Two legislators are making a last-minute attempt to scuttle plans for a new Michigan State Police headquarters in downtown Lansing.
State Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, and state Sen. Cameron Brown, R-Sturgis, plan to introduce legislation today to block the state from spending any money on the $45 million building, which the state would lease from two private developers.
Developers Joel Ferguson and Gary Granger plan to build the headquarters on a riverfront "triangle" property at Grand Avenue and Kalamazoo Street.
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"I feel this is a tremendous boondoggle," Jones said. "I have been contacted by over 200 State Police officers, both active and retired, that say this is the absolute worst place to put a headquarters."
State officials have said the building is needed to replace the State Police's aging facility in East Lansing, which is leased from Michigan State University for $1 a year.
Read more on this story in Tuesday's Lansing State Journal.
Contact Jeremy W. Steele at 377-1015 or jwsteele@lsj.com.
I'm still torn on whether or not I want to see this built. On one hand I want to see $45 million invested downtown, I want to see the extra 500 workers, I want this parking lot developed. However, this project will still leave a lot of surface parking, even on the river, and even without surface parking I'd rather not see more offices on the river, and I really think this lot should be intersected by a new street and multiple buildings constructed over time.
There is now equipment on site. There is a Clark Construction trailer and a piece of a crane. Theres also holes in the parking lot that look like they were drilling.
I really do wish they would stop this project already... its the wrong project for that location! The state has plenty of land west of the capital. Its a sharp looking building (for government), but build it over near the hall of justice. The site along the Grand would be better if it were mixed-use w/ residential!
yeah.. yeah... i know, I know... but i can see lansing kickin' itself in the near future that they let this development go forward... such is life i guess.
(PS- having worked in the capital complex, probably the last thing that side of town needs is even more government buildings...)
LMich, I completely agree with you on the location. It just makes sense to keep the state offices in the area that was created for that purpose. I was being semi-sarcastic with my comment. Having worked there it always seemed like you needed to round the capital just to see anything other than a government office. (it's a walk that is nice in the summer, but a long trek during the cold winter months…)
There was a site plan for the MSP HQ included in this weeks City Council packet. Also, Lmich, the address will be 333 S Grand if you can fix that in Emporis.
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[ From LSJ.com ]
2 lawmakers want to block State Police project
Jeremy W. Steele
Lansing State Journal
Two legislators are making a last-minute attempt to scuttle plans for a new Michigan State Police headquarters in downtown Lansing.
State Rep. Rick Jones, R-Grand Ledge, and state Sen. Cameron Brown, R-Sturgis, plan to introduce legislation today to block the state from spending any money on the $45 million building, which the state would lease from two private developers.
Developers Joel Ferguson and Gary Granger plan to build the headquarters on a riverfront "triangle" property at Grand Avenue and Kalamazoo Street.
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"I feel this is a tremendous boondoggle," Jones said. "I have been contacted by over 200 State Police officers, both active and retired, that say this is the absolute worst place to put a headquarters."
State officials have said the building is needed to replace the State Police's aging facility in East Lansing, which is leased from Michigan State University for $1 a year.
Read more on this story in Tuesday's Lansing State Journal.
Contact Jeremy W. Steele at 377-1015 or jwsteele@lsj.com.
*end rant*
(PS- having worked in the capital complex, probably the last thing that side of town needs is even more government buildings...)
A view of the site: