$11M Outfield apartments to be open by summer 2016
LANSING – You don’t have to be a season ticket holder to get good seats to Lansing Lugnuts’ games.
By opening day in April, the top level of the $11 million Outfield apartments is expected to be completed, with 14 of 28 apartments looking toward home plate at Cooley Law School Stadium.
“You’re not going to miss anything with this view,” said developer Patrick Gillespie as he stood on one of the unfinished balconies. “When the field is full and the lights are on, it’s a cool view.”
By June, all 84 rooms will be finished on The Gillespie Group's three-story development, which is built on top of a one-story concourse that includes the stadium’s craft restaurant Good Hops and a banquet facility called The View. Half the apartments face the ballpark, with the other half overlooking the Lansing Brewing Co.
26 of the apartments are already leased. The article also mentions that during batting practice, players have goofed around and used the unfinished building as a target. lol
In other Stadium District news, Capital City Homebrew Supply is moving into the building after they were kicked off the 2000 block of Michigan by Scott's brother. Given the less-than-spectacular digs this business was in, I was kind of surprised to hear they could afford to rent at Stadium District, but the article states that the Gillespie Group is helping with moving costs, so I guess that was enough of an incentive. They've signed a five-year lease, so they'll be there awhile, too.
I've been surprised to see how slow the work is on The Outfield, I wonder what's taking so long?
The article is a little misleading, Capital City Homebrew is moving into the Stadium District area, not the actual building. It says they'll be at 623 E Michigan, which I'm thinking is the eastern half of the old 621 club.
I drove by the Outfield building yesterday and noticed the bright yellow and other colored panels that are being installed on the upper floors. The materials they are using for the facade of this building have been the topic of discussion here before and I am not sure there is much to add. I guess I could give them a point or two for boldness in the regard of color. I just don't like the colors,it sounds kind of weird but they are to me, a European color pallet, like they use for airport and train information signs and to brighten up public housing. As you go by on Larch it looks kind of maize and blue, which I really hate!
I kind of like it, though I'm sure I'm in the minority. Marketplace by itself was kind of an oddball but now that it has a counterpart it gives it more of a purpose. Maybe pretty soon we can rename the Stadium district to the Play-Doh District
I like that the Play-Doh district! I would not even mind the colors if they were done say in glazed brick, or even enameled metal panels like they have done at the Riverside Church in REOtown. There they also have ribbed metal panels that have a more pleasing machined finish, so much nicer than what they are using at the Outfield . Why so cheap?, is the last thing I will say about this building.
That's sorta the same attitude I've had all along regarding these colorful buildings. I'm not a great fan of the designs or the colors, but I'd like the buildings a lot more if they simply used better materials.
That dark blue paneling on the Outfield looks like cheap corrugated metal, I wonder how that will hold up to strikes from baseballs?
The recent article about developments to watch in Lansing mentioned that The Outfield was fully leased. Don't most commercial developments target a 80-90% occupancy rate? Seems to me that if all of the residential units are leased than the building could have been built with more capacity. It would have been nice to see an extra one or two floors on top.
Wasn't Marketplace sold out before it opened? I think this happened at Stadium District too save for the condos, originally. This has tended to be the case. I guess the developers are just being safe. Maybe this will give them more confidence to take a bit more risk. Who knows.
You know I bet it is less the developers and more the banks. Maybe they haven't seen enough evidence of demand yet to assume the risk for a bigger loan. Somewhat unfortunate that the projects with the best location are coming on so early and not getting the potential financing that might be around in 10 years.
Stadium District opened in 2008, right before the recession started. If Stadium District, with it's higher quality materials, was built then, I'm thinking much of the development nearby and since then has been because of Stadium District. The cheaper materials we're seeing being used is likely because the financing has dropped considerably but the developers are trying to stretch it as far as they can and get as many units as possible. If the economy hadn't crashed, we probably would have seen closer to 8 stories for The Outfield and another 8 stories for MarketPlace. Considering the economy in 2008 was actually inflated, both of those projects would realistically be better served at 6 stories. It's just too bad that due to the recession and fears from the banks we're looking at 4 story buildings.
This is something that I've wondered as of late. Are investors/banks really that bearish on the downtown Lansing housing market or is something else going on? I do think the banks are a significant part of the lack of developments and the low quality of the ones that do get built, but I doubt Gillespie is totally at their mercy and if he is that doesn't say much good about him as a developer. With the momentum that has been gathered I'd think that Lansing has to be getting close to the point where banks feel much more comfortable lending, when that happens we'll finally attract the dollars-and-cents type of developers as opposed to pro-Lansing/urban living type of niche developers.
It'd be great if anyone here who is involved in or knows anyone involved in commercial banking could chime in.
Comments
26 of the apartments are already leased. The article also mentions that during batting practice, players have goofed around and used the unfinished building as a target. lol
In other Stadium District news, Capital City Homebrew Supply is moving into the building after they were kicked off the 2000 block of Michigan by Scott's brother. Given the less-than-spectacular digs this business was in, I was kind of surprised to hear they could afford to rent at Stadium District, but the article states that the Gillespie Group is helping with moving costs, so I guess that was enough of an incentive. They've signed a five-year lease, so they'll be there awhile, too.
The article is a little misleading, Capital City Homebrew is moving into the Stadium District area, not the actual building. It says they'll be at 623 E Michigan, which I'm thinking is the eastern half of the old 621 club.
That dark blue paneling on the Outfield looks like cheap corrugated metal, I wonder how that will hold up to strikes from baseballs?
Stadium District opened in 2008, right before the recession started. If Stadium District, with it's higher quality materials, was built then, I'm thinking much of the development nearby and since then has been because of Stadium District. The cheaper materials we're seeing being used is likely because the financing has dropped considerably but the developers are trying to stretch it as far as they can and get as many units as possible. If the economy hadn't crashed, we probably would have seen closer to 8 stories for The Outfield and another 8 stories for MarketPlace. Considering the economy in 2008 was actually inflated, both of those projects would realistically be better served at 6 stories. It's just too bad that due to the recession and fears from the banks we're looking at 4 story buildings.
It'd be great if anyone here who is involved in or knows anyone involved in commercial banking could chime in.