Yeah, my hopes for a location would be any of the very large surface parking lots in downtown Lansing (Allegan & Walnut, Pine & Kalamzoo, or Grand & Kalamazoo). When they say "highway outside of downtown", the only places I can think of where land is scarce and there is demand for something this large would be the old Pontiac dealership on Michigan Ave by Frandor, the Sears at Frandor, or near the new McLaren Hospital. It doesn't make sense to me to build something this tall on W Saginaw Hwy when it's cheaper to build wide and that's a possibility there. With that being said, the two Frandor location don't fall under Lansing authority as I understand it (I think Sears is Lansing Township and Pontiac dealership is East Lansing)?
I'm really thinking they are talking downtown with St. Joe/Malcolm X being seen as "outside" the core of downtown. Otherwise, it doesn't make sense. BTW, both sides of Michigan at Frandor from Clippert to the city limits is in Lansing. The old Pontiac dealership, then, is in East Lansing. But as I'd discussed a week or two ago, it's being changed to a dispensary.
I was by the Ottawa Avenue apartment building again today across from the Capitol Complex. Didn't look soon enough to see the one I photographed some days back, but the one further west they were covering up the ugly beige slats with what looked like wider dark blue hardy board. It looks much, much better, though I really think there should be something in the zoning code that requires stone or brick or treated concrete facades for anything fronting the Capitol Loop.
The way the financier came off in that article strikes me as a bunch of hot air. I am firmly in the "I'll believe it when I see it" camp. I guess I just expect something more concrete when someone is pitching something and this just reads as someone looking for people to sign onto something that isn't really concrete at all.
Speaking of land though I know that the land at the intersection of Kalamazoo and MLK has been for sale for years. Maybe there?
If this were anywhere outside of the downtown core I'd be disappointed, the only other locations I'd even find somewhat acceptable would be the Frandor/Red Cedar Renaissance area or the Eckert site. It's hard to say what specific locations would really be appropriate as there's not enough information on what they're proposing but I can't imagine any scenario in which a 30 floor building far from the core would be desirable. I'm still not for moving City Hall under virtually any realistic circumstances, there's just too many undeveloped/underdeveloped plots of land downtown to justify that.
This proposal seems a little weird but assuming what they say is true, that there's a reasonably large real estate investment firm with a Lansing native involved who wants the opportunity to do something in his hometown, then it's actually plausible and pretty exciting. I will not be holding my breath though.
Not sure how I forgot to include this in my post, but short of a rezoning to G-1 Business District (unlikely) or a significant variance granted for height (unlikely), there is literally no other places in the city zoned G-1 except downtown and a few small parcels in Old Town and one small one in REO Town. The highest density residential or mixed-use zoning districts (DM-4 Residential and E-1 Apartment Shop) only allow buildings by right upwards of 100 feet. The two industrial zoning districts allow buildings and structures up to 120 feet. Outside Lansing, only East Lansing allows significant high-rise buildings, and then only up to 160 feet by special permit. As an example, Skyview in Frandor had to request a variance for height since it's a bit over 100 feet tall.
Long story short, they have to be planning it somewhere in downtown Lansing; it's the only place in the entire metro with no height limit for development by right.
BTW, I think that this is a bigger deal than some are giving it credit for. I do not ever remember anyone ever proposing something taller (by roof height) than the Boji Tower in Lansing in my lifetime. At the very least, even if it never gets built, it's sends a signal to other developer to take a chance. If all it ever does is produce a few buildings in the 10 to 20-story range, that has the ability to change our stagnant skyline.
@MichMatters Zoning variances can be made and a large entertainment complex is the kind of thing I could almost see the city accommodating in some farther flung location. That being said, I don't think that would be at all desirable and I'd expect the mayor and economic development people to push for a downtown location, or possibly the Eckert site which was apparently being tossed around as a potential site for some sort of entertainment complex by the economic development people during Bernero's time.
It certainly could be a big deal. If you look up the guys name he's the managing partner of that firm and manages over $4 billion dollars in assets. Without a location or renderings or any solid idea of the overall size, uses or cost, I have no idea what to think. That firm certainly seems to have the money to pull something special off and Lansing is the guys hometown so who knows?
I hope what we wait to see is a cool 30 story building standing out above our skyline. I am always too optimistic when I hear about this sort of "big plan" but this fellow seems to be well connected to Lansing and to money. I have never understood why people come out and present plans they have no way of producing, maybe it is an ego thing. It sounds like this guy could be for real, wouldn't that be something to have the billionaire we have always needed [like GR] developing downtown! It might be too small but the corner of S Washington and Malcolm X [the REOTOWN sign lot] sounds like a spot next to the freeway and just outside downtown. I would really rather see a building of this size built on the whole block of Grand Ave at Michigan Ave which is only about six blocks from 496.
