I agree on the picking and choosing. This seems more fair. Variance is just an extra step that is now unnecessary. I’m really glad this passed and crossing my fingers for the next one too. What’s up with the planning commission? This seems like a weird thing to oppose, like, it appears they just want to retain more control....so predicable for a gov agency, and dare I say childish? I don’t really know the scoop.... to be fair
As I understand it, the planning commission disagrees with these changes because they are not in the city's master plan, and this area was not planned for the high building heights. They would prefer that a new master plan be created where there are more community discussions and larger picture thinking of what it means for the taller heights.
The planning commission makes a good point about revisiting the master plan as whole. EL needs to be thinking long term about where to encourage downtown's growth and which neighborhoods to allow denser residential buildings in. They need to be more realistic about which neighborhoods should be preserved and acknowledge that some neighborhoods hold little value as is. There's a real opportunity to make EL a great place, all the pieces are there.
Yeah, that's really the point. They need to have a more realistic and honest debate about how far to allow downtown to expand up and out. I'd agree that a 200' height limit for the core would be good idea and should prevent these sorts of adjustments later on, I'm not sure exactly where the boundaries of that are should be though.
EastLansingInfo is reporting that Core Spaces, the group building The Hub, are planning on building a similar building (residential only, not mixed use) directly to the south of The Hub along Bogue Street.
It is very early still, but the ground floor would be rowhouses with apartments on higher floors. The form-based zoning doesn't require retail along Bogue.
The Hub is built for about 600 beds. If this development is built to the same height, then it may be around 650 beds considering the first floor can be residential.
Comments
That would be nice. And more upsizing East of Bogue St. too.
https://eastlansinginfo.org/content/green-grocer-and-upscale-market-coming-downtown-east-lansing
I did see that. I really hope they have a good cheese selection. A nice fromagerie would fill a notable gap in the local food scene IMO.
Yes to upsizing east of Bogue. It's totally ripe for it. Wasn't there a 6-story building being proposed at one point, built around a tree
??
MJ - yes there was. As far as I know, that project is still in limbo...
As I understand it, the planning commission disagrees with these changes because they are not in the city's master plan, and this area was not planned for the high building heights. They would prefer that a new master plan be created where there are more community discussions and larger picture thinking of what it means for the taller heights.
The planning commission makes a good point about revisiting the master plan as whole. EL needs to be thinking long term about where to encourage downtown's growth and which neighborhoods to allow denser residential buildings in. They need to be more realistic about which neighborhoods should be preserved and acknowledge that some neighborhoods hold little value as is. There's a real opportunity to make EL a great place, all the pieces are there.
Yeah, that's really the point. They need to have a more realistic and honest debate about how far to allow downtown to expand up and out. I'd agree that a 200' height limit for the core would be good idea and should prevent these sorts of adjustments later on, I'm not sure exactly where the boundaries of that are should be though.
EastLansingInfo is reporting that Core Spaces, the group building The Hub, are planning on building a similar building (residential only, not mixed use) directly to the south of The Hub along Bogue Street.
It is very early still, but the ground floor would be rowhouses with apartments on higher floors. The form-based zoning doesn't require retail along Bogue.
The Hub is built for about 600 beds. If this development is built to the same height, then it may be around 650 beds considering the first floor can be residential.
https://eastlansinginfo.org/content/another-big-student-housing-project-east-lansing