Abrams Landing: Proposed Luxury Loft Building

[dude]

architectural firm: Design+, Grand Rapids.

http://www.design-plus.com

[hood]

Here are some 3D "renderings" of Abrams Landing:

[fisher191]

that's a pretty interesting 3d rendering. Is that to scale against the pawanshop? Also putting the peak height at about 75-80'?

[hood]

Yes, I figured 72' for the main roof height, (54' fourth floor +18') and I scaled it to that, according to the program if your rendering was to scale, the tip should be at just above 83'. The building should be about 115' wide also, but I didn't know exactly where the property line between your building and Action Discount was, so I guessed, I made the pawn shop about 30' tall, although it's probably a little shorter than that.

[fisher191]

Not much has changed, but this is the official rendering.

http://www.lansingliving.com/address.php?property_ID=31

I looked into the revolving doors.... The architects told me that they usually do not meet code. Therefore, you can have them, but then you also have to have all the regular doors too. So, I am not going to put them on this building, maybe one in the future.

[hood]

Looks nice, about when do you expect to start on the project?

[RustTown]

Now that it's finalized, what will the height be to the roof and spires?

Large Version:

Hey, Matt. I really hope you are going to include the landscapping shown in the rendering. Larch need some serious landscapping from Michigan all the way to Old Town. lol BTW, what do you plan to do with the ugly, over-head telephone wires that currently line Larch its whole course? They seem like they'd be quite an eyesore and quite an obstruction from some of the condos if left where they are.

Lastly, the rendering in PFD form said "Kincaid." What is Design + doing for you, then?

[wolverine]

Wow, I love it! It looks even taller in the new rendering. I take it the top units have 2 floors with high ceilings?

[hood]

I think the topo floor has eight units and the other two have ten.

What;s the side going to be? Will it be blank?

[RustTown]

I'd suspect it'd be blank, and probably concrete. If so, it would be awesome if someone a mural could be commissioned, eventually.

[hood]

If it's blank I could only asume that it is in anticipation of someone tearing down the pawn shop and building something there.

[RustTown]

Actually, ever since high-rises have been built, it's not unusual to see people leave sides blank and as walls because of extra cost. You can look at quite a few tall towers in Detroit, for instance. It saves money.

[fisher191]

The sides will indeed be blank. Since the building is built to the lot lines, you can't put in windows (there is probably some way to do it, but it's not worth the time and effort). Besides as my luck would be that someone would do a development right next door, and if I did put windows there, they could open them to a brick wall.

I have anticipated putting up a mural. I may do something that advertises my mortgage and real estate companies. Maybe a vintage looking advertisement. That is one of those cherry on the sundae things, and not something I have spent to much time on.

The wires will be either put underground or (more likely) attached to the building, so they will be out of the way. BWL cancelled our meeting yesterday that was going to address that issue, I don't believe we have rescheduled yet.

I am hoping that with CSO, we can get the city to do some of the streetscaping for us, but I do plan to really improve our streetspace. Whether or not that turns out to actually be the trees or not, remains to be seen, but I assure you that I will try to put in something that is very appealing. I'm not going to spend all this money and forget that little bit.

I am a little hesitant on the trees, as I don't want them to obstruct the storefronts. Again, one of those items that will be investigated, but currently isn't the top item to worry about.

[hood]

I think that trees would be wrong for this area, as wood a grass right-of-way. I would say if the CSO don't do anything streetscape it like the Capitol Loop, with a wide sidewalk with brick "highlights." As for a mural, maybe an Abrams scene, with a plane flying above downtown Lansing, picture the abrams Explorer (below) flying (low) above a 1940's downtown Lansing.

[RustTown]

Good to hear the wires will be out of sight.

Matt, did you have that meeting today and ask about the exact height of the structure?

As for greenery, I don't think small trees would be much of an obstruction. If there is one thing downtown is lacking, it's nice landscapping and greenery despite the rest of the city being very green. Some minimal bushes/trees/vegetation can go a long way in enhancing and urban environment.

[fisher191]

hey guys check out this article:

Lansing may have lost people, but I do think the trend will reverse itself.

http://money.cnn.com/2006/07/07/technology...dex.htm?cnn=yes

[hood]

Mr Fisher, theres a couple things about the rendering that I'm curious about. On the 1st floor windows, why do the colums protrude into them on the right side? Also, on the left edge of the building it shows only cream colored tile on the column, rather than a cream/blue combination as on the other ones. And lastly, you should consider mirroring the pattern of the columns, instead of having the blue always on the left and the cream on the right you should have the blue on the inside and cream on the outside (blue in the left and cream on the right for the three rightmost columns and opposite for the three left colums.) Just a couple of ideas to make the building more symetrical.

