I just worked out at the downtown YMCA and the upstairs expansion is well underway. The walls are all knocked out and plastic up for the construction going on in the north portion of the upstairs. Downtown had lots of foot traffic on Washington Sq. today, it was great. Most likely alot of it was from the Women's Expo, but still, it's good that people are exploring downtown, and not just going to the Lansing Center and then immediately leaving.
Also, I was talking to the owner of TedDees and he made a comment I thought was interesting. He said he'd like to see Blues on the Square move to Allegan instead of Washington...he thought it would open things up more for people to get to explore more of Washington Sq. while they're downtown for the concert. I thought that was intriguing, as it would allow cars to still come up and down Washington, and since Allegan is one-way, they'd only have to close off one end of the street...leaving the other end open to be more open to foot traffic.
Anyone have a different perspective, or see a reason it wouldn't be that way?
I think some of the bars like Blues on the Square on Washington Sq because their customers can sit within their patio area and drink alcohol. This wouldn't be possible if it moved to Allegan.
Good points...cars getting through was one reason, and I would agree with you that in this case they should be 2nd, but I was also thinking that having it on Allegan would allow the end of the block at Allegan and Washington to remain open which might facilitate more walking traffic around the area. With both ends of the 200 block closed people tend to go right to that block and not visit the shops off of it and I thought this might open it up more. As I said though, I got the idea put in my head by the owner of TedDees who obviously has a bias (can't blame him for it though). But I see your point, that the move might hurt the atmosphere that you get from closing Washington Sq. FYI, they're going to be moving Blues on the Sq. two years from now and possibly next year b/c of the CSO work on Allegan this summer and on Washington next summer. If you have good ideas/concerns, you probably should contact the PSD (I think they're at least partially in charge of that).
I also 100% agree about getting Washington "closer" to the river. I think moving Troppos across the street and tavern up there will connect the two corridors more than now, towards that goal. At the DNA meeting Bob Tresizde said they've been thinking about changing Grand Ave. to two-way to facilitate what you were saying. On a side-note, he also mentioned that the light poles haven't been put on Grand since the CSO work because although they were ordered, they were late getting to Lansing and by the time they got here the freeze already occured and they have to wait for the thaw now. That's also the reason the asphalt is still on the sidewalks for now. As I keep remembering these things from the DNA meeting I will continue to post them.
I can't imagine the $1 million request for the redevelopment of the unknown Washington Square Building is the entire project cost. For the city to do a mixed-use project by itself, without a private developer taking on a pretty big share of the costs, would raise a few eyebrows. As part of an incentive package, though, it makes sense.
So, in theory at least, that request could be tied to Knapps. It is the most notable building in need of redevelopment on Washington. What other downtown building faces such huge challenges? Developers have been able to handle all of the smaller buildings on the square with OPRAs and smaller incentive packages. None of the large office buildings on Washington have high vacancies that would lead a developer to want to convert them to mixed-use.
Knapps, though, is a mess and could take a very innovative incentive package (i.e., large, with a mix of local, state and federal dollars) to save. The exterior of the building - one of the key reasons to save it - is decaying. I think City Pulse did a story some months back where they talked to folks at Christman (the historic renovation experts in our area) who said they looked and couldn't find anyone who could replicate the blue and yellow panels.
LSJ columnist John Schneider shares a reader's thoughts about whether Lansing's southwest side is being neglected by the city (and businesses) on his blog today. Figured it would make some interested fodder for you all, in case you haven't seen it.
It truly has become the city's economic development hub. Had MSU's University Outreach located at the Stadium District instead of the east side, it could really lay claim to that title.
Are you guys saying this about the city's economic hub at the Stadium District being a: good, bad or neutral thing? I don't see it as bad, but I can't decide which of the other two it is.
Also, I noticed the north side of the building at Capitol and Kalamazoo is torn out down to the Tyvec plastic type stuff you see when a building is being built. That's the area where Cooley is doing something with their law library. Does anyone know what they're planning on doing? Are they building and extension or something?
Also, an update on that medical building in Old Town that's being built from the Cedar Street School building: I noticed yesterday that the windows are in now and things look to be moving along.
Regarding the Towne Center Building and LCC, I should have been more specific in my question. I meant to ask if anyone knew if they're building any new structures as part of their project? Do I read your post correctly MM that they are simply rennovating the existing building to be part of the library, that they aren't building any new buildings in the vacant area/surface lot to the north of the Towne Center or existing Library building?
I would like to see at least one more business in the Stadium District that would be oriented to people living downtown (grocery store, restaurant, salon, kind of things).
Comments
Anyone have a different perspective, or see a reason it wouldn't be that way?
I also 100% agree about getting Washington "closer" to the river. I think moving Troppos across the street and tavern up there will connect the two corridors more than now, towards that goal. At the DNA meeting Bob Tresizde said they've been thinking about changing Grand Ave. to two-way to facilitate what you were saying. On a side-note, he also mentioned that the light poles haven't been put on Grand since the CSO work because although they were ordered, they were late getting to Lansing and by the time they got here the freeze already occured and they have to wait for the thaw now. That's also the reason the asphalt is still on the sidewalks for now. As I keep remembering these things from the DNA meeting I will continue to post them.
So, in theory at least, that request could be tied to Knapps. It is the most notable building in need of redevelopment on Washington. What other downtown building faces such huge challenges? Developers have been able to handle all of the smaller buildings on the square with OPRAs and smaller incentive packages. None of the large office buildings on Washington have high vacancies that would lead a developer to want to convert them to mixed-use.
Knapps, though, is a mess and could take a very innovative incentive package (i.e., large, with a mix of local, state and federal dollars) to save. The exterior of the building - one of the key reasons to save it - is decaying. I think City Pulse did a story some months back where they talked to folks at Christman (the historic renovation experts in our area) who said they looked and couldn't find anyone who could replicate the blue and yellow panels.
Also, I noticed the north side of the building at Capitol and Kalamazoo is torn out down to the Tyvec plastic type stuff you see when a building is being built. That's the area where Cooley is doing something with their law library. Does anyone know what they're planning on doing? Are they building and extension or something?
Also, an update on that medical building in Old Town that's being built from the Cedar Street School building: I noticed yesterday that the windows are in now and things look to be moving along.
I would like to see at least one more business in the Stadium District that would be oriented to people living downtown (grocery store, restaurant, salon, kind of things).