Central Lansing Construction and Development.

[RustTown]

There has been urban renewal, but I'm really not sure if it was more than what was done in Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids was a historically larger city with regional importance, thus it probably have more pre-civil war structures, meaning that there is more of a likehood that they'd still be more standing today.

[LA Dave]

There has been urban renewal, but I'm really not sure if it was more than what was done in Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids was a historically larger city with regional importance, thus it probably have more pre-civil war structures, meaning that there is more of a likehood that they'd still be more standing today.

I am not sure how many pre 1860 homes or buildings remain in GR. I know that there are some along East Fulton (such as the old Art Museum, the Women's City Club and the former West Michigan Tourist Bureau) and others are sprinkled in the city. (For example, there is an 1850s farmhouse on Plainfield Avenue in the North End in a suburban neighborhood first developed in the 1920s.)

Urban renewal in GR was massive. The entire central business district north of Lyon Street and west of Division Avenue to the river (meaning pretty much everything except the main shopping street, Monroe Avenue) was wiped off the face of the earth, to be replaced with pretty shabby 1960s crap. (Only now is some of that crap being replaced.) Between that and the cutting through of the US-131 and I-196 freeways, downtown GR in the 1960s looked like Berlin in 1945.

I really enjoyed the aerial views of Lansing -- I never had quite the conception of how the city seemed to turn its back on the Grand River. This happened in GR as well, though with significant factory development on the West Side, there was substantial communication over a number of large bridges.

[RustTown]

About the river, while not greatly connected to the river at downtown, I'd say that Lansing does a better job than most of utilizing its riverfront with the 8+ mile River Trail, something not present in any other Michigan city at the moment. As you can see from this area, the downtown is centered much more around Washington and the Capitol:

Still, it is only the westside of the river, downtown, that totally turns its back on the river. And even there, north and south of the core, the river is opened to the public for the most park (i.e. Riverfront Park, Cherry Hill Park, Wentworth Park...)

[jaredw]

College Fields development finally starts to bloom

By Jeremy W. Steele

Lansing State Journal

Nearly eight years after plans were first announced, houses are finally going up on the 276-acre College Fields development next to Michigan State University.

The project, originally dubbed Governors Club, had been plagued by opposition from neighbors, construction issues and financial problems.

But California company Jones Property Development, which took over the project Aug. 31, 2005, seems to have addressed most of those issues.

College Fields opened the first 11 holes of its golf course last fall and reopened the course for the season Wednesday. Officials expect all 18 holes to open April 15.

The first two houses of the 286-unit project are framed in, as well.

"In short order, we're probably looking at five" houses under construction, he said.

For more on this story, read Thursday's Lansing State Journal.

-------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

This is located at Bennet and Hagadorn. There is a land sharing agreement between Meridian Township and the city of Lansing.

[RustTown]

It's about damn time. lol This has been going on for years. It's about time Lansing started getting some income taxes of this land share. The whole thing has been plagued with scandals for so long.

Like most of the Lansing area, isn't this area on a floodplain? I remember there being some kind of flood problem with the course, as well. The land really does seem to be low for the area.

[hood]

$90,000-$225,000 per lot. Average subdivision lots (about 1/4 acre+) cost around $30,000.

[RustTown]

Two photos of the Grand River Avenue Bridge deconstruction, and some random shots of my walk, today. I also noticed that they've removed the overhead lights, and are going to put in the historic-styled street lighting along Grand River just like on Turner (finally):

Grand River Avenue Bridge deconstruction as seen from the River Trail at Oakland Avenue.

Below the North Lansing Dam

North Lansing Dam (John Burchard Dam), originally constructed in 1843 by John Burchard (but reconstructed over time), one of Lansing's first permanent residents. He died less than a year later trying to repair the dam.

Downtown as seen from the adjacent fish ladder.

Center Street at Grand River. The houses in the background are some of the oldest remaining in Lansing.

Corner building

Turner Park

A piece of art made from recycled materials, I believe, since it sits on the property of Friedland Industries (1886). The statue is a block south of Grand River just east of the corner of Center and Maple.

Man, do I wish that Friedland would land and street scape their property along Center.

[hood]

Christman plans move to The Mutual Building

This is nice to hear, Christman will use the top two floors for it's offices and lease out the bottom three. I wonder what they will do with their current headquarters, it could make for some nice rowhouses or lowrise apartments on the river.

[RustTown]

I never got why Christman built their headquarters downtown where they did. It was so uncharacterstic of what their firm does (a lot of historic renovations). I don't think Cherry Hill is going to really take off until the Triangle Lot is developed, and only if they but considerable retail on it. Currently, despite being downtown, it feels so cut off from downtown, mostly because of Grand goes north and abrubtly stops at the freeway. It's hard to explain. lol

[hood]

That neighborhood can definately be a little hard to get around in a car, getting to Printers row is a huge hassle.

[jaredw]

Apartments OK'd for subdivision

By SCOTT REES

Lansing Community Newspapers

LANSING TWP.

[hood]

It would seem to me that a 24 unit apartment building on 16,600 sq ft of land, of which some has to be open space, would have to be about 4 floors, maybe 5. I really think anywhere along Clippert would be prime space to include some retail also.

[jaredw]

Yeah, I agree with you hood. The City Center 1 in East Lansing has 39 units of "upscale" condominiums, and that takes up a whole block at four floors. Also, I believe this is right across from the Red Cedar golf course, right? If so, it would be just more priming for a redevelopment of the golf course.

