Lansing-East Lansing, MI Development

[Rizzo]

I hope the AF project wins a long list of awards. It's incredibly well done, and just look how the old details adapt themselves well in the new interiors

[LMich]

$500,000 to help Lansing's once-polluted Crego Park reopen to public

Written by Laura Misjak | The Lansing State Journal

April 11, 2011

The sign that declares Crego Park's closure has loomed at the corner of East Mt. Hope Avenue and Aurelius Road for more than 20 years.

But that sign will be coming down in the next year or so thanks to a $500,000 state grant that will help the once-polluted park open to the public.

"I can't wait to take that sign off," said Murdock Jemerson, Lansing's director of parks and recreation.

"This park has gone through a lot in terms of having the negative connotation of being polluted. I definitely want to see it open again."

Crego Park - Lansing's largest park at about 200 acres - is adjacent to Potter Park Zoo, Fenner Nature Center and two of the city's cemeteries as part of the Sycamore Basin.

It's been closed since 1986 when 200 drums of paint sludge and other toxic waste were found.

After the sludge discovery, FMC Corp. of Philadelphia agreed to spend $8 million to clean up the mess. The Lansing Park Board was notified within the past two years that the park was suitable to use, said Ron Lott, a member of the board.

...

The grant, coupled with $250,000 from the city's parks millage fund, will fit the land with a fishing dock, kayak/canoe launch, a boardwalk to give a pathway from the 17-acre Fidelity Lake on the park's east side to the city's River Trail, and more.

Once the city finds an architectural engineering firm and construction company to work on the project, the hands-on work might not begin until September, Jemerson said.

"What we're doing here is pretty much allowing access to the park and what we call quiet water activities," Jemerson said.

Motorized boats and other motorized watercraft will not be allowed in the park, Jemerson said.

...

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/a...text|FRONTPAGE

I've wanted to see this park forever. So glad this went through. The Sycamore Basin is crazy and what I love about this place. You can be an urban area one minute, and the next be in an honest-to-goodness wilderness the next in the middle of a metropolitan area of 465,000.

On this map, you can see the Sycamore Basin. Crego is the forest in the upper-right and Fidelity Lake within it ever further to the right:



This is basically an entire quarter of the city (southeast quarter) of old-growth forests with all kinds of flora and fauna with a few residential areas scattered along Aurelius.

[LMich]

Looking forward to this next wave, as things have slowed down and little else knew has been coming down the pipeline in the last few years:

Redevelopment in sight? The Eyde Co. has plans to redevelop the Knapp's building to include office and retail space and high-end apartments. The project hinges on a complex financing deal. / Lansing State Journal file photo

What's next on the development front?

Melissa Domsic| Lansing State Journal

April 17, 2011

Accident Fund Holdings Inc.'s headquarters is the newest development to grace the downtown Lansing skyline.

But more is on the way. Here are some other upcoming projects:

• REO Town power plant: The Lansing Board of Water & Light plans to build a $182 million natural gas-powered electric and steam generation plant in REO Town, moving 180 workers to the district south of downtown Lansing. The public utility plans to construct an eight-story, 46,500-square-foot plant adjacent to the former Grand Trunk Western Railroad Depot on Washington Avenue. The depot will be restored and house office and meeting space. Construction is slated to begin in June and the plant should on-line by early 2013.

• Former Accident Fund headquarters: Starting in mid-July, Detroit insurer Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan plans to move nearly 300 Lansing-area employees from a site on South Creyts Road in Delta Township into Accident Fund's former 130,000-square-foot home office at 232 S. Capitol Ave. They should be settled in by September, Blue Cross President and CEO Dan Loepp said.

• Knapp's building: East Lansing developer Eyde Co. wants to turn the former Knapp's department store at the corner of Washington Square and Washtenaw Street into a building containing retailers, office space, a business incubator, high-end apartments and underground parking. The overall cost, including the value of the land and historic building, is $36.4 million. Eyde hopes to start preliminary work in the next couple of months and complete construction by late 2012 or early 2013. But the project hinges on several factors coming together in a complex financing package.

