After years of political wrangling, it seems that the State is finally going to sell the city the block in northwestern downtown bound by Ottawa, Sycamore, Butler and Ionia streets. The two developers mentioned, I believe, are the Gillespie Group (Stadium District) and Odeena Development (Printers Row). Tentative plans are for for-sale townhouse-styled condos, which would be a good fit for such an historic neighborhood dominated by single-family homes.
Way Cleared for Downtown Lansing "Ottawa Block" Land Sale
Reporter: Tony Tagliavia
Email Address: tony.tagliavia@wilx.com
A four-acre site in downtown Lansing is a step closer to being redeveloped.
Both houses of the legislature have passed a bill allowing the state of Michigan to sell the land bounded by Ottawa, Sycamore, Butler and Ionia streets to the city.
Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero's deputy chief of staff, Randy Hannan, says the city hopes to buy it and immediately ask developers to submit plans to build housing there.
Since the developer that is selected would then buy the land, the $450,000 purchase shouldn't cost taxpayers anything.
"We hope the city will own the land for about 10 minutes," Hannan said. He says two developers have already expressed interest in building on the land.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm still has to sign the bill, which would give the city 180 days to buy the land. The state administrative board would then have to approve the sale as well.
The now-empty land just west of the Capitol was once used as a staging ground for the Capitol Loop construction project. The homes and business built in the block are not owned by the state and would not be part of the sale.
The state bought the land years ago for a governor's mansion that was never built.
Township officials ask City Council to sway Bernero
Tom Lambert
Lansing State Journal
LANSING TWP. - Lansing Township officials have turned to Lansing City Council member with hopes they would put pressure on Mayor Virg Bernero to change his mind on blocking a sewer project near the Eastwood Towne Center.
The two sides met Monday night at the township's offices.
Bernero, who was not at Monday's meeting, said he wouldn't back down.
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Township officials were hoping to have already tapped into the city's sewer system as part of a $7 million project to extend Sam's Way from Wood Street to Chamberlain Drive.
The township has relied on the city's sewer system for nearly 50 years. The project would have built a bypass around this summer's reconstruction of Lake Lansing Road.
Lansing officials, however, have yet to approve the plan, saying the city's segment of its sewers serving that portion of the township is over capacity by 5 million gallons a day.
John Daher, township supervisor, said city officials had mentioned no problems with sewer capacity until recently.
"Mayor Bernero claims to be a poster child for regionalization," said Daher. "This is his chance to prove it."
The township's master plan calls for housing, retail and medical offices in the Eastwood area. No specific projects are on the table.
The township has other options besides using Lansing's sewer system, including holding off on the sewer work this year or turning to East Lansing for sewer service, he said.
Bernero said the area is a good candidate for a tax-sharing plan that would split responsibility for services - and collecting taxes - between the city and township.
"Lansing Township is perfectly willing to cooperate when it comes to us providing free mutual aid," he said.
"Why not show that same cooperation when it comes to economic development?"
Bernero said Lansing Township is not an island and it should be willing to partner with Lansing and East Lansing.
Lansing City Council President Harold Leeman said while Lansing Township should be allowed to move forward with the sewer project, there was little the council could do to force Bernero's hand.
"The mayor needs to let us know what his issues are with this project," Leeman said.
Contact Tom Lambert at 377-1063 or tlambert@lsj.com.
"Lansing Township is perfectly willing to cooperate when it comes to us providing free mutual aid," he said.
"Why not show that same cooperation when it comes to economic development?"
Townships only speak in favor of regionalism when they are the ones that come out on the receiving end of things, which has been almost all of the time for the past 50 years now. These parts of Lansing Township are a prime example of where a 425 Agreement would be best used. I don't expect their township government to understand, as their goal is to keep the township in existence, but they will need to get used to the fact that Lansing Township simply doesn't make since, anymore. That is, at least the 4 eastern, non-contiguous chunks in between Lansing and East Lansing.
I get the feeling this will drag on for quite awhile. And I wouldn't be suprised to see this conflict act as a catalyst for some positive change, if not leading to the eventual annexation of Lansing Twp. Or at least some sort of tax sharing agreement at Eastwood, as Bernero suggested.
Lansing schools is poised to sell the former Holmes Street School property to Spartan Internet.
The IT firm wants to use the building to double its size in Lansing, adding 30 to 40 employees.
Meanwhile, Spartan also is willing to accommodate and house a Lansing technology learning center envisioned by Michigan State University faculty members, neighbors who live near the school and local economic development leaders.
School board members are considering the transaction at tonight's (Thursday night) meeting.
Great! It's so good to see these schools the LSD can no longer use getting bought up quickly. I believe of the dozen or so schools that have been vacated in the last few years or so, that all but one or two, now, remains empty. Better yet, we're adding New Economy jobs, and in neighborhoods you'd have never thought, at that. This city has many troubles facing it, but I've been surprised at how well we've been able to maintain in these tough economic times.
BTW, Spartan Internet is located on the top floor, I believe, of the Capital Hall building in downtown Lansing. It's the skinny, red-brick-faced building across the street from the Boji Tower.
I think they have several floors in that building now. I was really hoping to see them continue to expand downtown, there is in fact more space available in Capitol Hall. I'm glad to see the technology learning center is going to happen though, and its good that Spartan is doing well enough to expand.
The one old school I'd like to see redeveloped most is Cedar St School. Thats really an eye sore and it seems like being in Old Town would help it.
Capitol Hall has got to be one of the most outdated buildings downtown, coupled that with the ridiculously small floor plates, and it's really only good for very smallest of businesses. It sounds as if Spartan IT simply outgrew their space in the building.
