My involvement with the Eyde's....well...I had a friend who had a parking pass at their lot in college, but that's about it.
My interest is really more with the market in general and solving problems from the ground up. Lansing is losing population and has been for decades. If we continue to build on every vacant parcel and do not add to our economic base then we will simply end up with more red tags and vacant homes. I have no idea what that solution is. How do we get a google or vonage to come to Lansing? How to we change the opinon of young people that Lansing is a nice place to live so we have the market to build such developments? (I have watched as 6 of my college and high school friends, born and raised in Michigan, have moved to Chicago in the past year alone)
As far as a vision for the 7 blocks Kalamazoo/MLK parcel in question, I think that our vision is very similar. I have always thought it is the perfect place for a commercial/mixed use development, perhaps with some Printer's Row type townhomes further east. My point is simply that I believe in the market--- and the market is telling us (and perhaps even the Eydes) that now may not be the ideal time to develop said parcel as real estate continues to depreciate (8% in the City of Lansing last year alone).
That being said, it is the perfect time for others to seize opportunities within Lansing. I am personally buying as many existing properties as possible right now for long term investment. Just think if you had bought hundreds of stocks during the Great Depression and sold them 40 years later!!!
I'm glad to see this finally happenning, but I'll have to see a map to understand where it is. I haven't seen an updated rivertrail map in a long time, I'm not sure where they have added new trails at all. Do you know if Hawk Island/Scotts Woods are connected to the river trail yet?
I can't wait for this river trail extension. I think this is a great project. My understanding is that from Scott Woods/Hawk Island this will follow Sycamore Creek to Biggie Munn Park and Maguire Park, which is pretty much undeveloped. They are almost on the corner of Jolly and Aurelius.
The building on Michigan getting a second floor is really looking interesting. It looks like the second floor is going to sort of have an ultra-modern look, oddly sloped roofs and large windows on the side. Definately worth taking a look at.
Looks like theres one semi-interesting item in this weeks City Council agenda:
b. Setting a Public Hearing for July 23, 2007 in consideration of
Brownfield Redevelopment Plan #32; filed by C&M Walker LLC for the former Melody Farms property located at 2218 W. Willow St.
They said 9,000 people showed up for the chili cookout, myself included. The rivertrail was packed, and there was little room to move near some of the vendors. It would have been nice to see Lansing close down Washington Sq like they are doing for Blues on the Square and have the chili cookout in front of the businesses, instead of somewhere that there are no businesses to familiarize people with.
I was there too. I think you have a good idea, with holding the cookoff on the downtown streets. But I think they may need to utilize some of the sidestreets also. This year it would have been impossible with all the contruction, but maybe you could email the city to suggest that for next year.
I was down there as well. My only complaint is that it would be nice if they could spread out a little more. The vendors down towards where the stage was were very crowded, which made it difficult to move from place to place. Other than that, I love it by the river. Another great chili cookoff!
Comments
My interest is really more with the market in general and solving problems from the ground up. Lansing is losing population and has been for decades. If we continue to build on every vacant parcel and do not add to our economic base then we will simply end up with more red tags and vacant homes. I have no idea what that solution is. How do we get a google or vonage to come to Lansing? How to we change the opinon of young people that Lansing is a nice place to live so we have the market to build such developments? (I have watched as 6 of my college and high school friends, born and raised in Michigan, have moved to Chicago in the past year alone)
As far as a vision for the 7 blocks Kalamazoo/MLK parcel in question, I think that our vision is very similar. I have always thought it is the perfect place for a commercial/mixed use development, perhaps with some Printer's Row type townhomes further east. My point is simply that I believe in the market--- and the market is telling us (and perhaps even the Eydes) that now may not be the ideal time to develop said parcel as real estate continues to depreciate (8% in the City of Lansing last year alone).
That being said, it is the perfect time for others to seize opportunities within Lansing. I am personally buying as many existing properties as possible right now for long term investment. Just think if you had bought hundreds of stocks during the Great Depression and sold them 40 years later!!!
b. Setting a Public Hearing for July 23, 2007 in consideration of
Brownfield Redevelopment Plan #32; filed by C&M Walker LLC for the former Melody Farms property located at 2218 W. Willow St.
Hopefully it means more jobs...