Lansing Off Topic

[RustTown]

I guess you don't remember when the KKK marched on the capital back in the 90's. There were a few little incidents, but no riots. I guess the idea is good in theory, but the motives are offensive, to me.

BTW, has anyone noticed a new sign that has went up downtown on the old Capitol Pharmacy building in one of the storefronts? I think it some type of small, health food store. But, I've heard nothing about it. It's not currently open, but it looks like there has been some activity inside. I've only seen it driving by, and may go check on it tomorrow.

[hood]

In the LSJ midday updates it says that Bernero's new budget will cut 73 jobs and close two golf courses, I think the golf courses closing is a great plan. Four golf courses is too many in a city of Lansing's size and even more so, it's demographics. I'm willing to bet that a vast majority of people who use the city's golf courses are from the suburbs. The only problem I see is that they should have never spent the money they did on the Sycamore golf course, that one should of been closed instead of the Red Cedar or Waverly.

[RustTown]

I agree, Sycamore is useless as a golf course or any other usage besides wetlands. It's nothing more than a floodplain, actually, it is just that.

[statedude3]

I agree, Sycamore is useless as a golf course or any other usage besides wetlands. It's nothing more than a floodplain, actually, it is just that.

Are they still going ahead with that golf teaching center, or whatever it is called at Sycamore? They talked about it for a couple years, then have had some construction equipment out there for the past year.

[hood]

As far as I know they will be going ahead with their plans for Sycamore, even though it still floods despite all the infill they added. Also, the Red Cedar Golf Course will probably be very quick to be redeveloped when the city sells it. That much land that close to MSU and still well within the city will make for the best and most valueble large piece of land this area has seen for awhile. I bet that, if developed, it wil be a pretty high end development.

Edited March 25, 2006 by hood

[downtownlansing77]

The new business is Fresh. It's supposed to be a traditional salad bar and should be open Mon-Fri from 11-3. One of the owners is Senator Buzz Thomas from Detroit. I don't think it has opened yet. That whole building (Capitol Pharmacy, Hair Company and Fresh) is under renovation and should have eight lofts up above - maybe by summer. I was at the library when they were looking for old photos of the building and it looks like they are going to try and keep the historic character of the building.

BTW, has anyone noticed a new sign that has went up downtown on the old Capitol Pharmacy building in one of the storefronts?

[RustTown]

Thanks, 77. Sounds like another dining option to diversify the downtown restaurant scene. I'm kind of worried, though. Whenever I drive or walkby PitaPit nextdoor, I never see anyone in there, and they stay open to something like midnight.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure Sycamore is going forward. It just blows my mind that the city is committed to making this work, when it will only be able to be used in the summer and sometime in the fall. It is flooded more often than not in the spring.

Also, Red Cedar sits in a floodplain, as well. Frandor was built on wetlands, and it shows in the Red Cedar Gold course, which floods pretty regularly. If they are going to develop this, they will definitely have to fill it in, or engineer impressive floor drains. Actually, I think all of Lansing's golf courses sit on lowland, and all are wetlands seeing how much of Lansing is built on marsh/swamplands.

[RustTown]

The council passed the tolling agreement tonight between the city and the developers of the Triangle and Coal Field sites that has been in limbo for years. This gives the developers about one more month to come up with a plan. The city will then review this new plan, so it sounds like we'll be hearing some major news sometime in early May about the residential at the coal site, and/or the office tower at the Triangle site. Good news, nonetheless. If the developers can't come up with a project, than the city can drop the currently developers for new ones.

[hood]

Beware, Eyde already said he wanted a crack at this development.

[RustTown]

BTW, the council JUST approved the rezoning for the Matt Fisher's loft development. I didn't have a doubt that they would, but this is just one more step forward.

Also, they closed off the Grand River Bridge in Old Town, today, and they have a huge crane on the bridge looming over head. I was able to get a contact from MDOT for the city, and I've requested some information and renderings on the new replacement bridge. Hopefully, they'll get back to me soon.

[hood]

Two stories on the Motor Wheel Lofts today:

Motor Wheel lofts turn city full circle

Lofts breathe life into factory area.

I'm liking the rents, starting from $475, I may look into this place.

[RustTown]

I'm glad it's been officially announced. I'm also happy to here that this will be a "green" development. Always a great selling point. The new site is great, too.

[hood]

Here are a couple of properties that I found for sale, I'm still interested in what gets developed where the old City Club is, they show a "redevelopment plan" in a pdf file with 219 Grand. Their plan consists of tearing down the City Club for a small parking lot .

219 S Grand

108 S Hosmer

Corr Retail Center (looks like a clone of Cedar & Monroe, same architect)

Edited April 3, 2006 by hood

[RustTown]

219 South Grand isn't working for me, but if they tear it down for a parking lot, I will be mad. This is one of the oldest structures standing in downtown and deserves to be redeveloped, or at least incorporated into a larger project.

