I could not agree more. I was unaware that the tax was currently producing that much revenue much less where it was going. I'd like to see something like 70%-80% of the expanded revenue go to bonding out capital improvements. The higher rate would raise $114 million over 20 years not accounting for growth or inflation, that's more than enough to do something significant. That being said, I will be voting for this measure just due to the fact that it is a tax mostly paid by visitors so it is not a burden to locals. It'd be nice to always have guarantees written into these ballot measures but I'd also like to think local officials will make good decisions moving forward.
My first realistic wish is an expansion of the Lansing Center's exhibition space to the east completing the Cedar St facade, also adding to the north if deemed necessary, adding a parking ramp and/or partnering with a developer on a hotel at Museum & Cedar. There's room on the east parking lot for about 40k-50k of new main exhibition space plus a lobby/common area along both streets, that'd bring it to 120k of space in the main hall, just ahead of the ~100k sq ft that seems common in small metros. Of course they'd want to so a study with so much public money involved but that pathway seems reasonable to me.
This talk has me wondering, has anyone seen the new events center coming to Kalamazoo? How is it they can get something like that and the Lansing Center has stood stagnant for decades? We've got a larger university nearby and a larger population...
That's fair enough, you do make some good points. I forgot that it is mostly privately funded.
I guess I don't get to Kalamazoo all that often and probably didn't understand the need, or desire, so I appreciate you breaking that down some. The new center looks like it's going to be quite something.
Regarding the new arena in Kalamazoo: First, I fundamentally disagree that Kalamazoo is better positioned to host events/conventions than Lansing. The Lansing area itself is larger, our local university is larger, we're better geographically positioned within the state given the freeway access from every major metro and we're the state capitol. I don't know how much Kalamazoo can benefit from their being at the Detroit/Chicago/Grand Rapids confluence but I honestly doubt it's that much. That being said as far as I can tell their plans don't even call for any significant convention space. I don't see MSU moving away from Munn or Breslin and they're currently planning another arena for on-campus (that I wish they'd at least consider putting closer to the city, maybe on the old car dealership next to Red Cedar?), so having something totally analogous to the Kalamazoo facility seems very unlikely. I doubt Lansing can support a minor league basketball/hockey team at this time so I don't see a mid size arena as something that's viable in the near future of downtown, I'm all for it if someone wants to take a risk or studies showed it was feasible, just no half-assing it if we're going to do it. The space from the back of the Lansing Center to Museum Dr is perfectly sized for such an arena.
A millage in this case would have to be by CADL for me to even consider supporting it, it has to capture more than just city money. It'd also have to include CADL buying or 100 year leasing the building. It'd have to be very specific in their plans, no Lansing public safety millage repeat. And realistically, they'd have to make it a system-wide capital improvement millage to get it to pass, I think. I'd want to see the sites where any new facilities are going along with square footages and dollar values for any improvements/renovations at minimum. I'd like the main branch plan to at least have conceptual floorplans, renderings, etc for any planned additions. I'm not interested in paying for a new building for them, if I'm paying a millage for new building I want it to be a new science, technology & industry museum, I'd pay $50/yr or so for that. Just my personal stance.
I had heard that there were forces within the LEDC that lobbied for this building to become city hall, I'm very happy that didn't happen and I look forward what this site's future holds. I assume both buildings are in pretty good shape so I kind of expect to see them find a use essentially as is, although this is one of the only potential sites for a large development on Washington Sq so who knows what could come of it. Hopefully the parking lot at least gets developed sooner rather than later.
Comments
My first realistic wish is an expansion of the Lansing Center's exhibition space to the east completing the Cedar St facade, also adding to the north if deemed necessary, adding a parking ramp and/or partnering with a developer on a hotel at Museum & Cedar. There's room on the east parking lot for about 40k-50k of new main exhibition space plus a lobby/common area along both streets, that'd bring it to 120k of space in the main hall, just ahead of the ~100k sq ft that seems common in small metros. Of course they'd want to so a study with so much public money involved but that pathway seems reasonable to me.
I guess I don't get to Kalamazoo all that often and probably didn't understand the need, or desire, so I appreciate you breaking that down some. The new center looks like it's going to be quite something.
A millage in this case would have to be by CADL for me to even consider supporting it, it has to capture more than just city money. It'd also have to include CADL buying or 100 year leasing the building. It'd have to be very specific in their plans, no Lansing public safety millage repeat. And realistically, they'd have to make it a system-wide capital improvement millage to get it to pass, I think. I'd want to see the sites where any new facilities are going along with square footages and dollar values for any improvements/renovations at minimum. I'd like the main branch plan to at least have conceptual floorplans, renderings, etc for any planned additions. I'm not interested in paying for a new building for them, if I'm paying a millage for new building I want it to be a new science, technology & industry museum, I'd pay $50/yr or so for that. Just my personal stance.
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2024/10/31/downtown-property-for-sale-cooley-law-school/75961768007/
https://cpix.net/property-search/#/property/611a45495e7ca000082f284b
I had heard that there were forces within the LEDC that lobbied for this building to become city hall, I'm very happy that didn't happen and I look forward what this site's future holds. I assume both buildings are in pretty good shape so I kind of expect to see them find a use essentially as is, although this is one of the only potential sites for a large development on Washington Sq so who knows what could come of it. Hopefully the parking lot at least gets developed sooner rather than later.
In other disappointing news Norm Fasteners has pulled out of their project in Bath Twp:
https://www.wilx.com/2024/11/26/norm-fasteners-pulls-out-bath-township-site/