We've known this for years, now, but the LSJ has a story, today, concerning the impending shuttering of the Eckert Station across from Moores Park. The generating capacity will need to be replaced, and the current General Manager is trying to speed up the process and is throwing out there that at least part of the solution will be building another plant, but not at the site of Eckert. Part of it will also probably be buying energy from other utilities - I believe BWL already buys some of its power from DTE. To give you an idea how important Eckert is to the system, it produces three times the power that the new REO Town plant does. He wants a plan for the replacement of Eckert to be done by the end of the year. And, Eckert isn't just important to the system, at large, but to downtown in particular. They'll be engaging the community for ideas over the coming months.
It would seem an obvious location for whatever they decide to build would be on part of one of the vacant General Motor sites. Since it's replacing downtown's main power source, it has to be relatively close to the inner-city, but can't be built on the river.
I'd agree that one of the GM site would be ideal for a new power plant, but I can't imagine any reason why it has to be near downtown since the REO Town Plant is providing steam now. No doubt this will be large and important project, as will the redevelopment of the Eckert site.
Again, the REO Town Plant only produces a third of what Eckert does and is sort of a back-up plant. Eckert is the baseload and directly connected to downtown. The REO Town Plant could go down and downtown would still have power. When Eckert has a problem, it effects downtown. So, it's good to think of the Eckert replacement as also being the replacement downtown. You also need it fairly close because power becomes more expensive the futher away from the source you get.
BTW, in other news, the two adjoining buildings at Washtenaw and Washington across the street from the Knapp Centre are now under renovation. I noticed the other day when I was down at Firehouse.
Well, this is really cool. Bernero wants to get a soccer field at Ferris Park. This is one of my childhood parks. I'd always kind of wished the eastern half of it was more developed than it is. This part of the park is currently a huge open field. This will be huge for that neighborhood, which is a really interesting mix of college kids, long-time families, and low-income rentals.
LANSING — Mayor Virg Bernero joined business and community leaders on Thursday to announce a $60,000 crowdfunding campaign to help build a new public soccer field at Ferris Park in the heart of downtown Lansing.
"We're a global community, soccer is a global thing — a global sport," Bernero said. "It's not something I grew up with personally, but my kids played soccer. It's up and coming, and Lansing is on the cutting edge of it.
The $200,000 Beacon Field project is planned for the southeast corner of Ferris Park, which is located on the corner of Walnut Street and Shiawassee. Plans call for a 60 by 120 feet synthetic turf field enclosed by kick-board and solar lighting to allow for extended play into the evenings. The field will be free to use and open to the public.
The park is on a bit of an elevation, kind of the top of a plateau, so you get some great views of the Capitol.
Michigan's Capitol dome will be covered in scaffolding until the fall as crews undertake the first significant restoration work on the outside of the state's Capitol building since 1992.
As part of a $6.4 million project, the dome's decorative elements will be replaced and repaired. The sandstone walls will be cleaned and repair. The entire dome and more than 200 windows are slated to be repainted, according to state Capitol Facilities Director Dan Brocklehurst.
"It entails quite a bit of work," he said. "There's a lot of corrosion on the dome. There are gashes. There are fasteners that are loose or missing. There is decorative metal that is missing. There is a lot of metal that needs to be replaced. A lot of sealant needs to be cut out. Joints need to be resealed."
Brocklehurst said most of the exterior stonework has not been refurbished since the building was constructed in 1879. Three-dimensional images of the medallions surrounding the Capitol have been taken to recreate those that are destroyed past the point of renovation.
LANSING – Sparrow Health System said it plans to build a new cafeteria and meeting space on the ground floor of its main hospital campus on Michigan Avenue.
The Sparrow Gathering Place, as the organization is calling the new space, will have a demonstration kitchen for cooking classes and community programs and offer more food choices for patients, visitors and staff, Sparrow officials said Friday.
It will occupy a 4,000-square-foot addition and 20,000 square feet of renovated space on the east end of the lobby area. It will be enclosed by a large glass wall visible from Michigan Avenue.
Sparrow didn’t provide a cost estimate for the project but said it should be done by mid-2016.
I'm still a bit unsure if this will be an addition to the basement cafeteria or if it will replace it.
LSJ is a little late, WILX had this back in January: Sparrow unveils plans for new cafeteria. The LSJ story does have more info though, like the square footage and a completion date.
I'd be surprised if they kept the basement cafeteria around after this new one opens, I can't imagine a good reason to keep it.
It looks like the large covered bus-stop in front of Sparrow Hospital was torn up. Hopefully, it's to replace it with and even larger shelter. One of the small things CATA could do is upgrading some of their stops. They've been doing it, particularly for their stops in shopping centers and malls, but there are a few other places I'd like to see covered stops.
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The Ottawa Block rezoning is up for approval.
Troppo is proposing to add a 550 sq ft addition to their first floor dining room on the Michigan ave side.
There's a liquor license being transferred to the "Potent Potables Project" at 502 E Grand River (the old Temple Club)
It would seem an obvious location for whatever they decide to build would be on part of one of the vacant General Motor sites. Since it's replacing downtown's main power source, it has to be relatively close to the inner-city, but can't be built on the river.
BTW, in other news, the two adjoining buildings at Washtenaw and Washington across the street from the Knapp Centre are now under renovation. I noticed the other day when I was down at Firehouse.
The park is on a bit of an elevation, kind of the top of a plateau, so you get some great views of the Capitol.
It's also good to see the Capitol being maintained. I'm still anxious to see what happens with the welcome center project though.
I'm still a bit unsure if this will be an addition to the basement cafeteria or if it will replace it.
I'd be surprised if they kept the basement cafeteria around after this new one opens, I can't imagine a good reason to keep it.