I took a different take from that column. We've been hearing "next year" and "soon" since...2012. In fact, the column simply reguritated information we'd heard since then. The October date for the sale agreement set months ago and which I confirmed early that month is way past.
I'd imagine next year we'd better see something, but I'd be equally unsurprised if this drags on. There was nothing in that column that gave me any additional hope, though nothing left be less hopeful, either. I was surprised he wrote that whole thing and literally added no kind of evidence of the work he's been doing. That's been the crazy thing to me; Ferguson has shown no new information or renderings; the drain commissioner's office has not put out any renderings or site plans of the plinth. Nothing. I only found out what I did mostly by coincidence.
I was mainly just happy to hear they were still even talking about it. It is troubling that this October went by with nothing starting, but I am trying to be positive about it so I guess I was looking for new, news when there was none as of yet.
In that area they have painted and lit the bridge supports under 127 at Michigan Avenue This with murals make the space look really nice. They have also been doing a lot of planting throughout the Frandor parking lots. There are a couple of things that are going in the right direction.
The city and developer haven't totally worked out the development agreement believe it or not. But what I'm hearing is that the developer is working literal nights and days to work out something they are willing to agree to before Virg leaves on January 1st.
That is astounding, especially considering the developer had no problem with clear cutting the whole area and promising to plant 3 trees for every one cut down.
If they pull it all together it could really be something beautiful, but it is true right now that area looks bad and it a shame they cut all those trees down so early in the process. In Lansing, they often cut trees first ask questions later.
Spoke about this in the general thread, but for whatever reason, Lansing and East Lansing were being super-secretive about a transfer of land that brings the two city's boders in order along part of this property. I made a map showing the land that was annexed by Lansing (technically, this is a "boundary amendment") in yellow:
Apparently, these were the ends of some vacated streets that ran into the golf course and contributed to the holding up of the project. Hopefully, this means we'll be gearing up to hear something about the project in the next month or two.
This looks like a very positive action. There would not be any reason to do this if not for the development needing this, I'm sure they don't want tiny pieces of their property in different municipalities. I wish they could do this so easily with Lansing Township, just move the line on a map and get rid of this extra unnecessary boundary in our city.
Looks like the project has been scaled back from $380 million to $242 million, but that is still a HUGE amount of money for a project in Lansing. I don't even care at this point, just get it started and it can be phased as demand warrants.
LANSING — The developers of a $242 million project proposed at the site of the former Red Cedar Golf Course are asking the city to financially back portions of the scaled-down project.
The development group that hopes to build on the city-owned property near the East Lansing border has submitted a proposal for a purchase agreement with the city, asking $10.7 million in general obligation bonds to help finance the public infrastructure portion for the project. A brownfield plan would collect property taxes to pay off the bond.
“Lansing taxpayers are not on the hook whatsoever, and yet they get this great development,” Lansing Mayor Andy Schor said.
A big part of the reduction is that the developers were originally asking the city to bond for $35 million back in 2016; they are now only asking the city to bond for $10.7 million, so this is an even better deal for taxpayers. This is for the public portion of the project, BTW, which will make the site buildable. Today is a day when you realize just how unbuildable the site is as it stands, which is why I'd personally like to see developers concentrate on empty land sitting in more central and buildable places to begin with, but whatever. lol
Nick King | Lansing State Journal
The mixed-use development would include two hotels, 40,000 square feet of retail and restaurants, multi-family and student housing as well as an assisted living facility. The project also calls for a 22-acre park. The $242 million project is expected to create 388 new jobs, according to the developer.
Construction on the site could potentially start in the fall, Kass said.
Check out this aerial photo from the state police showing the site in the background:
Hotels: A full-service hotel on Michigan Avenue not less than 5 stories and 80 feet tall containing no fewer than 130 rooms, meeting facilities, and at least one commercial space. A select-service hotele on Michigan containing not less than 5 stories and 80 feet tall containing no fewer than 120 rooms.
At least 40,000 square feet of commercial space.
Residential: Not less than 115 two-bedroom units and 55 one-bedroom units of market rate housing. Not less than 1,248 beds (in at least four stories) of student housing. An assisted-living facilities of at least four floors and 112 units at Clippert and Michigan.
