I was listening to the City Pulse show this morning on the radio. They had on the head of LEPFA (Lansing Entertainment & Public Facilities Authority) and the new manager of the Lansing City Market. Anyway, among many things they talked about was a rumored new "anchor tenant" for the market. After being coy the LEPFA head mentioned that they have an "urban grocer" and when further pressed admitted that it's a name who has done this before kind of hinting at it being a chain. I'm racking my brain, but beyond a kind of smaller Whole Foods or Trader Joes, and I can't really think of a local chain that could do this. Maybe if they are going more downscale it could be an ALDIs? Anyway, kind of exciting news. Not sure how close they are to an announcement, though.
Yeah, whatever it is it'd be majorly downsized, but they did make it sound like a chain grocer. It's so small it might have to be an entirely new concept for whoever the chain is.
I was very much looking forward to going to the City Market when I moved back here in May.I thought the people there were nice but it felt kind of desperate. Short of knocking the whole thing down, [I think architecturally it fails in many ways, why metal clad pole barn?] they could replace the metal with wood, if it wants to be a barn then why not a nice barn? Living downtown it is nice to hear they may put in an "urban grocer", out east there are many such small footprint markets. If it is done right it can feel kind of European. I don't know if I like the idea of a national chain going in there. It seems like someone like Horrock's could go in there maybe Roma Bakery. I was also thinking they could start having push cart businesses in the plaza and river walk by the Lansing Center. This would allow small businesses to part of the scene down there. There could be people selling local goods maybe souvenirs for tourist. Maybe have a Holiday or Christmas Market in the same area outside the City Market. Many cities with similar weather have really nice outdoor markets were they set up temporary shops selling food and holiday arts and crafts, and retail goods as well. The shops are really often just a small area behind a nice facade made of logs or some kind of holiday thyme. It is fun to eat and drink hot food and beverages outside in a Holiday atmosphere. There are people in the area all the time but they don't seem to have a lot to do or places to spend money, make the market itself a destination. In Mass they have these stores called The Christmas Tree Shops, and for instance the one by the Sagamore Bridge is in a thatch roofed old English Windmill, a reproduction of course, and inside it is just a discount store. The building makes people want to go in there.
They did attempt a weekly farmers market out on the plaza area a month or so ago. However it was quickly canned because they didn't have the vendors (they had two vendors and both left early) or the shoppers to support it. They should loop the riverwalk in the downtown area. I feel like that could bring in some shoppers or diners during the lunch hours.
If they do add the urban grocer, I would love that but I would hope that they would run with extended hours so that I can stop there after work. Biggest gripe about living downtown is there are not many places to get groceries without having to hop in the car and head over to Meijer.
From the interview, I didn't get any impression that the farmer's market had been discontinued. I did hear them discuss that even apart from the new city market's change in direction to an actual city market (as opposed to the farmer's market) is that, post-recession, while the city market was once only one of the games in town when it came to farmer's markets - I think the only other regular farmer's markets to predate the recession were the Meridian Township farmer's market and Allen Street farmer's market on the eastside - that there are now many, many more, so there was a lot more competition coming on line.
I grew up a few blocks away, and we pretty regularly went to the city market, mostly for flower shoping in the summer, and I used to get mother's days gifts there every year. Also enjoyed the restaurant and craft section in the west wing. This part of the market was always underutilized; had the city been as interested in the market back then as they are now, they probably could have saved the old building. Now, I can count of my hand how many times I go, and basically the only vendor I buy from is Bob Falsetta, mostly because we knew him from the old market.
BTW, just passed on South Cedar by a building across from Kmart right off of Armstrong Street. Noticed all of the trees cut and what looked like a new building, but couldn't tell if it was a new building or they simply demolished part of the older building. It used to be an old animal hospital. Anyway, the new look is a definite downgrade. The building on the site, now, is a cheap little painted wooden building, but I see no signs as to what it is. Anyway, have any idea what happened down here?
There is an article in this morning's LSJ about DeWitt Township fixing up the median in Old US-27 where it goes over I-69. I guess every little bit helps, but this really seems like least of the townships "looks" problems, quite frankly. Through decades of very shoddy zoning, they allowed everything in between Lansing's Sheridan Road and the freeway to look like some dumpy country strip. It's a lot harder fix than the newer areas, and I know they've at least said they want to make this area look better, too. But, unless they are going to direct new growth to this particular part of the corridor, words and a few sidewalk constructions aren't going to work.
