Wow, you know what? I'd never really thought about how much of campus had been reconfigured. For instance, looking at that map, I was really surprised, initially, to find that that a railroad spur use to go right through the middle of campus and literally next door to the stadium until I remembered about the old power plant, which was the only way to get the coal to it. There is only a tiny piece of Stadium Road, left, and it's not even near the stadium. It seems like they built Red Cedar Road just a block east to replace Stadium Road.
Good eye on the Stadium Road thing... In looking at the current map (and my recollection of campus) it has largely been replaced by sidewalk. A portion of what used to be Stadium Road still exists on the east side of the stadium but it is essentially a parking lot and not a through road.
On the old campus map, interesting also is that the WKAR-TV building used to exist essentially where present day Breslin is.
There were two public notices in the city pulse, this week, concerning some projects already mentioned here.
- 903 East Grand River (across the T-intersection from Bogue) is seeking a special use permit and site approval for its four story, 18 apartment, 1,500 square foot of office space building.
- 500 Albert Avenue (at Division) is seeking a special use permit and site approval for its five story, 13 apartment, 2,500 square feet of office space building.
Not a development, but the Lansing Area Capital Gains online magazine had a helluva shot of the redone Ann Street Plaza area in the middle of downtown East Lansing:
I can't believe how big of a difference these two developments have made not only on the skyline, but on the streetscape. Speaking of such, it'd be awesome to find some high-ground or roof north or west of downtown EL to try and capture the emerging skyline.
Some of the things that I noticed in the second rendering:
1. This building will be built on the site of the former Pretzel Bell/Oodles of Noodles building.
2. A non-descript bank that has sat vacant for many years will be torn down to make way for this building.
3. It looks like some parking will be removed to make way for a larger pedestrian plaza.
4. One of the curb cuts/approaches that is currently present is removed in this rendering.
I'm really happy about #3 and #4 as far as increasing the non-motorized transportation experience here. #1 and #2 are pretty important for the development to succeed, as the buildings are eyesores and their replacements will obviously provide the necessary financial incentive to do the rest of the project.
Probably a good idea to include the site plan blueprints as well, as they include some more details that might not be obvious at first glance. Special to note that both residential buildings will have 30-40 spaces of parking on the ground floor of each building, with a single retail tenant one one of the sides.
All in all, a pretty good plan. My only big complaint is that I would have brought the residential building on the west side of the site up to the street. I don't see why they'd want any interplay with the surface lot on the left side of the building. If anything, you'd want residents to access the building from the west lot, and keep the retail and commercial traffic in the actual plaza on the othere side. I get that that would create an entrance/exit closer to the freeway ramp, but I don't why Lansing developers don't get just how big a deal it is in killing urbanism to not bring a building up to the street. We see the same thing at Marketplace and Midtown.
EDIT: Now, I'm a bit confused. Now paying closer attention to the southside of the west building, there looks to be cars pulling into the first floor of the building? Is there a garage on the first floor, or are those just parking spaces under an overhang of the building?
The first floor of each building is majority parking (this is what I meant by "Special to note that both residential buildings will have 30-40 spaces of parking on the ground floor of each building, with a single retail tenant one one of the sides."). I was incorrect about the west building though, which won't have retail but will have a lobby and fitness center instead.
The "Proposed West Building" will have 86 parking spaces on the ground floor. The "Proposed East Building" will have 30 parking spaces on the ground floor. I agree with your sentiment about pushing the West building closer to the road, and I also don't like how they worked to join all of the parking lots from the rest of the developments together (the proposed shared access drive to Woody's parking lot to the west and the proposed shared access drive to the gas station to the east).
If this project is a success, I hope that they will build another mixed-use building on the surface parking in the northeast corner.
Comments
Trowbridge extension 1
Trowbridge extension 2
Trowbridge extension 3
They do not specifically mention the 3-way intersection that used to exist on Harrison Road just north of Trowbridge Rd.
On the old campus map, interesting also is that the WKAR-TV building used to exist essentially where present day Breslin is.
- 903 East Grand River (across the T-intersection from Bogue) is seeking a special use permit and site approval for its four story, 18 apartment, 1,500 square foot of office space building.
- 500 Albert Avenue (at Division) is seeking a special use permit and site approval for its five story, 13 apartment, 2,500 square feet of office space building.
Dave Trumpie
I can't believe how big of a difference these two developments have made not only on the skyline, but on the streetscape. Speaking of such, it'd be awesome to find some high-ground or roof north or west of downtown EL to try and capture the emerging skyline.
Some of the renderings from the proposal:
Some of the things that I noticed in the second rendering:
1. This building will be built on the site of the former Pretzel Bell/Oodles of Noodles building.
2. A non-descript bank that has sat vacant for many years will be torn down to make way for this building.
3. It looks like some parking will be removed to make way for a larger pedestrian plaza.
4. One of the curb cuts/approaches that is currently present is removed in this rendering.
I'm really happy about #3 and #4 as far as increasing the non-motorized transportation experience here. #1 and #2 are pretty important for the development to succeed, as the buildings are eyesores and their replacements will obviously provide the necessary financial incentive to do the rest of the project.
EDIT: Now, I'm a bit confused. Now paying closer attention to the southside of the west building, there looks to be cars pulling into the first floor of the building? Is there a garage on the first floor, or are those just parking spaces under an overhang of the building?
The "Proposed West Building" will have 86 parking spaces on the ground floor. The "Proposed East Building" will have 30 parking spaces on the ground floor. I agree with your sentiment about pushing the West building closer to the road, and I also don't like how they worked to join all of the parking lots from the rest of the developments together (the proposed shared access drive to Woody's parking lot to the west and the proposed shared access drive to the gas station to the east).
If this project is a success, I hope that they will build another mixed-use building on the surface parking in the northeast corner.