A week old, but East Lansing Buzz has somes photos and updates from the 22nd.
Stair and elevator cores are coming along. The tower crane should be coming soon. More than that, it appears the permits have been issued for the hotel, so foundation work should start on that very soon, too.
I'd be kind of mad at this were in not for 100 West Grand River next door having devoted its entire floor over to retail, but the Graduate Hotel is requesting a site plan modification to replace the retail component of the hotel with more lobby space, hotel fitness room, and back-of-house operations.
The original plan only include a small corner retail space at the southwest corner and a small space in the back of the building off Evergreen. In total, it comprises around a quarter of the ground floor. The fitness center would occupy the southwest corner, now, and back-of-house operations would feel the Evergreen frontage in the back of the building.
As for construction work, East Lansing Buzz reported last week that the base for the tower crane for 100 West Grand River has been installed. The foundation crew for the Graduate were also onsite to do test piles, though I imagine actual construction will have to wait a bit if they plan to wait for approval for the use changes in the modified site plan. Though, since it's only a use change, they could very easily starting building the foundation through the modified site plan.
EDIT: Looks like they added the renderings right before the meeting:
It is interesting to see how the dollar bills keep flowing around this project changing the plan even as it is being built. What was a good idea, the retail, now has changed and a courtyard is a better idea? I have seen a few hotel-courtyards that work and more that do not. One that does is the Inter-Continental in Boston it is along the Fort Point Channel and is nicely landscaped sunny and open welcoming, away from traffic noise. One that does not is right here down the street at the E.L. Marriot. Too much cement even the artwork is cement, in the shade most of the time, there is a bus stop for the Michigan Flyer right in front. Not very pleasant. Maybe people use it more than I am aware of but I do not see folks stopping there except to wait for the bus. I am hoping in this new plan for a nice area that will be of use to visitors and people in the neighborhood.
I guess this means that there will be no potential hold-up for construction of the hotel. Interestingly, and smartly, the council added the condition that there will have to be a hotel cafe as part of the lobby.
Like I said, I was all right with the change since almost the entire ground floor of the apartment building across the street is devoted to retail. I was also tolerant of it since they were going to keep windows and active uses (lobby and fitness center) along the Grand River frontage. Them activating the proposed courtyard was also a nice touch to try and make-up for the loss of a small amount of retail. I think these are going to become increasingly important as more density is added, which is why I didn't mind the council demanding one for Park Place.
So many great construction jobs with all of this development going on. It is going to take some time to get used to these massive buildings. I have enjoyed watching them go up. I was wondering where is the parking for The Hub? I can not see where it is from Grand River Avenue.
Grade beams and pile caps are complete as the mixed-use building project heads vertical. The tower crane was erected and is not operational. Concrete pours for the second floor deck are planned for next week.
The foundation crew for the Graduate Hotel is on site and foundation work has begun with the removal of soil, soil retention work, and the installation of test piles. Once the tests are passed, work will begin to drill 72 auger cast piles.
In the basement, and then on the first, mezzanine, and second floors. On the first and mezzanine, it's covered by the double-height retail floor. On the second floor it's covered in front by apartments.
I like that plan. It is much better than the huge cement structure they built for the Skyvue which you can see for miles from every nearly every direction. Seeing the cars parked in that one is about the only way one can tell there are people renting those apartments, it is such a fortress. I have noted before that The Hub building seems to fit into its space at least on the Grand River Ave side. I wonder if with the new building they can keep that feeling of not overwhelming and shadowing the street below.
Weekly update on this one says that the tower crane is now up at 100 West Grand River and pile caps and grade beams complete. And test piles have been driven in preparation for the 72 augur cast piles for the foundation of The Graduate hotel. No pictures this week, though.
Drove by the site, today. They are already up the second floor on the corner building. BTW, 100 West Grand River appears to have gotten a formal name: The Abbot
Comments
A week old, but East Lansing Buzz has somes photos and updates from the 22nd.
Stair and elevator cores are coming along. The tower crane should be coming soon. More than that, it appears the permits have been issued for the hotel, so foundation work should start on that very soon, too.
