I don't really care for hoe they're trying to break up the buildings so much. It looks too busy and too forced. This doesn't need to read as so many distinct storefronts. At least it will be an improvement over what was there, assuming they can fill the storefronts. They seem to struggle with that.
I couldn't disagree more. The buildings are currently ~20ft wide individual storefronts and it appears that same trait will remain after the renovation, at least externally. I like most of the storefronts staying essentially the same, I like that he's modernizing the newly built Rescue Mission storefront and I can live with the modernization of the more basic old storefront at the west end. While not incredibly exciting, I think this is exactly the right thing for that block (short of 6 individual owners each doing a tasteful, quality renovation in a timely manner). If they properly engage the alley space it could actually end up a pretty special thing, greater than the sum of its parts.
We will have to agree to disagree in some aspects lol.
I think my problem is that it's one developer for all of them. It feels forced. Had this been developed appropriately over the years, I think I'd be okay with more independent elevations.
I'm not sure how much that alley can or should be engaged, but I'll be curious to see how that goes. Alleys are by design a back of house function...
We will see. Gillespie also just automatically puts me in a negative mood so this could be my pessimism again. We deserve better.
The bigger question though, do we think they can actually manage to get the ground floor leased? That's a lot of sudden commercial space that's become available, especially with Bobcat Bonnie's now available (I'm assuming). Lots of commercial vacancy if this moves forward. Rum Runners has sat empty ever since. I think this block is going to have some trouble. I want to be wrong with this, but we really struggle with commercial tenants from Washington Sq. to Michigan Ave.
Agreeing to disagree I can do. Gillespie has given plenty of reason to be pessimistic but imo he's been trending in a positive direction, perhaps because of the divisiveness of his multicolor buildings. I will agree that years of independent renovations by caring owners would be wonderful, but it's not what we got here. I'm just happy the block isn't being demoed or disfigured.
I don't think commercial tenants will be that much of a problem on that part of Michigan with the Mission gone, the ballpark should ensure there's demand (Rum Runners is a private residence upstairs, they have no interest in leasing the downstairs asfaik). The biggest risk is that Gillespie will be overly-selective with tenants and/or price too high. At $8 million to renovate a building of that size he'll probably be asking top of the market rents.
EDIT:
On another note, the two townhouse projects on S Pennsylvania by the Ingham County Land Bank are now underway. One is in the 400 block and the other in the 500 block, both on the east side of the street. Does anyone here know more about them? I saw the sites mentioned in an article from almost two years ago but can't easily find anything else.
Yeah, I don't have any complaint with the old City Rescue Mission renovation outside of the fact that I'm not a fan of Gillespie. Aesthetically, that is an unambiguous upgrade. It's also going to help Capital City Market across the street which I frequest, which has unfortunately become an open-air camping space along Michigan. There hasn't been any actual crime increase because of it, which is a good and important thing, but it really made the front entrance pretty uninviting for people who may not know the area. The Kalamazoo location will allow residents more room to do that if tha Mission wants to allow it. Speaking of which, they finally did tear down the old house at the southwest corner of Kzoo and Walnut for that retention basin, I guess.
Interesting. Had not remembered hearing about this, and I guess I haven't been down that way since they started construction because I do not recall seeing any construction. But, apparently, the city website is showing 4 units are going up on the 400 block, and 4 units going up on the 500 block. I suspect this will be the same design as Genesee Pointe that they built on MLK last year, and the Pointe West Condos the year before. Lots of decent little infill going on around town; I'm glad the land bank switched to this kind of development. It was a long time coming.
Yeah, I didn't want to mention the house on Walnut as I'm trying to not be too negative and there's not much to be nice about on this. It just goes to show how far this city has to go if saving a house like that isn't economically viable nor is there public or political or philanthropic interest in preventing such demolitions. A retention pond downtown is kinda dumb in general, on a semi-prominent downtown corner is outright idiotic and is salt on the wound. This is why I'm still nervous about the future here.
They're just doing site work for the townhomes on Penn, they had stuff on site and a sign up a week or two ago. The kinds of townhomes I've already seen built certainly don't excite me, but that stretch of Pennsylvania is rough, they will be a welcome improvement.