I modified the rendering, using my tweaks (wider 1st floor windows and mirrored tile pattern), with Photoshop:

[andrew.w]

Sorry hood, but I like the quirks of the original rendering. Even though the overall look of the building is symmetry, the asymmetrical aspects are some of what gives the building its interest and makes you want to take a second look when you realize that it doesn't look quite as you'd expect it to.

[fisher191]

Those first floor windows are actually 'stepped' in to the building and that extra blue was a step. I was trying to really keep some 3 dimensional-ness to it.

I'm looking at them both (your version and the current one). On one hand, most everything is symetrical on the building, and the blue columns were the only thing that was not, and I kinda liked that. Then again your alteration looks nice too.

Our meeting with the neighbors went okay yesterday. Found that there is a couple of things that we need to handle or address. The 'alley' behind Abrams that runs to Pere Marquette, is not really an alley at all, and therefore we need to formalize easements with everyone. These types of meetings are always kinda neat, everyone knows each other, but they sometimes haven't ever thought about some things. Paramount didn't know that they didn't own the alley on the north side of the current building. Harry and the Public Policy office thought that the back alley access was on record, but just wasn't ontheir official property.

At first the meeting wasn't going well, as Paramount was concerned about losing the alley, and Public Policy was concerned about losing their parking (the spaces that were on their property) due to the larger building. Harry recommended that we keep the alley on the northside and build over it, which would kill off some of my back garages and commercial space. The Pawn shop guy recommended that I buy his building and then there would be no problems at all (everyone else didn't think that was a bad idea....). Then we walked around with Paramount and found that the back parking sites won't be in jeopardy, they would lose the ability to use the loading dock off that alley (for semi trucks only), but they acknowledged that it wasn't their property to begin with. Their concern really boiled down to, future tenants harassing them over smells from their roaster. I let them know that we would put something into the leases that would address the proximity to Paramount, to try to protect them (also the wind usually blows the smell away). When the price was asked on the Pawn shop, which he had left at this point, I informed them that he was asking 750k, everyone got a very good laugh, and everything started to come together. Harry, Public Policy, and Paramount seemed fine with the project and would accomodate construction. Pawn shop looks as though he may create problems, but we will try to diffuse him, before he can create anything of real annoyance, we only need to encroach on him for the period of construction. Paramount laughed that they were rich if they could get the price that the Pawn Shop was asking. I told everyone that I paid 375k for Abrams. So it ended on a good note.

Anyhow, there's your window into some of the dealings of the week, in trying to put a deal together.

[hood]

That price for the pawn shop is laughable to say the least. He payed $190k for it in 1996, it has not been remodled since then even. I would really like to see you get it, I could picture a nice 6-8 floor red brick building with more traditional architecture here. I think a reasonable price would top out at around $400k-$500k, that even seems a little much.

When it comes to the difference between the renderings, the main thing I like about my version is the mirrored columns. Was the columns being all facing the same an intended part of the design? I actually thought that the larger blue portions on the 1st floor may have been there for some structural reason, but to me those are no big deal, I just like as much window area as possible, it's not that they looked really off or anything.

[RustTown]

A little connection, here, but I actually went to school with the sons of the guy that owns the pawnshop. He's been trying to get rid of it for a few years, now, I believe.

Yeah, when Paramount's roasting their coffee beans it can be very strong. Many people are annoyed by it, but I always thought it was an interesting smell. Still, that shouldn't be much of a problem, at all. That's what living in a dense urban environment's about: compromise.

Good to see things are moving along!

[RustTown]

Matt, when do you plan to start, now?

Building on Lansing's potential

Capital Real Estate owner sets sights on downtown project

August 7, 2006

By Jeremy W. Steele

Lansing State Journal

...

Sights of downtown

His four-story building would feature balconies overlooking the downtown minor league ball field, as well as looking out over the Lansing Center to downtown.

It's also in the heart of an area city planners would like to see become a key entertainment district.

"If Lansing is going to grow and downtown is going to grow, this is the area it's going to take place in," Fisher said.

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pb...0311/1004/RSS10

[RustTown]

Any updates of this project, Matt? It's been a few weeks since we heard anything. I aslo went to your website and notice you no longer have the listing for this building up. I hope this isn't dead.

[fisher191]

definetly not dead, I have had to move a little slower on it lately, for good reason though, my primary business has picked up dramatically. Some of my competitors are closing up, so I am finding myself in a position to press the advantage, and unfortunately there are only so many hours in a day.

I moved it off the website as I was starting to get quite a few requests for showings.

I am still trying to win federal tax credits, I was able to do some additional research to find that I qualify for an OPRA, that at first appeared to not be qualified. The big prize is still the New market credits, competition has picked up for them significantly as more developers have caught on to the project. The prize is big enough that I will hold off until I have exhausted all avenues, and if I don't win I will proceed further at that point. Its the difference between being able to totally go over the top on everything or having to watch the pennies.

in fact I have moved the rendering to myspace....mfisher19.

[RustTown]

When's the deadline for the New Market credits?