This thread is for Metro Lansing news (and discussion) not directly related to development. Post news on new businesses, local government matters, events and other local things here.
Jar Wtih Most on Flickr got some pics of this, today. It looks like REO Town is going to lose its two largest business anchors. I hope Dave decides to rebuild, something, or someone does. I hear that the Cadillac Club is basically a loss, two, because it surfaced water damage trying to put out the fire, next door. I also hear the fire was so hot that parts of the brick structure were literally exploding:
Wow, this is a terrible loss for South Washington and REO Town. With the Cadillac Club and Dave's gone, there is going to be a large gap in the block, and an even larger drop in the number of patrons heading to that retail district.
This may seem all bad, but if something nice is rebuilt with fat insurance check, it could be the best thing to happen to REO Town. REO Town is lacking any new construction and if something reasonably nice is built here it could be just what the area needs. I honestly think there is a pretty good chance Discount Dave will rebuild, it's just a question of what.
On another note, I must admit, when I heard about this I was suspicious given all that's gone down in the last few weeks, months, and years, really.
Hood, I agree with you about the potential this creates. I'd always hated how Dave covered up the historic building. I'd never even realized it was three stories (until yesterday) given that tacky and ugly siding he had up on the place. If Studio Intrigue (the last big business on that stretch) is involved in the redevelopment process, this could be quite nice, definitely nicer than what was there, before.
Okay, I have to rant!!! Regarding the cuts in the state budget announced today...and it is relevent to development in Lansing: $40 million cut for city revenue sharing...I am absolutely so utterly sick of this, we CAN'T touch the Corrections Department budget. Even though it's the largest part of the budget, Michigan pays more than other states for the same service and NO data shows it does anything for crime. Yet, it's always talked about as the "sacred cow." I am so *&#*%&#$*&#%^#%^ing ticked about this. We won't touch that budget but we'll kick our citys and their basic services (fire, police, etc.) when they're down but we won't touch that. This is sooooooo freak'n ridiculous. Sorry to get political, but Granholm absolutely sucks. She hasn't done anything that I drastically disagree during her tenure, but she has done virtually nothing significant to fix anything. She has no unique/novel ideas, won't push for anything to inspire hope, and after this today I just want her gone.
Sorry, maybe this clarification isn't needed, but just so no one freaks out...$40 million in city revenue sharing was cut statewide, not for just Lansing...it comes out to ~$1 million cut for Lansing from what I saw.
I would love to see some cuts in the corrections department, but I think that changes in some laws and sentencing guidelines would need to be changed before that became realistic.
I'm reviving this old thread rather than make a new one. I'd like to post more random news on new businesses or local government matter like below and not feel like I'm cluttering up the development threads.
The city is apparently about to change their parking fee structure to encourage using the ramps by making the ramps cheaper, the first hour will even be free. Street parking will now have no time limit, which I think will only be a potential problem on Washington Sq and Michigan Ave. The article below also talks about how the city is actively promoting to developers that they don't need to include parking in their projects because of the excess capacity in the city's ramps. All-in-all it seems like some positive efforts are being made.
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Hood, I agree with you about the potential this creates. I'd always hated how Dave covered up the historic building. I'd never even realized it was three stories (until yesterday) given that tacky and ugly siding he had up on the place. If Studio Intrigue (the last big business on that stretch) is involved in the redevelopment process, this could be quite nice, definitely nicer than what was there, before.
The city is apparently about to change their parking fee structure to encourage using the ramps by making the ramps cheaper, the first hour will even be free. Street parking will now have no time limit, which I think will only be a potential problem on Washington Sq and Michigan Ave. The article below also talks about how the city is actively promoting to developers that they don't need to include parking in their projects because of the excess capacity in the city's ramps. All-in-all it seems like some positive efforts are being made.
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2024/09/04/lansing-parking-downtown-tickets-ramps-lots-meters-prices/74917051007/