Putting a rectangle in a triangle shaped hole
Written by Kyle Melinn
For four years, common sense withstood the efforts of Joel Ferguson, the powerful developer who chairs the MSU Board of Trustees and lavishes money on Democrats statewide.
But on Tuesday, Ferguson finally watched his dream of putting the Michigan State Police headquarters on what is now a triangle-shaped downtown parking lot on the banks of the Grand River become reality.
It's not really what it says about MSP, but what it says about putting a structure you know will need such high security in a place it doesn't really belong. It's not unreasonable, at all, that they'll have these security features; the problem is not realizing the context of which you're putting this structure into. Taking from the article, above, it's akin to trying to put a rectangle in a triangle-shaped hole.
Actually Engler, a republican, pushed a lot harder to get the MSP HQ built than Grandholm has. Engler was holding votes literally his last day in office to try to push it through, that was for the joint headquarters that was slated to be as large as 600,000 sq ft.
Ick, I'm still not a fan of that building design at all. The one good thing I read in that article was there will be fencing around the site instead of a concrete wall. At least that way you'll be able to see what's on the other side.
I'm disappointed it will now be set back so far from the prominent Grand/Kazoo corner (that is, unless, the LJS simply labeled the directions incorrect, which seems possible), but the exterior redesign is a helluva lot better than that previous crap design they were trying to push. This knew one actually has some nice colors and textures. The former appeared as a concrete prison block. That said, a security block on a prime riverfront site in downtown Lansing inherently leaves much to be desired, and that sin, in itself can't be reversed, no matter how much make-up they put on this pig of a project.
(Photo by Courtesy of Hobbs+Black architects)
Along the river: Looking from the southwest, the new Michigan State Police headquarters will rise five stories along the Grand River in Lansing.
They definately got their directions mixed up (I it's supposed to be looking towards southwest, not from the southwest), at 50 ft the setback shouldn't be much more than that of Constitution Hall. It still sucks, but with the last rendering of this I'm happy to be seeing what I am.
Also Jared can you put the new rendering in its "project page."
Comments
Written by Kyle Melinn
For four years, common sense withstood the efforts of Joel Ferguson, the powerful developer who chairs the MSU Board of Trustees and lavishes money on Democrats statewide.
But on Tuesday, Ferguson finally watched his dream of putting the Michigan State Police headquarters on what is now a triangle-shaped downtown parking lot on the banks of the Grand River become reality.
Read more at LansingCityPulse.com
Joel Ferguson bankrolls Michigan Democrats and the MSP contract is his reward. This is a time-honored tradition in politics among both party :>)
MSP won't be able to land a helicopter at the riverside HQ.
The new design looks a lot better, but still mediocre and the site layout looks like it will keep with far setbacks and security, security, security.
(Photo by Courtesy of Hobbs+Black architects)
Along the river: Looking from the southwest, the new Michigan State Police headquarters will rise five stories along the Grand River in Lansing.
Also Jared can you put the new rendering in its "project page."