Stadium District

[hood]

Gillespie would be screwing himself by waiting on this project, He could not afford to lose an entire construction season for what appears to be no real reason. I don't beleive kissenger said he was directly invloved in the project or that he has had direct contact with Gillespie, I think he has third hand knowlwdge and/or speculation (correct me if I'm wrong).

[LanCity]

Gillespie would be screwing himself by waiting on this project, He could not afford to lose an entire construction season for what appears to be no real reason. I don't beleive kissenger said he was directly invloved in the project or that he has had direct contact with Gillespie, I think he has third hand knowlwdge and/or speculation (correct me if I'm wrong).

I don't believe that there is any intentional delay or waffling here, there is a process they are following and due dilligence that is being shored up. I don't know when they're going to start but I'm fairly confident that it'll be relatively soon. Besides, "construction season"????? I'm pretty sure they'll be out there in the dead of winter if need be.

I'd much rather the gillespie group get all of their details finalized and designs double and triple checked, and with all this demand maybe he's had to re-evaluate the scope of the project than just start construction for the sake of starting construction... as far as i know they don't even own the land yet... patience is a virtue

[kissinger]

I don't believe that there is any intentional delay or waffling here, there is a process they are following and due dilligence that is being shored up. I don't know when they're going to start but I'm fairly confident that it'll be relatively soon. Besides, "construction season"????? I'm pretty sure they'll be out there in the dead of winter if need be.

I'd much rather the gillespie group get all of their details finalized and designs double and triple checked, and with all this demand maybe he's had to re-evaluate the scope of the project than just start construction for the sake of starting construction... as far as i know they don't even own the land yet... patience is a virtue

Wow. It was thought that the project would start the first of March. I was just simply stating that it will not happen as quickly as one may hope. Final designs are still in the works. I wouldn't be surprised to even see another bid date come out on it for revisions made. You see elevations and plans but that doesn't mean that specific products involved with construction have been determined yet. I do not pretend to know more than Gillespie about the project.

[downtownlansing77]

Another thing that could be holding up this project is the Michigan Avenue road work. Gillespie said he wanted to set his schedule based on the city road work (I think that was in the City Pulse). Since the city keeps changing its Michigan Avenue plan it can't be too easy to match schedules.

[RustTown]

Good point. The CSO on Michigan Avenue will begin no later than the beginning of the summer, though. Hopefully, this is all that is holding may be holding this us.

[hood]

I'm still wondering what that equipment is doing sitting in that lot. One of those excavators look REALLY heavy duty, its arm is looks like it's nearly 3 ft across, something that would be used in some heavy demolition of some type. I just hope that this does get started up as soon as possible.

[LanCity]

I'm still wondering what that equipment is doing sitting in that lot. One of those excavators look REALLY heavy duty, its arm is looks like it's nearly 3 ft across, something that would be used in some heavy demolition of some type. I just hope that this does get started up as soon as possible.

I think thats CSO equipment

[RustTown]

Again, that would make a lot of sense. Sometimes I don't think. lol

But yeah, they are going to have to go deep just like they did everywhere else, and those machines look exactly like what that's for. This is going to be quite an inconvience for a lot of people.

[RustTown]

Hey, I got a reply back from Mr. Gillespie, who just haven't had the time to post to him...

Mr. Gillespie says that nearly every aspect of this project is on schedule except a part of the design. Mr. Gillespie wants balconies/patios/deck/overhands on the design, but MDOT is moving to prevent him from doing this.

I sent an email asking them exactly what MDOT has to do with this project, because I don't understand how they'd have any jurisdiction or say over this.

[hood]

I think MDOT has authority over Michigan Ave. at least that portion of it. I know they have authority over the Capitol Loop, I couldn't imagine why they wouldn't want balconies overhanging the street/sidewalk though, thats something I was really hoping to see.

[RustTown]

That's what it is. It's the Capitol Loop.

The only reason I can even begin to fathom them not wanting balconies is that it may prevent problems with falling ice or other structures for which they may be liable.

Actually, that really doesn't make much sense, but it's all I can think up at the moment.

[RustTown]

More reply back from Mr. Gillespie:

1. Construction is now set for "hopefully" for May.

2. MDOT has say over easements along Larch/Cedar and Michigan. Their reason for not wanting to do air rights easements: "It

[hood]

2. MDOT has say over easements along Larch/Cedar and Michigan. Their reason for not wanting to do air rights easements: "It

[RustTown]

No. I think it's just the normal delays developers encounter in building in urban areas. There are a lot of extra factors that you may not find in some former cornfield out in Delta Township.

[LanCity]

No. I think it's just the normal delays developers encounter in building in urban areas. There are a lot of extra factors that you may not find in some former cornfield out in Delta Township.

right, like not owning the property....

[RustTown]

huh?

[Adieoz]

Does anyone know what is going on with the commercial space in this development? Are they trying to do office, restaurants, or just whatever they can lease?

[RustTown]

I think last I heard (at least a month ago) that Gillespie already has a gym/fitness center, bank, and coffee house. I believe he only has one more retail space to fill. I can't remember if this was from his mouth, or if it had already been reported.

[hood]

He wants to attract those tenants, as far as I know he has not signed any leases, CBRE still shows the full 36,500 sq. ft. of avalible space.

[LanCity]

He wants to attract those tenants, as far as I know he has not signed any leases, CBRE still shows the full 36,500 sq. ft. of avalible space.

The tenants he's probably got lined up are likely being signed on contingency's... and just becaus a website hasn't been updated don't think that nothings happening.

[hood]

I just began rendering the buildings in downtown in SketchUp, for the stadium district I decided to use the photo-texture, so I could make some crude 3-D renderings. They may not look the best, but you can get a pretty good prespective of what it will look like. I'm probably going to do Abrams Landing toworrow.

[hood]

Tax break moves Stadium Project closer to reality

Now they are saying construction to start in August, he just keeps pushing it back. As I said he should have picked a realistic start date to begin with instead of just pushing it back and back.

[RustTown]

WLNS reported today that the project could actually start as early as next month, so who knows. I seem to remember him saying he was starting in late July, anyway, from the last update.

[wolverine]

Thanks for the perspective hood. This looks like a great project.

[hood]

Full LSJ story today: Stadium District gets boost from tax break, it doesn't say much more than the midday update.