I'd be kind of mad at this were in not for 100 West Grand River next door having devoted its entire floor over to retail, but the Graduate Hotel is requesting a site plan modification to replace the retail component of the hotel with more lobby space, hotel fitness room, and back-of-house operations.
https://eastlansing.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&event_id=1877&meta_id=76237
The original plan only include a small corner retail space at the southwest corner and a small space in the back of the building off Evergreen. In total, it comprises around a quarter of the ground floor. The fitness center would occupy the southwest corner, now, and back-of-house operations would feel the Evergreen frontage in the back of the building.
As for construction work, East Lansing Buzz reported last week that the base for the tower crane for 100 West Grand River has been installed. The foundation crew for the Graduate were also onsite to do test piles, though I imagine actual construction will have to wait a bit if they plan to wait for approval for the use changes in the modified site plan. Though, since it's only a use change, they could very easily starting building the foundation through the modified site plan.
EDIT: Looks like they added the renderings right before the meeting:
https://eastlansing.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=2&clip_id=1167&meta_id=76580
Not a huge exterior change. In fact, there is actually an improvement to the courtyard space.
It is interesting to see how the dollar bills keep flowing around this project changing the plan even as it is being built. What was a good idea, the retail, now has changed and a courtyard is a better idea? I have seen a few hotel-courtyards that work and more that do not. One that does is the Inter-Continental in Boston it is along the Fort Point Channel and is nicely landscaped sunny and open welcoming, away from traffic noise. One that does not is right here down the street at the E.L. Marriot. Too much cement even the artwork is cement, in the shade most of the time, there is a bus stop for the Michigan Flyer right in front. Not very pleasant. Maybe people use it more than I am aware of but I do not see folks stopping there except to wait for the bus. I am hoping in this new plan for a nice area that will be of use to visitors and people in the neighborhood.
Well that was quick. In a 4-1 vote, council approved the modified site plan:
https://us17.campaign-archive.com/?u=d99498ce3806962a5ede26662&id=6931f16fab
I guess this means that there will be no potential hold-up for construction of the hotel. Interestingly, and smartly, the council added the condition that there will have to be a hotel cafe as part of the lobby.
Like I said, I was all right with the change since almost the entire ground floor of the apartment building across the street is devoted to retail. I was also tolerant of it since they were going to keep windows and active uses (lobby and fitness center) along the Grand River frontage. Them activating the proposed courtyard was also a nice touch to try and make-up for the loss of a small amount of retail. I think these are going to become increasingly important as more density is added, which is why I didn't mind the council demanding one for Park Place.
EastLansingBuzz says crews are already on site doing excavation, retention walls, and preperations for the footings for the Graduate Hotel:
https://www.eastlansingbuzz.org/single-post/2019/04/12/Construction-Update-04-12-19
So many great construction jobs with all of this development going on. It is going to take some time to get used to these massive buildings. I have enjoyed watching them go up. I was wondering where is the parking for The Hub? I can not see where it is from Grand River Avenue.
From EastLansingBuzz:
In the basement, and then on the first, mezzanine, and second floors. On the first and mezzanine, it's covered by the double-height retail floor. On the second floor it's covered in front by apartments.
I like that plan. It is much better than the huge cement structure they built for the Skyvue which you can see for miles from every nearly every direction. Seeing the cars parked in that one is about the only way one can tell there are people renting those apartments, it is such a fortress. I have noted before that The Hub building seems to fit into its space at least on the Grand River Ave side. I wonder if with the new building they can keep that feeling of not overwhelming and shadowing the street below.
Weekly update on this one says that the tower crane is now up at 100 West Grand River and pile caps and grade beams complete. And test piles have been driven in preparation for the 72 augur cast piles for the foundation of The Graduate hotel. No pictures this week, though.
https://www.eastlansingbuzz.org/single-post/2019/04/26/Construction-Update-04-26-19
Drove by the site, today. They are already up the second floor on the corner building. BTW, 100 West Grand River appears to have gotten a formal name: The Abbot
https://www.liveabbot.com/
So, now we have The Abbot and the Graduate East Lansing.