The Evergreen properties is one of the silliest boondoggles the city has taken part in. Not only have they lost tons of money on the properties, they will now pay for marketing where the marketer says that the potential bids will come from local developers who would already be in the know and not need the marketing.
You make a very valid point lol. I have no idea what the thought process is on going through an RFP on a property like this vs offering on the open market or working more directly with a developer. I'd like to think it's not just a political/nepotistic handout.
At this point I'd just be happy to see something get built there.
The central problem with East Lansing that has shown itself plainly in the last two decades in particular is that it's still a very "small-town"-minded local government. It never grew with the physical growth of the city, and the regular city voters don't want any real change as shown by who they elect and all of the local proposals for restructering they consistently vote down. City council needs more members...they vote it down. City council needs consistently younger people represented...they go elect a 72 year old man and make him mayor.
No vision, no competence. It's really just a structural mess. It's like trying to govern a city of 50,000 with one of the largest university campuses in the country like you would Charlotte.
I was shocked when they allowed the mini building boom we saw pre-COVID. Just goes to show how fast things can change when you don't stand in the way, too bad the NIMBYism is so strong amongst EL residents. I mean, they just fought to keep a surface parking lot over multi-floor housing in the middle of their downtown. IDK what future they envision, hopefully they at least allow denser development in the Grand River/Harrison/Michigan triangle.
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At this point I'd just be happy to see something get built there.
No vision, no competence. It's really just a structural mess. It's like trying to govern a city of 50,000 with one of the largest university campuses in the country like you would Charlotte.
Politically, I don't follow EL at all. I don't know the names of any council members or the mayor. They are however going through their own charter review process:
https://eastlansinginfo.news/charter-review-committee-holds-first-meeting/