Yes, it is an improvement, and I do like the concept I'm just not sure who is going to be sitting there or when these tables will be full of people. Perhaps if a hotel were to be built where the City Market is or something like that would populate the area. It is not really an improvement if no one uses it.
It just looks like a restaurant patio. Grills and bathrooms and a bit more green space would be great, but as it is now, I just can't see any reason to go to the park. I guess it's better than nothing, but if this is what is going in there, it's really a missed opportunity.
I mean, I guess you all have never been down there during the summer. The closing of the City Market doesn't help, but they regularly had summer concerts down there, and it was busy down there more nights than not during the summer.
In any case, I'll be enjoying the electric forest, and I'm glad to see someone investing improvements to make the area a bit more visually cohesive and demarcated.
I don't want to seem ungrateful, this is a donation after all, but it just seems like what's being planned is so close to great, but just misses the mark.
Having a spot for concerts is wonderful, but I think there needs to be a compelling reason to come down there when there isn't an event going on. Apart from easy river access for kayaking (which is great, but almost by definition doesn't keep people in the park), I just can't imagine why I'd go down there on an average weekend afternoon. To paraphrase Gordon Ramsey: Don't judge a restaurants success by there Friday night, look at their Monday.
I say all of this with the caveat that it might be totally different from what I'm getting when it's done, and I hope I'm wrong about it.
Mich - these are beautiful photos (you should submit to the city for PR purposes). These events look fun, but wouldn't this permanent installation actually preclude gatherings like this from happening, in terms of space it would be taking up?
I wonder if a lighter touch (temporary tables and seating) might be a better starting point than immediately dropping a permanent and seemingly heavy-handed installation.
Also, most importantly was there public input regarding this? Even if it's private money, it's public space and a broad spectrum of residents should be able weigh in on this. I feel like the resulting design would be quite different if there were authentic and broad public input for this project. More likely there was a stakeholder group (with Gillespie probably acting as a major voice) that met with residents of those apartments and employees at Accident Fund .....and everyone was like, yeah....outdoor fireplace sounds awesome..... Obviously the immediate neighbors have importance, but this site especially belongs to the broader public.
I remember playing on that playground as a kid and having endless fun (it was a wooden one built into the side of the slope). The city and foundations could draw a lot more people and a wider variety of people to this site by investing in a fantastic playground at this park.
I understand that the area depicted is just one part of the park, I am just concerned that this is a good investment of private money. I love Lansing, this is where I chose to live, but sometimes it seems like when we have some money to create something new and great we end up with a project that is just OK. Filling these tables and this space would be as easy as having concessions, food, drinks, a beer garden maybe food trucks, perhaps something like a summer-long carrousel or Ferris wheel just like London. A night market that only sets up after 6 pm. Of course, if there were a first class hotel and a small casino or performing arts center behind this area that would bring people there. I could see restrooms being installed in the underground parking ramp of the Lansing Center. It could be that the city and the people involved with this park have all kinds of plans to bring people into this area and I am hoping that this park is a great success.
I love the ferris wheel idea! And I think you're right that with intentional programming this project could and WILL be a success. I'd like to see it succeed so that the funders continue giving money for projects like this.
The steps to the water will be awesome. The lighted forest seems neat too, but I can't really tell what it is.
Some other things I think would help in/around the park:
Upgrade and expand the playground that's down in that nook. There used to be a restroom down there too.
Add a few extra concrete features (ramps, rails, etc....all permanent) to encourage kids to skateboard under the bridge, where they always have been. Definitely need to maintain clearance for the riverwalk trail passing through. (There's a great little unintentional-but-sanctioned skate spot (mini skatepark) in London UK connected directly to the main drag of their riverwalk, near the Tate Museum.
I barely remember, but I think the last time I checked it out, the old train bridge-turned pedestrian bridge had an art installation that looked great! That bridge is really cool and it seems like they've improved it over the years (better lighting, paint??)
Maybe the 1980's pedestrian bridge to the Lansing Center could host some light art projects -- illuminate it in purple during breast cancer month, green and white during march madness I forget what it feels like in there, but I feel like some young professional's group could set it up in a cool way for happy-hour events or avant-garde performances. It's unique to be hovering over the river, and the views are the best!
As floated in other comments, this would be a great area for a hotel.
I'd like the see the market reopened, I think some of these other things will start to bring more critical mass of people to this area to make the market viable again. In the meantime, and in addition to the market, food trucks are always a hit.
According to this week's city council agenda, it appears that the plan to turn the old North Larch BWL Substation (1609 North Larch) into 5 apartments got a special January 22nd planning board meeting after it was introduced at their January 15th meeting. At the previous meeting, the zoning office recommended to the planning board that the special use permit be denied. However, it seems that by the January 22nd meeting, the zoning office changed it's mind writing a new staff report and the the planning board recommended unanimously that the special land use permit be approved.
I've never quite seen a 180 like this, and reading the two different staff reports just days apart gives you whiplash. I guess when the I see the minutes for both meetings we'll see what exactly happened.
In any case, this now it goes through the typical council process. The building will include 1 one-bedroom apartment in the basement, 1 one-bedroom and 1 two-bedroom apartment on the ground floor, and 2 two-bedroom apartments on the 2nd floor. The one-bedroom units will be 700 square feet, and the two-bedroom units will be 950 square feet.
Very cool building very industrial location seems like they will be big apartments. Not my idea of a good spot for apartments but there must be a market for this or they would not be renovating this building. It is amazing the detail and design for a substation, I wish they would have built a whole building like this for REOtown.
Comments
Yes, it is an improvement, and I do like the concept I'm just not sure who is going to be sitting there or when these tables will be full of people. Perhaps if a hotel were to be built where the City Market is or something like that would populate the area. It is not really an improvement if no one uses it.
It just looks like a restaurant patio. Grills and bathrooms and a bit more green space would be great, but as it is now, I just can't see any reason to go to the park. I guess it's better than nothing, but if this is what is going in there, it's really a missed opportunity.
I mean, I guess you all have never been down there during the summer. The closing of the City Market doesn't help, but they regularly had summer concerts down there, and it was busy down there more nights than not during the summer.
In any case, I'll be enjoying the electric forest, and I'm glad to see someone investing improvements to make the area a bit more visually cohesive and demarcated.
I don't want to seem ungrateful, this is a donation after all, but it just seems like what's being planned is so close to great, but just misses the mark.
Having a spot for concerts is wonderful, but I think there needs to be a compelling reason to come down there when there isn't an event going on. Apart from easy river access for kayaking (which is great, but almost by definition doesn't keep people in the park), I just can't imagine why I'd go down there on an average weekend afternoon. To paraphrase Gordon Ramsey: Don't judge a restaurants success by there Friday night, look at their Monday.
I say all of this with the caveat that it might be totally different from what I'm getting when it's done, and I hope I'm wrong about it.
Mich - these are beautiful photos (you should submit to the city for PR purposes). These events look fun, but wouldn't this permanent installation actually preclude gatherings like this from happening, in terms of space it would be taking up?
I wonder if a lighter touch (temporary tables and seating) might be a better starting point than immediately dropping a permanent and seemingly heavy-handed installation.
Also, most importantly was there public input regarding this? Even if it's private money, it's public space and a broad spectrum of residents should be able weigh in on this. I feel like the resulting design would be quite different if there were authentic and broad public input for this project. More likely there was a stakeholder group (with Gillespie probably acting as a major voice) that met with residents of those apartments and employees at Accident Fund .....and everyone was like, yeah....outdoor fireplace sounds awesome..... Obviously the immediate neighbors have importance, but this site especially belongs to the broader public.
I remember playing on that playground as a kid and having endless fun (it was a wooden one built into the side of the slope). The city and foundations could draw a lot more people and a wider variety of people to this site by investing in a fantastic playground at this park.
I understand that the area depicted is just one part of the park, I am just concerned that this is a good investment of private money. I love Lansing, this is where I chose to live, but sometimes it seems like when we have some money to create something new and great we end up with a project that is just OK. Filling these tables and this space would be as easy as having concessions, food, drinks, a beer garden maybe food trucks, perhaps something like a summer-long carrousel or Ferris wheel just like London. A night market that only sets up after 6 pm. Of course, if there were a first class hotel and a small casino or performing arts center behind this area that would bring people there. I could see restrooms being installed in the underground parking ramp of the Lansing Center. It could be that the city and the people involved with this park have all kinds of plans to bring people into this area and I am hoping that this park is a great success.
I love the ferris wheel idea! And I think you're right that with intentional programming this project could and WILL be a success. I'd like to see it succeed so that the funders continue giving money for projects like this.
The steps to the water will be awesome. The lighted forest seems neat too, but I can't really tell what it is.
Some other things I think would help in/around the park:
Upgrade and expand the playground that's down in that nook. There used to be a restroom down there too.
Add a few extra concrete features (ramps, rails, etc....all permanent) to encourage kids to skateboard under the bridge, where they always have been. Definitely need to maintain clearance for the riverwalk trail passing through. (There's a great little unintentional-but-sanctioned skate spot (mini skatepark) in London UK connected directly to the main drag of their riverwalk, near the Tate Museum.
I barely remember, but I think the last time I checked it out, the old train bridge-turned pedestrian bridge had an art installation that looked great! That bridge is really cool and it seems like they've improved it over the years (better lighting, paint??)
Maybe the 1980's pedestrian bridge to the Lansing Center could host some light art projects -- illuminate it in purple during breast cancer month, green and white during march madness
I forget what it feels like in there, but I feel like some young professional's group could set it up in a cool way for happy-hour events or avant-garde performances. It's unique to be hovering over the river, and the views are the best!
As floated in other comments, this would be a great area for a hotel.
I'd like the see the market reopened, I think some of these other things will start to bring more critical mass of people to this area to make the market viable again. In the meantime, and in addition to the market, food trucks are always a hit.
Thank you for some interesting ideas!
According to this week's city council agenda, it appears that the plan to turn the old North Larch BWL Substation (1609 North Larch) into 5 apartments got a special January 22nd planning board meeting after it was introduced at their January 15th meeting. At the previous meeting, the zoning office recommended to the planning board that the special use permit be denied. However, it seems that by the January 22nd meeting, the zoning office changed it's mind writing a new staff report and the the planning board recommended unanimously that the special land use permit be approved.
http://www.rcgmichigan.catylist.com/listing/30333765/1609-N-Larch-St-Lansing-MI-48901
I've never quite seen a 180 like this, and reading the two different staff reports just days apart gives you whiplash. I guess when the I see the minutes for both meetings we'll see what exactly happened.
In any case, this now it goes through the typical council process. The building will include 1 one-bedroom apartment in the basement, 1 one-bedroom and 1 two-bedroom apartment on the ground floor, and 2 two-bedroom apartments on the 2nd floor. The one-bedroom units will be 700 square feet, and the two-bedroom units will be 950 square feet.
Very cool building very industrial location seems like they will be big apartments. Not my idea of a good spot for apartments but there must be a market for this or they would not be renovating this building. It is amazing the detail and design for a substation, I wish they would have built a whole building like this for REOtown.