I hope that the expansion on Larch St will match with the area, the last thing we need is another pole barn or similarly low quality building. Also, now would be a good time to reiterate how nice it would be if they had storefront there, a part of me feels like that's actually kind of likely with this expansion.
I can't imagine the aesthetic being anything other than the white-painted brick of the current collection of structures. I bet they are just knocking out a few walls and expanding from there.
Yeah, to me, a cafe has always been a no-brainer. They have a tiny window display off Larch, but it's basically just their front office.
They *could* also build the expansion in the same style as the Showroom Shine detail shop that was built with the option of adding on extra floors in the future. This would allow some eventual apartments/lofts on top without tearing down the structure, giving us something close to the Abrams Lofts project.
It appears a Jersey Giant has already opened in the old Decker's Coffee, downtown. I knew they already had someone lined up for the spot, but I had no idea who it was or that it would open so soon.
Kind of only tangentially related, but I wonder how many years out we're from a time when we actually see retail beyond restaurant and bars open up in the central business district? Certainly, downtown is better off than it was ten years ago, but, even in those slow times the retail scene was more diverse.
I may have mentioned it here before, but I really think that something big has to happen before downtown has chance at attracting national retailers. The only way I can think to boost downtown retail is to build an urban mall. Something around 4-8 floors with a half-block footprint would go well in Lansing, similar to the mall portion of Water Tower Place in Chicago.
Richardville has put out a formal RFP for new space for the state senate. It request unobstructed views of the capitol among other things, which really narrows down the choices to the immediately blocks around the capitol:
The RFP asks for “an unobstructed view and access” to the Capitol, space for 30 to 38 nearly identical offices, at least three public hearing rooms and one general purpose room. It asks for a space where visitors pass through a security checkpoint and the hearing and general purpose rooms are separated from the Senate offices “for security reasons.”
Here's all the companies/organizations the state senate has asked for bids:
In addition to the city, RFPs went to the Boji Group, Christman Co., Clark Construction, Eyde Co., Ferguson Development, Gentilozzi Real Estate and Management Co., Gillespie Co., Gillespie Group, Granger Construction, Granger Group, Paul Gentilozzi, Peninsula Capital Advisors, Sam Eyde Management, and H Inc. Others interested in bidding can email sensecretary@senate.michigan.gov.
So, I guess it could be for any building nearby the capitol, but I imagine they've basically tailored this for either city hall or Capitol View, though, the RFP makes clear from the very beginning they are looking for either a renovated building or a new construction. It'd be awesome to see a new construction, though, that would basically leave the lot across from Constitution Hall the only acceptable location.
That part didn't sound so strange to me; it's a commercial real estate term, really. What seemed kind of oddly worded was the "access" part of that phrase, as if someone's standing outside blocking the entrances to the capitol. lol I'm guessing they worded that phrase the way they did to really emphasize that they are looking for something literally next door to the capitol if they can find it.
Seems like Capitol View was the frontrunner months ago when they were talking about this, so I wouldn't be surprised to hear the RFP is tailored for the Bojis. And, being that we're talking about Republicans who now have a very ardent tea party wing to look out for, I can't imagine this would be new construction. I'm actually surprised that Richardville has even gotten this far with the plan given his caucus.
You know, I was just thinking that if by some miracle they did do a new construction, I'd love to see it on one half of the surface lot behind the capitol. That's always been a major sore point for me on the capitol grounds. We've got a ratty surface lot for legislative leadership right behind the capitol. It's not the only capitol in the country to have a surface lot on its grounds (Indiana's capitol is a really prominent and nearby example of this), but I'd really rather we not have one back there.
If you're talking about the parking lot I'm thinking of... I don't like it either, but I also don't think I'd like another building so close to the Capitol. It should be... you should be led up to the Capitol in grand fashion. Some good landscaping at least, perhaps a memorial or some appropriately themed artwork. Perhaps preserve the parking underground if the legislators really would insist on parking so close. (As someone who doesn't even own a car, it does amaze me to hear people talk about how terrible it is when they're forced to park a block or two away from their destination - just, not the way I live my life is all.)
Preferably, I'd just like to see it landscaped, too. I just want the parking lot gone; I was just really musing about one way to get rid of it. As long as they kept the sight lines from the Capitol Complex pedestrian promenade (which wou'd do by building on either side of the sight line), I could be happy.
But, yeah, preferably, I just want to the parking lot gone and for the grounds to resemble what they do, out front. The only other change I'd make to the capitol grounds is that I think there needs to be a few benches. As it is, they've designed the grounds so that unless you're going into or coming out of the building you have no place, there. There should be some kind of sitting areas where people can just come and relax on the grounds. I realize they do this because it probably requires less maintanence and secruity, but it also makes the place a dead zone in the middle of downtown.
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Yeah, to me, a cafe has always been a no-brainer. They have a tiny window display off Larch, but it's basically just their front office.
Kind of only tangentially related, but I wonder how many years out we're from a time when we actually see retail beyond restaurant and bars open up in the central business district? Certainly, downtown is better off than it was ten years ago, but, even in those slow times the retail scene was more diverse.
Here's all the companies/organizations the state senate has asked for bids:
So, I guess it could be for any building nearby the capitol, but I imagine they've basically tailored this for either city hall or Capitol View, though, the RFP makes clear from the very beginning they are looking for either a renovated building or a new construction. It'd be awesome to see a new construction, though, that would basically leave the lot across from Constitution Hall the only acceptable location.
Seems like Capitol View was the frontrunner months ago when they were talking about this, so I wouldn't be surprised to hear the RFP is tailored for the Bojis. And, being that we're talking about Republicans who now have a very ardent tea party wing to look out for, I can't imagine this would be new construction. I'm actually surprised that Richardville has even gotten this far with the plan given his caucus.
You know, I was just thinking that if by some miracle they did do a new construction, I'd love to see it on one half of the surface lot behind the capitol. That's always been a major sore point for me on the capitol grounds. We've got a ratty surface lot for legislative leadership right behind the capitol. It's not the only capitol in the country to have a surface lot on its grounds (Indiana's capitol is a really prominent and nearby example of this), but I'd really rather we not have one back there.
But, yeah, preferably, I just want to the parking lot gone and for the grounds to resemble what they do, out front. The only other change I'd make to the capitol grounds is that I think there needs to be a few benches. As it is, they've designed the grounds so that unless you're going into or coming out of the building you have no place, there. There should be some kind of sitting areas where people can just come and relax on the grounds. I realize they do this because it probably requires less maintanence and secruity, but it also makes the place a dead zone in the middle of downtown.