Something I missed from the December 11th Zoning Appeals meeting... McDonald's is (was) proposing to build a restaurant at 809 E Michigan, the site of Jon Anthony Florists. They actually proposed having the back of the building face Michigan Ave with the drive thru running along the sidewalk frontage. I don't see minutes posted but the report in the agenda packet is not kind to the request:
Based on the information and findings described in this report, the staff recommendation is to deny
the variance requests to Sections 1243.06.02 (a), & (b), 1246.04.03(e), and 1254.01.03 (c), and
Table 1243.03 of the Zoning Ordinance to permit the construction of a McDonalds restaurant with
drive-through at 809 E. Michigan Avenue that would be less than the required two stories and 25
feet in height, would not occupy the first 20 feet of the site along E. Michigan Avenue (corner
massing) or be located at the required 5 foot build-to line, does not have a front entrance to the
building facing the main street frontage (E. Michigan Avenue), would have a driveway onto a local
street (N. Hosmer Street) and would exceed the number of permitted parking by 1 space
Good job zoning staff.
I'm all for a McDonald's here if we don't have to take a sledgehammer to the form-based code, particularly when it comes to Michigan Ave frontage. I wonder if they'll come back with a more reasonable design or go looking for another site? I don't know if they'd go two floors here but Sparrow is just about next door, there's a good bar crowd at night, Neogen & MSHDA employees right next door, the ballpark isn't too far... Maybe it's within the realm of possibility.
I would be against their proposed design, which sounds like it should be next to a freeway exit. I wonder if they could rehab the house that is behind the storefront. I have seen McDonalds in urban settings that fit into the neighborhood with nicer dining areas in front with a less fast-food looking facade. I think the two story McD's in EL is the only two story one in Michigan. I could be wrong about that. Also, I would not mind a better fast-food restaurant at that location, maybe something locally owned. There are so many vacant spots on Michigan Ave just to the east that might be a better place for McDonalds if we have to have one downtown. If they came up with a design that fits the codes, I could support a McDonalds, there near the entertainment district.
Over on Kalamazoo and Grand the northern larger apartment building [ I forget the name]is being clade with stone faced bricks and clapboards which look good. It is a relief that they are building a more attractive building than was illustrated. City Hall which is has more substantial infrastructure is being closed in with outer insulation which makes the building look larger.
There is a new building going up in the Frandor area on N Homer and E Saginaw at the former site of a service station. It is a lager two- or three-story building so I would guess it is not a fast-food restaurant, there was a sign with an attorney's name on the fence, but I did not see if it is going to be a law office. Building a new office building when there is such a lot of empty office space available is interesting. Down the street I checked out the Shake Shack in the old Rite-Aid building and the food was really good, [cooked to order so it takes a while] and the space itself was also nice with real wood tables and chairs. That business will be joined by a Wing's Stop, a battery store and a smoothie shop because you know there are just not enough places to get a burger, wings and a smoothie in that neighborhood.
I've tried to find out more information as to what is going at the corner of N Homer and E Saginaw and nothing turned up about a month ago. It's Lansing Township so that makes getting info even more difficult from their meeting notes, and no permit information was showing up when I looked it up on the assessors website. With the ads for lawyers plastered on the chainlink fencing it does seem to me that it may be for legal services. Weird spot for that but that's all I can guess on it at this point unless someone else is better at digging for this stuff.
Lansing Township's site is absolutely horrible, they do not want public input on this stuff. The fact that the empty Rite Aid was remodeled so quick and this old gas station property is getting a multi floor building is a great sign for the continued to success and desirability of the Frandor area though. Not that that's a surprise, but it's good to see evidence of it in the form of brick, steel and wood going up.
I'd guess the law office may be upstairs and they may lease out the ground floor for retail, we'll see soon enough.
Comments
Good job zoning staff.
I'm all for a McDonald's here if we don't have to take a sledgehammer to the form-based code, particularly when it comes to Michigan Ave frontage. I wonder if they'll come back with a more reasonable design or go looking for another site? I don't know if they'd go two floors here but Sparrow is just about next door, there's a good bar crowd at night, Neogen & MSHDA employees right next door, the ballpark isn't too far... Maybe it's within the realm of possibility.
I'd guess the law office may be upstairs and they may lease out the ground floor for retail, we'll see soon enough.