It's become something of a religion in education that since it's hard to get rid of teachers, the next easiest thing is to shut down the entire building. It's what happens when dollars-and-cents are the only concern instead of factoring in any consequences. It's why in Detroit the state is trying to shutdown a full quarter of the remaining schools (ostentibly because of performance), which they've admitted will result in some kids having to go to school fourty-something miles from their homes. This silly orthodoxy has lead to stuff like this instead of the focus being on improving schools and keeping them near the population.
And, more than that, even though school enrollment continues to fall overall as the population gets older, the rate of decline is nowhere near the rate of school closures. I mean, the irony of them saying, for instance, that there weren't enough children in DPD to justify the number of schools when there was a time just a few years ago after another round of school closings where many classrooms had 1 teacher for every 40 students with students having to take classes in halfways and closets.
Sorry for the rant; but the state of public education makes me so angry and no one seems to care.
EDIT: And, speak of the devil. lol Now, they are backtracking because they realize how bad the original plan looked.
I think this whole charter school idea is almost entirely bogus. When I drive around town and see a public school that is open it is notable. Every neighborhood in Lansing and East Lansing had a school, the sounds and sites of a school. I wonder where have all the children gone? To segregated privet often religious schools, that take a profit from their students. My old school Barnes Avenue School is now nearly totally African American students, while I have no problem with honoring Malcolm X, it feels wrong to me to have this school be all one race, as with the charter school over on W. Mt Hope it is nearly all white. This is all a part of the same problem, the undermining of our public institutions for some vague political baloney about "choice" combined with mistrust of teacher's unions and well just plain racism.
I saw the latest plan for Grand River and Abbot on the LSJ site. I like the front facade but the [I guess] hotel building looks a lot like the Raddison downtown.
Looking through the City Pulses government notices, and for East Lansing the public hearings coming up include:
The amendment of the city code to abolish the housing restrictions in East Village, which would allow for possible projects we talked about not that long ago.
Rezonings along Evergreen that would put into accordance the revised plans of the Park District.
A special land use permit for the southeast corner of Harrison and Grand River to redevelop the land for a 3-story sorority house. This will involve the demolition of either three or four single-family homes. Anyone know which sorority is looking at this land? BTW, which fraternity sits kitty-corner from this land in the big, old house on the hill?
Wow, I've been surprised that those little houses have lasted so long. But the house furthest east on Grand River (Elsworth Co-Op) includes multiple apartments so it's probably a good moneymaker for the owner. Looking closely at Google Maps, this development probably won't include Elsworth Co-Op.
The fraternity on the northwest corner is Psi Epsilon. Delta Gamma is on the southwest corner. Sigma Alpha Epsilon is directly south of the single-family homes and just completed a large renovation adding another floor to the building.
Yeah, this doesn't go that far east. It only goes to 717 W. Grand River to the east and 733 W. Grand River to the west, so basically from Elsworth Co-op to the corner. It also includes 358 N. Harrison, which looks to be in back of 733 W. Grand River, so I guess that fours homes total which backs up right to Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
I still wonder which sorority it is that's looking to move, because that would open up that property for redevelopment.
717 W. Grand River is owned by Wells Goodser Hiner Investment Properties
723 & 733 W. Grand River are owned by New Millenium Investment Properties
358 N. Harrison is owned by Wells Goodser Hiner Investment Properties
The LSJ has a great drawing of the City Center. It looks really great. It seems kind of ironic or interesting that this project seems to rolling a long with little interference while down the street they are still waiting for a final plan after years of "fine tuning" by the local city hall.
Comments
It's become something of a religion in education that since it's hard to get rid of teachers, the next easiest thing is to shut down the entire building. It's what happens when dollars-and-cents are the only concern instead of factoring in any consequences. It's why in Detroit the state is trying to shutdown a full quarter of the remaining schools (ostentibly because of performance), which they've admitted will result in some kids having to go to school fourty-something miles from their homes. This silly orthodoxy has lead to stuff like this instead of the focus being on improving schools and keeping them near the population.
