I can't imagine the $1 million request for the redevelopment of the unknown Washington Square Building is the entire project cost. For the city to do a mixed-use project by itself, without a private developer taking on a pretty big share of the costs, would raise a few eyebrows. As part of an incentive package, though, it makes sense.
So, in theory at least, that request could be tied to Knapps. It is the most notable building in need of redevelopment on Washington. What other downtown building faces such huge challenges? Developers have been able to handle all of the smaller buildings on the square with OPRAs and smaller incentive packages. None of the large office buildings on Washington have high vacancies that would lead a developer to want to convert them to mixed-use.
Knapps, though, is a mess and could take a very innovative incentive package (i.e., large, with a mix of local, state and federal dollars) to save. The exterior of the building - one of the key reasons to save it - is decaying. I think City Pulse did a story some months back where they talked to folks at Christman (the historic renovation experts in our area) who said they looked and couldn't find anyone who could replicate the blue and yellow panels.
LSJ columnist John Schneider shares a reader's thoughts about whether Lansing's southwest side is being neglected by the city (and businesses) on his blog today. Figured it would make some interested fodder for you all, in case you haven't seen it.
Anyone notice that there is a huge MTN (Michigan Talk Network) sign in the window next to Great Lakes Chocolate and Coffee store in the Stadium District? Is MTN moving into the ground floor? MTN is a network of local talk radio, and they are currently broadcast from WJIM's location along Pine Tree Road in southeast Lansing.
Task Force Tomorrow, a new regional task force formed to brainstorm idea of how to spend some of the federal stimulus money, threw around the idea of working towards a light rail system for Lansing if it ever was deemed feasible. As the East Lansing City Manager Ted Stanton makes clear in this LSJ article, there'd have to be a study, or many studies, before we could even deem if such a thing is feasible, but this is the first time a regional body has ever thrown this out there to even be considered. Stanton says that he hopes that though the current federal stimulus money couldn't be used for such a study, that he's hoping Lansing can wrangle some funds for such a study, this year, to undertake one.
Sounds like a good idea, to me. Route 1's average weekday ridership was 6,500, last year, which would be quite low to justify a light rail line, but it could possibly justify a street car or two.
The LSJ is reporting that the LEAP (Lansing Economic Area Partnership) will be moving into the Stadium District joining the Chamber and CV&B. I'd never envisioned that the Stadium District would have become the city's economic development hub.
It truly has become the city's economic development hub. Had MSU's University Outreach located at the Stadium District instead of the east side, it could really lay claim to that title.
Are you guys saying this about the city's economic hub at the Stadium District being a: good, bad or neutral thing? I don't see it as bad, but I can't decide which of the other two it is.
Also, I noticed the north side of the building at Capitol and Kalamazoo is torn out down to the Tyvec plastic type stuff you see when a building is being built. That's the area where Cooley is doing something with their law library. Does anyone know what they're planning on doing? Are they building and extension or something?
Also, an update on that medical building in Old Town that's being built from the Cedar Street School building: I noticed yesterday that the windows are in now and things look to be moving along.
It was talked about a few pages back, but the partial tear down of the Towne Center Building is to facilitate expanding the library into it and provide the complex with a proper driveway (i.e. instead of one exit onto the Square and the other through the alleyways.
On Stadium Distrct, I'm also mixed. It's good to see it filled, and even better to see it bring most all of the city's economic development agencies under one building, but it's not what I (or the developer) had envisioned it becoming, so I'm neutral on it.
The Medical Arts Building windows have been in for a few weeks, now, but they are really starting to pick up on the interior.
Regarding the Towne Center Building and LCC, I should have been more specific in my question. I meant to ask if anyone knew if they're building any new structures as part of their project? Do I read your post correctly MM that they are simply rennovating the existing building to be part of the library, that they aren't building any new buildings in the vacant area/surface lot to the north of the Towne Center or existing Library building?
I would like to see at least one more business in the Stadium District that would be oriented to people living downtown (grocery store, restaurant, salon, kind of things).
Yeah, from what I understand, the only thing to be built as part of the Towne Center project is a connection between the two.
Yeah, I expected the same thing of the Stadium District, and that's what the developer had envisioned it of being.
BTW, the new chiller plant at Allegan and Pine is topped out. They have the ceremonial pine tree atop the steel. I'm not sure why they said it was going to be four stories. Perhaps, they simply meant each floor was going to be a double-floor.
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So, in theory at least, that request could be tied to Knapps. It is the most notable building in need of redevelopment on Washington. What other downtown building faces such huge challenges? Developers have been able to handle all of the smaller buildings on the square with OPRAs and smaller incentive packages. None of the large office buildings on Washington have high vacancies that would lead a developer to want to convert them to mixed-use.
Knapps, though, is a mess and could take a very innovative incentive package (i.e., large, with a mix of local, state and federal dollars) to save. The exterior of the building - one of the key reasons to save it - is decaying. I think City Pulse did a story some months back where they talked to folks at Christman (the historic renovation experts in our area) who said they looked and couldn't find anyone who could replicate the blue and yellow panels.
Sounds like a good idea, to me. Route 1's average weekday ridership was 6,500, last year, which would be quite low to justify a light rail line, but it could possibly justify a street car or two.
Also, I noticed the north side of the building at Capitol and Kalamazoo is torn out down to the Tyvec plastic type stuff you see when a building is being built. That's the area where Cooley is doing something with their law library. Does anyone know what they're planning on doing? Are they building and extension or something?
Also, an update on that medical building in Old Town that's being built from the Cedar Street School building: I noticed yesterday that the windows are in now and things look to be moving along.
On Stadium Distrct, I'm also mixed. It's good to see it filled, and even better to see it bring most all of the city's economic development agencies under one building, but it's not what I (or the developer) had envisioned it becoming, so I'm neutral on it.
The Medical Arts Building windows have been in for a few weeks, now, but they are really starting to pick up on the interior.
I would like to see at least one more business in the Stadium District that would be oriented to people living downtown (grocery store, restaurant, salon, kind of things).
Yeah, I expected the same thing of the Stadium District, and that's what the developer had envisioned it of being.
BTW, the new chiller plant at Allegan and Pine is topped out. They have the ceremonial pine tree atop the steel. I'm not sure why they said it was going to be four stories. Perhaps, they simply meant each floor was going to be a double-floor.