other infastructure around the development. And for key pieces of land (i.e. Stadium District Lot), the city should already have a stringent plan in place so as to weed out potentially bad developments. Luckily, the Stadium District is a fairly effective proposal, but the Boji Complex land, for instance, should have been held to higher standards (i.e. better architecture, nothing under 12 stories....). As is always taught us, it never hurts to ask, so why is the city so incredibly afraid of offending developers as if they run the cities instead of the cities running them? Lansing needs to do what Grand Rapids and Ann Arbor does, and that is demanding more bang for their buck. They should come from the prespective that developers should be thankful to the city for letting them develop these lands. That may be a little strong, but the city must come from a tougher stance if we want to get the best for Lansing.

I wouldn't expect a labortory building, and especially at this location to be flashy. If anything, it makes more since to keep it plain and unrecognizable. BTW, did you watch the whole meeting? Damn, the regulars are getting down-right nasty and rabid. They need animal control in there. It makes me want to go there just to offer the other side. They were complaining about EVERYTHING tonight.

Source?

Since this is off topic, I finally got around to uploading the LSJ clipping of what was originally proposed at Shiawassee and Grand a few years back. Unfortunately, the new proposal is something I hear it much less spectacular. I hope we here some more about this this year:

Yeah, the land goes far to the north all the way behind the VOA shelter. At one time, before the building on the corner was demolished, this land was a "tent city" if you remember. The homeless used to camp out back. It was a very interesting site to say the least. As for the Arbaugh, they are stilling waiting for businesses. I think it has space for three businesses, and only one is committed, and it's one of the businesses that worked on the renovation of the building. Right across the street in the former Marshall Music Building, though, will be the new home of the Greenhouse Bistro (http://www.greenhousebistro.net/) that's currently located on the second floor of the Bancroft Flowers Building a couple of blocks east of Sparrow. It's supposed to be moving in any time. Unfortunately, Capitol Fur has moved out just a storefront or two to the south. Hopefully, something will fill their place. Also, the building directly adjacent to the north of the Ranney Building downtown has been COMPLETELY gutted. I mean, they removed the entire front of the building leaving a gapping hole. This is a project by Diamonds in the Rough, as well. They've also put up scaffolding at the Ranney that covers the sidewalk. I'll have to get a pic. Lastly, the Printer's Row is really coming along. They are quite visible even when driving up Washington.

That land has been sitting vacant for years, and not surpringly, it is owned by the Eyde's. Go figure. They are probably asking and arm an a leg for it, and it looks almost as bad as it did with the vacant building. I remember when the building was still in use, in fact. Now, the site is used as temporary parking for Lugnuts games. The Larch/Cedar Corridor is one that I would love to see become a revitalized warehouse district with retail and residential wherever it can fit in. BTW, I was just taking a drive to day to survey developments going on across the city and was surprised with how busy downtown was on a Sunday afternoon. Not even two years ago I would have been able to go down there are not see a soul. There was a convention going on at the Lansing Center, but most of the people downtown looked to be Cooley students. It really looks like the residential options are finally paying off, and there is only more to come.

I think I remember Cemex saying they were simply moving their operation further downriver...

I was simply amazed that there was this much going on under the radar regionally, particularly Meridian Township teaming with Lansing on a non-binding, but symbolically important agreement, as well as Clinton and Eaton counties. I hope everyone at least sticks halfway to this. Many metropolitan areas across this state, in particular, would kill for this type of regional cooperation.

I see my tongue-in-cheek joke didn't work, despite my efforts with the smiley. Just forget it.

While the new facade leaves much to be desired, it is far better than what was there before, and I'd hardly be so harsh as to call it "trash." I really wish Stockwell would do something more with the facade of the downtown YMCA branch, and the same with Kositcheks. Especially the latter who's been downtown for over 100 years.

Ian, You sure you didn't see the Nine-on-Third in Midtown development?

Losing the library wouldn't be a problem. They would simply have to relocate it for a time in some empty office space downtown. I think it's pretty safe to say that this one is coming down. I also think it's safe to assume that Accident Funds bought their new space for their own use in the future, so that's out of the equation. I see them only using the Towne Centre Building, the gravel lot, and the library land sections. BTW, this is all a concept, there are no proposals, and this is far too early to know for sure what the entire development will include. We do know it will serve as an auditorium for downtown Lansing and that school space will be built atop that. It would also seem that they create some retail space on a space this large, though.

BTW, it looks like the Sam Eyde Mangement Company, the ones to develop the lots at Kalamazoo and Butler, and Washtenaw and Butler, have come up this design for the second building the city says they have to build: Actually, they don't make this clear. This could very well be the redesign for building they are going at Kalamazoo and Butler. I sure hope it is, because the rendering they have currently up at the site is hideous to say the least. Can anyone say Suburban Okemos? lol

Great job, Wolverine! There should be nothing less than this quality built inside Old Detroit/Detroit Loop. BTW, the finished rendering looks like something you'd see at The Sims computer game.

For an auditorium and more space for the college to work at that site, they'd almost certainly have to tear down the current library and fill the parking lot. What I hope they do is to at least have retail fronting Washington Square, which I'm sure they'll do.

