Thanks for those. I have to get back out and do this, sometime. Haven't been in the best of health to do it, though.
Anyway, REO Town Gateway is SO BAD. I wasn't much bothered by the size like some here, because I never expected them to actually build anything over 4 or 5 stories, anyway; we just can't seem to pull that together, here. But the exterior treatment looks so bad. lol
Sorry to hear about your health, I've been trying to make a habit of getting out to take pics more often and post some photo tours here and on SSP. I'm out and about enough, I just have to stop and take the pictures.
Yeah, REO Gateway is bad. It's not even so much the cladding for me but the fact that they used the standard suburban 12/24 unit or whatever buildings and slapped three of them on this urban riverfront lot, with parking facing the river to cap it off. Would it really have been too much to ask that they at least do another 4-5 floor 5 over 1 style of building? They do have enough room for a building next to the river facing Washington where I presume the parking will be, maybe with some luck they'll build something a little more substantial there.
The REO gateway, if you can even call it that, is horrendous. To me, it's just the combo of the design and cheapness of it. It's out of place, not urban in any sense and just looks like a cluttered mess of materials and buildings at various angles. I complain everytime I drive by.
It didn't have to be big. It could've at least engaged the riverfront. It could've activated some sort of presence on the street. There's a lot it could have been. What I take from this is that, as always, the developer cares more about how many units and how much revenue they can bring in more than revitalizing Lansing and leaving a positive mark.
The hotel at that site looked better than the REO gateway replacement. Thank you for the pictures!
On the Ranney Park one you labeled "Looking south from park parking lot", are you sure that is looking south? The buildings on the left and the hill have me thinking it's looking north. Ranney Park will feel so different once the construction is completed.
The west capitol lawn looks so great! It was such an eyesore when it was a surface parking lot. Hopefully one day it will match the beauty of the Texas state capitol (same architect and building style).
Thanks for the photos! That was quite the bike tour! I was happy to see some of the water features are now in place at the Red Cedar project. I would like to see the Michigan Ave water features, landscaping and REPAVING finished soon, not much to look at right now except for potholes. Also are the small rain gardens in Frandor's parking lot the first, or only, part of the project going in there? It still is pretty much a parking carter. I am also disappointed to see the REOtown development so lacking. There could have been so many styles or designs with perhaps references to the old mansions that were once there, or the Mid-century modern style of the Deluxe Inn that was once a pretty cool looking building. I'd almost rather see the REOTOWN sign still there.
I'm glad to see everyone is in agreement on REO Gateway, it may not be the worst project in recent years (that's Ottawa @ Butler imo) but it may be the most disappointing.
I was interested in seeing the water works features at the Red Cedar development, so we went to "The Old Bag of Nails" for lunch [pretty good fish and chips] and took a look. I was impressed and glad to see something we have been looking at in depictions for years actually there. The water looked clear, natural looking and was flowing quite strongly over rocks and water plants, there is a nice [a little too much cement imo] circular fountain as one of the features with the water bubbling up from underground and a stream path with several small waterfalls. The stream disappears under the restaurant and comes up on the other side with more waterfalls making a pleasant sound. In all I think it looks very nice and will grow greener with age. They will have to clear out litter often, there may be less blowing around when construction is finished. Even though they have installed a traffic light, there will be no direct lane from Frandor across Michigan Ave to the new development. I wonder why?
Comments
Downtown Lansing projects:
The new club in the old Xcel:
The remodeled Lansing Center Skyway:
Work on the Lansing Center promenade:
The Lansing Shuffle Club from a distance, it seems to be consistently busy:
Site work beginning on the new accessible playground and fishing pier at Adado:
The completed Gannon Ramp:
Heritage Hall and the restored Capitol West Lawn:
Mostly completed City View Apartments:
REO Gateway:
No vertical progress on Neogen's expansion yet:
Stadium North Development has both buildings elevator cores complete with the first floor walls up for the Cedar St building:
Red Cedar project
New hotels:
Old Bag of Nails Pub:
Senior Apartments:
Overview from rear:
Water features:
Red Cedar amphitheater:
Ranney Park
Looking north from park parking lot:
Looking NE from SW corner:
Some sort of deep concrete structure at the north end of the park near Saginaw:
MSU Projects:
MSU Football building addition:
Site work beginning on Multicultural Center and Farm Lane bridge:
Full album with a few more pictures:
https://flic.kr/s/aHBqjAEBSA
Anyway, REO Town Gateway is SO BAD.
Yeah, REO Gateway is bad. It's not even so much the cladding for me but the fact that they used the standard suburban 12/24 unit or whatever buildings and slapped three of them on this urban riverfront lot, with parking facing the river to cap it off. Would it really have been too much to ask that they at least do another 4-5 floor 5 over 1 style of building? They do have enough room for a building next to the river facing Washington where I presume the parking will be, maybe with some luck they'll build something a little more substantial there.
The REO gateway, if you can even call it that, is horrendous. To me, it's just the combo of the design and cheapness of it. It's out of place, not urban in any sense and just looks like a cluttered mess of materials and buildings at various angles. I complain everytime I drive by.
It didn't have to be big. It could've at least engaged the riverfront. It could've activated some sort of presence on the street. There's a lot it could have been. What I take from this is that, as always, the developer cares more about how many units and how much revenue they can bring in more than revitalizing Lansing and leaving a positive mark.
I'll get off my soapbox now lol.
On the Ranney Park one you labeled "Looking south from park parking lot", are you sure that is looking south? The buildings on the left and the hill have me thinking it's looking north. Ranney Park will feel so different once the construction is completed.
The west capitol lawn looks so great! It was such an eyesore when it was a surface parking lot. Hopefully one day it will match the beauty of the Texas state capitol (same architect and building style).
I'm glad to see everyone is in agreement on REO Gateway, it may not be the worst project in recent years (that's Ottawa @ Butler imo) but it may be the most disappointing.