Regarding the Rescue Mission: As an agnostic I've never really had a problem with faith based services, I also don't have a problem with raising issues with them to garner support for alternatives. My big issue with the Rescue Mission is that I don't like concentrating so many homeless in one are via having these large facilities. If it were logistically/economically feasible I think spreading the homeless population out amongst much smaller facilities would be better for everyone involved, except perhaps the further flung neighborhoods who host new facilities, which have so far escaped carrying any such societal burdens. Having a stormwater pond downtown is questionable, putting it out on the street corner is dumb, I'm surprised zoning allows it. If that is a loop hole hopefully it get's closed to prevent this in the future.
A rant about City Hall/the state of the city in general.....
I can't get over how stupid the new City Hall is. I don't know if Schor is trolling because his and Boji's Masonic Hall deal got shot down or if it's just all simply a ploy to make the developer (Boji) more profit. It truly is low-effort garbage. Reflective of the kind of vision and taste that went in to the Reutter Park Christmas market and ice rink, or the new City Market.
I've been closely following development in Lansing for a long time, at least since I was a teenager in the early 2000's. Despite the slow-bordering-on-glacial pace of development in the city for much/most of that time I rarely if ever felt we took significant steps backwards. Now, despite the prospect of more investment and construction downtown over the next five or so years than there has been in the past couple decades, I feel more uneasy about the city's future than ever. Even the potential crown jewel of this coming boom, Tower on Grand, comes with significant caveats like the inclusion of a large parking garage with no street-level commercial that will also make the street a tunnel, along with its relatively bland final design. And while it's great to finally have something to show for years of efforts towards a performing arts center and what's slated to be built will be nice for what it is, it will ultimately be a giant nightclub, not a performing arts center. The metro area's economic outlook isn't bad but fumbling the Eagle Megasite and therefore likely losing out on the prospect of a chip fab facility is a massive, MASSIVE failure at a time of unique opportunity.
Obviously from all my previous comments, the City Hall move, Eastern's demolition, double LHC buildings, and the new Public Safety building are massive thorns in my side. These are things that cannot be easily corrected, the new buildings will exist for at least decades and Eastern will be gone forever with only a parking lot to and some grass to replace it. The coming years have to bring positives that outweigh those negatives to keep me invested in this city, even if everything from my development rundown list happens as planned I feel like that might bring my sentiment back to lukewarm at best.
I also couldn't agree more with @sabatoa 's sentiment that not enough people here care. The ignorance spouted on Facebook and Reddit regarding Eastern was telling. Look at the pushback on meaningful change in the form based code, particularly in neighborhoods like those on the east side that need fundamental change. The disparate pieces of Lansing Township that scar the east side that have been allowed to persist in limbo. MSU's lack of engagement with the city. These things would non or lesser issues with better leadership and more productive community engagement.
I feel like so much of what's given Lansing hope in the past few decades is the result of the Hollister administration. He's been out of office for over 20 years and his waning influence I think can be felt. Amazing what a difference one unique person can make.
Yeah, it's been pretty quiet on all fronts lately. Site work on both LHC projects is progressing pretty quickly. Still no signs of life at City Hall, Ovation or any of the New Vision projects.
BZA is the second Thursday of each month so yesterday. They merely asked to postpone their March application so they could add more renderings and supporters. The reduced the height to 67' and there is a condition they will be planting a ton of street/landscape trees.
Great to hear that the powers-that-be aren't going to go the obstructionist route on this one. I believe that a project like this will be a clear net benefit to the city and the southside's business community while being, at the very worst, a net neutral for the surrounding residential areas. Especially given the likely alternative for the site would have been a bit metal pole barn more or less.
Hopefully the city plans on finishing what they started with the sidewalk construction along Miller.
I mention sidewalks on Miller not necessarily for this sports development (though that lot is lacking sidewalks), but because last year (or the previous year??) the city added built a lot of sidewalk along Miller where there previously was none but they stopped at Scotmar, I assume/am hoping that the city is aware that they have yet to complete the sidewalk from where they stopped to the new neighborhood going up there. It'll be a less than 1000' gap if they don't complete it.
