Yep, this will follow the power lines west of the lake. From there is crosses Wabash with the powerlines, but then diverges to curve around the west and north of the Beekman Center before turning north right along side the freeway to outlet onto the paved shoulder/bike lanes on Forest right at the Hunt Club Apartments.
Does the property currently have fences? Or are you simply saying you hope they don't add any? Now I'm going to go down the rabbit hole of finding out what MSU does with Bear Lake in terms of research that's so important that they don't allow public access.
The last I saw about the Bear Lake Pathway is that it is the first part of connecting the South Lansing Pathway to MSU. Bear Lake Pathway will exit the north side of Beekman Center on the east side of the Tammany Hills Apartments and west of I-496. It is proposed that the trail follow Forest Rd under 496 and then start again on the east side of 496, where it would head north on the edge of Forest Akers West to Mount Hope Hwy. It would then cross Mount Hope near the MSU Tennis Center where trail users could access MSU through Spartan Village. At least that was the plan in late 2016.
Love seeing more business taking advantage of this program. Lam's is next door to El Oasis on the Eastside. To say this will be a significant visual change is an understatement. The current facade is horrible.
The Temple Club and the old Sam's Club on the south side are under contract to be sold (different buyers most likely).
This is great news for both properties. I think it would be easy to convert the old Temple Club to apartments. I'm not sure what business will use the old Sam's Club, hopefully not a self storage business lol.
The City of Lansing is also providing existing brownfield development reimbursement funds for part of the project to help generate more private investments along the riverfront. Construction of amenities in Rotary Park will begin this spring with completion estimated by fall 2019.
BJ's Wholesale Club is opening two locations in southeast Michigan. I wonder if they might be purchasing the old Sam's Club location as their next Michigan expansion?
I wonder what you all think about the design for Rotary Park? I am trying to like it but it kind of looks like an outdoor seating area for a restaurant in this area of the new park. I don't know about the maintenance plan but I think those tables and chairs will require at least once daily maintenance to clean and rearrange them. I have said this before, I think there could be a "pushcart" vendor area next to the Lansing Center that would provide a reason to stop and sit in this new park. I think it will be very important to offer amenities that people will actually use, with thoughts of former riverfront and "mall" plans downtown. I am looking forward towards a "wow this is nice" feeling verses an "oh wow this is it ??! reaction.
I don't like it. I agree, it feels like they're building the outdoor seating for someone else's restaurant. We should have bathrooms and drinking fountains. Park benches or tables and chairs are good too though, but the outdoor fireplace is a gimmick that costs a lot of money with no real value. I'd rather have BBQs that people can use and cook their own food in if we want to add to the outdoor restaurant feel.
Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, NY has multiple of these and they are really popular when the weather gets warm.
The only component that is using the river are the steps down to the river, which are nice.
My first line of inquiry when I see a new project is whether it's an improvement over what is at an existing site, now. Unquestionably yes, in this case. Is it enough of an improvement for the long-run? No. But you can't always get everything you want in the first go, especially when it's not city money being spent.
Maybe as city finances continue to get better we'll see something a bit more permanent. But right now, the space isn't really being used and it's not exactly marked. This will be the first step in activating the riverfront during the months of favorable weather.
Comments
Yep, this will follow the power lines west of the lake. From there is crosses Wabash with the powerlines, but then diverges to curve around the west and north of the Beekman Center before turning north right along side the freeway to outlet onto the paved shoulder/bike lanes on Forest right at the Hunt Club Apartments.
Does the property currently have fences? Or are you simply saying you hope they don't add any? Now I'm going to go down the rabbit hole of finding out what MSU does with Bear Lake in terms of research that's so important that they don't allow public access.
The last I saw about the Bear Lake Pathway is that it is the first part of connecting the South Lansing Pathway to MSU. Bear Lake Pathway will exit the north side of Beekman Center on the east side of the Tammany Hills Apartments and west of I-496. It is proposed that the trail follow Forest Rd under 496 and then start again on the east side of 496, where it would head north on the edge of Forest Akers West to Mount Hope Hwy. It would then cross Mount Hope near the MSU Tennis Center where trail users could access MSU through Spartan Village. At least that was the plan in late 2016.
Yep, that's it.
Love seeing more business taking advantage of this program. Lam's is next door to El Oasis on the Eastside. To say this will be a significant visual change is an understatement. The current facade is horrible.
This is great news for both properties. I think it would be easy to convert the old Temple Club to apartments. I'm not sure what business will use the old Sam's Club, hopefully not a self storage business lol.
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/2019/01/22/lansing-properties-sale-sams-club-temple-club/2501504002/
I wonder what you all think about the design for Rotary Park? I am trying to like it but it kind of looks like an outdoor seating area for a restaurant in this area of the new park. I don't know about the maintenance plan but I think those tables and chairs will require at least once daily maintenance to clean and rearrange them. I have said this before, I think there could be a "pushcart" vendor area next to the Lansing Center that would provide a reason to stop and sit in this new park. I think it will be very important to offer amenities that people will actually use, with thoughts of former riverfront and "mall" plans downtown. I am looking forward towards a "wow this is nice" feeling verses an "oh wow this is it ??! reaction.
I don't like it. I agree, it feels like they're building the outdoor seating for someone else's restaurant. We should have bathrooms and drinking fountains. Park benches or tables and chairs are good too though, but the outdoor fireplace is a gimmick that costs a lot of money with no real value. I'd rather have BBQs that people can use and cook their own food in if we want to add to the outdoor restaurant feel.
Brooklyn Bridge Park in Brooklyn, NY has multiple of these and they are really popular when the weather gets warm.
The only component that is using the river are the steps down to the river, which are nice.
My first line of inquiry when I see a new project is whether it's an improvement over what is at an existing site, now. Unquestionably yes, in this case. Is it enough of an improvement for the long-run? No. But you can't always get everything you want in the first go, especially when it's not city money being spent.
Maybe as city finances continue to get better we'll see something a bit more permanent. But right now, the space isn't really being used and it's not exactly marked. This will be the first step in activating the riverfront during the months of favorable weather.