Yeah, not much progress going on... I have a couple updates to put up, but I haven't been too pleased with much of the news that I have been hearing. Hopefully, the spring will bring more positive development news.
The LSJ reported, today, that a homeless advocacy group, I believe, it putting forth a proposal for the Oliver Towers just southeast of LCC and two blocks north of the capitol. With the mayor just having announced a concept for the site in his state of the city address, it's quite apparent the city isn't too receptive, but if there is enough support, the group may get the city council to seriously look at this.
They seem very serious about this proposal saying that are willing to raise $1.5 million to buy this damaged building, if not more, which is probably more than anyone else has offered since the fire for this one.
Personally, I think this would not be the best use for the site. That site is far too prime a site for an apartment building for the homeless. Though, I really want to see this group find another site here in the city. Homeless apartments are a new concept in shelters, and one that is much cheaper than running shelters, in fact.
Group wants to buy city's former public housing units
I don't really think the homeless shelter they are proposing to implement is that sustainable. I think they would have to do it as a mixed-income building, with a number of buildings, and make it 20% of the building apartments for the homeless and the other 80% for regular paying tenants.
Let's be real, here, market-rate residents aren't going to move into a building with homeless people for various reasons. Heck, people barely like mixing low-income and market-rate housing. The concept of homeless apartment buildings have been tried in NYC with success.
Most likely, the tower is going to be torn down, anyway, though.
This idea is definately out there and I don't see it gaining much support, the idea of mixing housing for the homeless with market rate is crazy and regardless this is a horrible location for a homeless shelter/housing. Plus there are already several ideas for the site.
This has nothing to do with development, but did anyone else watch the council meeting this week? What was with the guy talking about his toilet/stool? I just choked on the soup I was eating. I couldn't believe that (or even understand how) someone would stand up there and say all that. Besides, aren't low flow toilets required by federal law, and not by the state?
This guy is up there every week or so speaking on the most inane and silly issues. This week was not exception for him. The council has warned him many times before to speak on legislative matters. He's found a way to carefully connect these silly personal issue to city matters to skirt the rules.
Oh, the big February announcemnet, Bob has informed me, is TechSmith moving its headquarters from Okemos to...the University Corporate Park SmartZone at the edge of Lansing, which might as well be in East Lansing or Okemos:
BTW, they are reporting, today, that TechSmith World Headquarters will be 100,000 square feet in size...but spread along part of their 11-acre parcel they'll lease in the tech park. This would have been high-rise building, downtown, with that much Class A space.
Comments
At Monday's city council meeting, it appears that Richard Karp's 4-story, luxury 'loftominium' River North project is moving forward.
They seem very serious about this proposal saying that are willing to raise $1.5 million to buy this damaged building, if not more, which is probably more than anyone else has offered since the fire for this one.
Personally, I think this would not be the best use for the site. That site is far too prime a site for an apartment building for the homeless. Though, I really want to see this group find another site here in the city. Homeless apartments are a new concept in shelters, and one that is much cheaper than running shelters, in fact.
Group wants to buy city's former public housing units
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070210/NEWS01/702100338/1001/news
Most likely, the tower is going to be torn down, anyway, though.
Oh, the big February announcemnet, Bob has informed me, is TechSmith moving its headquarters from Okemos to...the University Corporate Park SmartZone at the edge of Lansing, which might as well be in East Lansing or Okemos:
http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070213/NEWS03/702130370
This is great, but I was expecting something downtown.