It's my understanding that Sparrow has been on board for a while it's just been quiet. I think Red Cedar is far from dead or on hold, I imagine a project of this size has a lot going on in the background despite the fact it looks like little to nothing is being done.
I actually spoke with the lighting rep whose doing the "Under the Bridge Project" about some lighting for a similar installment I proposed on. Apparently MDOT has been a hold up because they don't want anything attached to their bridges. The project is still a go and once it does start moving it sounds like it'll move fast. He mentioned they'd really like to get it done before winter, the original goal was before students were back...
Can they just put in free standing lights similar to the street lamps that already go down Michigan Ave? This way there is nothing "touching" the bridge? They could even put in something that acts like a giant umbrella under the bridge, supported in the middle and then spreads over the roads on both sides to provide areas for lighting and murals.
It would also be nice if the state would landscape the both side of the mound the 127 sits on. They could at least plants trees maybe plant wildflowers that bloom through out the seasons. It looks like a weedy wall now, and especially ugly in the winter.
I had been wondering what the state of the lawsuit regarding this project was in. The LSJ posted a story today about the lawsuit, saying that the plaintiff who is suing the developers wrote up a complaint that was filled with "junk". The judge has asked for a rewritten complaint by Thursday, March 16th.
That's not too promising for the plaintiff here, and looks to be a good sign that this won't affect the project.
I think this is a good sign that this whole law suit will be rejected and I hope the project will get started this spring. I have rarely read such a negative statement from a judge toward a plaintiff's complaint. I would have loved to see the lawyer's faces. What was this plaintiff going to get out of all this anyway?
I was happy to read in the LSJ about the Red Cedar restoration project that will be part of the overall drain project. I just wish they would get some shovels in the ground before some little someone somewhere has something to say about it. If it turns out as planned it would really enhance the quality of life here, and could even become a tourist attraction!
The article. It appears the drain commissioner will be putting out bids for the revitalization and reconstruction of the Montgomery Drain by July, with hopes to get started in October. So now we have some more tentative dates.
Also, I'd never considered the part of the river between Clippert and Harrison to be channelized. It always seemed like one of the more "natural" parts of the river anyway, save for the Montgomery Drain directly diverted into it.
I have never really been back there, but on the googlemaps they show a large "s" shaped area of water in the Red Cedar Natural Area connected to the river by a small channel. I wonder is that where they are planning the fish habitat restoration?
"Major news" is expected soon regarding this project. From the LSJ:
"We’re preparing for a major announcement before the end of the summer," said Kelly Rossman-McKinney, a spokesperson for local businessman Joel Ferguson, a developer for the project. "That announcement should answer all your questions.”
This will either be news about a large tenant or that financing has been completed. Either way, instead of the news I'd rather see shovels. Also, "before the end of summer" sounds like the news is still a couple months out. In my field, when we won't know if we have news for a few months it usually means the prediction isn't that reliable.
The problem with a timeline for this one continues to be that Ferguson is also juggling his fairgrounds project in Detroit. So long as he's trying to do both at the same time, they both take longer than anyone would want. It'd be nice if they'd just work on one or the other at a time.
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I actually spoke with the lighting rep whose doing the "Under the Bridge Project" about some lighting for a similar installment I proposed on. Apparently MDOT has been a hold up because they don't want anything attached to their bridges. The project is still a go and once it does start moving it sounds like it'll move fast. He mentioned they'd really like to get it done before winter, the original goal was before students were back...
I had been wondering what the state of the lawsuit regarding this project was in. The LSJ posted a story today about the lawsuit, saying that the plaintiff who is suing the developers wrote up a complaint that was filled with "junk". The judge has asked for a rewritten complaint by Thursday, March 16th.
That's not too promising for the plaintiff here, and looks to be a good sign that this won't affect the project.
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2017/03/10/judge-hammers-former-ag-over-red-cedar-racketeering-lawsuit/98947430/
I think this is a good sign that this whole law suit will be rejected and I hope the project will get started this spring. I have rarely read such a negative statement from a judge toward a plaintiff's complaint. I would have loved to see the lawyer's faces. What was this plaintiff going to get out of all this anyway?
I was happy to read in the LSJ about the Red Cedar restoration project that will be part of the overall drain project. I just wish they would get some shovels in the ground before some little someone somewhere has something to say about it. If it turns out as planned it would really enhance the quality of life here, and could even become a tourist attraction!
The article. It appears the drain commissioner will be putting out bids for the revitalization and reconstruction of the Montgomery Drain by July, with hopes to get started in October. So now we have some more tentative dates.
Also, I'd never considered the part of the river between Clippert and Harrison to be channelized. It always seemed like one of the more "natural" parts of the river anyway, save for the Montgomery Drain directly diverted into it.
I have never really been back there, but on the googlemaps they show a large "s" shaped area of water in the Red Cedar Natural Area connected to the river by a small channel. I wonder is that where they are planning the fish habitat restoration?
"Major news" is expected soon regarding this project. From the LSJ:
This will either be news about a large tenant or that financing has been completed. Either way, instead of the news I'd rather see shovels. Also, "before the end of summer" sounds like the news is still a couple months out. In my field, when we won't know if we have news for a few months it usually means the prediction isn't that reliable.
The problem with a timeline for this one continues to be that Ferguson is also juggling his fairgrounds project in Detroit. So long as he's trying to do both at the same time, they both take longer than anyone would want. It'd be nice if they'd just work on one or the other at a time.