I couldn't disagree more hood. I was an undergrad here, am a grad student here, and hope to be a resident (if I can find employment in the area). The students are an integral part of the East Lansing community, and it would be an atrocity to banish them all up to the area of exile known as the "Northern Tier."
I would love to see projects like City Center II and the East Village project go through because I believe that they would help give East Lansing a city feel rather than it simply being a college town. However, I don't ever want it to entirely be rid of that college town mystique, which shoving all the students out of the downtown area would certainly lead to. I hope that the Pierce Co. really does make a concerted effort to include affordable student housing in their project, and enough units to, if not entirely make up for it, at least cut the loss of student housing in that area to a minimum.
East Lansing certainly may be a burgeoning Mid-Michigan community, but it would never even have gotten this far without the students of MSU.
What if we formed a group that was PRO-Development in EL? It's honestly so good for the city, university, economy, AND future. You'd be surprised how much the environment of the city around a campus effects recruiting, money, and investment. Of course there must always be balance, which means keeping rents low and having a college feel. After visiting Urbana (home of U-Illinois, a land grant univ. like msu and big10 school), I saw how the urban area surrounding a land grant college effected funding for the university, city, and public. It was a really cool environment that had a mixture. I seriously think we should form a group that is Pro-Development, with limitations of course, and talk to Strathmore, EL City council, residents, students, and the East Village developers...
Per the State News, more complaining from area residents concerning the City Center II plans. The developers continue to cut parking spaces, scale it down, and the residents still want no part of it. Now they're complaining that Valley Court Park won't be visible from Grand River, and that's going to be a big deal. I dunno, there's just a lot of silliness going on here.
Also, apparently Abood mentioned his plans to move the Marriott Residence Inn to the West Village to the city council, so that seems to be going forward.
I think City Center II will end up going forward without the residents support. The residents voiced legitimate concerns about the project at first, but now that they are still complaing they may get ignored altogether.
LMich -
Most of the residents of East Lansing are more progressive-minded than that. Stop assuming both that we are all of one mind about this project, and that the vocal few who happen to be getting attention right now speak for all of us - that attitude is insulting and short-sighted. When the various projects go forward - and I believe both Museum Place and City Center II will, eventually and in some form, it will be because a city council made up of the city residents made the decision, with the input a variety of city commissions made up of city residents, to move these things forward having listened to a whole spectrum of residents' perspectives. Not all of the residents will support whatever comes about, but many will, and a majority, I suspect, won't care or even notice until they have a lot of construction to have to drive through.
I have lived here nearly my entire life as well. My response was a necessary and appropriate reigning of your generalization. You attempted to cast the entire community as feeling one way, based upon the comments of a few people. That is what you actually did, regardless of what you now say you meant to do. That was wrong, and I called you on it. Of course some people have been and will continue to be anti-development to the point where they seem irrational. Historically they have been small in number but very vocal. But I am one the residents you disparaged - when you say "all the residents can do is bitch about it," you are attempting to ascribe such a view to me. My refusing to have words put in my mouth is neither aggressive nor ultra-defensive.
Dude, seriously, calm down. You're new here, most of us have been on here for a while. If you stick around and participate in the discussion you'll see we all care about Lansing area development, and have varying opinions of what is happening, and what should happen. Sit back, relax, and enjoy the discussion.
The city council approved City Center plans! I'm more invested in downtown Lansing but this is really good news. This will really make that end of G. River look ALOT better.
Comments
I would love to see projects like City Center II and the East Village project go through because I believe that they would help give East Lansing a city feel rather than it simply being a college town. However, I don't ever want it to entirely be rid of that college town mystique, which shoving all the students out of the downtown area would certainly lead to. I hope that the Pierce Co. really does make a concerted effort to include affordable student housing in their project, and enough units to, if not entirely make up for it, at least cut the loss of student housing in that area to a minimum.
East Lansing certainly may be a burgeoning Mid-Michigan community, but it would never even have gotten this far without the students of MSU.
Also, apparently Abood mentioned his plans to move the Marriott Residence Inn to the West Village to the city council, so that seems to be going forward.
Most of the residents of East Lansing are more progressive-minded than that. Stop assuming both that we are all of one mind about this project, and that the vocal few who happen to be getting attention right now speak for all of us - that attitude is insulting and short-sighted. When the various projects go forward - and I believe both Museum Place and City Center II will, eventually and in some form, it will be because a city council made up of the city residents made the decision, with the input a variety of city commissions made up of city residents, to move these things forward having listened to a whole spectrum of residents' perspectives. Not all of the residents will support whatever comes about, but many will, and a majority, I suspect, won't care or even notice until they have a lot of construction to have to drive through.
I have lived here nearly my entire life as well. My response was a necessary and appropriate reigning of your generalization. You attempted to cast the entire community as feeling one way, based upon the comments of a few people. That is what you actually did, regardless of what you now say you meant to do. That was wrong, and I called you on it. Of course some people have been and will continue to be anti-development to the point where they seem irrational. Historically they have been small in number but very vocal. But I am one the residents you disparaged - when you say "all the residents can do is bitch about it," you are attempting to ascribe such a view to me. My refusing to have words put in my mouth is neither aggressive nor ultra-defensive.
http://www.lansingstatejournal.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080410/NEWS01/804100344/1002/NEWS01