The LSJ has an update on the Rotary Park upgrades. They say that a fireplace will be added. We already knew of the plans for the "lighted forest". Delta Dental donated $250,000 for the plaza. Construction will start this winter.
I went to the new liquor store which was very nice but still just a liquor store. I would have liked some other sort of business to move in there but it is certainly better than a closed gas station.
It is really great that local groups are stepping up to sponsor the new riverfront park. I never got the prize for suggesting the illuminated forest but it is still cool that they are using my idea! Maybe it was not only my idea! I like the plan for a shaded riverside seating area but there seems to be a lot more cement than I would like to see. The "sails" will add some color to the scene but it will be very important to maintain them and the plaza. If they are allowed to get worn looking like say the stairway and area next to the Lansing Center people will not hang out there. I am hoping that the planners will really take a look at what worked and what was a waste of money in the past and present features of our downtown riverfront park. Like the bandstand/gazebo thing, what is it, why is it there just to look at? Bright new clean safe comfortable are all things the should be part of the plans for this park.
The outdoor fireplace in East Lansing really feels like a wasted opportunity and it is an excessive waste of natural gas/energy.
I'd like to see more public restrooms and updated drinking fountains. We really should be focused on the core requirements for people to spend a lot of time out at a park. Relying on porta-potties is gross and expensive in the long term. The lack of a clean place to wash hands and a maintained restroom will force young families to leave the park once someone has to use a bathroom.
It might not be glamorous but it's required if we want people to spend a few hours or more at a park.
You have brought up a very good point. My old neighborhood park Quentin had restrooms and a nice brass [beat up by ice skates] drinking fountain. I think many parks in Lansing had restrooms. I could see using the modern park and street restrooms like in NYC and Boston, they are for one person usually they require a small fee to open the door and when each person is done the restroom cleans itself. Or maybe a larger public restroom that could have an attendant for cleaning and security.
They are installing new baseball fields over at Quentin Park, and they should be building a restroom and field equipment building to support them. I guess the neighbors will now get to look at port-a-potties and cyclone fences out their front windows. Maybe it's just me but there is a lot of fencing that will be there year-round just for maybe 10 or 12 weeks of the baseball season. Who knows maybe the neighbors wanted them to build these fields! IMO they don't look very nice.
An Interesting article on LJS.com about the idea of building a performing arts center in downtown Lansing! This could be a part of a new hotel conference center. The PAC would be in addition to the Adado Park stage plan and the under the bridge venue. That would be very cool if it happens!
I have been wondering if anyone has any thoughts or insights about this potential development? Mayor Andy said an announcement could be coming in the next few days.
Are you asking in regards to the Performing Arts Center? Wow if so I'm surprised to hear that there could be an announcement coming so soon. Have there been private attempts at building a 300-500 person venue? If the private market couldn't support it, I'd be doubtful that the city-backed one could succeed. If anything, I think a city-backed venue would have more hurdles since they will need to answer to all the constituents and worry about budgets, funding changes, etc.
I had read that Mayor said there could be an announcement about a PAC before the new year, and the people from Urban Systems[?] saying they have the land to do this now and that such a facility would not cost the city much money. Perhaps he meant the next new year.
I know I should link these stories but I do not know how!.
On the Lansing history Facebook page, they are talking about the Civic Center, many have very fond memories of that place. It would be important as you say to make this new project a civic center as well a performing art center. In hindsight, the Civic Center could have been rehabilitated into a more modern facility and they could have built a hotel right in front where we have a surface lot now. Was there any talk about doing something like that? It does not seem like they put much thought into this. I think Lansing could have supported The Civic Center and The Lansing Center. That must have been a tough time to live through in Lansing, I'm glad I did not see all the destruction that took place in those years.
To link Facebook posts, there's a little timestamp on the post that is a direct link to the post. You can right click on the timestamp and choose "Copy Link Location" or "Copy Link Address" (depending on which browser you're using).
If the link is for a webpage or news article, you can copy the address of the page from your location bar at the top of your browser.
Then you can paste that link in to your comment here. Just pasting the link alone will create it when you post the comment, or you can click on the icon that looks like a chain or "link" above and paste your link in the little box that appears. If you use the button, then it will provide you some extra syntax so you can change the title of the link.