But the 16,600 sq ft that you mentioned is to expand the park I believe. They can put the green space off site, and that is where they are putting it.

[hood]

I emailed DTN asking how tall the building will be abd if there will be any rendrings, this is what they said in reply:

"Preliminary elevations are available to review at our office. There is no retail or office and it is three stories high with the first floor being parking."

At three floors for 24 luxury units it must be spanning at least a half block. But I hope that the trend of redevelopment is carried over to the golf course. I also wonder what the exact location is.

[RustTown]

Guys, there are very similar designs (some I think DTN has done) around Red Cedar Golf Course. I imagine they will look like them. The Oaks (south of Michigan, directly east of Red Cedar) is by them:

BTW, I'm glad they are doing this. The Urbandale subdivision can almost seem poor rural in places. It's really weird how you can be in Lansing on one side of the street with sidewalks and proper lighting, and in Lansing Township's Urbandale neighborhood on the other with no sidewalks, minimal curbs, even, and poor street lighting. It's one of my least favorite parts of the entire Lansing area.

[hood]

BTW, I'm glad they are doing this. The Urbandale subdivision can almost seem poor rural in places. It's really weird how you can be in Lansing on one side of the street with sidewalks and proper lighting, and in Lansing Township's Urbandale neighborhood on the other with no sidewalks, minimal curbs, even, and poor street lighting. It's one of my least favorite parts of the entire Lansing area.

The biggest reason why it's like that is all the flood damaged houses. Many of the origional houses were tore down after the floods that were there, especially the one in the 70's, the neighborhood was once as dense as any of the other ones on the eastside. If this neighborhood had been in better shape Lansing Township would of probably invested more into the area. As for the design of the apartments, I don't thing they will be like the ones over by Michigan, they are talking like these will be luxury, and that they will in some way look special.

[RustTown]

Some more good news. Nothing major, but it's great to see housing going up all over Lansing. In particular there has been A LOT of housing added near or along Georgetown Boulevard (far southside), and this isn't too far from it:

Published April 27, 2006

[ From the Lansing State Journal ]

Plan for cleanup, 18 homes at blighted site thrills neighbors

Work could start in south Lansing in about a month

By Tom Lambert

Lansing State Journal

Doug and Judy Miller were ecstatic Wednesday as they learned of plans to build a $3 million housing project on what has been an eyesore in their south Lansing neighborhood.

The couple, who have lived in the neighborhood for more than 30 years, are hopeful the 18 single-family units - priced from $120,000 to $200,000 - would give a big boost to the value of their property.

"It will improve the entire neighborhood; there's no doubt about it," Doug Miller said.

The homes will be built on 4.32 acres of vacant land near the intersection of Victoria Drive and Daft Street. The lot has been used to illegally dump trash.

Lansing officials said the project would be the first new, single-family subdivision built south of Interstate 496 in nearly 30 years.

Thomas Wilson, who owns the property, said he expected work to begin at Victoria Court in about a month. It will take two to three years to complete the project, he said.

More here:

http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?A...70350/1001/news

[RustTown]

The Oaks is considered "upscale" by their standards, as well. I really don't think it's going to be that different, especially considering the location. There is also another new apartment complex with parking at ground floor nextdoor to The Oaks that with parking at ground floor that looks pretty good, and is considered upscale. It's called Campus Village Apartments.

Again, I can't imagine these being much different, especially considering the neighborhood.

[hood]

One interesting thing I found today while looking through the real estate sites is that I can only find a total of 144,777 sq ft of class A office space avalible downtown. The vacancies are as follows:

Michigan National: 20,111 sq. ft.

Capitol tower: 46,166

SECU building: 12,000

101 Washington Sq: 26,500

One Michigan Ave: 39,000

The only significant class B space avalible is the Hollister building with 10,000 sq. ft. (not including the Knapps building, of course).

These numbers may not be inlcuding every little bit of space, the one or two thousand sq ft avalible above some retail space, but it does include all the space avalible in significant, multi-floor buildings. But if these numbers are anywhere close to the real ones, downtown's overall vacancy rate should be under 10%, with a Class A vacancy rate of probably not much over 5%, which is very low. Hopefully we really can see another, decent sized, private office tower start go up by next year...

[RustTown]

Just wondering, isn't the SECU just for the use of the credit union?

[hood]

I thought so, but Vlahakis is listing open office space in that building.

[statedude3]

SECU just changed their name to NU Credit Union. I wonder if it is owned by Nu the Taylor on Waverly.

okay, that was about as lame a joke as I could ever make. sorry for going off topic.

[RustTown]

Yeah, I noticed just last week they changed their name to NuUnion Credit Union. It's pretty corny if you ask me. It sounds a lot more unprofessional, to me. lol

[hood]

I guess they didn't want to be called State Employee's anymore because most of their members aren't State Employees. They are my credit union, they said nothing else will change, just their name.

[Adieoz]

Regarding the new apartments on Clippert...I believe these are located in the 100 year flood plane, which explains the parking on the first floor. By putting parking on this floor you raise the finished square footage out of the flood plane, otherwise they could not be issued a building permit. This also means that it would be unsuitable for a commercial or other mixed use tenant. I drove by the site yesterday and it does seem like this project will definantly be a boost for the area.