• Marketplace: Gillespie Group is working on floor plans for an 80- to 85-unit residential building for the former City Market site near the corner of Cedar and Shiawassee streets. The East Lansing-based developer, headed by Pat Gillespie, hopes to break ground later this year and complete the $6.5 million to $8.5 million building by spring 2013. Office and commercial buildings would be added depending on demand.

• Ballpark North: Gillespie also has proposed another mixed-use complex for the property north of Cooley Law School Stadium, though details have not been unveiled. Construction would begin after Marketplace.

[LMich]

Rent-a-bike

by Andy Balaskovitz | Lansing City Pulse

April 18, 2011

Monday, April 18 — What if you needed to make a quick jaunt in the city, but you don’t own a car, the walk is too far and a bus might take too long?

At a press conference this morning at City Hall, a group of officials proposed a solution: a fee-based citywide bike-sharing program.

The Capital Community Bike Share would allow you to “rent a public bicycle for little to no cost at an automated station, bike to your destination, and return the bike at another station,” according to its website.

While funding is unsecured, costs are undetermined and how exactly the program would work is unresolved, officials are excited about the prospects.

Ingham County Treasurer Eric Schertzing led a group of local officials and transportation activists in December to explore the idea of Capital Community Bike Share.

“They help define community,” Schertzing said of bike-sharing programs, adding that Lansing’s will “rollout probably in 2012.”

...

Just my opinion, but I think for this to be truly successful right out of the gate, we need a bit more infrastructure, namely bike lanes/paths and the small business community and city taking the intiative to add bike racks in business districts, that would further build the culture here to a sustainable level.

[subterranean]

Kalamazoo is finally getting resurfaced from Penn to Cedar!!

That means one could very easily take a well-paved bike lane all the way from campus to downtown Lansing in a direct shot.

[LMich]

Looks like after ridership stagnated last year after having rose every year previous that CATA may be back to breaking records for the year:

Pump pain grips area; delivery, moving businesses suffer as gas prices increase

Scott Davis | Lansing State Journal

April 25, 2011

...

But Lansing-area transit and school officials say gas prices also might be forcing some mid-Michigan residents to change their driving habits as more adults and teenagers rely on buses for transportation.

Last month, the Capital Area Transportation Authority recorded about 1.2 million rides - a 6.9 percent increase over March 2010 and the highest monthly ridership in CATA's 39-year history, CATA officials said. CATA offers public transportation in Lansing, East Lansing and in several Ingham County townships.

"We were starting to see a rise in the last couple of months," said Debbie Alexander, CATA's assistant executive director. "I can't guarantee it's all fuel (related), but I would say the market is responding to the cost of fuel, and they are making different choices for their transportation needs."

...

[LMich]

It'll be interesting to see how this ultimately works out. At the very least, Lansing and what's left of Lansing Township need to merge their public safety departments.

All together now

By Andy Balaskovitz | Lansing City Pulse

May 2, 2011

Monday, May 2 — The Lansing City Council is scheduled to vote on a resolution at tonight’s meeting that would seek funding from the Michigan Municipal League to help study cost-saving measures for regionalizing fire services.

Lansing and East Lansing and Meridian, Lansing, Delhi and Delta townships have been meeting to discuss collaboration and fire services options in efforts to cut costs, the resolution says. The resolution is in support of doing a study and seeks $50,000 in financial assistance from the Michigan Municipal League to do it.

...

[LMich]

Study: Lansing area in top 20 for job growth

Melissa Domsic | Lansing State Journal

May 5, 2011

The Lansing area is one of the top 20 midsize regions for job growth, according to a new national study.

The area - including Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties - jumped 49 spots to No. 19 on public affairs website NewGeography.com's list of the top midsize cities for job growth.

