This is the third Five Guys in the state that I know of. The first was in Southfield and the second is in Greektown, Detroit. I too think it is a good sign.
I haven't heard of Five Guys before, but it is always a great sign when a new national chain comes to town, especially one that seems selective as to where they locate. It shows that even people outside the area see opportunity here.
I was looking over at the Post bar building yesterday as I was eating on the patio at Noodles and Co- and I was struck by the impact that the redevelopment of that building and the inclusion of 8 story apartments (next door) will have on the area. These projects, when considered alongside the City Center 2 project, are really difficult to visualize because the scale of the area will be radically different. Please read 'radically' for its positive connotation there.
I also began wondering, as I tried to picture the Post bar structure, if the new structure is being built on to (above, and to the west of) the current building. The windows in the renderings look a lot like the windows on the current structure. Could this be the reason it is being proposed as a two-phase process? The first phase would add the necessary reinforcement, so that the three stories could be built above the existing one story structure? Notice that the first phase only adds two floors on the west end of the building but then adds one more floor in phase two. I couldn't enlarge the images on the previous page of this thread enough to read the notations.
This would solve the problem of displacing a couple of successful businesses during construction.
@hood, I didn't realize nothing was posted about the Lodges of East Lansing here. This is being built by Capstone, the same group that built what is now called Abbot Place (on Abbot Road, north of Lake Lansing). They also wanted to build student apartments on Grand River behind Tom's Party Store on the old trailer park but plans for that project look to be indefinitely stalled.
Also, I wanted to point out that the project is slated for opening in Fall 2011.
Did you ever hear if there is going to be a commercial component to the project? Also, I was looking at satellite pictures trying to figure out exactly where this complex is at. Is it at the end of Hannah or is it on that plot of land that's sorta across from the MAC?
The project is behind Suburban Ice. They clear cut the forest that was back there. I don't think there is a commercial component, the developers are relying on Hannah Plaza to provide commercial amenities.
Progress is moving forward on the Five Guys location on Grand River. When I went by today I noticed that they had their decorative tiling up on the walls. They are scheduled to open in September.
Also, a reminder that construction of the Art Museum (across the street from Five Guys) is supposed to rise above ground level very soon.
About the art museum, I'm wondering if some of the walls will be pre-cast. There's a place, near the NE corner of Aurelius & I-96 that has had a crane up for awhile building something. When I took the time to look back there, I seen a tall skinny, angled piece of concrete standing upright. It looks exactly like one of the taller corners of the art museum (one of the corners that will lean out over the ground.) Anyone else seen that?
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I also began wondering, as I tried to picture the Post bar structure, if the new structure is being built on to (above, and to the west of) the current building. The windows in the renderings look a lot like the windows on the current structure. Could this be the reason it is being proposed as a two-phase process? The first phase would add the necessary reinforcement, so that the three stories could be built above the existing one story structure? Notice that the first phase only adds two floors on the west end of the building but then adds one more floor in phase two. I couldn't enlarge the images on the previous page of this thread enough to read the notations.
This would solve the problem of displacing a couple of successful businesses during construction.
Also, I wanted to point out that the project is slated for opening in Fall 2011.
Also, a reminder that construction of the Art Museum (across the street from Five Guys) is supposed to rise above ground level very soon.