The owners of that eyesore building on that block should be fined until they fix and secure that building, it has been months since the vandalism took place and now there are even more broken windows and graffiti [poor depictions of Geroge Floyd can not be forever unlike the real artwork memorial to him under 496]. The best thing would be to tear that building down.
Speak of the devil, the Holmes Street School is up for a rezoning at next week's Planning Board. They are asking a rezoning to DM-4 Residential District, Lansing's highest density residential zoning. They are proposing 108 units of housing. The current zoning is D-1 Professional Office for the quarter of the site that is the building on the east end of the property, and the former field was kept B Residential to assuage the resident's fears that the entire site would be developed.
It looks like that last concern might pop back up since the developer is proposing 47 units in the school building, itself, with an additional 61 units in five, two-story buildings on the rest of the site. The agenda says that the proposed zoning only allows 75% maximum lot coverage and that there will be a center courtyard to perserve some open space on the site along with however much parking will be on-site. They also make clear that without studying it or the exact set up of the units provided (efficiencies, 1-bedrooms, etc) that they may have to reduce the number of units to allow for the required parking.
Sounds like this is going to be more intensely developed than any previous proposals.
Good news! That neighborhood is actually pretty nice with lots of trees, some blocks are better than others but for the most part, there are a lot of well-kept homes in a fairly dense old fashion subdivision. You can see signs that before 496 this was a nicer neighborhood. Turning this eyesore building into housing will be a big positive change for this area. If I were a resident of the neighborhood I would except the bigger development plans, if this developer passes on the project it may be a long time before another comes along.
The staff report on this project does, indeed, mention that the housing stock is improving, and more homes in the area have become owner-occupied. So it sounds like the Holmes Street School neighborhood is already on the upswing.
BTW, I wish people were as logical about development as you are. Because there are people who will fight ANY change, and don't expect this project to be an exception. I doubt they'll be able to stop this one, but they might get it delayed a bit or downsized to win council approval.
Comments
I was by the Ottawa Avenue apartment building again today across from the Capitol Complex. Didn't look soon enough to see the one I photographed some days back, but the one further west they were covering up the ugly beige slats with what looked like wider dark blue hardy board. It looks much, much better, though I really think there should be something in the zoning code that requires stone or brick or treated concrete facades for anything fronting the Capitol Loop.
Speaking of land though I know that the land at the intersection of Kalamazoo and MLK has been for sale for years. Maybe there?
This proposal seems a little weird but assuming what they say is true, that there's a reasonably large real estate investment firm with a Lansing native involved who wants the opportunity to do something in his hometown, then it's actually plausible and pretty exciting. I will not be holding my breath though.
Long story short, they have to be planning it somewhere in downtown Lansing; it's the only place in the entire metro with no height limit for development by right.
BTW, I think that this is a bigger deal than some are giving it credit for. I do not ever remember anyone ever proposing something taller (by roof height) than the Boji Tower in Lansing in my lifetime. At the very least, even if it never gets built, it's sends a signal to other developer to take a chance. If all it ever does is produce a few buildings in the 10 to 20-story range, that has the ability to change our stagnant skyline.
It certainly could be a big deal. If you look up the guys name he's the managing partner of that firm and manages over $4 billion dollars in assets. Without a location or renderings or any solid idea of the overall size, uses or cost, I have no idea what to think. That firm certainly seems to have the money to pull something special off and Lansing is the guys hometown so who knows?
The owners of that eyesore building on that block should be fined until they fix and secure that building, it has been months since the vandalism took place and now there are even more broken windows and graffiti [poor depictions of Geroge Floyd can not be forever unlike the real artwork memorial to him under 496]. The best thing would be to tear that building down.
It looks like that last concern might pop back up since the developer is proposing 47 units in the school building, itself, with an additional 61 units in five, two-story buildings on the rest of the site. The agenda says that the proposed zoning only allows 75% maximum lot coverage and that there will be a center courtyard to perserve some open space on the site along with however much parking will be on-site. They also make clear that without studying it or the exact set up of the units provided (efficiencies, 1-bedrooms, etc) that they may have to reduce the number of units to allow for the required parking.
Sounds like this is going to be more intensely developed than any previous proposals.
BTW, I wish people were as logical about development as you are. Because there are people who will fight ANY change, and don't expect this project to be an exception. I doubt they'll be able to stop this one, but they might get it delayed a bit or downsized to win council approval.