"As much as it kind of feels like otherwise, it's not really surprising news to hear that economically, Greater Lansing is doing better than a lot of cities," said Kate Tykocki, spokeswoman for workforce development agency Capital Area Michigan Works.

New Geography used unemployment data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to compile its list of 90 midsize cities. It also ranked large and small cities in separate lists.

...

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/a...xt|FRONTPAGE|s

Census data show Lansing area's population skews older

Melissa Domsic | Lansing State Journal

May 5, 2011

Greater Lansing's median age grew somewhat over the past decade, but still ranks younger than the overall state.

The median age in Ingham, Eaton and Clinton counties was 34.4, according to U.S. Census data released Wednesday. That's up about 5 percent from 32.7 in 2000.

Median age growth was larger statewide, coming in at 38.9, up nearly 10 percent from 35.5 in 2000.

...

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/a...text|FRONTPAGE

[DetroitMan]

Developing Red Cedar golf course proposed
Voters might be asked to OK sale of Waverly, Red Cedar sites
7:17 AM, May. 7, 2011

Above is an artist's rendering of a concept for a portion of the Michigan Avenue gateway adjacent to the Red Cedar golf course.

Lansing's economic development officials want the Red Cedar Golf Course transformed into a mixed-use development with housing, restaurants and retailers surrounded by a natural recreation area.

On Monday, City Council will get its first look at proposals that would ask voters for permission to sell a portion of the golf course along Michigan Avenue near the Frandor Shopping Center, as well as the Waverly Golf Course at Saginaw Street and Waverly Road and the adjacent Michigan Avenue Park at Michigan Avenue and Waverly Road.

Council members have until May 23 to make a decision in time to have the proposals placed on the Aug. 2 ballot.

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/a...text|FRONTPAGE

[DetroitMan]

Ballot effort for casino in Lansing progressing

More than 4,000 signatures have been collected in the past six weeks, according to the Lansing Jobs Coalition, the group seeking the casino. Organizers intend to submit their list May 13 to City Clerk Chris Swope.


Swope said his office has 15 days to verify that the signatures belong to registered city voters and pass it along to the Lansing City Council.


The coalition needs roughly 4,100 valid names, Swope said. Organizers would have 10 days to collect more if it’s determined they didn’t reach that threshold.

http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/a...sectionstories

[hood]

I already posted this on the other Lansing forum sites, so I figured I'd copy it to here also.

Accident Fund had an open house for the building on Saturday. I took a lot of pictures, so I'll just post a few here. If your interested in seeing more, you can view them all here: Accident Fund HQ - Photobucket

[subterranean]

Very nice. I wish I could have gone to that.

[LMich]

Looks like The Lenawee project has been completely revamped...

Lansing YMCA site could get new life in $22 million deal

By Melissa Domsic | Lansing State Journal

May 12, 2011

A lot can change in three years.

In April 2008, developers Dan Essa and Julie Lawton-Essa announced plans to tear down the YMCA building at 301 W. Lenawee St. in downtown Lansing and erect a 12-story office building, dubbed The Lenawee.

Then, the economy collapsed under the weight of the recession and the demand for new office space dried up. The Lenawee project never panned out.

Now, Essa and Lawton-Essa, of East Lansing-based Lawton Group Development, plans to build a four-story building with 228 apartments, first-floor retail space, and underground and surface parking.

The price for the project, including construction, land and other costs, will be about $22.6 million, Essa said. But it depends on several financial incentives falling into place.

...

Essa said it wouldn't have been cost-effective to preserve the 93,714-square-foot YMCA building. Instead, he'll demolish it and construct a 151,400 square-foot building with 228 one- and two-bedroom apartments ranging from $675 to $1,250 per month.

Essa said he hopes to attract a coffee shop or small grocery store for the 11,000 square-foot retail space on the first floor. He also might move his office to the site.

A March 2009 market study commissioned by the LEDC cited a need for 300 to 400 more downtown rental units by 2014.

...

