Capital View (Oliver Towers redevelopment)

hoodhood
edited July 2019 in Lansing
It's official, Davenport intends on moving to the Oliver Towers site: Davenport eyes Lansing land swap

Davenport plans on building a 3 floor, 60k sq ft building on the parking lot to the north of Oliver Towers. They said that if approved, work could begin as early as this winter.
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Comments

  • hoodhood
    An article today from LSJ: Davenport proposal has support on City Council

    City Pulse article on the project: Oliver Twist

    City Pulse article on the history of Oliver Towers: The saga of Oliver Towers

    Lmich, I agree that there needs to be some new housing targeted at LCC students downtown and this site would be a great for that purpose. That being said, I doubt we'll see any housing on this site as Davenport will probably want their own parking and room for expansion. Hopefully some student housing will get built somewhere in the area though.
  • hoodhood
    Davenport vs. LCC: Both want property

    I hope this doesn't become a big issue. It's simple in my eyes: Davenport has immediate plans to build on the site and the means to do so, LCC doesn't have any immediate plans. Davenport is a private university looking to relocate, they could easily move to the suburbs, LCC can't. This is besides the fact that LCC has a fair amount of room to expand on their current land, and in my opinion would be better off expanding north and west. I hope the city either sides with Davenport or that LCC and Davenport and work this out among themselves.
  • JaredJared
    I agree that the deal with Davenport should continue. LCC can expand into their surface lots or could always expand up.
  • dj1997dj1997
    That is good news -- one small step forward for that property. I would like to see anything that brings more people living downtown. Retail on the first floor or two, 4+ stories of residential above. Something similar to the Stadium District or eventual Marketplace. That would seem like more of the same, but I often hear one of the problems with downtown Lansing is the lack of residents downtown.

    In another sense, perhaps it would be more appropriate for LCC to purchase the property and eventually redevelop. As LCC opposed Davenport acquiring the property a couple years ago.
  • mindbendermindbender
    As much sense as it might make for LCC to purchase and use the sight, that idea kind of makes me nervous. They haven't exactly been good stewards of the properties they already own downtown. Why give them another plot they might level and turn into a parking lot?

    I really think the existing structure has to come down. Any reuse would probably require such an extensive retrofit that the cost associated would make tearing it down and rebuilding more attractive.
  • dj1997dj1997
    edited October 2013
    I agree, I'd like to see more infill/density near downtown, rather than more parking lots. I saw the headline the other day and began reading the article with a lot of interest. But the article itself doesn't seem to say too much, other than mentioning LCC tabled any purchase decision until later. I would like to see any future LCC expansion (thinking academic buildings/residence halls) kept near downtown rather than out at the westside campus, etc. But as you note, sounds like it will be a long time before LCC builds anything significant on that land. Short term - parking lot. Long term - hopeful.
  • dj1997dj1997
    Thanks, what I found interesting in the article was
    Eyde officials have said in early conversations they don’t plan to tear down the building, but rather gut the interior and refurbish the outside. Eyde will have one year from the sale’s closing date to start the project or the city has the option to rescind the deal.
    IF the Towers are not demolished, I like the sense that the vertical height/density will be maintained. In other words, I don't think any new building on that site would be as tall (4-5 story mixed used development - though that would not be a bad thing either). Not sure how much work (smoke damage) the current building has? I'm assuming any redevelopment would have commercial on floors 1-2 and residential apt/condos on the upper floors?
  • hoodhood
    Yeah I'd agree. If they keep Oliver Towers, it would make for decent student housing. I just hope that they would do some major upgrades for the facade and construct a liner building a couple floors tall with first floor retail as you said.

    I forget, did LCC buy the adjacent parking lot or does the City still own it?
  • JaredJared
    edited September 2015
    Update on the Oliver Towers project. The Eydes are planning on doing a redevelopment of the building with commercial and office on the first floor and 100 apartments on the upper 7 floors.

    http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/story/news/local/2015/09/23/eyde-family-redevelop-oliver-towers/72696004/

    Current news reports are saying that they are planning "European-style" apartments (read: small), and the renovation will include a reconstruction of the building's faced. The apartments will be one-and-two bedrooms from 400 to 800 square feet. They are also considering building out the storefronts to Capitol Avenue.

    The Eydes are planning on spending $8 million on the redevelopment, and are going to request brownfield credits so there will be some delay before work can begin until the credits are awarded and the development plan gets approval from the city council.
  • JaredJared

    That's great to hear that it's moving forward! Two years since the last update on the project and the costs have raised 150%. This will be very good quality residential in-fill.

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