It would be foolish for any politician (or city manager) to say that this helps the argument of redeveloping Cedar Village. That would be political suicide. But, we all know that it most certainly does help when they have to make the argument for the village as 'blight'. This is probably the single most important event to push the development past the tipping point.
East Lansing project could put end to site of rioting
Derek Wallbank • Lansing State Journal • April 11, 2008 • From Lansing State Journal
EAST LANSING - If city officials have their way, the intersection where last weekend's riot occurred will disappear and the neighborhood that surrounds it will be transformed.
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In its stead will rise a multi-use development devoid of intersections, large streets and places for crowds of thousands to start trouble.
The plan includes replacement of commercial and old housing stock - composed primarily of houses and two- to three-story apartment buildings - with four- to eight-story mixed-use buildings that include commercial space and owner-occupied and rental housing.
Roads would be removed, a canal dug and above-ground parking lots replaced with green space and a below-ground parking structure.
"I think everybody would agree that the way this is laid out, it removes the nature of that space," said Tim Dempsey, a community and economic development administrator for East Lansing.
As many as 4,000 revelers took to the streets Saturday night near the intersection of Cedar Street and Waters Edge Drive. Some eventually turned violent, and police used tear gas to clear the streets.
According to the State News, The Pierce Group is still going forward with preliminary planning for the East Village Project, and has actually unveiled detailed renderings regarding the project. Unfortunately, there's no link to the renderings from either the State News or the LSJ, which also has posted an article about how the East Village Project should be immune from the current housing crisis.
I agree with Nancy Kurdziel, the president of Prime Housing, in that it is sort of silly to see Pierce coming up with these detailed plans for property that, apparently, he hasn't even acquired one lick of yet. That, above anything else to me, has to be the most discouraging thing. If Pierce continues this "the property will basically sell itself to me" mentality they seem to have over there, then I certainly can't see them starting construction by 2010, if at all.
Ask and you shall receive I suppose. I went back to the SN article, and noticed that they stated the renderings ARE on the City of East Lansing website. I don't have a chance to look at them in detail right now, but those that do have fun and let us know how they look.
Good point LMich. I could see Bogue getting crazy during class time with the pedestrians and those wanting to drive in and out of the East Village. Luckily they'll have plenty of time between here and construction to figure all that out. BTW, that underground parking will have to be MASSIVE if it's just going to be in that one area underneath the undergrad housing.
Yeah, the underground parking garage will be massive from the looks of it. BTW, I'm not so much worried about Bogue as I am Grand River. Because there are no real outlet side streets between Hagadorn and Bogue, traffic is regularly backed up to almost Bogue along Grand River during rush hour. Grand River really should have been continued as a boulevard to Hagadorn.
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Link to Article
East Lansing project could put end to site of rioting
Derek Wallbank • Lansing State Journal • April 11, 2008 • From Lansing State Journal
EAST LANSING - If city officials have their way, the intersection where last weekend's riot occurred will disappear and the neighborhood that surrounds it will be transformed.
Advertisement
In its stead will rise a multi-use development devoid of intersections, large streets and places for crowds of thousands to start trouble.
The plan includes replacement of commercial and old housing stock - composed primarily of houses and two- to three-story apartment buildings - with four- to eight-story mixed-use buildings that include commercial space and owner-occupied and rental housing.
Roads would be removed, a canal dug and above-ground parking lots replaced with green space and a below-ground parking structure.
"I think everybody would agree that the way this is laid out, it removes the nature of that space," said Tim Dempsey, a community and economic development administrator for East Lansing.
As many as 4,000 revelers took to the streets Saturday night near the intersection of Cedar Street and Waters Edge Drive. Some eventually turned violent, and police used tear gas to clear the streets.
(continued at link)
I agree with Nancy Kurdziel, the president of Prime Housing, in that it is sort of silly to see Pierce coming up with these detailed plans for property that, apparently, he hasn't even acquired one lick of yet. That, above anything else to me, has to be the most discouraging thing. If Pierce continues this "the property will basically sell itself to me" mentality they seem to have over there, then I certainly can't see them starting construction by 2010, if at all.
Let me just say, I am very impressed with this project and I can't wait to see it completed.