I'm so happy this was reworked, because I was never crazy about the land-use for that site being office, primarily. The site plan also left a lot to be desired. Way too much of the site was taken up by parking. I don't at all mind them reducing the height to only four stories. At 150,000+ square feet and at that height, I imagine this will fill the site pretty well. So long as they retain a streetwall along the northern and eastern perimeter (the parts fronting Reutter Park), this should be pretty awesome.

[LMich]

Went down yesterday to take a few camera photos of the our new riverfront sculpture "Inspiration". The 15-foot stainless steel sculpture is a gift from the city's 150th birthday committee and foundation.

[LMich]

This has been in the works for a few months, now, but they've formally revealed the plan. This would be the first new-constructon, multi-story residential building on Michigan Avenue east of Sparrow Hospital in many years if completed, and finally opens this part of East Michigan Avenue to increased densities:

Apartments planned for Citgo gas station site on Lansing's east side

By Melissa Domsic | Lansing State Journal

May 17, 2011

Scott Gillespie wants to turn an abandoned gas station on Lansing's east side into a three-story apartment building with commercial space on the first floor.

Gillespie, of Lansing-based developer Gillespie Co., is seeking final approvals from the city to go ahead with plans to demolish the former Citgo at 1621 E. Michigan Ave. and build a 14,380 square-foot mixed-use building.

The Ingham County Land Bank took ownership of the building after it went into tax foreclosure last year. Gillespie said he'll close on the sale once he receives site plan and other approvals from the city.

...

Gillespie's plan calls for a building with 13 apartments, including studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom units. Monthly rent will range from $700 to $1,000.

Gillespie has a food service tenant interested in about half of the 2,900 square feet of commercial space on the first floor. He would not release the name until he has a signed lease.

Gillespie is the brother of developer Pat Gillespie, who built the Stadium District and has plans for other projects on the city's east side, where the brothers grew up.

"I feel such a connection to the east side," Scott Gillespie said. "I'm thrilled to add to the vibrancy of the east side and play a part in the growth."

...

Allen said the apartments likely will attract area undergraduate and graduate students, as well as workers from nearby employers such as Sparrow Health System.

This is an important project, because up until this point, all residential development on the Avenue had been loft renovations above storefronts, and that demand has pretty much been saturated and filled. The pricepoints for these don't seem bad, either, and this further makes the case for the success of the BRT proposal whenever the city decides to start pushing that, again.

[subterranean]

Although I certainly have my reservations about the Gillespies, I'm thrilled that more human-size projects are coming to the avenue. This gas station is just a few blocks from my house and I cringe every time I see it. I wished something like this would happen, but didn't hold much hope...the avenue has so much potential and I hope this is the start of a trend. As you've said, LMich, most everything has been gobbled up and renovated, so new construction in this section of town is ripe. I hope they go with traditional brick architecture.

My real question is where are they going to fit the parking? It almost certainly would have to go underneath on a site that size? That seems expensive. Unless there are spots to be leased from the adjacent building.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by subterranean

My real question is where are they going to fit the parking? It almost certainly would have to go underneath on a site that size? That seems expensive. Unless there are spots to be leased from the adjacent building.

What are Lansing's parking requirements? Though there are quite a few unknowns, with the square footages gives, the building may be a 2+1 with all the parking on the ground level. It would just barely fit though. With that 2900 sq ft of commercial space and two stairwells.

[hood]

Here's a rendering of 1621 E Michigan:


I'm not sure what the parking requirements are in this area. I know that downtown there are no parking requirements in most areas, I'm not sure how far east that zoning goes.

[subterranean]

From someone close to the project discussion:

"In his preliminary plan the parking will be just north on the already paved area, he owns the whole corner now and the parking requirements were decreased as part of the overlay district (encouraging transit use while decreasing the sea of parking requirement of old!)"

[LMich]

Sub,

I think people don't realize exactly how deep these lots on Michigan Avenue are. Almost all parking for the Avenue is on the back of the lot. I figured that if they even had a problem with parking for this project, they'd just buy up some spaces behind existing businesses.