East Lansing Development

[jaredw]

Changing the topic back to the East Village.....

Investors sought for East Village

By BOB DARROW

The State News

East Lansing officials are lining up the necessary pieces to encourage high-rise, mixed-use, urban construction projects in the 35-acre East Village, located adjacent to MSU between Bogue Street and Hagadorn Road.

But making it happen is another issue entirely.

"We are not in the business of buying land," said Jim van Ravensway, the city's director of planning and community development.

The city won't be directly involved in redeveloping the area, van Ravensway said, but city staff have begun conversations with the people who will be.

Dramatic changes on 35 acres of some of the city's most valuable land is complicated by the fact that the city doesn't own any of it. Because of this limitation, getting projects off the ground will require deals to be struck with private owners and outside businesses.

City and university officials have been actively recruiting investors and have found plenty of interested parties. Talks are only in the preliminary stages, van Ravensway said, and potential investors are considering varying levels of involvement.

At least two companies

[RustTown]

I find it odd that they even need to say that the City of East Lansing won't be developing this whole place. They are simply doing what they can on their end to ensure high-rises do go up in the area. Like any development in a capitalist nation like our own, these things are market driven, and it would be dumb to just build for the sake of building.

[JazperG]

Does anyone have any new information on City Center II, thats supposed to be located on grand river and abbot where the old citizens bank is? I havent heard anything on it since the new drawings came out.

[hood]

When the new drawings came out they said it would be about twelve months before thye had any finalized plans, so it will be awhile but they are, supposedly, still working on it.

[JazperG]

Does anyone know what they r gonna put in place of tacobell next to stonehouse and what they r gonna do with the parking lot behind stonehouse? it'd be nice if the city puts another larger scale building in both places creating more density

[RustTown]

Here you go, Jazper:

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=18057

[jaredw]

Here is a picture update for two developments on the northern tier of East Lansing.

The Beaumont:

WELCOME TO THE BEAUMONT LIFE

Well-located between Coolidge and Chandler roads just north of downtown East Lansing, The Beaumont offers the warmth and security of a small town neighborhood coupled with the energy, the architecture, the convenience and services of a sophisticated city center. A mixed-use community with contemporary floorplans and amenities, The Beaumont

[RustTown]

At least Lansing's sprawl is going towards a more dense layout. The Beaumont isn't all that bad. I especially like the squares they've included in the layout of the neighborhood.

[hood]

I'm actually very impressed with the Beaumont, it looks like they changed it from the origional plan a little, and I think it is for the better.

Also Jaredw, where did you get those renderings of the Beaumont?

[woodsstephene]

Hey guys, new here but have been reading for a long, long time. I lived in EL most of my life but moved to London, UK to go to school. So now 4 years later I'm moving back, and was wondering if you guys had any tips on where to live and where might be available mid-June. The challenge I've found is that apartments.com etc. only show big developments--the typical boring ones. Not the urban developments grrr. Anybody know of anything? I called the Beaumont and they unfortunately said that while the website says the apartments will be done in Spring, they actually won't be until fall. That sucks, cause I really would love living someplace like that. Does anyone have any idea what the pricing for the apartments will be like anyway? The woman at Gillesbie had no clue. She did say though that they are really pushing the Beaumont and that it's a big priority for them. Good news!

[wolverine]

The units in the first development look nice. It's a shame the whole development is closed off from everything with the street layout.

[jaredw]

I'm actually very impressed with the Beaumont, it looks like they changed it from the origional plan a little, and I think it is for the better.

Also Jaredw, where did you get those renderings of the Beaumont?

Hood, I got those renderings from the beaumont website: http://www.thebeaumontlife.com

Hey guys, new here but have been reading for a long, long time. I lived in EL most of my life but moved to London, UK to go to school. So now 4 years later I'm moving back, and was wondering if you guys had any tips on where to live and where might be available mid-June. The challenge I've found is that apartments.com etc. only show big developments--the typical boring ones. Not the urban developments grrr. Anybody know of anything? I called the Beaumont and they unfortunately said that while the website says the apartments will be done in Spring, they actually won't be until fall. That sucks, cause I really would love living someplace like that. Does anyone have any idea what the pricing for the apartments will be like anyway? The woman at Gillesbie had no clue. She did say though that they are really pushing the Beaumont and that it's a big priority for them. Good news!

I don't mean to advertise or self promote, but I run a website: http://www.eastlansingrentals.com that advertises different rentals throughout the city of East Lansing.

The units in the first development look nice. It's a shame the whole development is closed off from everything with the street layout.

Wolverine, when you say the first development are you talking about the Villas at Stratford Place? The Beaumont has four roads for entrance and exit, while the Villas only have one.

