Not much in next weeks planning board agenda, though I spotted a little trend from one item. Someone is looking to rezone a single family home on the 500 block of West Hillsdale downtown to professional office (D-1) usage, specifically a law office. We found out in the staff report that a similar rezoning happened two lots over at the southeast corner of Hillsdale and Pine in 2008, and that the lots two deep on either side of this single family home are already zoned for professional office usage, so this one had become the odd man out, so to say. Always like seeing these old houses repurposed when possible, and this little unassuming property was completed in 1893. Looks like building permits were pulled in January to begin the renovation.
The second item on the agenda is the purchase of two properties at the southwest corner of River and East St. Jospeh - this is right at the freeway and directly across the street from Cherry Hill Park - to demolish them and take these homes out of the floodplain. The land will then be designated as part of Cherry Hill Park. I'm kind of sad to see either of these go, but especially the old commercial-looking red-brick residence, here. They are both quite old - the corner home completed in 1931 and the one next door on St. Joseph completed in 1885 - but unfortunately lie just outside the Cherry Hill Historic District.
The last item to come up next week if the easement (30") I talked about in the 600 East Michigan thread, where they are requesting an encroachment into the Michigan Avenue ROW for footings for the new building. They'd be under the sidewalk.
For the June planning board meeting, it appears that they recommended approval for the rezoning of the old Genesee School in the Genesee neighborhood downtown. As a reminder, they are tentatively planning 36 efficiency units, and the use of the old gym as a neighborhood playhouse/meeting space. They also recommended approval the rezoning of the old Cooley Haze House on Malcolm X nextdoor to Cooley Gardens.
Any idea on the history of that brick building in Cherry Hill? It’s a bummer it’s being demolished, I really wish we had more commercial/mixed use interspersed throughout our residential areas, not just on the main thoroughfares. I’m glad those buildings on Ionia downtown are being rehabbed, and I’ve always found those commercial buildings on Barnes, near St. Casimir, to be interesting.
It’d be great if there were a big enough demand for neighborhood markets, coffee shops, restaurants, etc to occupy these kinds of spaces, but that would probably require a significant increase in density. Perhaps the Form Based Code would help create more mixed use neighborhoods if it ever gets adopted.
It's less about density than it is about changes in retail culture. Ground floor retail doesn't even do well in apartment buildings. But I really think it's a lot about potential business owners not even wanting to take the risk. I think if more of them did they'd find success if they studied their neighborhoods need's correctly.
BTW, as far as I know, Swank Salon is across from St. Casmir and has been there for at least a decade, now. Kind of wish the neighboring building had been saved, but the neighbors really keep up that urban garden next door quite nicely. Here's a picture I took of it back in 2010:
I knew someone who lived in the building across the street. The apartments upstairs were really just rooms with shared facilities. Not sure how they are configured, today, and I think some small plumbing shop was on the ground floor at the time.
Over on W. Barnes Ave, I had a friend who lived in this building in the '70s. I don't remember much except it was old fashion and the views out the back windows were full of trees and overlooked the florist shop gardens and hot-house where the community garden is now. I don't really like the rehab on the building [formaly Gene's Cycle Shop] across the street it looks out of place and there has been one of the three Lansing like street lamps have been missing for a couple of years. The new street is looking good and the city has also been planting a lot of new trees in the neighborhood. I am hoping that repaving the rest of the blocks on the street is in the plan there about four different surfaces of different ages between Boston Blvd and S Washington Ave. That seems crazy to me. The city is also replacing the handicap curb cuts on many corners which is great but then the handicapped person would have to face potholes in the street and broken sidewalks on the other side of the street in many places. Also, I know it's about money but why not fix the whole sidewalk if the safety of all pedestrians is the issue?
At next Monday's Development & Planning Committee, it looks like the owners of the Motor Wheels property are trying to restart the redevelopment of the partially redeveloped warehouse portion of the site. They are requesting an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation District (OPRA) be created specifically for the 'unfinished' half of the property, which would later allow them to request an OPRA certificate. OPRAs freeze certain property taxes at the rate of the unimproved structure while developers redevelop their properties. It's a rather complicated formula you can read about here as I don't even fully understand it.
