Id be willing to bet something is going in there. Most landlords will leave a vacant space as is, in case of a tenant that has a similar need, thus negating buildout costs. If they have gutted it, its likely there is a buildout in process.
When I said the awning/entrance was covered, I didn't mean the doors/windows were 2-dimensionally covered. I meant they've built a cube with plywood covering the awning completely so that there is only about one foot of space left of the sidewalk...you basically have to step into the street to walk around that section. So it's definitely not to secure the building. I should have been more descriptive before.
Micro, I'm a pretty regular visitor to Frandor. I knew what you were talking about. I just assumed it was for extra security until they found another tenant, but perhaps it is for a built-out.
It was reported in the LSJ, yesterday, the Lansing EDC is looking for 10,000 square feet of existing space downtown for a business incubator. 10,000 sq ft is a decent size, and they are looking for the incubator to focus on start-ups for high-tech companies and retail, primarily, and may expand into space for manufacturing and art-focused companies. In my mind, the Knapp Center would be the perfect location for something like this until the building can find a better tenant, no?
I would like to say yes, but I have a feeling that it would take too much to get that building into shape, although they've never been clear as to how much work must actually be done. That being said I don't know what other suitable building downtown has 10,000 sq ft of space, maybe One Michigan Ave, or Capitol Tower.
The first floor of Knapps is basically fully finished and looks ready to be moved into. The rest would take work, but the floors are bigger than 10,000 sq ft apiece, so they'd need no more than one floor for the incubator. I do suspect they'll use more modern space, though, even despite the fact that Knapps was used as a modern office building up until 2002 or so.
In the upcoming council agenda there is a notice to transfer a liquor license to Craft Beer at 408 S Washington Sq. This is a currently vacant storefront, two spots down from MBC.
According to the Lansing State Journal, Lansing is getting $17 million from the feds for "Neighborhood Stabilization" which sounds little different than the "urban renewal" of old. And, like the urban renewal of old, this will be much more demolition focused than rehabilitation and construction focused.
Plans include the demolition of 258 homes, the rehab of only 98, and the ridiculous construction of just 4 homes. What's the use in building four homes, at all, if that is all you're going to build? Even more so, this work will be concentrated solely within the northern half of the city between the east and west city limits, and Grand River Avenue and Mount Hope as the north-south boundaries. Thing will are going to start looking even more patchy in the neighborhoods than they already do if they actually get to bring down the 258 homes in the two years alloted.
Needless to say, I'm not too happy to be hearing about this. I'd understand if Lansing had a glut of truly abandoned (i.e. bombed out, unlivable) single-family homes like Detroit, Saginaw, or Flint. But, I'd estimate that there aren't even 258 homes of that variety in the entire city, let alone in just the northern end.
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Plans include the demolition of 258 homes, the rehab of only 98, and the ridiculous construction of just 4 homes. What's the use in building four homes, at all, if that is all you're going to build? Even more so, this work will be concentrated solely within the northern half of the city between the east and west city limits, and Grand River Avenue and Mount Hope as the north-south boundaries. Thing will are going to start looking even more patchy in the neighborhoods than they already do if they actually get to bring down the 258 homes in the two years alloted.
Needless to say, I'm not too happy to be hearing about this. I'd understand if Lansing had a glut of truly abandoned (i.e. bombed out, unlivable) single-family homes like Detroit, Saginaw, or Flint. But, I'd estimate that there aren't even 258 homes of that variety in the entire city, let alone in just the northern end.