It is a shame that they felt they had tear that old house down. It seems to me they could have been several ways to repropose such a large house. A home-like shelter for single women with children comes to mind. Too late for regrets on this one. It is not negative to say the truth about a lot of projects that lack imagination, or the let's cut down all the trees first, or we have lots of old houses who is going to miss this one attitude that often is here, at least in my experience. The thing that seems to have changed recently is there are now stories and plans and projects that come from the other side of the coin, some very cool projects recently finished and more to come. I think these days negativity fear and anger fill most days so it seems like bad things are the only things that can happen, the of course they are building a half-ass building thing, so it really is a good thing to look for the brighter outcome. It has helped brighten my mood lately helping turn my attention from the new crazy of the day is to take a tour of all the new building sites where so many projects are underway, I am a born and raised "Lansing boy" these new projects give me a sense of pride, and a feeling of relaxation and relief [it is finally happening], and the best part the hope for the brighter Lansing story! [sorry I was sick in bed for four days with too long to think about that kind of stuff!:}
I'm personally not a fan of the Mission's goals in general. They don't care so much as helping the homeless as they do "helping them find God" above all. The director has been quoted saying pretty much that in more than one article. If they're going to be a shelter, they need to help that community...not force their religion on them. Needless to say I was very much against this move for them. We need shelters, we don't need shelters with ulterior motives.
I know some of those views may be unpopular, but as a member of the LGBTQ community I feel something has to be said about the Missions "mission". They are a disservice to the LGBTQ community.
That said, I agree with the Meijer down there. I'm there several times a week, as it's very convenient for me and have noticed the same problems. It is a shame that the crowd around it makes it unwelcoming. I generally come in the back, but even there the loitering and the disgusting bottle return and abandoned carts of non returnable bottles are an eye sore. I constantly see employees out there cleaning up, so I don't blame them. Even shopping inside there sometimes can be unpleasant. I'm surprised that there hasn't been a crime increase, as I see regular, blatant theft out of the main doors. I've thought about it, and I don't think the crowd will change much at the Meijer. It's still and open place they can go and hang out at during the day with bathrooms. I think we will just start seeing more homeless en route from W Kalamazoo to E Michigan.
Hopefully that gets my negatives out on this one. I swear I'm not always as pessimistic as I have been lately on here lol. Thanks for everyone's patience. It's something I like on here though; we can generally have open discussions with all the good and bad lol.
Comments
I think my problem is that it's one developer for all of them. It feels forced. Had this been developed appropriately over the years, I think I'd be okay with more independent elevations.
I'm not sure how much that alley can or should be engaged, but I'll be curious to see how that goes. Alleys are by design a back of house function...
We will see. Gillespie also just automatically puts me in a negative mood so this could be my pessimism again. We deserve better.
The bigger question though, do we think they can actually manage to get the ground floor leased? That's a lot of sudden commercial space that's become available, especially with Bobcat Bonnie's now available (I'm assuming). Lots of commercial vacancy if this moves forward. Rum Runners has sat empty ever since. I think this block is going to have some trouble. I want to be wrong with this, but we really struggle with commercial tenants from Washington Sq. to Michigan Ave.
I don't think commercial tenants will be that much of a problem on that part of Michigan with the Mission gone, the ballpark should ensure there's demand (Rum Runners is a private residence upstairs, they have no interest in leasing the downstairs asfaik). The biggest risk is that Gillespie will be overly-selective with tenants and/or price too high. At $8 million to renovate a building of that size he'll probably be asking top of the market rents.
EDIT:
On another note, the two townhouse projects on S Pennsylvania by the Ingham County Land Bank are now underway. One is in the 400 block and the other in the 500 block, both on the east side of the street. Does anyone here know more about them? I saw the sites mentioned in an article from almost two years ago but can't easily find anything else.
Interesting. Had not remembered hearing about this, and I guess I haven't been down that way since they started construction because I do not recall seeing any construction. But, apparently, the city website is showing 4 units are going up on the 400 block, and 4 units going up on the 500 block. I suspect this will be the same design as Genesee Pointe that they built on MLK last year, and the Pointe West Condos the year before. Lots of decent little infill going on around town; I'm glad the land bank switched to this kind of development. It was a long time coming.
They're just doing site work for the townhomes on Penn, they had stuff on site and a sign up a week or two ago. The kinds of townhomes I've already seen built certainly don't excite me, but that stretch of Pennsylvania is rough, they will be a welcome improvement.
I know some of those views may be unpopular, but as a member of the LGBTQ community I feel something has to be said about the Missions "mission". They are a disservice to the LGBTQ community.
That said, I agree with the Meijer down there. I'm there several times a week, as it's very convenient for me and have noticed the same problems. It is a shame that the crowd around it makes it unwelcoming. I generally come in the back, but even there the loitering and the disgusting bottle return and abandoned carts of non returnable bottles are an eye sore. I constantly see employees out there cleaning up, so I don't blame them. Even shopping inside there sometimes can be unpleasant. I'm surprised that there hasn't been a crime increase, as I see regular, blatant theft out of the main doors. I've thought about it, and I don't think the crowd will change much at the Meijer. It's still and open place they can go and hang out at during the day with bathrooms. I think we will just start seeing more homeless en route from W Kalamazoo to E Michigan.
Hopefully that gets my negatives out on this one. I swear I'm not always as pessimistic as I have been lately on here lol. Thanks for everyone's patience. It's something I like on here though; we can generally have open discussions with all the good and bad lol.