Its actually north of Museum drive, there is a little corner of the park that it will sit on, between Museum and the parking lot of the current variation of the market... if you look at an aerial you can see the "sun bowl" or the round brick area, the City market would sit just east of that. Right now, it slopes pretty heavily to the river, which is why the retaining wall shown in the b&w rendering is necessary. The sun bowl would be retained as a seating, event, dining, and market vendor area.
The site view would need to be flipped 90 degrees to the left to be oriented with the top facing north (in other words, the top is facing west right now). The path that wraps around the market will be normally closed to car traffic, its designed to be an integrated part of the river trail. On market days, however, the parking would be for handicap access and for vendors, including vendors who simply want to sell out the back of a pickup... the main idea is that it would be mostly closed off so people can walk around the path on market days and not be fighting with cars. The boxes lining the path would actually be little "huts" for seasonal vendors to set up shop on market days. Because some vendors can function better out of doors than in that allowed the building to use less square footage than what is in the current variation of the market, albeit laid out much much more efficiently.
What really excites me about this plan is that right now I only go to the market if I'm looking for something specific... i would never go there just to hang out, sit by the river, listen to live music (if they had any), people watch, and such... but this new place... I would happily do all of those things... and probably end up spending twice as much money as I normally do.
The Lansing Planning Board unanimously (6-0) voted in support of selling the City Market to Gillespie. Hopefully the City Council will vote for it as well.
Also, has anyone noticed that it looks like Gillespie has aquired all the property for Ballpark North except the old house and the City's Garage? Everything else appears to be vacant now.
That's pretty good that he's acquired all that property. I don't think it would be bad if he left the Dyslexia Institute. It's extremely well kept and will provide some character if they are able to incorporate it into the design. The city garage will probably be an easy transfer since the City is pushing for the development.
I don't think the development would feel complete if the Dyslexia Institute stayed, and I don't think Gillespie will leave it there, given a choice. I definately don't want to see that house tore down, either. I really wish they would move it somewhere nearby.
I know in a couple of circles he's mentioned retaining it as an italian restaurant or some other specialty use. I like the idea of "greening" the area by getting rid of the asphalt surrounding the building and covering it with grass, then using parking in the middle of the ball park north area.
Of course, that whole side of the development is moot if council doesn't first pass the Market Place development.
That site plan is actually out of date, the stuff down by the river is gone and has been replaced by a bi-pass lane so people can get around the market-lane of the rivertrail if they don't want to be slowed down by market patrons while they're shopping. (the current site plan still shows the dumpster/recycling in the same place but sources tell me that too will be going elsewhere)
the building has also grown to a nice, rectangular 13,200 sq ft, the current market is 16,000 awkward H shaped square feet
the "vendor parking" has actually been turned into patron parking, there will be some sort of gate to prevent automotive traffic from continuing down and around on the river trail (the arrows have been removed from the latest site plan to make this a little more clear)
You have to also remember the audience that the posted site plan was drawn for... Vendors. The concern was if the vendors could get access to the site and then easily get back off for staging, so the arrows kind of make the rivertrail look like a road, but the intention is and always has been that 99.9% of the time that path serves as a part of the rivertrail... because vendors actually asked that part of the rivertrail integrate into the City Market operations.
Also, not sure if this is worth mentioning here, but look at what the 1999 comprehensive plan for downtown suggests for the future of the City Market:
“This site has great potential for many different uses that would contribute to the Commerce Center due to its visibility, central location on the river, and proximity to the stadium and Lansing Center. The site design should respond directly to the river and surrounding attractions. The site could be renovated and expanded as a full service farmers market with cafes and seasonal retail. Hours of operation should be adjusted to improve the market’s availability to the shopping public. A sophisticated pedestrian promenade and plaza should be created in association with this expansion and should be developed in coordination with other riverfront improvements”
That last line sticks out to me the most. The City seems to be doing everything the master plan suggested, and even on the issue of visibility they have some pretty sweet plans for new signage that will direct people to the market (and tell them when the market is open)
Comments
The site view would need to be flipped 90 degrees to the left to be oriented with the top facing north (in other words, the top is facing west right now). The path that wraps around the market will be normally closed to car traffic, its designed to be an integrated part of the river trail. On market days, however, the parking would be for handicap access and for vendors, including vendors who simply want to sell out the back of a pickup... the main idea is that it would be mostly closed off so people can walk around the path on market days and not be fighting with cars. The boxes lining the path would actually be little "huts" for seasonal vendors to set up shop on market days. Because some vendors can function better out of doors than in that allowed the building to use less square footage than what is in the current variation of the market, albeit laid out much much more efficiently.
What really excites me about this plan is that right now I only go to the market if I'm looking for something specific... i would never go there just to hang out, sit by the river, listen to live music (if they had any), people watch, and such... but this new place... I would happily do all of those things... and probably end up spending twice as much money as I normally do.
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080723/NEWS01/807230348
Of course, that whole side of the development is moot if council doesn't first pass the Market Place development.
the building has also grown to a nice, rectangular 13,200 sq ft, the current market is 16,000 awkward H shaped square feet
the "vendor parking" has actually been turned into patron parking, there will be some sort of gate to prevent automotive traffic from continuing down and around on the river trail (the arrows have been removed from the latest site plan to make this a little more clear)
Also, not sure if this is worth mentioning here, but look at what the 1999 comprehensive plan for downtown suggests for the future of the City Market:
“This site has great potential for many different uses that would contribute to the Commerce Center due to its visibility, central location on the river, and proximity to the stadium and Lansing Center. The site design should respond directly to the river and surrounding attractions. The site could be renovated and expanded as a full service farmers market with cafes and seasonal retail. Hours of operation should be adjusted to improve the market’s availability to the shopping public. A sophisticated pedestrian promenade and plaza should be created in association with this expansion and should be developed in coordination with other riverfront improvements”
That last line sticks out to me the most. The City seems to be doing everything the master plan suggested, and even on the issue of visibility they have some pretty sweet plans for new signage that will direct people to the market (and tell them when the market is open)