In any case, they will be pumping money into the building even before requesting the OPRA certificate to just bring it up to where it can be properly redeveloped, and this will include immediately fixing the drainage system within the building, which is something LPD complained about when they were in the building.
One page 5 of this marketing piece, the area that they are seeking to eventually redevelop is the western third or so - everything to the line on the right side of the "leased" portion:
Still kind of wonder what happened to Gillespie's second phase of Prudden Place just west of here, the the Motor Wheels Lofts developer's plans for the Flats and Prudden Wheel on the other side of the parking lot opposite this warehouse.
Thanks for the photo I had not noticed the mural went around the outside of the building. You are right about a little bit of color, the colored panels and flower wall at the substation really add a nice touch to the wall. I know they're not going to tear it down so it would be nice if the city rehab-ed the pedestrian skywalk too, use the frame to create something modern and cool looking.
LANSING - It's going to get a little easier to find a seat at a popular Old Town barbecue spot known for its pickle fries, carnivorous menu and science fiction-inspired decor.
Meat Southern B.B.Q. & Carnivore Cuisine's Turner Street restaurant is expanding, talking over storefront space next door to add another 1,300-square-feet of space to its footprint.
The space was vacated by Cravings Gourmet Popcorn when it moved across the street, to 1221 Turner St., in October.
Meat B.B.Q. opened in 2012 at 1224 Turner St. and gained national attention when Food Network star Guy Fieri featured it on an episode of "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives" in the fall of 2017.
It occupies about 4,500 square feet in Lansing’s Old Town. The restaurant's small waiting area, just inside the front entrance, is often packed while customers wait for a seat. Its dining room, at 2,500 square feet, offers seating for 90 people.
Owner Sean Johnson said the expansion will add an additional dining space to the eatery with room for 40 more seats, and allow for a larger waiting area. Another 25 patio seats will be available in the summer, once the expansion is complete.
I've never been there just because of the horror stories detailing waiting times, so this will help that. They plan to complete the expansion by the middle of next month.
The wait is well worth it. I've been there many times and have never had a bad experience. Though, some days I do choose to skip it...it has to be a day I plan to wait a bit. I've noticed they often over estimate the wait, especially for a party of 2. Usually I've gotten seated in 20 minutes. Glad they're expanding again though!
Comments
Not much in next weeks planning board agenda, though I spotted a little trend from one item. Someone is looking to rezone a single family home on the 500 block of West Hillsdale downtown to professional office (D-1) usage, specifically a law office. We found out in the staff report that a similar rezoning happened two lots over at the southeast corner of Hillsdale and Pine in 2008, and that the lots two deep on either side of this single family home are already zoned for professional office usage, so this one had become the odd man out, so to say. Always like seeing these old houses repurposed when possible, and this little unassuming property was completed in 1893. Looks like building permits were pulled in January to begin the renovation.
The second item on the agenda is the purchase of two properties at the southwest corner of River and East St. Jospeh - this is right at the freeway and directly across the street from Cherry Hill Park - to demolish them and take these homes out of the floodplain. The land will then be designated as part of Cherry Hill Park. I'm kind of sad to see either of these go, but especially the old commercial-looking red-brick residence, here. They are both quite old - the corner home completed in 1931 and the one next door on St. Joseph completed in 1885 - but unfortunately lie just outside the Cherry Hill Historic District.
The last item to come up next week if the easement (30") I talked about in the 600 East Michigan thread, where they are requesting an encroachment into the Michigan Avenue ROW for footings for the new building. They'd be under the sidewalk.
For the June planning board meeting, it appears that they recommended approval for the rezoning of the old Genesee School in the Genesee neighborhood downtown. As a reminder, they are tentatively planning 36 efficiency units, and the use of the old gym as a neighborhood playhouse/meeting space. They also recommended approval the rezoning of the old Cooley Haze House on Malcolm X nextdoor to Cooley Gardens.