GM has shut down 4 plants in Lansing within the last few months and years. Verlinden is huge by itself, but is actually on a superblock with the recently closed Lansing Craft Centre. Across the street from this superblock is another superblock containing the Plant #3 (Metal Fabrication) one of their best preforming plants, and then the MLK site is closing as well. What's different is that GM built Lansing Grand River Assembly right next door the MLK plant in 2001, and the new Delta Plant in Delta Township, both state of the art and some of GM's best preforming plants. Plant #1 (LCA MLK Blvd.) (Lansing Grand River in white, Lansing Car Assembly to right) Plant #2 (Craft Centre) Plant #3 (Metal Fab.) Plant #6 (LCA Verlinden) The difference here in Lansing is that our new mayor is actually rounding up ideas and developers before hand, and each of these sites will most certainly have construction on them soon after full demolition in clean-up. I've been told that it is rare for GM to move to raze a plant so fast unless they feel that they can have the sites developed. Both the MLK and Verlinden sites are in key development areas. Each were supposed to have been closed years ago. I'm not worried about their futures, I'm just annoyed at the sign. lol Ok, I'm done hijacking.

BTW, did you see the op-ed piece in the journal today about Cooley and Dan LeDuc (president)? He appeared before the LSJ editorial board recently, and this is some points the paper made: 1. Cooley owns everything on the block bound by Kalamazoo/Capitol/Washington/Washtenaw accept the Knapps Building, of course, and the storefronts at Capitol and Washtenaw. But we already knew that. 2. The law school, which has nearly doubled in enrollment over the past five years, needs a bigger space for graduations and other uses. 3. Cooley's library at Kalamazoo and Washington Square is "mazed out." 4. Cooley is discussing building a ground floor auditorium on the land they own on this block, with education space above (this probably means we will be seeing something at least 5-stories in height, but more importantly HUGE in terms of square footage). 5. Lastly, LeDuc said Cooley is going to make a decision by the end of the year about the auditorium, which the city wants to jointly use as the home for a preforming arts center which would include BoarsHead Theatre among other smaller art institutions (I think they are trying to lure the Lansing Symphony Orchestra back to Lansing from the Wharton Center) The LSJ makes the point that this development, while it must make sense for Cooley first and foremost, should also accomodate the city's needs in terms of a preforming arts center. This thing is going to be huge in more ways than one. I'm getting excited to hear this rumbling starting to bubble to the service. The op-ed piece also says that the talks between Cooley and the Lansing Economic Development Corporation as "very serious," and that this is one of Mayor Bernero's "top priorities." Plus, LeDuc is a good friend or aquaintence of the mayor.

My whole take on that is that the city definitely needs to save at least the old main building, and the other 3-4 story building on sits, as well as most everything near Pine and Willow. At the same time, the school has been pretty inflexible, itself. From what I understand, they want the entire site. That area really needs some new housing since most of the housing there currently is some of the oldest in the city. I'd also like to see a very small amount of retail included for the neighborhood. There is quite a bit of land and I couldn't see why they can't split this to make everyone happy.

Lansing Car Assembly Plant #6 Demolition - 3/3/2006 It's nearly impossible to get a good shot of demolition so I just got the gate and a random shot of the tallest part of the complex:

I thought some of you may be interested in this even know it's not a Detroit photo: Demolition on Lansing Car Assembly Plant #6 (Verlinden Avenue) started yesterday, which is on the far westside of the city. Lansing Car Assembly Plant #1 at Martin Luther King Junior Boulevard just south of downtown and next door to the newer Lansing Grand River Assembly Plant is coming down, soon, as well. This complex contains the oldest, continually operated car assembly plant in the United States. The Detroit connections comes in when you read who is doing the demo: MCM Management. Their dubious signage "Demolition Means Progress" has popped up before...at the Motown Center demolition. While this demolition is something I agree with (at least at the Verlindian site), I just couldn't help but get annoyed finding out they are the ones doing the demolition. And, if demolition always meant progress, they wouldn't have to put it on their signs, now would they? Main Chimney

Has anyone seen the Rossetti Associates conceptualization for River East? *GASP* Black people in renditions!

D'oh! I wasn't able to make it over to Verlinden today. If I do make it over, soon, where is the best place to take a picture of it? From what I understand, they are demolishing the plant from the inside of the site outward (towards Saginaw and Verlinden). BTW, I don't think GM is taking these down because they necessarily have plans for the sites, but more so because both of these are near neighborhoods that are intact. I believe the city is really pushing for them to bring these down, and are helping direct GM with what they think will be the best use for the site. I must say I really want to see storefronts built on West Michigan Avenue and Verlidian Street, and keep the residential in the interior of the site. There is not enough quality retail for those that live in the Westside Neighborhood. For the MLK site, I expect nothing less than townhomes and mid-rises considering how close it is to downtown, and how the streets are set up for heavier traffic. With all of the empty parking lots in this area, they could most certainly also put up maybe even a few mid-rise office towers, or two, to expand the central business distrct across 496.