I've had good luck with the City of Lansing app in the Amazon/Google store. Very quick response from that as well. I've used it to report street lights and traffic lights that are out.
I'm glad to see that the City responds to these sorts of things. I may have to start using one of these services as there's been many times I saw something that was probably worth reporting, I just didn't want to have to call someone or find the right department to email.
I think the city departments may appreciate getting this information, it works most often when the problem in very specific, rather than general like all of Mt Hope needs repaving.
I thought the search would be better but you are right, it is missing the ability to filter by topic, title, comment, etc. I don't see a way to enable that yet, and it looks like I may have to write something like that myself.
Wanted to mention, I was recently in Cincinnati, OH, and was quite impressed by this development: http://www.liberty-center.com/directorymap . Think Eastwood in the sense that it was all designed by a single developer, but they did a stupendous job making it look and feel like you're in a ritzy downtown area. Notice that all the parking garages are around the perimeter, the shops are inside - and there is even streetside parking in the interior area. A couple small parks inside the development and lots of high-end condos above the shops, it was very nice.
Not sure how much pictures-from-above captures the downtown feel of the area, but here is one. I was quite impressed.
I should mention too that, even on Christmas Eve, there was a decent amount of pedestrian traffic - and I don't mean people walking from their car to a shop, but wandering around, enjoy the parks which were all decorated. It was nice.
That's a really nice example of a town center/lifestyle center, with any luck Eastwood will grow to resemble something more like it. I like how they concentrated all the public space in the middle surrounded by taller buildings, it's especially nice that they used some of the single story rooftops as park space.
Tree Rant! I know I have said that I was done ranting about the utility tree cuts, but I drove down East Mt Hope to see scores of mature 30 foot tall trees had been totally cut down on the north side of the street across from Fenner Nature Center. I hope they get done with this hack job soon it is really disturbing.I think they are being very calicoes about our trees. Meanwhile there about a dozen dead trees along Frances Park's woodland trail that really could hurt somebody.
If you want to have a little project envy check out curbed Detroit. The plans for the old Hudson's site are really cool, as are the plans for the new Piston's Practice Facility. The river walk and making Jefferson Blvd. pedestrian friendly are projects that could relate to Lansing. I think the new "Q"line light rail will be a great success even though it is only 3.3 miles long.
If you want to see some interesting photos of per-urban renewal Lansing check out the LSJ's archive pictures of the Centennial Parade in 1959. It is fun to try and pick out where the photos were taken by spotting landmarks that are still there. It is also interesting to see buildings that have been torn down, the whole downtown was so packed with small businesses all the way up Michigan Ave. It is quite a contrast to the photos of later parades in the 90's.
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I thought the search would be better but you are right, it is missing the ability to filter by topic, title, comment, etc. I don't see a way to enable that yet, and it looks like I may have to write something like that myself.
Wanted to mention, I was recently in Cincinnati, OH, and was quite impressed by this development: http://www.liberty-center.com/directorymap . Think Eastwood in the sense that it was all designed by a single developer, but they did a stupendous job making it look and feel like you're in a ritzy downtown area. Notice that all the parking garages are around the perimeter, the shops are inside - and there is even streetside parking in the interior area. A couple small parks inside the development and lots of high-end condos above the shops, it was very nice.
Not sure how much pictures-from-above captures the downtown feel of the area, but here is one. I was quite impressed.
I should mention too that, even on Christmas Eve, there was a decent amount of pedestrian traffic - and I don't mean people walking from their car to a shop, but wandering around, enjoy the parks which were all decorated. It was nice.
That's a really nice example of a town center/lifestyle center, with any luck Eastwood will grow to resemble something more like it. I like how they concentrated all the public space in the middle surrounded by taller buildings, it's especially nice that they used some of the single story rooftops as park space.
Tree Rant! I know I have said that I was done ranting about the utility tree cuts, but I drove down East Mt Hope to see scores of mature 30 foot tall trees had been totally cut down on the north side of the street across from Fenner Nature Center. I hope they get done with this hack job soon it is really disturbing.I think they are being very calicoes about our trees. Meanwhile there about a dozen dead trees along Frances Park's woodland trail that really could hurt somebody.
If you want to have a little project envy check out curbed Detroit. The plans for the old Hudson's site are really cool, as are the plans for the new Piston's Practice Facility. The river walk and making Jefferson Blvd. pedestrian friendly are projects that could relate to Lansing. I think the new "Q"line light rail will be a great success even though it is only 3.3 miles long.
If you want to see some interesting photos of per-urban renewal Lansing check out the LSJ's archive pictures of the Centennial Parade in 1959. It is fun to try and pick out where the photos were taken by spotting landmarks that are still there. It is also interesting to see buildings that have been torn down, the whole downtown was so packed with small businesses all the way up Michigan Ave. It is quite a contrast to the photos of later parades in the 90's.