I'd really like to hear which incentives, specifically, they are asking for. I hope that $25 million is a combination of all incentives, because he sounds fairly high given the $77 million expense for the entire project. But, maybe it's in line, percentage-wise, with other similar projects. I don't know, it just sounds high to my ear.
Anyway, a bit more detail revealed:
Of the 359 apartments in SkyVue, 145 will have one bedroom, 88 will have two bedrooms and 126 will have four bedrooms and four bathrooms, Marshall said.
Marshall estimated that the project could be online by July 2017.
It's looking like the drain commissioner could delay this, which he's done with countless projects, before. Let's hope SkyVue has done it's due dilligence and that Lindemann isn't looking to play political games, again.
LANSING – The Valdosta, Georgia-based company behind a $77-million, nine-story mixed-used project at the former Story Olds site on Michigan Avenue is determined to avoid any potential flood plain pitfalls.
Matthew Marshall, vice president of Rise Real Estate, said SkyVue’s design plans are expected to be presented to Ingham County Drain Commissioner Pat Lindemann “in a few weeks” so the project can stick to its goal of a November groundbreaking.
“It’s about working together with the community,” Marsahll said Wednesday of the process, “and making sure ultimately that what we build works with the community.”
Lindemann said he’s perplexed by the lack of communication he’s experienced with SkyVue developers and Bob Trezise, president and CEO of the Lansing Economic Area Partnership, and looks forward to finally hearing about the plans.
Here is the quotes we need from him, but I'm still nervous until this is signed off on.
“When they bring it in, I’ll give it due justice,” Lindemann said of SkyVue’s plan. “We’ll see what they have to offer.”
And:
“I want this to happen,” Lindemann said. “I’m not going to be an obstructionist.”
They also need to get a permit from the DEQ, but that office seems even more enthusiastic about this.
Looks like the the public hearing for this was tonight. While the comments were generally positive, Sears - not sure if we're talking the company or the owner of the building - seems to have major concerns with the project. My guess here is we're talking about Gillespie, in which case I can see his reason for wanting to stop this. lol He wants as much of the market as he can get in Lansing, and 300+ units will really saturate the market. I've heard through the grapevine that the developers of Red Cedar Renaissance across the way are also not happy about this building. I don't have much sympathy for them. No one is promised market share. If you want to build something, build it and quit dicking around. Developers don't wait around for other developers.
While their feelings are understandable, they really need to lay off, their developments are far less likely to cannibalize each other than they are to eat away at the northern tier developments and the Hannah Lofts/Lodges among others. If these developers are angry it likely means that they planned on building lesser quality buildings, and now they'll be forced to upgrade their plans to be competitive. It's also worth mentioning that living in a nine floor building right on Michigan Ave is likely to be more prestigious than anything the Red Cedar development will have to offer unless plans have changed significantly. These developments are already winning based on location, access to amenities and transportation. I think competition amongst them can only be good for the community.
Were you watching the meeting? I'm curious how the owner/representative of the Sears property presented themselves. I would find it extremely hard to believe that Sears as a retailer would object to the project as it's unlikely to so much as impact their parking, and more people nearby generally means more customers. The fact that Gillespie owns/has the rights to such a large parcel in such an important location worries me. His developments leave much to be desired and he hasn't done anything even approaching the scale of what would be appropriate for that site.
I saw reports of it at the LSJ and saw the clips tonight from WLNS. Apparently, they presented a three page letter of their "concerns" which seemed to amount to the building being too tall, and not knowing the effects the building would have on the water shed. lol I laugh because they'd never pushed Frandor to do anything about their parking lots, which have been worse for the Red Cedar than just about anything in the area. I really do think it's the property owner and not the chain. Generally, they seem to be the only major player complaining, so this is not likely to derail the project. It's just funny seeing them complain when they should be inviting this kind of development.
Were I Gillespie, I'd switch some of my business over to partnering with state and national developers to do bigger than what I could do alone. The reason this project is so big is because the owners of the dealership searched nationally for a big name...and landed one. Same thing with Red Cedar Renaissance. Ferguson searched out the Columbus-based developer. Gillespie seems content with being a big fish in a small pond, but that fish isn't as big as he thinks it is. He's been stuck developing mid-rises for the past decade, now. He's going to realize quickly that Lansing is stepping up it's game a level, and he's going to have to do better projects. To keep replicating the four-story wood-framed buildings is not going to cut it forever.
BTW, have any city council packets yet included elevation drawings of this thing? I want to see how tall it'll be. It seems it's be at least 90 feet tall, and most likely more than that.
I took a quick look through the packets and didn't see any elevations, only site plans and floor plans. I would agree that this building should be comfortably over 90' to the main roof, I wouldn't be surprised if the highest point is 120' or more.
Hood, do you think you could post the packet(s) showing the site plans/floor plans, anyway? That's still be some good information to look through, and I'm not sure which council meeting this was.
I just moved here a couple of months ago after being away for a long time. I always fallowed Lansing developments however. I think that two developers kind of sparring over issues is kind of interesting and great since not one shovel has been turned. These areas are huge and Lansing should be very much concerned about what goes there. It would be great if they would insist on premier architectural design as part of any development. There seems to be a long lag time between plans being announced and when something actually gets built. I have seen plans for the old YMCA but it sits there looking worse each day. I have seen plans for the Lake Trust block, are they still going to build out that block? It also seems that in the time it takes to start building the design in many cases has been downgraded to something less attractive. Often the developers will blame the government for not getting all of the money and tax breaks they were expecting. Streamlining the process by having standards that are in place before any project is even proposed. If you want to build something on our major streets or downtown you must first have to meet these standards. If you want to build over a flood drain than you should have a plan for that does not require government funds. Maybe Lansing is at the point that we don't have to beg and bribe and subsidize developers to build something here.
Comments
Anyway, a bit more detail revealed:
Here is the quotes we need from him, but I'm still nervous until this is signed off on.
And:
They also need to get a permit from the DEQ, but that office seems even more enthusiastic about this.
Were you watching the meeting? I'm curious how the owner/representative of the Sears property presented themselves. I would find it extremely hard to believe that Sears as a retailer would object to the project as it's unlikely to so much as impact their parking, and more people nearby generally means more customers. The fact that Gillespie owns/has the rights to such a large parcel in such an important location worries me. His developments leave much to be desired and he hasn't done anything even approaching the scale of what would be appropriate for that site.
Were I Gillespie, I'd switch some of my business over to partnering with state and national developers to do bigger than what I could do alone. The reason this project is so big is because the owners of the dealership searched nationally for a big name...and landed one. Same thing with Red Cedar Renaissance. Ferguson searched out the Columbus-based developer. Gillespie seems content with being a big fish in a small pond, but that fish isn't as big as he thinks it is. He's been stuck developing mid-rises for the past decade, now. He's going to realize quickly that Lansing is stepping up it's game a level, and he's going to have to do better projects. To keep replicating the four-story wood-framed buildings is not going to cut it forever.
BTW, have any city council packets yet included elevation drawings of this thing? I want to see how tall it'll be. It seems it's be at least 90 feet tall, and most likely more than that.