And, more than that, even though school enrollment continues to fall overall as the population gets older, the rate of decline is nowhere near the rate of school closures. I mean, the irony of them saying, for instance, that there weren't enough children in DPD to justify the number of schools when there was a time just a few years ago after another round of school closings where many classrooms had 1 teacher for every 40 students with students having to take classes in halfways and closets.
Sorry for the rant; but the state of public education makes me so angry and no one seems to care.
EDIT: And, speak of the devil. lol Now, they are backtracking because they realize how bad the original plan looked.
I think this whole charter school idea is almost entirely bogus. When I drive around town and see a public school that is open it is notable. Every neighborhood in Lansing and East Lansing had a school, the sounds and sites of a school. I wonder where have all the children gone? To segregated privet often religious schools, that take a profit from their students. My old school Barnes Avenue School is now nearly totally African American students, while I have no problem with honoring Malcolm X, it feels wrong to me to have this school be all one race, as with the charter school over on W. Mt Hope it is nearly all white. This is all a part of the same problem, the undermining of our public institutions for some vague political baloney about "choice" combined with mistrust of teacher's unions and well just plain racism.
I saw the latest plan for Grand River and Abbot on the LSJ site. I like the front facade but the [I guess] hotel building looks a lot like the Raddison downtown.
Thank you! I thought the same thing but I couldn't think of where I had seen that building before.
Looking through the City Pulses government notices, and for East Lansing the public hearings coming up include:
The amendment of the city code to abolish the housing restrictions in East Village, which would allow for possible projects we talked about not that long ago.
Rezonings along Evergreen that would put into accordance the revised plans of the Park District.
A special land use permit for the southeast corner of Harrison and Grand River to redevelop the land for a 3-story sorority house. This will involve the demolition of either three or four single-family homes. Anyone know which sorority is looking at this land? BTW, which fraternity sits kitty-corner from this land in the big, old house on the hill?
Wow, I've been surprised that those little houses have lasted so long. But the house furthest east on Grand River (Elsworth Co-Op) includes multiple apartments so it's probably a good moneymaker for the owner. Looking closely at Google Maps, this development probably won't include Elsworth Co-Op.
The fraternity on the northwest corner is Psi Epsilon. Delta Gamma is on the southwest corner. Sigma Alpha Epsilon is directly south of the single-family homes and just completed a large renovation adding another floor to the building.
Yeah, this doesn't go that far east. It only goes to 717 W. Grand River to the east and 733 W. Grand River to the west, so basically from Elsworth Co-op to the corner. It also includes 358 N. Harrison, which looks to be in back of 733 W. Grand River, so I guess that fours homes total which backs up right to Sigma Alpha Epsilon.
I still wonder which sorority it is that's looking to move, because that would open up that property for redevelopment.
717 W. Grand River is owned by Wells Goodser Hiner Investment Properties
723 & 733 W. Grand River are owned by New Millenium Investment Properties
358 N. Harrison is owned by Wells Goodser Hiner Investment Properties
Wells Goodsir has 63 properties listed: https://is.bsasoftware.com/bsa.is/AssessingServices/ServiceAssessingSearchResults.aspx?dp=33-20-01-13-231-003&i=1&on=wells+goodsir&appid=0&actSn=717&actSna=GRAND+RIVER&actDir=W&unit=138
New Millenium has 39 properties listed: https://is.bsasoftware.com/bsa.is/AssessingServices/ServiceAssessingSearchResults.aspx?dp=33-20-01-13-231-003&i=1&on=new+millenium&appid=0&actSn=717&actSna=GRAND+RIVER&actDir=W&unit=138
I don't have the time right now to go through the list, but I bet it's one of the sororities that live in a building they own.
The LSJ has a great drawing of the City Center. It looks really great. It seems kind of ironic or interesting that this project seems to rolling a long with little interference while down the street they are still waiting for a final plan after years of "fine tuning" by the local city hall.