I cannot really remember if the Sears Store was flooded even during the big floods. I would think that he could just build on top of a berm like across the street or even build on top of a parking structure like the Red Cedar project was originally planned. Is Pat building something new or just renovating?
It sounds like we're still maybe a year or so away from maps taking effect. One thing I did find promising was a quote from Gillespie saying that he's considering mixed-use-hospitality buildings on part of the site now:
"Some of the other calls coming in are regarding hospitality and other mixed-use buildings that we could put towards the north of the site. We might tear down some of the building to do that."
A 40 unit four-floor building would be a very pleasant surprise. That being said the plans in the building permits would seem likely to be what's actually happening, especially considering that was the original plan. I guess we'll see.
I noticed the building at Kalamazoo and Pennsylvania [ a long-time eye sore] has been renovated at least on the outside with the sort of common steel and rock faced brick style of facade you see these days. I think there were four front doors so maybe it will be leased for small businesses or professional offices rather than a pot shop.
I took a little drive around on the terrible streets like Pennsylvania and Kalamazoo, Baker Street and Mt Hope Barnes Ave Moores River Drive [checking out the pool] and of course E Michigan by Frandor. Geeze are they ever going to do anything to improve these streets? I went that way to check out the new downtown construction sites for myself and was relieved to see workers and machinery on the sites. It is hopeful to see these projects starting despite the current crazy times.
Comments
A rant about City Hall/the state of the city in general.....
I can't get over how stupid the new City Hall is. I don't know if Schor is trolling because his and Boji's Masonic Hall deal got shot down or if it's just all simply a ploy to make the developer (Boji) more profit. It truly is low-effort garbage. Reflective of the kind of vision and taste that went in to the Reutter Park Christmas market and ice rink, or the new City Market.
I've been closely following development in Lansing for a long time, at least since I was a teenager in the early 2000's. Despite the slow-bordering-on-glacial pace of development in the city for much/most of that time I rarely if ever felt we took significant steps backwards. Now, despite the prospect of more investment and construction downtown over the next five or so years than there has been in the past couple decades, I feel more uneasy about the city's future than ever. Even the potential crown jewel of this coming boom, Tower on Grand, comes with significant caveats like the inclusion of a large parking garage with no street-level commercial that will also make the street a tunnel, along with its relatively bland final design. And while it's great to finally have something to show for years of efforts towards a performing arts center and what's slated to be built will be nice for what it is, it will ultimately be a giant nightclub, not a performing arts center. The metro area's economic outlook isn't bad but fumbling the Eagle Megasite and therefore likely losing out on the prospect of a chip fab facility is a massive, MASSIVE failure at a time of unique opportunity.
Obviously from all my previous comments, the City Hall move, Eastern's demolition, double LHC buildings, and the new Public Safety building are massive thorns in my side. These are things that cannot be easily corrected, the new buildings will exist for at least decades and Eastern will be gone forever with only a parking lot to and some grass to replace it. The coming years have to bring positives that outweigh those negatives to keep me invested in this city, even if everything from my development rundown list happens as planned I feel like that might bring my sentiment back to lukewarm at best.
I also couldn't agree more with @sabatoa 's sentiment that not enough people here care. The ignorance spouted on Facebook and Reddit regarding Eastern was telling. Look at the pushback on meaningful change in the form based code, particularly in neighborhoods like those on the east side that need fundamental change. The disparate pieces of Lansing Township that scar the east side that have been allowed to persist in limbo. MSU's lack of engagement with the city. These things would non or lesser issues with better leadership and more productive community engagement.
I feel like so much of what's given Lansing hope in the past few decades is the result of the Hollister administration. He's been out of office for over 20 years and his waning influence I think can be felt. Amazing what a difference one unique person can make.
Hopefully the city plans on finishing what they started with the sidewalk construction along Miller.
I took a little drive around on the terrible streets like Pennsylvania and Kalamazoo, Baker Street and Mt Hope Barnes Ave Moores River Drive [checking out the pool] and of course E Michigan by Frandor. Geeze are they ever going to do anything to improve these streets? I went that way to check out the new downtown construction sites for myself and was relieved to see workers and machinery on the sites. It is hopeful to see these projects starting despite the current crazy times.