East Lansing Development

[hood]

Since both me and Lmich seem to agree, I'm going to go ahead and say this the West Village. It looks pretty good, especially the mixed use part of it.

[jaredw]

Any idea on when actual construction may begin on West Village. I think they are just waiting for more occupants first, or so it seems.

[hood]

I haven't heard any dates, but I'm pretty sure that this project will happen. As far as I know, the project is funded and is a sure thing. Not completely sure though.

[jaredw]

Here's a better picture of what the new MSU parking ramp will look like:

http://www.statenews.com/dispgraph.phtml?graph=681

[dnast]

^ Not bad at all! It seems like a long time to build the thing, though.

[hood]

Here's a better picture of what the new MSU parking ramp will look like:

http://www.statenews.com/dispgraph.phtml?graph=681

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

$19.5 million seems awfully steep for a 725 space ramp, but it will look very nice though, I wish they would put that much detail and work into buildings

[jaredw]

The State News published an article today about the Stonehouse Village. They say that it will take approxamitely 14 months to complete. They show a picture of the building being torn down.

http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=31231

[statedude3]

I live at the Village at Chandler Crossings. It has been extremely apparent to me over the last 6 weeks that there is tons of traffic moving both directions on Abott, North of Lake Lansind Rd. At what point does it become necessary to add lanes to the road? Between the aquatic center, 3000 students, Haw Hollow, Hawk's Nest and new developments currently under construction I think the city needs to look at taking steps to aleviate busy and sometimes dangerous traffic conditions.

[RustTown]

That road is so substandard for current traffic it's not even funny. To many students have died on that road from being hit by cars because there are basically no acceptable shoulders. It needs to be at least lanes each way, and should probably have a turn lane. I still don't get why developers went way up their to build in the first place. They didn't even bother trying to build at the boder but went way out in the middle of nowhere to through up apartments and condos. It just doesn't make any sense. And now, neither East Lansing nor Bath Township want to pay to widen and reconstruct the road because of the silly land agreement where everyone points their fingers at the other.

[hood]

I live at the Village at Chandler Crossings.  It has been extremely apparent to me over the last 6 weeks that there is tons of traffic moving both directions on Abott, North of Lake Lansind Rd.  At what point does it become necessary to add lanes to the road?  Between the aquatic center, 3000 students, Haw Hollow, Hawk's Nest and new developments currently under construction I think the city needs to look at taking steps to aleviate busy and sometimes dangerous traffic conditions.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I'm not familiar with Abbot but in generl it takes an act of God to get them to widen a road. Lmich, you forgot to mention how many lanes you thought should be added . I think the 5 lane configuration works very well, anything more than that needs to get a median.

[RustTown]

I did?

[dnast]

It needs to be at least lanes each way...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[RustTown]

LOL! I stopped mid sentence...I'm losing it! LOL!

I meant to end that with I'd like to see at least two lanes in each direction, and possibly a center turn lane.

[hood]

I saw a rendering of Stonehouse Village on the news, check the story out at http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/1790357.html Watch the video, the rendering is shown at 35 seconds, you might have to pause it to get a look at it.

[jaredw]

I saw a rendering of Stonehouse Village on the news, check the story out at http://www.wilx.com/news/headlines/1790357.html Watch the video, the rendering is shown at 35 seconds, you might have to pause it to get a look at it.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah, that rendering used to be on the side of the building, which I drove by today and is about 25% torn down. The whole footprint of what is going to be built is currently fenced off.

Also, MSU has continuing projects going on. The parking ramp in north campus, a new water treatment facility thing going up on Kalamazoo, near the Breslin Center, an addition to the power plant which should be hooked up during Labor Day weekend, and a couple other projects. I think it is Morril Hall in north campus that has had continuous remodeling over the previous year or two. They have installed new windows and I think gutted the whole interior.

Is there any new news about the project that DTN wants to build on the 700 block of Burcham? I know the city wanted to stop it and rezoned the area to stop it, so DTN filed a lawsuit, but besides that I am not sure if there is anything else going on.

Towards the north, on Abbott Road, about 2 block south of Lake Lansing, next to Asher Court office park is a house between two office buildings. It is pretty small and is kind of squeezed between them. We own some property in the near vicinity and were given notice that they plan to tear down the house and build a 10,000 sq ft office with underground parking on the site. The property is staked out currently and I am not sure what part of the planning and development stage they are in. I have the plans for the building, but I need to scan them in. Access to the building will be given by way of Asher Courts parking lot. Cars will enter the underground parking from the back of the building.

