I looks like it's official now, they started their press conference at 11am. I'm just curious as to when they'll start work now, I'd imagine they'd have to get moving quickly to see the plant operational before the end of 2024 as they've proposed.
Regarding why not the GM land in Lansing, GM doesn't own most of that land anymore and given the environmental clean up necessary and the incomplete demolitions, they aren't shovel ready. As far as I know GM did retain the former metal stamping plant site between Saginaw and Willow but you still have the other issues, and the fact that it would be a tight site to work with for what they want to build. Out at Delta they do already have utilities and rail along with enough land to further expand operations in the future. Besides, it's not like putting a factory next to neighborhoods is optimal, if it were feasible I'd prefer to see the Verlinden/Craft Center site largely become single family housing.
It wouldn't be anything if they wanted their RACER Trust lands, back. But why wouldn't they build their battery plant next door to their existing plant? The reason we did the 425 with Delta years ago was exactly because they'd have future land to expand on. It's on a class 1 rail line with its own railyard, right next to a power plant, right off the freeway, both Lansing and the twp get tax revenue from it, etc. Anyway, glad this announcement also included upgrades to Lansing Delta Township & Lansing Grand River assemblies, too.
Oh, yeah I forgot about investment in the assembly plants, $500+ million is a ton of money to essentially be the side note.
On the subject of the west side, I was over there today and drove by the new power plant, which looks complete from the outside but I don't remember reading any updates as to when it goes operational. The new Amazon warehouse is sprawling and they're still not done with the steel but I imagine they're close. The new (tall) Meijer warehouse at that intersection also recently completed a modest addition and it looks like the new Auto Owners office building is possibly complete.
I understand why they chose the west side site, just a little humor at Delta's expense! For most folks the whole area called Lansing! I would love to see a new neighborhood built on the Verlinden site, I was thinking it could be mixed use with small industry near the tracks and housing near the neighborhoods. I wonder what use they can find for the riverside MLK area? It would be nice if they pulled up all the cement and greened the area until someone finds a use for that land. The new plant is great news for our community!
@gbdinlansing, as someone who drives through that area of MLK frequently, and a nearby resident, I would love to see them do something a little more visually pleasing. Given the fact the railroad is right along the riverbank makes me think that they aren't going to pretty up the space, green it up or doing anything other than car storage. GM has really left that area such a desolate wasteland.
I also don't see GM doing anything with the bulk of their land near the Grand River Plant besides reserving it for factory expansion and parking lots. I do wonder if they'd consider parting with any of the land west of MLK if nudged by the city or if they'd consider beautifying the streetscape a little, I'd still love to see them find a use for the old Oldsmobile HQ as well. Regardless, I can't complain too much when they just announced over $3b in investment.
I may be wrong about this! but I think there was a line of trees and brush on the north banks of the river when I was a kid living on Park Ave. I don't remember being able to see so much of the trains and lots behind from the south bank. I knew some kids who lived on Moorse River Drive, they had big picture windows looking out on the river, and I'm pretty sure there were trees blocking the view all the way down to the former Logan Street bridge. I know that railroads [like the BWL too] are much more aggressive about keeping their ways clear of vegetation these days but there was once a line of trees on that side of the river. That was the area I was thinking could be greened west of MLK, and then in the future if they needed it again, they could just pull up the sod!
According to the City Pulse Mayor Schor will announce the new performing arts center tomorrow at 3pm at the Lake Trust building. They don't say so, but this obviously implies that the new center will go on the remaining portion of the Lake Trust block. I'm anxious to see what they propose and how immediate the plans are.
That we'd already heard about this months ago, I'd hope that the plans would be pretty far ahead. It will be interesting to see how they'd fit this at the site. Kind of thought they might try to squeeze it in closer to the existing entertainment district, though. This will definitely be a boon for the westbank of the river, though, which is lacking in this kind of thing.
Yeah, there was mention of the Lake Trust site but no confirmation. Awhile back I remember something that implied that the old Michigan Theater was also a candidate and in the article above they mention that the Masonic Temple was briefly considered but Blue Cross refused to sell their lot and the Masonic Temple's auditorium would have required the construction of a freight elevator to use.
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Regarding why not the GM land in Lansing, GM doesn't own most of that land anymore and given the environmental clean up necessary and the incomplete demolitions, they aren't shovel ready. As far as I know GM did retain the former metal stamping plant site between Saginaw and Willow but you still have the other issues, and the fact that it would be a tight site to work with for what they want to build. Out at Delta they do already have utilities and rail along with enough land to further expand operations in the future. Besides, it's not like putting a factory next to neighborhoods is optimal, if it were feasible I'd prefer to see the Verlinden/Craft Center site largely become single family housing.
On the subject of the west side, I was over there today and drove by the new power plant, which looks complete from the outside but I don't remember reading any updates as to when it goes operational. The new Amazon warehouse is sprawling and they're still not done with the steel but I imagine they're close. The new (tall) Meijer warehouse at that intersection also recently completed a modest addition and it looks like the new Auto Owners office building is possibly complete.
https://www.lansingcitypulse.com/stories/performing-arts-center-coming-to-downtown-lansing,19688