Ugh. Looking through the late-June township board minutes, developers Dymaxion are proposing a self-storage unit at Howard and Michigan (Michigan Flyer site), though earlier it's mentioned that a hotel could be part of the plan, which makes absolutely no sense. It'd require amendment or abolition of the Commercial Corridor Overlay District (CCOD), which was created to allow a more urban form of development in that stretch of MI Ave in the township. Looks like a few board members were open to this, and Dymaxion was pushing them to quickly change the ordinance (tired of developers sprining this crap on municipalities). In any case, they said they couldn't promise any timeline because it has to go through the Planning Commission.
I'll be interested to see what ultimately happen when they put out updated minutes. The Planning Commission in Lansing Township hasn't met all year, so perhaps that kills the plan.
That would suck to see that happen, it's bad enough the city gave Feldman's a tax incentive, this could very well kill the potential for a contiguous business district seamlessly spanning both sides of the freeway. I'm pretty disappointed to see one of the new local developers I had been optimistic about being the one pushing a self storage facility at one of the most important intersections of one of our main up-and-coming urban corridors. Let alone the fact it appears they're using carrot-on-a-stick tactics like claiming that a hotel may be part of a self storage development, that's a bit perplexing.
I don't want to believe that even the Township is stupid or short sighted enough to allow a zoning change like that for that location.
What's with the self-storage places? I wonder why it is so profitable to go into a business where there are already hundreds, if not more, storage units available for rent in the Greater Lansing area. We even have a nine-story tall storage unit building on the south side and a two block long five story storage business on Hosmer! Locating such an eyesore at this great location for almost any other type of business, would be just awful. Even a Dollar Genral would be better! We need Lansing to incorporate this area into the city.
@gbdinlansing I've known several people in the last year or two who have either had trouble getting a storage unit or had their rate dramatically increase presumably due to the high demand so there's something to it. I just don't get how so many people are willing to pay a hundred or two hundred dollars a month often just to store stuff they're never going to use and has no real value.
I am really surprised by this request from Dymaxion. The owner is also part of the People's Kitchen group, which is right here, so I wonder how that factors into the calculus. A lousy self storage unit goes against everything the company claims to stand for, it's a lazy business model that provides no real utility for the neighborhood. I feel like there's an agenda that isn't readily clear right now.
Slight - but important correction - reread it and it seems that they have the land under contract for BOTH a hotel & self-storage facility. I just don't see how those two things are compatible, particularly since the site isn't a huge one. And I can't imagine any kind of secret agenda that would make sense. The Commercial Corridor Overlay District makes development of the site easier for the type of development that Dymaxion usually does, so it's nothing short of bizarre that they'd be trying to get the Township to abolish it.
Anyway, this was June 21 and Dymaxion said they couldn't wait more than a month for this, and I see nothing in their July 19 agenda about it, so perhaps it's already dead. Brought it up because it was news to me that there was an imminent project for the site, and that Dymaxion weirdly has it coupled with a self-storage facility.
And I can't imagine any kind of secret agenda that would make sense.
The only thing I can think of is that they wanted the storage there to use for People's Kitchen or their escape house thingy that's right there. Otherwise it's an out of left field request that I don't get.
A storage facility has to be the dumbest thing I've heard for that spot on Michigan. It's a shame the ballot initiative isn't proposing that be carved into Lansing too. I believe it's just the Groesbeck slice. If that were unified with Lansing we could actually create a cohesive district there instead of this ugly mish mash of facilities that would go much better outside of the main drag.
Went and did a bit of research. It looks like they don't just own the lot, which is only 2.6 acres, but everything down the block to the Alano Club and it's properties. That gives you 3.6 acres. And just looking at an aerial, you might be able to fit a small hotel on the frontage with some parking out back + a self-storage. I can't imagine they would be planning the self-storage facility for the frontage of the site. Still weird.
I guess theory two is that they're trying to maximize revenue from the plot. Hotel up front, storage in the back, every square foot bringing in income.
Comments
I'll be interested to see what ultimately happen when they put out updated minutes. The Planning Commission in Lansing Township hasn't met all year, so perhaps that kills the plan.
I don't want to believe that even the Township is stupid or short sighted enough to allow a zoning change like that for that location.
Anyway, this was June 21 and Dymaxion said they couldn't wait more than a month for this, and I see nothing in their July 19 agenda about it, so perhaps it's already dead. Brought it up because it was news to me that there was an imminent project for the site, and that Dymaxion weirdly has it coupled with a self-storage facility.
The only thing I can think of is that they wanted the storage there to use for People's Kitchen or their escape house thingy that's right there. Otherwise it's an out of left field request that I don't get.