I made a nice country drive by starting on Turner Street in Old Town and going north all the way to Dewitt and over to Sleepy Hallow and back down to East Lansing. In the area that is suppose to welcome people to Dewitt at least five houses had Confederate battle flags flying out front. I know that they are privet property but all the trees and grass will be quickly forgotten when you turn down a road with so many stars and bars on display. Maybe Dewitt could hold town meetings to discus the Civil War and Michigan's roll in stopping the Southern rebellion. I have direct ancestors who fought in that war,they were fighting for The United States which sought to abolish slavery and preserve the Union. Those flags represent traitors and racist. I don't think I would like to have an auto break down and have to walk up to one of those houses looking for help. I think a bit of education along with grass and trees would help make Dewitt welcoming to everyone.
In the city market area there is that awful pedestrian bridge that looks like something from an old Soviet airport. What if they rebuilt it with a bridge the was beautiful, a bridge that people could use to get the city market or just for a stroll to look over the river. It could be an ultra modern like in London over the Thames, or maybe something a bit fanciful like a covered wooden pedestrian span that could be a tourist attraction in it self. Frankenmuth they built a covered old fashion bridge that is part of the tourist must see list there. It's just a bridge but people love to look at it and walk over it.
Aside from the flags things you describe (which is more a private property issue as you say) the drive up Turner is actually kind of nice. I think the problem with Old US-27 is that it was an old rural highway leading into an urban area, and the time period in which stuff began to pop up along it was an error of really ugly, utilitarian architecture. I know DeWitt Township is still to small to be able to afford such an idea, but simply planting trees to line the highway (at least between the city line and Northcreast) would be a huge improvement, and cracking down on blight. The problem with Old US-27 is that the current US-127 freeway and the construction of I-69 kind of makes it irrelevant except for the small, local population just off this section of the old highway. They've got to figure out what they want this road to be between the city line and freeway.
Regarding Clinton County/Dewitt, I've never had anything other than poor experiences with the people and police up that way. I used to have a friend that lived in Dewitt Township and I dreaded going up there. I don't like to generalize, but my dislike for that area is strong enough that I would actively avoid living there and I do avoid doing business there. On a side note I also find northerners who fly the Confederate flag hilarious (often under the guise of patriotism??? lol), they're supporting an enemy who their ancestors may have very well died fighting against. I truly don't understand some people.
At some point in the last several years there was some mention of rebuilding that pedestrian bridge to the Lansing Center. I can't remember when it was or the circumstances though.
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If they do add the urban grocer, I would love that but I would hope that they would run with extended hours so that I can stop there after work. Biggest gripe about living downtown is there are not many places to get groceries without having to hop in the car and head over to Meijer.
I grew up a few blocks away, and we pretty regularly went to the city market, mostly for flower shoping in the summer, and I used to get mother's days gifts there every year. Also enjoyed the restaurant and craft section in the west wing. This part of the market was always underutilized; had the city been as interested in the market back then as they are now, they probably could have saved the old building. Now, I can count of my hand how many times I go, and basically the only vendor I buy from is Bob Falsetta, mostly because we knew him from the old market.
BTW, just passed on South Cedar by a building across from Kmart right off of Armstrong Street. Noticed all of the trees cut and what looked like a new building, but couldn't tell if it was a new building or they simply demolished part of the older building. It used to be an old animal hospital. Anyway, the new look is a definite downgrade. The building on the site, now, is a cheap little painted wooden building, but I see no signs as to what it is. Anyway, have any idea what happened down here?
In the city market area there is that awful pedestrian bridge that looks like something from an old Soviet airport. What if they rebuilt it with a bridge the was beautiful, a bridge that people could use to get the city market or just for a stroll to look over the river. It could be an ultra modern like in London over the Thames, or maybe something a bit fanciful like a covered wooden pedestrian span that could be a tourist attraction in it self. Frankenmuth they built a covered old fashion bridge that is part of the tourist must see list there. It's just a bridge but people love to look at it and walk over it.
At some point in the last several years there was some mention of rebuilding that pedestrian bridge to the Lansing Center. I can't remember when it was or the circumstances though.