[hood]

Is there any new news about the project that DTN wants to build on the 700 block of Burcham?  I know the city wanted to stop it and rezoned the area to stop it, so DTN filed a lawsuit, but besides that I am not sure if there is anything else going on.

Towards the north, on Abbott Road, about 2 block south of Lake Lansing, next to Asher Court office park is a house between two office buildings.  It is pretty small and is kind of squeezed between them.  We own some property in the near vicinity and were given notice that they plan to tear down the house and build a 10,000 sq ft office with underground parking on the site.  The property is staked out currently and I am not sure what part of the planning and development stage they are in.  I have the plans for the building, but I need to scan them in.  Access to the building will be given by way of Asher Courts parking lot.  Cars will enter the underground parking from the back of the building.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think it has officially been rejected, I seen that in LSJ a couple months ago.

How many floors is that office building? When you get those plans scanned please post them in this thread, I'm interested in seeing them.

[jaredw]

I think it has officially been rejected, I seen that in LSJ a couple months ago.

How many floors is that office building? When you get those plans scanned please post them in this thread, I'm interested in seeing them.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The apartment plan rejected? I don't think so, I know the city doesn't want it, but the property is zoned for multiple occupancy, just what is needed to build what they want. DTN did file a suit to get it built.

The building is one and a half floors. Parking is through the basement and then there is a small half floor down there in the basement with stairs to the first floor. As you walk up from the basement, you come to the first floor where the offices will be. That is it for the building in terms of floors. The first floor then a small basement half floor.

[jaredw]

There is going to be a press conference today at 11 a.m. in 162 Food Safety and Toxicology Building on MSU's Campus to discuss the railroad underpasses that are going to be built.

Here is the news article: http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=31319

[hood]

The apartment plan rejected?  I don't think so, I know the city doesn't want it, but the property is zoned for multiple occupancy, just what is needed to build what they want.  DTN did file a suit to get it built.

The building is one and a half floors.  Parking is through the basement and then there is a small half floor down there in the basement with stairs to the first floor.  As you walk up from the basement, you come to the first floor where the offices will be.  That is it for the building in terms of floors.  The first floor then a small basement half floor.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yup it has been rejected, see this story from LSJ: E.L. council opposes apartments

[hood]

Found a helpful site on the West village, it includes tons of info, see the attachments: http://signatureassociates.catylist.com/js...istingID=357442

[jaredw]

The State News reports today that the speed limit on Abbott Road north of Lake Lansing Rd is being lowered to 35 mph.

I think this is whats needed to slow urban sprawl. If it takes much longer to get to classes, particularly for MSU students, then the students will want to move closer to campus. IMO, this will eventually leave the student housing north of Lake Lansing kind of empty and open to single families, which may require a school built near the county line in the next 20 years.

Here is the link to the article: http://www.statenews.com/article.phtml?pk=31413

[RustTown]

I can assure you speed limits do little, and they especially don't slow sprawl. The state tried messing with speed limits on Saginaw and Grand River just a few months ago, and it backfired right in their faces. Even if they did lower the speed limits if doesn't do anything. People still end up going the same speed. People (including myself) still go 40-45 on West Grand River in East Lansing, and the cops rarely enforce the speed limit anyway.

What you can do to reduce sprawl is have a city administration that backs urban development and redevelopment, and overhauling city masterplans (exactly what the E.L. has done).

[hood]

On another note, jaredw, you said "urban sprawl," urban sprawl is alright in most cases. That is building urban oriented develoments on previously undeveloped land, still making good use of it. It's suburban sprawl that people hate, poor land use, placeless developments.

[jaredw]

Sure, well this is where I get confused. Because I see that they are making good use of the land in my opinion, with high density living on it, including the Hawk's Nest neighborhood, in which the houses are all like 8 feet apart. But the part that pulls me is that there is still land closer to the heart of the city that is either vacant or could be redeveloped.

Many students that live north of Lake Lansing would love to move back near downtown if the same style development was built near campus. There are too many one story buildings right near downtown that could be torn down for a 7 story student residential building, although the city will never let students move back to downtown in that large of a number.

I see the corner of MAC and Albert as the perfect corner to tear down El Azteco, Post Bar and the other stores and to build a good 7 or 8 story mixed use building with all the amenities that are featured north of Lake Lansing Rd.

[hood]

Those apartments are making good use of the land, but they are still placeless and bland, I'm not real familiar with all the particulars, but those apartments, and apartment complexes like them are borderline on being suburban sprawl.

About your idea for a residential tower at MAC & Albert, give it time, when City Center II is built, and proves successful, many more similar projects will follow. Anything built there would back up to the City Center II, wouldn't it?