Yeah, that block that Cedar Street School has been sitting on, and the block to the north, have been struggling for years. Even the Temple Club did little for the two blocks when it was opened
BTW, looking up the school on the city assessment database it appears the Holmes Street School was built in 1923, and has approximately 27,000 square feet, larger than I thought. Also, for those unfamiliar with the location, it's situated right in the middle of a tight, residential neighborhood, 4 or 5 blocks directly north of Potter Park Zoo. If I had to call the area anything it would be the Lower Eastside. Technically, I believe it's in the Potter-Walsh Neighborhood.
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Way Cleared for Downtown Lansing "Ottawa Block" Land Sale
Reporter: Tony Tagliavia
Email Address: tony.tagliavia@wilx.com
A four-acre site in downtown Lansing is a step closer to being redeveloped.
Both houses of the legislature have passed a bill allowing the state of Michigan to sell the land bounded by Ottawa, Sycamore, Butler and Ionia streets to the city.
Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero's deputy chief of staff, Randy Hannan, says the city hopes to buy it and immediately ask developers to submit plans to build housing there.
Since the developer that is selected would then buy the land, the $450,000 purchase shouldn't cost taxpayers anything.
"We hope the city will own the land for about 10 minutes," Hannan said. He says two developers have already expressed interest in building on the land.
Gov. Jennifer Granholm still has to sign the bill, which would give the city 180 days to buy the land. The state administrative board would then have to approve the sale as well.
The now-empty land just west of the Capitol was once used as a staging ground for the Capitol Loop construction project. The homes and business built in the block are not owned by the state and would not be part of the sale.
The state bought the land years ago for a governor's mansion that was never built.
Lansing Township presses for sewer line
Township officials ask City Council to sway Bernero
Tom Lambert
Lansing State Journal
LANSING TWP. - Lansing Township officials have turned to Lansing City Council member with hopes they would put pressure on Mayor Virg Bernero to change his mind on blocking a sewer project near the Eastwood Towne Center.
The two sides met Monday night at the township's offices.
Bernero, who was not at Monday's meeting, said he wouldn't back down.
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Township officials were hoping to have already tapped into the city's sewer system as part of a $7 million project to extend Sam's Way from Wood Street to Chamberlain Drive.
The township has relied on the city's sewer system for nearly 50 years. The project would have built a bypass around this summer's reconstruction of Lake Lansing Road.
Lansing officials, however, have yet to approve the plan, saying the city's segment of its sewers serving that portion of the township is over capacity by 5 million gallons a day.
John Daher, township supervisor, said city officials had mentioned no problems with sewer capacity until recently.
"Mayor Bernero claims to be a poster child for regionalization," said Daher. "This is his chance to prove it."
The township's master plan calls for housing, retail and medical offices in the Eastwood area. No specific projects are on the table.
The township has other options besides using Lansing's sewer system, including holding off on the sewer work this year or turning to East Lansing for sewer service, he said.
Bernero said the area is a good candidate for a tax-sharing plan that would split responsibility for services - and collecting taxes - between the city and township.
"Lansing Township is perfectly willing to cooperate when it comes to us providing free mutual aid," he said.
"Why not show that same cooperation when it comes to economic development?"
Bernero said Lansing Township is not an island and it should be willing to partner with Lansing and East Lansing.
Lansing City Council President Harold Leeman said while Lansing Township should be allowed to move forward with the sewer project, there was little the council could do to force Bernero's hand.
"The mayor needs to let us know what his issues are with this project," Leeman said.
Contact Tom Lambert at 377-1063 or tlambert@lsj.com.
"Lansing Township is perfectly willing to cooperate when it comes to us providing free mutual aid," he said.
"Why not show that same cooperation when it comes to economic development?"
Townships only speak in favor of regionalism when they are the ones that come out on the receiving end of things, which has been almost all of the time for the past 50 years now. These parts of Lansing Township are a prime example of where a 425 Agreement would be best used. I don't expect their township government to understand, as their goal is to keep the township in existence, but they will need to get used to the fact that Lansing Township simply doesn't make since, anymore. That is, at least the 4 eastern, non-contiguous chunks in between Lansing and East Lansing.
Nicole Geary
Lansing State Journal
Lansing schools is poised to sell the former Holmes Street School property to Spartan Internet.
The IT firm wants to use the building to double its size in Lansing, adding 30 to 40 employees.
Meanwhile, Spartan also is willing to accommodate and house a Lansing technology learning center envisioned by Michigan State University faculty members, neighbors who live near the school and local economic development leaders.
School board members are considering the transaction at tonight's (Thursday night) meeting.
BTW, Spartan Internet is located on the top floor, I believe, of the Capital Hall building in downtown Lansing. It's the skinny, red-brick-faced building across the street from the Boji Tower.
The one old school I'd like to see redeveloped most is Cedar St School. Thats really an eye sore and it seems like being in Old Town would help it.
Yeah, that block that Cedar Street School has been sitting on, and the block to the north, have been struggling for years. Even the Temple Club did little for the two blocks when it was opened
BTW, looking up the school on the city assessment database it appears the Holmes Street School was built in 1923, and has approximately 27,000 square feet, larger than I thought. Also, for those unfamiliar with the location, it's situated right in the middle of a tight, residential neighborhood, 4 or 5 blocks directly north of Potter Park Zoo. If I had to call the area anything it would be the Lower Eastside. Technically, I believe it's in the Potter-Walsh Neighborhood.
Old:
And, again, the new one:
Just thought it was an interesting comparison. I also found an old concept for the Butler/Ottawa block discussed above:
I can't remember if this was Gillespie or Odeena's rough concept.