[hood]

Hey guys, new here but have been reading for a long, long time. I lived in EL most of my life but moved to London, UK to go to school. So now 4 years later I'm moving back, and was wondering if you guys had any tips on where to live and where might be available mid-June. The challenge I've found is that apartments.com etc. only show big developments--the typical boring ones. Not the urban developments grrr. Anybody know of anything? I called the Beaumont and they unfortunately said that while the website says the apartments will be done in Spring, they actually won't be until fall. That sucks, cause I really would love living someplace like that. Does anyone have any idea what the pricing for the apartments will be like anyway? The woman at Gillesbie had no clue. She did say though that they are really pushing the Beaumont and that it's a big priority for them. Good news!

I would have to say that if I were looking for a mid priced apartment right by June I would just grab a cheap no-lease apartment and wait for something like the Beaumont, Gaslight Village, Stadium District or Abrams Lofts to come online. Or there is the option for Prudden Place, which is avalible downtown or the Prudden Factory Lofts which may be avalible by June.

[RustTown]

The units in the first development look nice. It's a shame the whole development is closed off from everything with the street layout.

You must realize, these developments are going up in the fastly sprawling section of north East Lansing, which almost feels like its own city/township, anyway. In fact, East Lansing only recently "annexed" (i.e. landsharring agreement) this land from rural Bath Township. I say that it's pretty decent considering it's sprawl. East Lansing took it as the idea of "if you can't beat them, join them." Development had already started to sprawl, and it seems that they think they could better handle this sprawl than Bath Township, and I agree.

[hood]

I just drove through Hawks Nest the first tme today, and I'm pretty impressed. The houses are built with some nice architecture (at least one even had a two story front porch), the houses are built on relatively small lots and close to the street (about 15'). If there must be sprawl then I hope there can be more like that in the Northern tier.

[jaredw]

Two development updates today, I will add pictures later today:

The owner of Brookfield Plaza, a strip mall across from the East Village, is planning on remodeling the strip mall. He wants to upgrade the parking lot with more trees, and redo the facades of the stores.

Next to the site of the Stonehouse Village development, the city is planning on doing a three way trade with a developer and a frat house. They want the frat house to move to Abbott, the developer to build a mixed use development on a current parking lot, and tear down the frat house across the street to extend a preexisting parking lot. (I hope that made sense)

[hood]

Any idea has to how large and/or tall the new mixed use development will be? I also think that aquiring this frat is a step towards a project for East Village, I have a feeling they may already have a specific plan for what to do with this land.

[GaryP]

Two development updates today, I will add pictures later today:

Next to the site of the Stonehouse Village development, the city is planning on doing a three way trade with a developer and a frat house. They want the frat house to move to Abbott, the developer to build a mixed use development on a current parking lot, and tear down the frat house across the street to extend a preexisting parking lot. (I hope that made sense)

I'm having trouble picturing this location. Is it the Pi Kap house? And where did you read about this? I have the hardest time finding good Lansing coverage online.

[skeetowner]

I'm having trouble picturing this location. Is it the Pi Kap house? And where did you read about this? I have the hardest time finding good Lansing coverage online.

Here's a link to the State news article link

[RustTown]

It's good Brookfield is going to be updated, especially with trees. They need to do something to break up the unnattractive parking lot.

[GaryP]

Here's a link to the State news article link

Thank you Skeetowner

Its the infamous circle triangle ex house! That place was a dump! I remember them always getting threatened with condemnation. Nobody that lived there cared a bit. Tearing it down is probably for the best.

[jaredw]

Here are two picture for Brookfield Plaza:

The before:

The updated:

[hood]

It looks like that will be a big improvement for that plaza. Now if he could make some of those false second floors lofts...

[jaredw]

On Tuesday's City Council agenda is an updated siteplan for the West Village.

http://www.cityofeastlansing.com/admin/pdf...640.9165308.pdf

[jaredw]

New sign was put up at the corner of Coleman Rd and Coolidge Rd for the "Coleman Corners" development. I hadn't heard of the development before, but the sign shows a siteplan and the site is pretty large. It shows rowhouses and plenty of dense housing and there might have been commercial in it too. Website listed on the sign is www.maynardproperties.com, but there is no information on the site about the development yet.

Also on Coolidge Rd, there is now a sign for "Mercantile Financial Center". I believe that's the right name. The building is three stories tall, but looks to have pretty high ceilings.

There is always plenty to see when driving through the northern tier. The Beaumont development has started working on the Condo parts of the development and the whole site is moving real fast. The Gaslight Village initial building seems to be starting on a second floor pretty soon.

Also, an update on the Stonehouse Village: The building is now nearing it's fourth and final floor. The building is pretty tall in it's neighborhood, and has a good presence already without the fourth floor. I'll try and get pictures soon.