The lot I was talking about is a small lot kitty-corner to the Knapps building, it actually has a few parking places in it.
About the Temple Club, thats really too bad. I think the club had a lot more potential and since the owner has been trying to dump her properties to move out of state I think it suffered more from poor management than lack of a market. The market in Lansing, given MSU, Cooley and the lack of good clubs makes for a reasonably sized and wide-open nightclub market. I think there is room for plenty of clubs maybe even several the size of the Temple Club. They just have to create themselves a district, where people can easily go club hopping, I think Washingon Sq could end up that way given time.
Thats what I was thinking. there is nothing noteworthy even possible on that block besides something new being built. And there are really only two potential locations for something new, either those two one story buildings or that lot. Thats why I'm leaning more towards maybe he meant not to specify 200 block, because the 300 block is wide open to development, for improved facades, new businesses and new construction.
I never attem[ted to contact them before he was in charge. But he is about the only one I ever get a response from. I've never gotten a response from the mayors office, I only got one response from emailing council and I've never a gotten a response from any other city agency I've wrote to. What makes that worse is that the cities website is not at all informative and you can never find anything up to date on there. I could go on and on with examples, one recent example is that I looked at the Riverwalk map yesterday and noticed it was from 1999, it even listed the Blue Coyote as a sponser. The cities website is just an embarassment, I've even wrote them about the inadequecy of their website a few times and as usual got no response.
I hate that answer, so vague, but so promising. It will have sitting on the edge of my seat for awhile. I want to at least hear a small project announced here and there, it almost seems as if the city is awaiting a moment to announce a large volume of projects all at once.
I was driving home last night, and went through downtown, down Michigan from Penn and then down Washington. I couldn't beleive how many people were down there, there was very little parking available. All the nightspots I could see inside of were busy, 621, Rumrunners, The Firm and Tavern on the Sq. (which I didn't even think was open.) I'm sure the other places that I couldn't see inside were just as busy X-cel and The Exchange. I think those two new resturaunts are going to prove to be a huge leap in the right direction for creating a true downtown entertainment district. We just need a another nightspot in the 300 block of michigan, just east of the river, another one just on the west side of the river and at least one in the 100 block of south Washington and there will be a seamless district that will feel connected. Also, when I drove through earlier, at about 8:30 both the new resturaunts were busy and Troppo was pretty much packed.
I noticed that also, I heard that one of the resturaunts wasn't goind to officially open until haloween, it must have been The Firm. Never the less, it gives a hint at what downtown could be like. I think there needs to be at least 3 more places that cater to the younger night crowd around there, it would be great to get about 5 or 6 spread down Washington and Michigan though.
The developer of the former City Club site, Mark Kerrins, came in to speak to my property management class today. I asked him what he planned for the site, he said the only thing for sure is residential. He said that he has some architectual renderings and that he plans to tear down the old building, buy an easement from the city of Lansing along the river and possibly construct a 4 floor building with about 36 units. He said that he is open to having 2 floor top units, he also said that he is working with Kincaid Design/Build, same as with Abrams Landing. He said that he could email the renderings to me so I hope to have some to post before too long.
I think he is moving more on this now though, for instance there's a sign up on the building now. Ever since I first heard of this project (I think in '04, and the proposal by a previous developer in '02) I've wanted to see renderings. However I may have mispoken my email address to him, I thought about just after I left school, but hopefully it's right and I get an email before too long.
That's funny. I had been noticing the Entertainment Express in the minutes and agendas for the East Lansing City Council, but I was thinking it was a theater group or something of that nature.
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About the Temple Club, thats really too bad. I think the club had a lot more potential and since the owner has been trying to dump her properties to move out of state I think it suffered more from poor management than lack of a market. The market in Lansing, given MSU, Cooley and the lack of good clubs makes for a reasonably sized and wide-open nightclub market. I think there is room for plenty of clubs maybe even several the size of the Temple Club. They just have to create themselves a district, where people can easily go club hopping, I think Washingon Sq could end up that way given time.
I hate that answer, so vague, but so promising. It will have sitting on the edge of my seat for awhile. I want to at least hear a small project announced here and there, it almost seems as if the city is awaiting a moment to announce a large volume of projects all at once.
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