I was surprised to see that the Blue Owl coffee shop has closed, it seemed pretty busy maybe they upped the rent. Meanwhile another coffee shop selling Arabic style coffee is opening in the space where the MSU Museum "Art Lab" was located. The new Tex-Mex place has installed some nice-looking stone-faced bricks and new big windows on the exterior, perhaps some adobe is still coming. The lot behind the new credit union building has been totally cleared of construction trailers, maybe that is a sign of something new happening in that space.
Folks in East Lansing will have yet another coffee shop to choose from, the renovation of the old Campus Corners store front is going to be a coffee shop, they put up the new signage the other day, which looks nice. The other new coffee shop at the Art Lab site is advertising Yemeni coffee, who knew there was such a thing. I am sure it must be good Arabian style but not the best time to be Yemeni.
I am happy to report that Dave's Hot Chicken is pretty good, and quite a hit, filled with customers all the time. It is better than Raising Canes [imo] there are only a few items on the menu other than chicken which they cook to order so you will wait a few for your order, [I am not sure Canes is fried on site and fries look like underdone oven fries, people love them] any way the spice was interesting, and the fries are fried! Down the street, Moka the Yemeni style coffee shop is very nice and bright and popular with the students and locals, I want to try that place soon. The new tavern in the Newman Building next to Jolly Pumpkin is called "Mash" a bourbon and whiskey bar, lots of work going on in there, looks nice and is said to be aimed at an older crowd [older than students I guess] it is a very large space with a mezzanine level.
The new restaurant/game center next to the Jackson building had the roof spans delivered yesterday. This project has completely rebuilt the building adding a second floor. The work has been going on for months and must be costing a lot of money. I hope whatever business plan they have is a good one.
Things have been slow in East Lansing development-wise but they're still moving forward with putting together an RFP process on the Evergreen properties. The LSJ has a story today with relatively little new information but it does confirm that the 1 year marketing contract for the RFP should be finalized in the next month or two. The DDA rep is quoted speculating that some local developers will probably submit projects for the site.
As far as I know they've left the possible uses open-ended, that implies that student housing is on the table for the site so I expect to see no shortage of proposals. I know the city will prioritize non-student housing uses but it's good to hear that they no longer have their head in the clouds.
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.
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.
Comments
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/2022/05/04/new-downtown-east-lansing-corattis-pizzeria-bar-could-opening/9588967002/?fbclid=IwAR19vx5BXF8CHxjBvn59FwxC_B3n-m23lauRS41uDI5tgCsdjNEee63CokM
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2024/08/14/east-lansing-evergreen-properties-land-for-sale-dda/74718349007/
As far as I know they've left the possible uses open-ended, that implies that student housing is on the table for the site so I expect to see no shortage of proposals. I know the city will prioritize non-student housing uses but it's good to hear that they no longer have their head in the clouds.
At this point I'd just be happy to see something get built there.
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/