I don't know for sure now, but Gary Ganger's family lived in Colonial Village back in the '60s and I did know then that his father owned the trash collection business, I believe it was before the real estate business. I often wonder about why say a property owner would rather have an empty space than an occupied space that is bringing some income, maybe not the highest income possible but still an asset that might bring in more in the future. I know it's all about the money but sometimes it just seems spiteful.
The Grangers are all connected and go back a long way in the community. I even know a few. lol
I know I sound harsh, but I sound harsh because it's not like they don't know how to build. The Grangers, Eydes, and the rest do quite well...in the suburbs. They simply aren't urbanists; they don't care about the urban cores. I think people just forget that this second or third generations of families just don't have real connection to cities and never sought the knowledge to understand them and simply do not ever care to.
Yeah, it's all the same family. Gary ran Granger construction for awhile even. I believe Gary started the development branch following his time at Granger Construction.
The comments about "they all have plans" is a totally fair statement. I just meant they'd put more time and money into than you'd imagine for it to sit as long as it has.
Also hit the nail on the head with those developers. Suburban is completely where they're more comfortable.
Sorry sorry, I didn't want to chime in because you mentioned the form-based code amendment and I was waiting for it to be public. I... am surprised it hasn't been okayed yet, but that is how these things go sometimes. It should be soon. On that note, Ms. Nelson and her group are leading the charge on ADUs. Staff isn't against them but they weren't our proposal so we are suggesting regulations we think are fair. Her group is going to be lobbying Council separately. To the best of my knowledge Lansing would be the first community in the area basically from Grand Rapids to Ann Arbor to allow them. ADUs are the number one request the Planning and Zoning Office receives. Staff is recommending defining and allowing other things like commercial boarding houses, housing cooperatives, and cottage courts in addition to slimming down the number of districts.
Sign Ordinance - in short Reed vs. Town of Gilbert nullified basically everyone's sign ord. on the basis of controlling content and free speech. The city is proposing to overhaul it: make regulations content-neutral, update the zoning districts, and better control size and placement. A lot of things are covered so it is difficult to summarize it, but wall signs will be easier and ground pole signs will be more difficult as properties redevelop under FBC. The corridors that lend themselves more to suburbanization are more in line with Delta Township's Saginaw Hwy - pole signs closer to street and less large, but again there should be less as redevelopment happens.
Just a few other things I've seen mentioned:
1506 N Grand River, I don't have up to date knowledge but I heard the developer is still interested and suggested cutting the project down to 4-5 stories which makes the approved variance moot. The purchase agreement may have expired. Not terribly surprising since they weren't going after public handouts and it is a weaker market area, but it was a super exciting project for a moment. I love this nexus with the old shopping center across the river but who has the vision and money to do anything.
Boji/LHC at Grand and Kalamazoo, yeah two proposed LIHTC projects for two apartments roughly 50 apartments each. Not super exciting for a prominent corner. Speaking as a resident/taxpayer that suggested purchase price for the city parking lot was terrible.
Granger, this is the most amusing development thing I have witnessed in years. I couldn't believe those letters haha. I'll hold my tongue on how they and their proposals from the last 10 years are viewed. Sorry Lymon89, but I do not think they have real plans, any more than I do in my city-planning video games. I'd love to eat those words within a year or two, but I don't think I will be. I am super glad all parking is SLU so they won't be able to use the soon-to-be-demolished property as anything until they develop it. I really wish Lansing had a land-value tax so it would goad them into unloading derelict property.
citykid, that parking is an SLU, now, certainly makes it more difficult, but does not fully preclude them from using that site as parking if they can convince enough city councillers to approve it. I know folks here think it kind of shuts the door on parking, but I'm not fully convinced. This council is far less easy to predict than previous iterations. But, yeah, I'm glad it's an SLU process instead of by-right. It was by-right before, right?
Also, glad to hear about the ADU push. Is there any tentative schedule when this process may be opened to public hearings or anything like that or are we still in the very early stages?
I saw a pile of some kind of material on the site Sparrow surgical site on Michigan, today, along with some other materials scattered around the site. Doesn't look like construction for the site since they have not dug out the existing parking lots/underground utilities, so I'm guessing this is just being used by the city for the Michigan Avenue reconstruction?
Parking - I don't see a lot being approved there but I hear you regarding Council. We have to close a loophole and limit lot combinations that make expanded parking an accessory use. That isnt relevant there on Grand but it has come up in other prime locations.
Zoning edits - I am hoping they will go public soon and go in front of Planning Commission in May. I have given up predicting when it will move though.
Sparrow - you are correct, it is just staging area for street work. I probably shouldn't speak on their plans but you won't see any construction for well over another year.
There will be some news about their abandoned houses on Ferguson and Jerome Wednesday.
Didn't I read somewhere that Sparrow simply wants to make this some kind of green "buffer"? I do hate how density is decreasing on nearly all sides of their campus. They seem to think of themselves as an island and not part of the neighborhood. Hopefully, I'm wrong and they have something better planned for that site than more suburban landscaping.
