I had not heard anything about this hotel being build in REOtown for months. Were they ever really going to build it? Even if it is an excuse it is a valid one. While traveling around Michigan I have been noting substations. All of them are universally ugly if necessary structures. there is one off Lake Lansing Rd with a wall that helps but not much. I will always be against building at Scott Park, but it seems like sanity is not going to win in this case either. I never want to see it built on the high bank on top of a hill, but if they do I like the idea of totally enclosing inside it in a building, maybe that building could have street level store fronts. I really can not understand why it could not be built where the parking area is, in the middle between the sunken garden and the Cooley Gardens. It is a large space and would not loom over the street. It is also a slightly lower area that would not be so prominent in the view of anything built on the east side of S. Washington. It does seem a bit strange that they are willing to build hotels next to land fills and cement factories in Eastwood but are pulling out of this place because of something that has yet to be built.
I have not seen the new lights yet. When they put in LED lights on the streets of the town I lived in New England it was kind of awful. The white light is very stark, very little color is reflected, in other words it made everything look like shades of grey, black and blue. The old lights had an amber lens the which reflected off warm colors, yellows,reds, orange. So instead of a warm glow on the pretty street, we had a bright parking lot like light. They put a kind of a shield around them so as not to reflect up into the night sky, which was a good thing, but they light was so deep inside the casing they only shown down directly under the light, making it seem very dark between the light poles. While I am not sure the light ascetics of West Saginaw were ever in consideration,however the color of the light, the lamp post, and lamps can make a street look like a modern warm and welcoming boulevard, like here on S. Washington Ave in REOtown, or like a secure prison parking lot.
I hate the bluish LED lights, they're ugly and cause health and safety concerns for humans and wildlife. It's possible with current technology to have LED's give off a warmer glow, I'm assuming those bulbs are more expensive or haven't been scaled up to what's needed for streetlamp use.
I agree and I knew about the other issues as well. Still they put them up in a town where artist would often paint night scenes that featured the light from the old style lamps. I guess W. Saginaw has never had ascetics as part of any plan, a bit more ugly might not really matter, and they do light brightly.
I was sad to see that the city has filled the tree spaces in the sidewalk along W Kalamazoo next to the library with black top. Does this mean trees with not be planted there? The whole library area could use some help. The garden spaces look abandoned and the windows of the building are very dirty. Why? The lack of trees on W Kalamazoo gives a kind of gritty appearance to that whole block, and makes the area feels less than a welcoming place for children and others going to the library.
That would be very nice if they are including landscaping in this project. I think if they also put city hall in the Lake Trust building that this will help develop the area.The whole area could use some help. I am not afraid to walk down that block, but I could see how some people might avoid that area. I think that many folks who have to leave shelters for the day come to this area to sit in the park or go to the package store. I think they should open a day shelter to give folks a place to go during the day, this may solve the problem of people hanging out all in one area. I was also surprised to see the police action taking place the other day on my walk to the library. I know this stuff goes on everywhere, but it was a bit unnerving to see happening on the street where I live.
It's been a few years since I've been at the downtown library, but I remember it looking pretty dated at the time. I'm sure it needs a renovation that is more extensive than the one it's about to receive though I'm still glad to see it get a refresh. Michmatters brings up some good points regarding open floor plans and placing the children's section near the adult section, hopefully they have a plan to deal with the noise, perhaps with a white noise system. Anyone know what the third and fourth floors are used for?
I had read later what happened on S. Washington. I have a cabin up north and last year they busted a group doing the same thing at Jose Lake, so I know it happens everywhere. I understand that pretty much everywhere in Lansing is doing much better than ten years ago. Many in my family who do not live here, still have the impression that Lansing is very dangerous, this always amazes me, I may be naive, but I have never felt that way since my return. There is big difference in living a city vs small town, there in the small town,very often you would know the people being busted,the person committing the crime and the victim. Quite often one could know way too much, it is even more uncomfortable than knowing something happened to someone somewhere near by in the city.
I had not seen the Library plans. I agree that the children should be in their own separate space. It's OK to have an adult quiet area, I like that on the second floor now even if there are children present they are quiet, because they are in the adult area. Like in a restaurant kids are OK as long as their parents don't expect the library or restaurant to become the baby sitter. And yea what is on the upper floors? I am very happy they are remodeling the place, it really is almost exactly like it was the the 60's. Maybe the garden club could take over tending the library gardens, as they will no longer be caring for the "sunken garden". I really love the building it has many unique design features. I also like the architect's Kenneth Black's own home on Cambridge Drive by Frances Park, it has many of the same design features.
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I had not seen the Library plans. I agree that the children should be in their own separate space. It's OK to have an adult quiet area, I like that on the second floor now even if there are children present they are quiet, because they are in the adult area. Like in a restaurant kids are OK as long as their parents don't expect the library or restaurant to become the baby sitter. And yea what is on the upper floors? I am very happy they are remodeling the place, it really is almost exactly like it was the the 60's. Maybe the garden club could take over tending the library gardens, as they will no longer be caring for the "sunken garden". I really love the building it has many unique design features. I also like the architect's Kenneth Black's own home on Cambridge Drive by Frances Park, it has many of the same design features.