I'd have to say I'm starting to lean towards the performing arts center being the "big" announcement, since I heard the words "finalizing plans" used. To me that implies that some already pretty solid plans are in place. The other possibilities are the association project, an Accident Fund expansion, a plan for the Oliver towers site, the MSP headquarters, or something completely new.
It was great to see that the Lansing Center, after so many years, finally got their electronic sign at the Museum Drive/Cedar Street entrance fixed and working again. Also, they got a new electronic board on the Cedar side of the Lansing Center near the corner of Michigan and Cedar.
Than new sign on the side near michigan looks nice, hopefully Olds Park gets new, more modern signs with its rennovation. Little things like that can really help the overall street scene, and the sign on te Lansing Center could prove to be very valuable in advertising shows, exibitions and whatever else might be going on there.
I really wish it'd have been a bit bigger, because the small size does make it look just the slightest big awkward. And, if it's not the size that makes it looks a little awkward perhaps its the placement. Either way, it's far better than nothing at all, and ANYTHING that adds more movement to the cityscape is a good thing. That's really why I hate that the Ottawa Street Stations' sign was turned off and the Michigan National Tower's removed, altogether. It just shows how iconic these things can be, how much they can add to a cityscape. I still like that the BWL has that giant neon sign at their Dye Treatment Facility.
I am hoping that they keep the sign on the Ottawa Station when redeveloped, even if they rework it to say "Water & Light District" or "Water & Light Building."
I am beginning to realize that the big announcement will be the MSP headquarters. And I sure hope that Cooley is the one that gets control of the Deluxe Inn if anybody were to get control. It would be nice to see some Cooley maintained student dorms.
It would, though, I'd hope they'd develop some around their school. While I'd like to see the Deluxe Inn site redeveloped (I've wanted to hear this for years), it seems just a little too far removed from the main core of downtown to function as dorms for Cooley. I always thought hotel would be great at the site being right off the freeway. There really isn't much other use for the site outside of a hotel (because of how the site is set up), outside something a much lesser use like a gas station or drive-thru restaurant.
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Also, in an LSJ article today about the Deluxe Inn it says that Cooley has shown interest in building housing on the site: Deluxe Inn struggles amid efforts to close it