East Lansing Development

[jaredw]

no it wouldn't. City Center II is at Abbott and Grand River and will back up to People's Church and Evergreen Road. The two areas are about two blocks apart. Directly across from City Center II is, I believe, college apartments, a three story building that will probably stay for a long time, considering that many buildings in East Lansing's downtown aren't that big. Now kiddy corner to College Apartments is where Menna's Joint just moved in to to open a new location.

This building is also a one story that has a pretty good location being within three bars right downtown. It is next to a park which adds greenspace if there were to be a mid level building built on it's footprint someday.

The city has talked about building something on Parking Lot 1, located across from Harpers and behind Pancheros and the like, but I have not heard any more news about this. I think it is just speculation.

[hood]

The city is doing an unbeleivable job with planning developments on their own and then seeking out developers to build them. I wish Lansing could do this, I expect almost constant development in East Lansing into the forseeable future.

[jaredw]

But I think that development is not a city's job. They should not be drafting up plans or anything. They should be running the city. Leave this to private developers.

[hood]

But their efforts have paid off. Developers probably would not be building anything if it weren't for the city. EL is doing great at chasing down developers and projects and I see no problem with it, I consider it a great idea that other cities should consider.

[jaredw]

There might be hope for greek housing in the East Village area after the East Lansing City Council passed a recommendation Tuesday evening that could stop developers from destroying the houses.

State News article: http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=31605

[hood]

Thats good, I like old houses and it's a shame to destroy them, but I've only seen maybe two of them. I think the houses should be looked at on a case by case basis as opposed to the specific project that would call for their destruction. Some of the houses may not even be worth saving, I don't really know.

[davidb]

I still think they are doomed, though Michigan does favor the landowner in most cases of emminent domain (save for freeways, post wwII sprawl). I believe the plan would be a tremendous boost to the area both economically and culturally. If enough money can back it, then those properties will have no hope.

The quote about them being mansions is kind of funny. These are frat houses, and haven't been mansions in years. They are social institutions and housing, not an auto titan's house.

[hood]

The quote about them being mansions is kind of funny.  These are frat houses, and haven't been mansions in years.  They are social institutions and housing, not an auto titan's house.   

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You could argue the same thing about virtually every single historic mansion in Lansing, especially near downtown, they are all offices. The same goes for most old mansions in every city, it doesn't minimize their importance, at least as long as some of the historical elements of the houses survive or are restorable.

[jaredw]

If they leave those frat houses there, they will be dwarfed by planned 6 or 7 story buildings. These frat houses are just two stories tall, and would break up the layout of the planned developement if left.

[hood]

I agree with that, the buildings will actually be 8 floors, some will have noteable penthouses and peaked roofs. I'm not sure what to think overall, thats why I say look at each house as opposed to the reason for tearing it down intstead of lumping them all together.

[jaredw]

MSU will construct $8M facility for auto research

The Automotive Research Experiment Station will upgrade its facilities from a 9,000-square-foot laboratory located about five miles from campus to a state-of-the-art site on south campus. The new 30,000-square-foot location will be off Bogue Street and Service Road, south of the existing research Complex. The project's contractor was appointed by the MSU Board of Trustees on Friday. Construction on the about $8 million project is expected to begin at the end of this month and continue through the year.

Click here for the article and a picture of the location

http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=31825

[RustTown]

This sounds like this will tie in nicely with the TechTown development that's being grown and fostered in Midtown Detroit.

[hood]

This is more of what we need, tech stuff. This sounds like it will be dealing a lot with alternative fuels, that ought to be a booming field of research in the near future.

[jaredw]

The foundation is going to be layed today for a new Independent Bank in East Lansing. Located in front of Meijer on Lake Lansing, I believe. It will be 27,000 sq ft, feature five teller windows, three drive up banking windows, and one drive up ATM. It is expected to be finished by January.

[jaredw]

Does anyone know what is going on with "The Beaumont" development? The website: http://www.thebeaumontlife.com/ says that certain things are going to be available Fall 2005, but I haven't seen much progress with the property, except for a sign there.

I will be going by it on Tuesday though, but I don't think anything has been happening.

[statedude3]

Does anyone know what is going on with "The Beaumont" development? The website: http://www.thebeaumontlife.com/ says that certain things are going to be available Fall 2005, but I haven't seen much progress with the property, except for a sign there.

I will be going by it on Tuesday though, but I don't think anything has been happening.

The grass/weeds on the property are well over 6 feet high right now. They used to have a tent set up on the weekends with food and other promotional stuff available, but in terms of development I have seen nothing since I moved to the Village in April.

[hood]

Thats too bad , I hope theyt end up going through with that project, it is a really good design. If this isn't built it will just end up being another boring old 2 or less units per acre development.

[statedude3]

After being backed up on Abbott Road about 1/2 mile while waiting on a bus at Lake Lansing Road today, and being late for work again...I am finally going to voice my complaints about the congestion on Coolidge Road. It took 18 minutes for my bus to get from Chandler Crossings to the LL light...that is outragous!!

[RustTown]

The sprawl up that way has created some horrendous traffic. Even Lake Lansing Road at rush hour is just ridiculous over that way.

[jaredw]

Proposed changes: MSU Snyder Phillips Hall will undergo an $18 million renovation beginning in May 2006. An additional $16 million would be spent constructing the proposed new residential college facility if it is approved.

Here is a picture:

If there is one thing that I noticed from the rendering, is I don't see parking in front of the building. There is currently parking right in front of the building. This looks like they might build it in line with the 2020 20/20 Vision plan for a green campus.

Snyder Phillips is located right across the street from the East Village, which the City of East Lansing wants to redevelop.

[patrickom]

Imagine how fast a dedicated right of way would skirt around that stuff...

[jaredw]

Imagine how fast a dedicated right of way would skirt around that stuff...

Can you explain a little more? I dont know what a right of way is.

[RustTown]

I'm pretty sure he's talking about a light-rail service, which uses right-of-ways, the area along the streets usually dedicated to utilities.

[statedude3]

Just thought you guys might be interested...at the S150 events over the weekend, a friend and I had the opportunity to talk with Kim Wilcox, the new provost at MSU. In the course of conversation we got to the topic of how terrible the traffic is becoming on campus.

He then told us that MSU is in the process of studying "altrenative methods of transportation." I asked if this was part of the 20/20 vision and he said that there are some major road and infrastructure changes to be expected in the next few years.

I am not going to get my hopes up- but my idea for 4 interconnected monorails just may not be that much of a dream after all!

[jaredw]

If I can remember from 20/20 Vision plan, is that MSU wants to make mass transit exclusive roads that buses and emergency vehicles could use, but nobody else. This in my mind would be something like a light rail, or just a narrow one lane road.