It’d be great if there were a big enough demand for neighborhood markets, coffee shops, restaurants, etc to occupy these kinds of spaces, but that would probably require a significant increase in density. Perhaps the Form Based Code would help create more mixed use neighborhoods if it ever gets adopted.
It's less about density than it is about changes in retail culture. Ground floor retail doesn't even do well in apartment buildings. But I really think it's a lot about potential business owners not even wanting to take the risk. I think if more of them did they'd find success if they studied their neighborhoods need's correctly.
BTW, as far as I know, Swank Salon is across from St. Casmir and has been there for at least a decade, now. Kind of wish the neighboring building had been saved, but the neighbors really keep up that urban garden next door quite nicely. Here's a picture I took of it back in 2010:
I knew someone who lived in the building across the street. The apartments upstairs were really just rooms with shared facilities. Not sure how they are configured, today, and I think some small plumbing shop was on the ground floor at the time.
The mural on the North Grand Parking Garage has been completed. It's called "Let Me In."
https://twitter.com/CiesaDesign/status/1145747809641140226
Over on W. Barnes Ave, I had a friend who lived in this building in the '70s. I don't remember much except it was old fashion and the views out the back windows were full of trees and overlooked the florist shop gardens and hot-house where the community garden is now. I don't really like the rehab on the building [formaly Gene's Cycle Shop] across the street it looks out of place and there has been one of the three Lansing like street lamps have been missing for a couple of years. The new street is looking good and the city has also been planting a lot of new trees in the neighborhood. I am hoping that repaving the rest of the blocks on the street is in the plan there about four different surfaces of different ages between Boston Blvd and S Washington Ave. That seems crazy to me. The city is also replacing the handicap curb cuts on many corners which is great but then the handicapped person would have to face potholes in the street and broken sidewalks on the other side of the street in many places. Also, I know it's about money but why not fix the whole sidewalk if the safety of all pedestrians is the issue?
At next Monday's Development & Planning Committee, it looks like the owners of the Motor Wheels property are trying to restart the redevelopment of the partially redeveloped warehouse portion of the site. They are requesting an Obsolete Property Rehabilitation District (OPRA) be created specifically for the 'unfinished' half of the property, which would later allow them to request an OPRA certificate. OPRAs freeze certain property taxes at the rate of the unimproved structure while developers redevelop their properties. It's a rather complicated formula you can read about here as I don't even fully understand it.
In any case, they will be pumping money into the building even before requesting the OPRA certificate to just bring it up to where it can be properly redeveloped, and this will include immediately fixing the drainage system within the building, which is something LPD complained about when they were in the building.
One page 5 of this marketing piece, the area that they are seeking to eventually redevelop is the western third or so - everything to the line on the right side of the "leased" portion:
http://www.hinclive.com/PDFs/PruddenTechCentre.pdf
Still kind of wonder what happened to Gillespie's second phase of Prudden Place just west of here, the the Motor Wheels Lofts developer's plans for the Flats and Prudden Wheel on the other side of the parking lot opposite this warehouse.
Another full view of the art installation on the North Grand garage from Downtown Lansing's twitter account:
It is kind of crazy the change a little color can make to an environment.
Thanks for the photo I had not noticed the mural went around the outside of the building. You are right about a little bit of color, the colored panels and flower wall at the substation really add a nice touch to the wall. I know they're not going to tear it down so it would be nice if the city rehab-ed the pedestrian skywalk too, use the frame to create something modern and cool looking.
Meat is expanding in Old Town:
https://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2019/07/22/old-towns-meat-b-b-q-expanding-summer/1733676001/
I've never been there just because of the horror stories detailing waiting times, so this will help that. They plan to complete the expansion by the middle of next month.
The wait is well worth it. I've been there many times and have never had a bad experience. Though, some days I do choose to skip it...it has to be a day I plan to wait a bit. I've noticed they often over estimate the wait, especially for a party of 2. Usually I've gotten seated in 20 minutes. Glad they're expanding again though!