Just read that Tripper's in Frandor closed it's doors after 27 years. I haven't been there in years, often times would drive right by it. Quite a large space in Frandor to become available, I wonder what will replace it??? Also see that Blaze Pizza is opening later this year in the former video-to-go storefront.
Just FYI, dropped in the Frandor Sears today and, as happens about half the time, had an experience that reminds me of why I shop on Amazon - but while there I asked the cashier about a rumor that they were closing for the summer. He said "oh no, I don't know who started that. You know this is one of the most profitable Sears stores out there, if we go out, Sears is going out of business." I said that sometimes seems like a possibility and he said "you know what I think will save us - Sears is the second online retailer, after Amazon". Anyway there you go. The foot traffic I see + customer experiences I have + low online ratings that testify to that customer experience always has me wondering, when these lists of closing Sears stores comes up, if the Frandor store will be on it. There is a least one cashier who doesn't think so.
Have just very often had issues, and see other people have issues, with checkout, resulting from technology breakdowns (like frozen tablets) and cashiers who didn't seem to know how to use their own technology. Long lines are pretty common too - today it was actually an issue with a cash register ringing up what I thought was the wrong price for an item, cashier went back to check the price, he couldn't figure out what the right price was and just gave me what I said (so checkout took a long time). No store is perfect but problems seem to happen a lot here, as online reviews also will attest.
I use to go to Sears in Hyannis a lot. and there it was a nice mall store that they have remodeled twice in the last tens years. Here at Frandor I find Sears feels like you are in a basement. The surrounding parking lot is very desolate, and the when ever remodel where they painted over the original brick and sandstone facade with cheap blue and white paint seems almost criminal. I think it's good to have a Sears in Lansing their store brands are a great value, but they need to fix the mistakes of the past and fully staff a well trained staff. I do not know what wages they offer, perhaps this is the cause for the poor staffing.
Red Cedar Renaissance and other city developments may be in jeopardy, half the council is prepared to halt developments until the federal housing discrimination complaint is no longer pending.
First, I don't think council should feel compelled to grant all developments subsidies such as payment-in-lieu-of-taxes. However, the reasons stated by the City Council as to why they did not grant the subsidy does sound very discriminatory, so I understand the reasoning behind the HUD complaint.
Second, it seems these council members have gotten legal advice telling them basically not to approve any other projects or people will think that they approve subsidies for market-rate housing but not affordable housing. I am not a lawyer, but I don't think it is right or fair for these council members to basically hold up all housing developments in the city over this.
On a side note, does anybody know what developments that Gillespie was referring to?
I agree, it's unfortunate to hear that the development is likely delayed and that the mayor and city council are at odds again (i.e. more so than typical). It seems like the longer some projects drag on, the less likely they are to occur, then quietly die (Capitol Club Tower, perhaps Kewadin Casino, etc).
Below is a link to the article (longer version). Apologies if the previous link contained this, I couldn't see it all. City Pulse
Comments
http://lansingcitypulse.com/article-13229-Tripper%E2%80%99s-closes.html
These look nice, anyone notice them? Up North-style cottages built on Eastside
Red Cedar Renaissance and other city developments may be in jeopardy, half the council is prepared to halt developments until the federal housing discrimination complaint is no longer pending.
First, I don't think council should feel compelled to grant all developments subsidies such as payment-in-lieu-of-taxes. However, the reasons stated by the City Council as to why they did not grant the subsidy does sound very discriminatory, so I understand the reasoning behind the HUD complaint.
Second, it seems these council members have gotten legal advice telling them basically not to approve any other projects or people will think that they approve subsidies for market-rate housing but not affordable housing. I am not a lawyer, but I don't think it is right or fair for these council members to basically hold up all housing developments in the city over this.
On a side note, does anybody know what developments that Gillespie was referring to?
Below is a link to the article (longer version). Apologies if the previous link contained this, I couldn't see it all.
City Pulse