Stadium District

[hood]

I started this to give a complete project overview of the Stadium district. I have found higher resolution renderings, a siteplan and floor plans.

Michigan elevation

Larch elevation

Site Plan

First floor plan

Fourth floor plan

[statedude3]

I might be an amature, but I think this is an absulutely perfect project for it's location. Visually appealing, and on a honest scale, I think it's going to be a great addition to downtown Lansing. However...it seems like quite a bit of parking for a complex of it's size. Is there going to be public parking included for Lansing Center and Olds Park events or what?

[hood]

For now there will just be a surface lot, that will take up the entire area that shows a surface lot on the site plan and they area origionaly proposed for a city parking ramp. Hovever, in the agreement between the city and Gillespi the city retains the right to build a parking ramp sometime in the future, and it will be needed.

[RustTown]

The reason there is so much parking in the plan is because as Hood said, the city wanted the developer to build a parking ramp for the city of Lansing which they'd lease, I believe. They wanted to make up for the parking that will be lost with the building on this site. But as Hood said, for the immediate future, there will only be a surface lot behind the building. It seems Mr. Gillespie was able to talk the city out of making him build their parking garage. lol I do appreciate the city finally getting the courage to ask things of developers, though. So often, declined cities are so hungry for ANY type of development that they don't even bother to ask more of developers.

[hood]

I just hope they don't take too long in constructing the ramp because there is already not enough parking in the area. As it is when there are games business' charge to park in their lots and some people have to walk from a few blocks away. If more business' remain open later parking will really become a problem for games.

[RustTown]

Yeah, this is definitely one area of the city that MUST have a least one, large parking structure. Currently, the only large-scale parking place on the Eastbank (that's a name I want to catch on, lol) IS the lot that the Stadium District is going on. And game days really are horrible.

[GaryP]

What is the timeline for this project and what is its status? I don't get to spend much time in Lansing when I'm visiting friends EL, so I cant quite place this either. Is it just across from the Lugnuts stadium?

[hood]

It is to begin contruction in early spring, probably march. It will be in the parking lot directly south of the Lugnuts Stadium, It will take up the entire length of that block along Michigan Ave. and will also run about 1/4 block along Larch and Cedar.

[GaryP]

It is to begin contruction in early spring, probably march. It will be in the parking lot directly south of the Lugnuts Stadium, It will take up the entire length of that block along Michigan Ave. and will also run about 1/4 block along Larch and Cedar.

TY

Does Gillespie have a website for this? I'm gonna go check it out next time I make it to lansing. Oh yeah, are these condos or apartments?

[hood]

As far as I know he does not yet have a website for this, but when he does I'm sure he will link it to this page, it's his lansing property listing. There is a somewhat in-depth real estate listing for the commercial space here.

This will be a mix of 40 apartments on the second and third floors and 18 condos on the fourth floor, of course the ground floor will be commercial space.

[hood]

I have found a new rendering of the Stadium District and the design has changed drastically. I'm not sure if I like the new one as much as the old, I'll have to wait for higher resolution rendering before I make that decision. I do like that the fourth floor will be a full height floor now and it appears that the roof top will be utilized (notice the trees) and there will be balconies. This is definately more realistic of a design than the old one, which to me almost looked toyish.

[RustTown]

Yes, it definitely looks more realistic, but I don't like how they totally scaled back all of the details. It looks too plain.

BTW, where'd you find the new rendering? I can't seem to find the entry anywhere on Signature Associates website, anymore.

[hood]

Signature Associates isn't handling the Stadium District anymore, CBRE is. I contacted CBRE yesterday wondering if they will post the larger rendering to their website or if they can send it to me, the current "enlarge" link doesn't work.

[RustTown]

BTW, I just notice that CBRE is listing the Abrams Aerial Survey Building as for lease and for sale. I'm hoping Matt Fisher has dropped his plan for a tower at the site. I emailed him back last month and he has never gotten back to me...

[hood]

They don't exactly keep their site updated, Maplewood elementary is still listed as for sale also. Why are you hoping that he dropped his plan?

[RustTown]

Oops...I meant haven't. lol

From what I remember, though, Maplewood hasn't actually been purchased yet, has it? CBRE always seems to keep it's site pretty up to date. You can simply check on each buildings page in the states were it was "last verified."

[hood]

LSJ reported that the Maplewood school was bought by the rescue mission about two months ago for a new family shelter. It seems like there have been other things not updated also, but I can't remember what.

[hood]

I now have a larger rendering and floorplans for the project. In the floorplans Michigan is at the bottom, Cedar on the right and Larch on the left.:

Looking South:

Site Plan:

First and second floor:

3/4 floor and roof:

I'm starting to like the exterior design more, assuming they will use brick not that stuff like on Prudden Place. It also will be taller than the origional proposal, it appears to be between 70 and 80 ft tall. However, I'm very dissapointed in the first floor layout. The proposed space calls for a coffee shop and retail space, which is fine, but also includes a bank with drivethru and a gym. A gym and bank do nothing at the street level, a bank still coses early and does not draw people in off the street. The gym also does nothing at a street level and it is proposed to take up nearly half the first floor. If anything, dump the second floor office space, put the gym up there and allow a resturaunt or retail to have the first floor space. Also, the building will now not go along Cedar or Larch at all, which is also dissapointing, I really don't know what to think of this project. Also I contacted someone at CBRE and I may be getting more and/or better renderings soon.

[jaredw]

Without building on cedar or larch does scale it back a little, but aren't they using surface lots for the parking? This means that in the future when they plan the parking structure, they can design with buildings attached to it.

[hood]

Thats what I'm thinking, I'm just not sure if thats what will happen. If they do end up building seperate buildings along Larch and/or Cedar it will be much better off, but if they just end up building a big parking ramp that would obviously be bad. That's why I really don't know what to think about it, I cant decide what to think about this project, theres plenty of good and bad about it. But at least it will look nice from Michigan Ave.

[RustTown]

I think a gym is a great idea, they are used heavily and many are opened 24 hours.

I'm very disappointed to see them take away the Cedar/Larch wing(s), though. I just can't help but to think that if Mr. Gillespie would take a bit more of a risk it would pay off. I mean, add two more stories and utilize the space behind it for another retail annex and consolidate the parking into a small, two-floor parking garage until they can expand it otherwise.

[hood]

A gym would be best suited for the second floor though, it doesn't do anything at street level. I was really hoping to see at least a small portion opened up to two floors to allow for a nice micro brewery. In the original design the building would have had an small two story opened up portion at the Cedar end of it. I was also thinking that not having the Cedar and Larch wings may be good, it will allow for the possible construction of new buildings, maybe taller ones (around 6 floors). Then they could build a 6-7 floor ramp behind it all. I suppose it's a remote possibility, but it would be nice.

[RustTown]

Hood, can you post a link to the CB Richard Ellis profile page? I can't seem to find the new entry on their site besides the old renderings with sparse information.

[hood]

Actually I can't, I don't use their local office site and the regular property search is java script so you have to go to properties for lease page and search up Lansing, if you search up only Lansing, it will be on the second page.

[RustTown]

It looks like Gillespie is about to launch his website for the Stadium District:

http://www.thestadiumdistrict.com/