The three houses they took down along N Holmes St. will be lawn. The old goodyear site is temporary parking up to two years (Section 1254.01.08 (c) ) as they say they "need" overflow parking. They want to pave it but our interpretation is that parking is not allowed there as a front yard in MX-3. They need to get a variance but it would not be supported by me. All they care about is parking. I know I am a biased urbanist but it really borders on a sociopathic obsession to me. They are strongly encouraged to unload the site or the lot adjacent to Soup Spoon to one of the interested developers. I have gotten the impression UofM is pushing their weight around like the city owes them a favor for coming to town and they will hold up investments until they get their way. Par for the course for these type of organizations. My personal politics says their investment isn't here now and we are managing just fine so what's the difference.
What "interested developers" are you talking about? I hadn't heard that anyone was interested in these lots. BTW, which lots exactly are we talking about of Ferguson? Are you saying they want to make the old tire center site and the houses they own on the east side of Ferguson into parking? I hadn't been following this closely.
Looks like the EDC/Brownfield Authority are finally posting agenda packets, and we've got a few interesting ones coming up.
The first is for the renovation of the commercial plaza at West Miller and South Washington. A nice renovation, but definitely a site I'd love to have seen redeveloped as a community node with a new site plan and some housing thrown in.
There is also a brownfield being requested for the airport master plan. I'm not exactly sure how this works since it's just the development of the master plan.
Finally, the old Parks Furniture store blocks looks to be ready to go. It will contain a mix of uses including 11 apartments.
Not crazy about what they are doing with the building at the end, and the storefronts aren't great. But it will be nice to see this block occupied and open to the street in a serious way for the first time in my memory.
Comments
I know I sound harsh, but I sound harsh because it's not like they don't know how to build. The Grangers, Eydes, and the rest do quite well...in the suburbs. They simply aren't urbanists; they don't care about the urban cores. I think people just forget that this second or third generations of families just don't have real connection to cities and never sought the knowledge to understand them and simply do not ever care to.
The comments about "they all have plans" is a totally fair statement. I just meant they'd put more time and money into than you'd imagine for it to sit as long as it has.
Also hit the nail on the head with those developers. Suburban is completely where they're more comfortable.
Sign Ordinance - in short Reed vs. Town of Gilbert nullified basically everyone's sign ord. on the basis of controlling content and free speech. The city is proposing to overhaul it: make regulations content-neutral, update the zoning districts, and better control size and placement. A lot of things are covered so it is difficult to summarize it, but wall signs will be easier and ground pole signs will be more difficult as properties redevelop under FBC. The corridors that lend themselves more to suburbanization are more in line with Delta Township's Saginaw Hwy - pole signs closer to street and less large, but again there should be less as redevelopment happens.
Just a few other things I've seen mentioned:
1506 N Grand River, I don't have up to date knowledge but I heard the developer is still interested and suggested cutting the project down to 4-5 stories which makes the approved variance moot. The purchase agreement may have expired. Not terribly surprising since they weren't going after public handouts and it is a weaker market area, but it was a super exciting project for a moment. I love this nexus with the old shopping center across the river but who has the vision and money to do anything.
Boji/LHC at Grand and Kalamazoo, yeah two proposed LIHTC projects for two apartments roughly 50 apartments each. Not super exciting for a prominent corner. Speaking as a resident/taxpayer that suggested purchase price for the city parking lot was terrible.
Granger, this is the most amusing development thing I have witnessed in years. I couldn't believe those letters haha. I'll hold my tongue on how they and their proposals from the last 10 years are viewed. Sorry Lymon89, but I do not think they have real plans, any more than I do in my city-planning video games. I'd love to eat those words within a year or two, but I don't think I will be. I am super glad all parking is SLU so they won't be able to use the soon-to-be-demolished property as anything until they develop it. I really wish Lansing had a land-value tax so it would goad them into unloading derelict property.
Also, glad to hear about the ADU push. Is there any tentative schedule when this process may be opened to public hearings or anything like that or are we still in the very early stages?
I saw a pile of some kind of material on the site Sparrow surgical site on Michigan, today, along with some other materials scattered around the site. Doesn't look like construction for the site since they have not dug out the existing parking lots/underground utilities, so I'm guessing this is just being used by the city for the Michigan Avenue reconstruction?
Zoning edits - I am hoping they will go public soon and go in front of Planning Commission in May. I have given up predicting when it will move though.
Sparrow - you are correct, it is just staging area for street work. I probably shouldn't speak on their plans but you won't see any construction for well over another year.
There will be some news about their abandoned houses on Ferguson and Jerome Wednesday.
The first is for the renovation of the commercial plaza at West Miller and South Washington. A nice renovation, but definitely a site I'd love to have seen redeveloped as a community node with a new site plan and some housing thrown in.
There is also a brownfield being requested for the airport master plan. I'm not exactly sure how this works since it's just the development of the master plan.
Finally, the old Parks Furniture store blocks looks to be ready to go. It will contain a mix of uses including 11 apartments.
Not crazy about what they are doing with the building at the end, and the storefronts aren't great. But it will be nice to see this block occupied and open to the street in a serious way for the first time in my memory.