I'd be a little surprised if Sparrow ends up razing Eastern, it's a perfectly usable building and tearing it down would go over poorly with the community. They could hold meetings and seminars in the (quite beautiful) auditorium, allow their employees to use the gym and the main school area could be used for offices or housing. There's no good reason to get rid of the building, there's plenty of open land for anything else they could ever need to do.
It wouldn't be cheap but that old school would be really, really nice with the proper windows and a good masonry cleaning/restoration. I do hope that's the kind of route Sparrow takes.
I agree that the school building is a beautiful example of Academic Gothic design, and was built to be a beautiful place for children's imaginations to grow. It is touching to me that the people of Lansing in those days built such beautiful public schools, it would be wrong to tear it down. I have not heard of any plans to do so.
I wrote the city to see if they can correct the planning office's staff report. I should know by tomorrow, in which case we'll know the plans for the property.
They corrected it. They are simply asking for a rezoning for future hospital expansion on the site. The only residential district in which a hospital is allowed by special condition is DM-4, and the site is currently zoned C Residential for duplexes.
I hope they'd consider mixing housing in, and at least save the part of the school building fronting Pennsylvania. DM-4 would allow for multi-family development at the highest densities.
Noticed a few days ago that three of the four double-height windows on the west side of the Boji Tower damaged during the unrest a few months back have been repaired. Only the southern most window is still boarded up at its bottom.
I saw in the "Eye Sore" feature of the City Pulse they featured the downtown traffic circle as the eyesore of the week. I agree that the circle should be a showpiece, not the afterthought it seems to be now. I am glad they did not put up a contemporary sculpture, they tend to cause a lot of controversies about tastes and the value of public art. There was a nice modern sculpture on the square there which was removed and now stands in kind of an alley at LCC. Here's my big idea! I would make the circle pedestrian accessible via walkways that would lead to a center circle that would be a slightly elevated platform decorated with rows or circle of columns with classic capitals patterned after those in the Capitol Building. The columns would frame the Capitol and provide a perfect place for selfie shots as souvenirs of a visit to Lansing. The columns could be illuminated at night with colors that could be changed for a season or event. Lush bountiful seasonal plantings with a circle of pines and birch trees in the middle could work too.
Monday, October 12, 2020 - Sparrow announces construction of new Outpatient Surgery Center in Lansing
LANSING, MI – Sparrow is undertaking a major new development on Michigan Avenue on our main Sparrow Hospital campus: a three-story, 100,000 square foot outpatient surgery center and medical office facility that will support the growth of same-day surgeries.
The project, which will occupy several lots near the northwest corner of Michigan and Pennsylvania, will increase convenience and access to patients while also keeping jobs in the area and providing potential employment growth. It is in response to a rise in outpatient surgeries and will free up capacity for inpatient procedures at Sparrow Hospital.
As the region’s only community-based and community-governed health system, we are committed to improving access and quality of care for Lansing and surrounding communities.
The project continues our investment in the Michigan Avenue corridor. Sparrow has been a cornerstone of the corridor for more than 100 years and we are proud of our continued role in the development of the City of Lansing and the Mid-Michigan region.
This type of investment is necessary as we continue to transform care, implement best practices, and deliver nationally recognized care.
Looks like this is being built where the medical supply store is, along with the rest of that block. Sparrow has really been expanding these last few years. Pretty soon we will have a better idea of what the plans are for Eastern, too, which will really turn that area into a Sparrow mega complex.
Does anyone know how well the newer residential developments downtown are leasing? The Capital View (Oliver towers) seems to be doing well based on their social media, but I haven’t seen much at all about Metro Place (old YMCA site). I’m sure the Block600, or whatever they’re calling it, will fill up quickly now that the Meijer is open.
I have seen a lot of patios at Metro Place [ymca] with furniture. and cars in the parking lot so there are people moving in there. Thinking of "Building 600" I guess that's the name, I would have built a couple more stories on the apartment side, that could have been a great place for luxury sized apartments which would have had a great skyline view over the next-door building on S Cedar. I have already seen furniture on the decks there as well. I am going to check out the Capital City Market today!
Comments
It wouldn't be cheap but that old school would be really, really nice with the proper windows and a good masonry cleaning/restoration. I do hope that's the kind of route Sparrow takes.
I hope they'd consider mixing housing in, and at least save the part of the school building fronting Pennsylvania. DM-4 would allow for multi-family development at the highest densities.
Looks like this is being built where the medical supply store is, along with the rest of that block. Sparrow has really been expanding these last few years. Pretty soon we will have a better idea of what the plans are for Eastern, too, which will really turn that area into a Sparrow mega complex.