Gillespie doesn't do this for convenience, he does it because he simply doesn't build parking garages with his projects. It's a money thing. Every one of his projects downtown is served by surface lots. When he did Stadium District he was trying to get - or the city had looked into - a two or three story garage on the city lot perpendicular to the property; it was even in the original concepts.
This is just getting to be an incredibly inefficient use of prime downtown land. It's less apparent from the street for some of these properties, but is clearly visible from the air. Yes, even just two levels of parking on these sites would be a huge deal and leave more room for other development on these blocks.
Aside from Gillespie's projects, yeah I agree a two story deck that connects to the building on both floors would probably make most people happy and comfortable enough as compared to a surface lot.
At the Atlantic Terminal in Brookyn, the Target store is two stories and there are escalators to go between each floor. A separate escalator next to the human one grabs a hold of your cart and brings it along side of you.
I don't think there have been any new renderings released. There was an editorial from the weekend, but that included all the renderings we've already seen, right?
To me, it looks like they took a picture in Grand Rapids and photo-shopped it to look slightly different just for the news conference, so maybe we can look forward to something better!
The Lansing City Pulse's article on the history of acquiring the land says that owner of Liskey's decided not to sell their garage. They did, however, sell properties they owned along Barnard and Larch to GG. All told, GG spent $1.9 million acquiring 18 seperate parcels. Oh, and we find out that there will be about 300 surface parking spaces to put a number on it.
The problem with all of this is that it seems to conflict with actual city records, but the city records aren't even clear with owners showing on the drop-downs that don't match up with the owner listed on the parcels actual page. For instance, when you click on 119 South Larch it says CARPENTER EDWARD C, the owner of Liskeys. When you actually go to the page you see, however, a sell to 600 E Michigan - Lansing, LLC, the GG shell company for the project, at the bottom of the page where it shows property sales, even though Carpenter is still listed as the owner and taxpayer at the top of the. Same thing for the properties along Larch and Barnard that he owned. Maybe it just all needs to update.
All of this is to say that the city website parcel pages are showing that GG has, in fact, acquired the entire block.
LANSING — All signs point to new life at what was once Clara's Lansing Station.
In late August, Gillespie Group announced plans for a grocery store and a hotel on the 600 block of East Michigan Avenue, part of a larger mixed-use development slated to open by the end of 2020.
Gillespie Group also owns the now-vacant Clara's Lansing Station, which is across the street.
President Pat Gillespie said redevelopment work on that site will likely start before the hotel and market are up and running.
While Gillespie Group hasn't released specific plans for the former train station, Gillespie said he envisions a bar and restaurant with an entertainment component for the space.
Comments
Gillespie doesn't do this for convenience, he does it because he simply doesn't build parking garages with his projects. It's a money thing. Every one of his projects downtown is served by surface lots. When he did Stadium District he was trying to get - or the city had looked into - a two or three story garage on the city lot perpendicular to the property; it was even in the original concepts.
This is just getting to be an incredibly inefficient use of prime downtown land. It's less apparent from the street for some of these properties, but is clearly visible from the air. Yes, even just two levels of parking on these sites would be a huge deal and leave more room for other development on these blocks.
Aside from Gillespie's projects, yeah I agree a two story deck that connects to the building on both floors would probably make most people happy and comfortable enough as compared to a surface lot.
In San Fransico, there are supermarkets with the parking deck on the roof, they often have a facade that hides the parking area. It works pretty well.
At the Atlantic Terminal in Brookyn, the Target store is two stories and there are escalators to go between each floor. A separate escalator next to the human one grabs a hold of your cart and brings it along side of you.
That sounds cool, too cool for Pat G. I'm sure!
More drawings on the LSJ.com site today. They are OK but a little flash in the design would really make me happy.
I don't think there have been any new renderings released. There was an editorial from the weekend, but that included all the renderings we've already seen, right?
To me, it looks like they took a picture in Grand Rapids and photo-shopped it to look slightly different just for the news conference, so maybe we can look forward to something better!
The Lansing City Pulse's article on the history of acquiring the land says that owner of Liskey's decided not to sell their garage. They did, however, sell properties they owned along Barnard and Larch to GG. All told, GG spent $1.9 million acquiring 18 seperate parcels. Oh, and we find out that there will be about 300 surface parking spaces to put a number on it.
The problem with all of this is that it seems to conflict with actual city records, but the city records aren't even clear with owners showing on the drop-downs that don't match up with the owner listed on the parcels actual page. For instance, when you click on 119 South Larch it says CARPENTER EDWARD C, the owner of Liskeys. When you actually go to the page you see, however, a sell to 600 E Michigan - Lansing, LLC, the GG shell company for the project, at the bottom of the page where it shows property sales, even though Carpenter is still listed as the owner and taxpayer at the top of the. Same thing for the properties along Larch and Barnard that he owned. Maybe it just all needs to update.
All of this is to say that the city website parcel pages are showing that GG has, in fact, acquired the entire block.
Big news, this development could include the redevelopment of the old Union Station across the street:
Clara's building redevelopment will likely go hand in hand with downtown market plans