Frandor is kind of unique in it's location being the center of the whole urban area, and next to a major highway, I am sure that is a factor in the shopping center's success. While I do not want to see it homogenized into just another mall, there is a lot they could and apparently are going to do to make it a more attractive place. I think the plans for the parking lots is very exciting and may serve to attract people just to see the water walls and gardens. One thing I wish Gillespie would do is renovate the Sears building. Somehow rejoin it to the rest of Frandor, it just sits out there in the middle of an old parking lot, with most of the windows covered, it reminds me of being in Filene's Basement which was really in a basement.
Thank you for the info. Replay sounds like a sports bar of course. I was hoping for a nice sit down restaurant, but it is always good to see a nice old building in use. I did not know the building down the street was a Durius Moon building, he had quite an imagination, and built beautiful kind of fancy buildings. All of Old Town was the "bad" side of town for so long it was overlooked during the destructive urban renewal years. How fortunate we are for those bad old days, keeping the wrecking ball away from buildings like that one.
Someone is applying for an OPRA certificate for one of (IMO " the") nicest building in Old Town. It sounds like a fairly extensive renovation also:
The project is a property owned by Looney Moon, LLC located at 204 East Grand River
A venue is a Darius Moon building built in 1890. This three story Romanesque revival style
building is the last to be renovated in the 200 block in Old Town. The building requires a
total rehabilitation. The renovation will, to name a few, include: All new plumbing and
sewer connections, new basement floor and flooring throughout, new drywall and insulation,
new (top to bottom) back wall, new storefront, new windows, new electrical and HVAC,
new interior staircases and a new roof. The finished 6000 sq. ft. project will have office
space in the basement, commercial/ retail space on the first floor, 2 micro apartments with
mui-phy beds on the second floor and 2 two story, one-bedroom loft apartments on the third
floor and roof.
That would be cool if it was a sort retro arcade/bar. I hope that retro is part of the thyme as opposed to an adult Chucky Cheese. Out east I tended bar in a little basement bar that had pinball, ping pong, pool, a couple of bar top adult video games, even a old pac-man video game and a jukebox. People really loved it, and spent a lot of time and money down there.
The Moon building project sounds great. I have a photo of that building from 2011 when I was here for a visit, almost the whole building was vacant. Old Town has really come a long way even since '11. I have found in traveling that the "Old Town" is always the place to visit, and seems to be the place were people {humans} feel the most comfortable. Perhaps developers should consider the scale of "Old Town" architecture, and design than will create more comfortable places for people, not just some sort of architectural statement.
I think they should note that they are Tiffany "style" lamps. I would love to buy a Tiffany lamp for $150 dollars! Does entertainment venue mean a night club, or banquet type rental rooms?
More information about Replay Tavern and the old Chrome Cat building. From a reddit thread, it looks like Replay Tavern (a console-based barcade) will be where Grand River Tackle & Bait was, on the corner of Larch and Grand River. The old Chrome Cat building will also be a barcade but using arcade machines.
Well, this is disappointing but not surprising. It really brings me back to my hope that maybe they'd consider building the wall around the substation to look like a building facade, at least where it faces the streets.
Comments
Someone is applying for an OPRA certificate for one of (IMO " the") nicest building in Old Town. It sounds like a fairly extensive renovation also:
The Moon building project sounds great. I have a photo of that building from 2011 when I was here for a visit, almost the whole building was vacant. Old Town has really come a long way even since '11. I have found in traveling that the "Old Town" is always the place to visit, and seems to be the place were people {humans} feel the most comfortable. Perhaps developers should consider the scale of "Old Town" architecture, and design than will create more comfortable places for people, not just some sort of architectural statement.
Reddit thread, https://www.reddit.com/r/lansing/comments/5a9g8o/chrome_cat_happenings/