Comments
The LSJ has an update on the Rotary Park upgrades. They say that a fireplace will be added. We already knew of the plans for the "lighted forest". Delta Dental donated $250,000 for the plaza. Construction will start this winter.
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/2018/12/11/delta-dental-plaza-include-outdoor-fireplace-lighted-forest/2264038002/
I went to the new liquor store which was very nice but still just a liquor store. I would have liked some other sort of business to move in there but it is certainly better than a closed gas station.
It is really great that local groups are stepping up to sponsor the new riverfront park. I never got the prize for suggesting the illuminated forest but it is still cool that they are using my idea! Maybe it was not only my idea! I like the plan for a shaded riverside seating area but there seems to be a lot more cement than I would like to see. The "sails" will add some color to the scene but it will be very important to maintain them and the plaza. If they are allowed to get worn looking like say the stairway and area next to the Lansing Center people will not hang out there. I am hoping that the planners will really take a look at what worked and what was a waste of money in the past and present features of our downtown riverfront park. Like the bandstand/gazebo thing, what is it, why is it there just to look at? Bright new clean safe comfortable are all things the should be part of the plans for this park.
The outdoor fireplace in East Lansing really feels like a wasted opportunity and it is an excessive waste of natural gas/energy.
I'd like to see more public restrooms and updated drinking fountains. We really should be focused on the core requirements for people to spend a lot of time out at a park. Relying on porta-potties is gross and expensive in the long term. The lack of a clean place to wash hands and a maintained restroom will force young families to leave the park once someone has to use a bathroom.
It might not be glamorous but it's required if we want people to spend a few hours or more at a park.
You have brought up a very good point. My old neighborhood park Quentin had restrooms and a nice brass [beat up by ice skates] drinking fountain. I think many parks in Lansing had restrooms. I could see using the modern park and street restrooms like in NYC and Boston, they are for one person usually they require a small fee to open the door and when each person is done the restroom cleans itself. Or maybe a larger public restroom that could have an attendant for cleaning and security.
They are installing new baseball fields over at Quentin Park, and they should be building a restroom and field equipment building to support them. I guess the neighbors will now get to look at port-a-potties and cyclone fences out their front windows. Maybe it's just me but there is a lot of fencing that will be there year-round just for maybe 10 or 12 weeks of the baseball season. Who knows maybe the neighbors wanted them to build these fields! IMO they don't look very nice.
An Interesting article on LJS.com about the idea of building a performing arts center in downtown Lansing! This could be a part of a new hotel conference center. The PAC would be in addition to the Adado Park stage plan and the under the bridge venue. That would be very cool if it happens!
I have been wondering if anyone has any thoughts or insights about this potential development? Mayor Andy said an announcement could be coming in the next few days.
Are you asking in regards to the Performing Arts Center? Wow if so I'm surprised to hear that there could be an announcement coming so soon. Have there been private attempts at building a 300-500 person venue? If the private market couldn't support it, I'd be doubtful that the city-backed one could succeed. If anything, I think a city-backed venue would have more hurdles since they will need to answer to all the constituents and worry about budgets, funding changes, etc.
I had read that Mayor said there could be an announcement about a PAC before the new year, and the people from Urban Systems[?] saying they have the land to do this now and that such a facility would not cost the city much money. Perhaps he meant the next new year.
I know I should link these stories but I do not know how!.
On the Lansing history Facebook page, they are talking about the Civic Center, many have very fond memories of that place. It would be important as you say to make this new project a civic center as well a performing art center. In hindsight, the Civic Center could have been rehabilitated into a more modern facility and they could have built a hotel right in front where we have a surface lot now. Was there any talk about doing something like that? It does not seem like they put much thought into this. I think Lansing could have supported The Civic Center and The Lansing Center. That must have been a tough time to live through in Lansing, I'm glad I did not see all the destruction that took place in those years.
To link Facebook posts, there's a little timestamp on the post that is a direct link to the post. You can right click on the timestamp and choose "Copy Link Location" or "Copy Link Address" (depending on which browser you're using).
If the link is for a webpage or news article, you can copy the address of the page from your location bar at the top of your browser.
Then you can paste that link in to your comment here. Just pasting the link alone will create it when you post the comment, or you can click on the icon that looks like a chain or "link" above and paste your link in the little box that appears. If you use the button, then it will provide you some extra syntax so you can change the title of the link.
You can find more information on formatting here, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Markdown