A boardwalk across the entire length of the park portion of the property.
Walkways connecting the project to the Brody Complex dormitories.
A development wide parking plinth, and "aesthetically appealing" streetscape designs.
Additional requirements include:
All buildings fronting Michigan Avenue must be at least two stories, and the primary usage of the first floors must be commercial. All buildings of the entrance drive must have their first floors dedicated to retail and restaurant space in particular and have offices or residential space above.
Comments
I took a different take from that column. We've been hearing "next year" and "soon" since...2012. In fact, the column simply reguritated information we'd heard since then. The October date for the sale agreement set months ago and which I confirmed early that month is way past.
I'd imagine next year we'd better see something, but I'd be equally unsurprised if this drags on. There was nothing in that column that gave me any additional hope, though nothing left be less hopeful, either. I was surprised he wrote that whole thing and literally added no kind of evidence of the work he's been doing. That's been the crazy thing to me; Ferguson has shown no new information or renderings; the drain commissioner's office has not put out any renderings or site plans of the plinth. Nothing. I only found out what I did mostly by coincidence.
I was mainly just happy to hear they were still even talking about it. It is troubling that this October went by with nothing starting, but I am trying to be positive about it so I guess I was looking for new, news when there was none as of yet.
In that area they have painted and lit the bridge supports under 127 at Michigan Avenue This with murals make the space look really nice. They have also been doing a lot of planting throughout the Frandor parking lots. There are a couple of things that are going in the right direction.
So forgive my ignorance here, but what is really holding up the project at this point? Is it still the drain commissioner?
The city and developer haven't totally worked out the development agreement believe it or not. But what I'm hearing is that the developer is working literal nights and days to work out something they are willing to agree to before Virg leaves on January 1st.
That is astounding, especially considering the developer had no problem with clear cutting the whole area and promising to plant 3 trees for every one cut down.
If they pull it all together it could really be something beautiful, but it is true right now that area looks bad and it a shame they cut all those trees down so early in the process. In Lansing, they often cut trees first ask questions later.
Spoke about this in the general thread, but for whatever reason, Lansing and East Lansing were being super-secretive about a transfer of land that brings the two city's boders in order along part of this property. I made a map showing the land that was annexed by Lansing (technically, this is a "boundary amendment") in yellow:
Apparently, these were the ends of some vacated streets that ran into the golf course and contributed to the holding up of the project. Hopefully, this means we'll be gearing up to hear something about the project in the next month or two.
This looks like a very positive action. There would not be any reason to do this if not for the development needing this, I'm sure they don't want tiny pieces of their property in different municipalities. I wish they could do this so easily with Lansing Township, just move the line on a map and get rid of this extra unnecessary boundary in our city.
Looks like the project has been scaled back from $380 million to $242 million, but that is still a HUGE amount of money for a project in Lansing. I don't even care at this point, just get it started and it can be phased as demand warrants.
A big part of the reduction is that the developers were originally asking the city to bond for $35 million back in 2016; they are now only asking the city to bond for $10.7 million, so this is an even better deal for taxpayers. This is for the public portion of the project, BTW, which will make the site buildable. Today is a day when you realize just how unbuildable the site is as it stands, which is why I'd personally like to see developers concentrate on empty land sitting in more central and buildable places to begin with, but whatever. lol
Check out this aerial photo from the state police showing the site in the background:
It's a virtual lake.
Proposed development agreement requirements:
Hotels: A full-service hotel on Michigan Avenue not less than 5 stories and 80 feet tall containing no fewer than 130 rooms, meeting facilities, and at least one commercial space. A select-service hotele on Michigan containing not less than 5 stories and 80 feet tall containing no fewer than 120 rooms.
At least 40,000 square feet of commercial space.
Residential: Not less than 115 two-bedroom units and 55 one-bedroom units of market rate housing. Not less than 1,248 beds (in at least four stories) of student housing. An assisted-living facilities of at least four floors and 112 units at Clippert and Michigan.
A boardwalk across the entire length of the park portion of the property.
Walkways connecting the project to the Brody Complex dormitories.
A development wide parking plinth, and "aesthetically appealing" streetscape designs.
Additional requirements include: