It seems like some micro-managing here, I guess they finally jumped through all the hoops they needed to. Does this mean they are not building on platforms that allow the water to flow under the buildings? This may have already bee noted but I do not remember the plan as it changed.
It doesn't look bad, at least there's some variation in the architecture now. The student housing looks a lot like the apartments that are being built at Dunckel and Collins, the AC Hotel looks like it may turn out pretty nice and I'm guessing the design of the two buildings to the west (and possibly the second hotel) isn't quite settled since they don't seem to be rendered in the same level of detail as the other buildings.
All-in-all I can't say I'm disappointed. This project in it's initial form won't be what I hoped for but it still has the potential to become something special over time, and perhaps more importantly it will almost certainly spur more development in the area.
I am so happy that this project will be built that the unimaginative design is not a problem form me. I was hoping the architects had given up on the flat roof toppers as some sort of design flare. I hope when finished they will have used some quality exterior and window treatments like the new Willow Street Apartments they really upgrade a basic design. Plus the water features are still included and they will give this project some distinction.
This project is coming along steadily! Some of the buildings that front along Michigan Ave. are going up, and there is some exterior cladding being added to the buildings that were first built on site.
I saw that they have started to lay the steel rebar for the foundations of the buildings on the western side of the site. I like the density of the arrangement of the buildings, the layout looks urban from the Michigan Ave. side. I also took a look behind Fandor and found that the work on the new drain waterways has not yet begun in Ranny Park. There were a couple of large earthmovers parked near the north side of the park. so maybe work will start soon. This project is still on right?
Finally got around to downloading some drain maps from the county drain commissioner office website to show where the Montgomery drain is under Frandor. It gives you an idea of exactly where it is. The dots show points of entry for the water. As you can see, there are two main branches: one that runs along the eastern edge of the main parking lot, and one which runs along the edge of Ranney Park.
The City Pulse had an article about the tax levy area residents are being accessed. While I feel for those folks, one guy had just paid the tax for a house in Groesbeck, then he moved to Frandor and has another drain tax to pay. I think a clean river and beautiful wetlands in that neighborhood just might increase the value of their property. Is every property in Lansing in a drain district?
Are the streams/waterways going to flow through culverts under the street and new development since they are not building on the elevated platforms, I guess they would have to? I saw they had graded and flat-topped the soil in the area west of the already standing structures. It looks like this area is the grand entrance to the development.
Comments
All-in-all I can't say I'm disappointed. This project in it's initial form won't be what I hoped for but it still has the potential to become something special over time, and perhaps more importantly it will almost certainly spur more development in the area.
This is coming together way more quickly than I thought it would.
Are the streams/waterways going to flow through culverts under the street and new development since they are not building on the elevated platforms, I guess they would have to? I saw they had graded and flat-topped the soil in the area west of the already standing structures. It looks like this area is the grand entrance to the development.