Albert Place Condos (formerly Stonehouse Village III)

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  • edited May 2007
    It looks like its well on its way toward construction:

    http://www.lsj.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070531/NEWS01/705310343/1001/news

    Construction forces lot to close

    EAST LANSING - City Parking Lot 7 in the area of Bailey Street and Albert Avenue will be closed after today to accommodate construction of Stonehouse Village III, which includes 36 condominiums and a two-level, 122-space parking structure.

    The first phase of construction will also include substantial utility work within the parking lot and along adjacent streets. Albert Avenue between Bailey Street and Collingwood Drive will be completely closed beginning June 4 for between six and eight weeks. Detours will be marked.

    Valley Court Drive west of Delta Street will be closed until about mid-July during construction of the West Village condominium and townhouse complex.
  • Yep, it sure is. The LSJ also ran a story today about the progress of the West Village development, but nothing new that I saw in it. With all the utility work, I am hoping that they are planning to move power lines underground. I am surprised that they will be closing Albert for 6-8 weeks during construction. I guess the developer will be using that stretch of road as the staging area for construction.
  • I wish they'd move all power lines underground. TO me, it looks a LOT better, and it's also a way to keep them from being damaged during storms.
  • edited June 2007
    Downtown developments

    Construction on Stonehouse Village III complex to break ground next week

    By SARAH K. NORRIS

    The State News

    By combining residential, office and retail space, East Lansing officials hope mixed-use developments will help to create a downtown with a wider variety of businesses - all within walking distance of downtown.

    "Maybe if we have more condos downtown, then eventually we would be able to support a small downtown grocery market," said Lori Mullins, East Lansing's senior project manager. "Or other types of businesses, like a movie theater, that the downtown can't support right now."

    A mixed-use development is one that combines multiple uses, like residential and retail, in the same building. This type of development is part of a city effort to increase downtown foot traffic, promote businesses and use land efficiently, Mullins said.

    Stonehouse Village III, which breaks ground next week, will have 36 units of condos above a two-story parking garage. Although the condos are restricted to owner-occupancy and cannot be rented, their development is still beneficial for students, Mullins said.

    "We have the ability to attract a greater range of retail businesses, which benefits the students by creating a more dynamic downtown environment," she said.

    The benefits of mixed-use or "smart growth" developments include the reduction of sprawl and a closer proximity to goods and services, said Rex LaMore, director of MSU's center for community and economic development.

    "It reduces reliance on the automobile, which is reliant on a non-renewable resource - oil," he said. "Smart growth allows for the building of a more sustainable downtown area."

    Convenience is one aspect of the developments that will appeal to prospective buyers, Stonehouse developer Doug Cron said. Cron Management, LLC is the primary developer of the Stonehouse complex.

    "Anyone who works for the university pays to park, so I think you are going to see people who say, 'I can walk to my office, I can walk to wherever my job is, I can walk to dinner and I don't have to touch my car,'" he said.

    Professionals employed by the university, like professors and service providers, are a large part of the development's target market, Cron said.

    A study by the city of East Lansing's downtown several years ago demonstrated the need for mixed-use developments in the downtown.

    "The more mixed used we can have downtown, the more viable it is for businesses and residents," said Darcy Schmitt, East Lansing's planning and zoning administrator.

    Since East Lansing has a built-in population of residents without access to a car, developments that promote alternative transportation, like walking and biking, are particularly effective, LaMore said.

    The city's comprehensive plan, adopted in 2006, projects the city's trajectory for the next 20 years and focuses on mixed-use development, Mullins said.

    "Now we just need to provide the types of housing units people want to live in and the development will continue," she said.
  • edited June 2007
    There are 16,000 movie watching people living right across the street. I understand the grocery store (sorta), but why can't downtown support a movie theater?

    I lived in a town with 10,000 spread out all over, and we had a 6 screen theater from the same company that runs NCG.

    Regardless, it's a great looking building, and will make for quite an imposing block in downtown EL.
  • Looking at the renderings again, it bears a strong resemblance to the Stadium District. If you ignore the roof line.
  • Yeah, I can't understand why they are trying to put a movie theater in the East Village. At tonights City Council meeting, they will be introducing a Request for Proposals for Lot 1. A movie theater would be a great addition to the core of downtown where Lot 1 sits right now. I have been emailing the city council to try and get a copy of the attachment for tonights meeting but I haven't heard anything back from them yet. Previous proposals for Lot 1 have been a 12 story highrise with condominiums.

    (Lot 1 is located behind Pancheros, and across from Harpers in downtown East Lansing.)
  • Is that a parking lot right now?
  • edited June 2007
    Yeah it is, there is a large parking lot right there on Albert. Here is a satellite shot:

    ?parameters=cbbc1b1a-3ac2-4877-ae12-71c4ddd2a990_ff403a6a-c36d-4c94-a803-a4cdb4b6d572_static_0_0_image.png
  • Press release from the City of East Lansing:

    Stonehouse Village III Groundbreaking Ceremony to be Held Tuesday, June 19

    EAST LANSING, Mich. — The City of East Lansing will kick off its newest development project, Stonehouse Village III, with a special groundbreaking ceremony on Tuesday, June 19 at 3:30 p.m. The groundbreaking will be held on site in Parking Lot 7, located at the corner of Bailey Street and Albert Avenue in downtown East Lansing.

    Slated for completion in mid 2008, the Stonehouse Village III development will bring 36 new one-, two- and three-bedroom, owner-occupied loft condominiums and a new two-level, 122-space parking structure to East Lansing’s downtown. The condominiums will be built on three levels above the parking structure, which will be owned and operated by the City of East Lansing.

    “The City of East Lansing is extremely excited to be partnering with a local development company on one of many exciting smart growth projects beginning to take root within our borders,” said East Lansing Mayor Samir Singh. “This new development will bring quality residential living to an area that is in walking distance to the MSU campus and downtown East Lansing businesses.”

    Speakers at the June 19 groundbreaking will include East Lansing Mayor Samir Singh, Doug Cron of Stonehouse Village III, LLC (the Stonehouse Village III project developer) and Eric Sudol, chairman of the East Lansing Downtown Development Authority. The event will conclude with a ceremonial breaking of the ground by East Lansing dignitaries.

    For more information please contact Lori Mullins, East Lansing Planning & Community Development, at (517) 319-6887.
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