I'm surpried the building just to the south of it (a two-story brick building) hasn't be leased. It's a great little office space, and was renovated quite a few years ago, and has been sitting empty and waiting for years. Bernero really needs to get on this riverfront vision he keeps talking about, because it's time to redevelop it.

BTW, having not initially been able to place the Corr Retail Center, this is going up at the corner of Clippert and Saginaw (right at Frandor, and in Lansing Township, I believe). Yep, it is being down by Studio Intrigue, and I'm happy to see its replacing the old shell gas station. I've been wondering what was going up there since they brought the old gas station down, and was really glad when I saw them redo the whole site. I thought they were just going to put back up another gas station.

[RustTown]

Looks like the council shot down Mayor Bernero's plan to close the Red Cedar and Waverly golf course. In fact, they went as far, tonight, as to legislate that they will inform all of the groups that usually use the courses, but were denied this year, that the courses will be back up for use. They are even ready for a legal battle if the mayor decides to rule otherwise. Apparently, the mayor doesn't have the authority to close down the city courses, basically, because they are considered public parks. And for a city park to be closed, it must go to a vote of the citizens.

The council argued that it was never there intent to shut down the courses seeing as how they aren't so much of a cost that it would make that much difference in the budget. I really do wonder, though, how many other cities our size run, publicly, four gold courses.

[jaredw]

I'm kind of disappointed with the Corr Retail Center. The development could defintely have more than one floor. A similar strip center was just built down the road at Coolidge and Saginaw/Grand River. I know there is high traffic counts, but it seems like the developments in that corridor are all low-density, and built like poorly planned sprawl.

[RustTown]

It's a great improvement over the gas station, though. Plus, at that particular corner, the only way any type of density would work is if they reconfigured all of the streets around Frandor. It is currently a traffic nightmare most of the time, and trying to build a walkable community amongst the messed up street configuration would be futile, and only lead to more traffic nightmares.

I've always wondered if the city, township, are ever going to work this out. It is complicated because of all of the entities envolved, as well.

[jaredw]

Here's the loopnet for 219 S Grand:

http://www.loopnet.com/xNet/MainSite/Listi...1lww2t006a00001

[RustTown]

Thanks! That was the building I was talking about. I thought Hood meant they were bringing down the City Club building next door.

[hood]

Yeah, it's the city club that their talking about tearing down for parking. But they did a really nice job on 219 S Grand. I wouldn't mind seeing the city club have a 4-6 story building built behind it, or even if they tore down the building for a 7-8 story one.

[RustTown]

Oh, so you're saying they are offering to tear down the City Club for parking for 219? That's just crazy. God forbid any new tenants will have to park in pay lots literally a few dozen feet from the building. There are literally 4 large lots with feet of this building, and they want to tear down history for a ridiculous convience such as dedicated, free parking?

My plan would be to save the City Club and either demo, or add to the 219 Grand building a few floors. They could lease parking in the garage next door on either side, or the two lots on the other side of Grand.

I really think that the whole riverfront is going to be demoed from the Grand Tower to Michigan Avenue not too far into the future.

[hood]

I don't think 219 will be razed, they put a lot of money into it. It is fuly restored, the building appears to be in perfect shape now. Everything else is fair game though.

[RustTown]

IMO, 219 is a rather bland historic building, regardless of the renovation. I agree that it will most likely be saved, but it would be a crime for them to demolish the City Club, and have the 219 still standing. It's really just me being selfish, but if they can't save the City Club, then they might as well get rid of 219, as well. lol

Where I'm sure we can both find agreement is that the South Grand Parking Structure needs to be brought down. As some on the council have noted, it's nearing the end of its life, and it's time to open up the riverfront. I wouldn't even mind if they left that part of the riverfront empty for a park or a river over-look, just as long as they get rid of that concrete monster, which I'm sure must be polluting the river, too.

[hood]

I want to see the South Grand ramp taken down, which it will have to be soon, it will at least need to be closed. But I don't want it to become a park or anything, if it were left empty for awhile that would be fine, but I ultimately want it to be developed into a highrise building of at least 12 floors, the same goes for the Grandview Building. Actually I think the Grandview Building should be developed into something taller, at least 16 floors, and I was thinking it was a good spot for a new hotel, something at least the size of the Amway Grand in GR.

Edited April 5, 2006 by hood

[RustTown]

I personally don't like structures being built right onto rivers, and especially on such a slim piece of land. It's always been my belief that immediate riverfronts (i.e. first block from river) should also be public places in a downtown area. Plus, freeing up that part of the river would create a great sightline down Allegan. I'd really like to see a river over-look (i.e. a grand staircase where people can sit and eat lunch, people watch...), and the River Trail through this area. There aren't many great public spaces in the heart of downtown that could give you what this site could give you.