On an amusing note, I noticed that the Capital City Grille in the Radisson downtown transformed itself into "Grillers" - a hamburger and fry joint with much cheaper food. Presumably this is just for the duration of Shuto-Con - and it was very busy actually! I was in the hotel today. Way to know your customers, Radisson.
I was downtown Saturday and there were lots of costumed people in every business that was open. It is a great example of if you have a thyme and a little promotion people will show up. I was thinking it's too bad there were not more places for these kids to spend their money. Downtown should have been decorated with flags and banners with comic-con images all week. That way maybe some who did not know that this event was happening might attend. Michigan thyme's, outdoor sports, auto-sports, car shows, local authors and play writes,ethnic festivals, collectors shows, antique shows, children's events. They streets are empty at night and on weekends, they are a perfect place to fill with street events every weekend or each month. I know that they do this for the 4th and silver bells, why not more events, that would change the perception that there is nothing going on downtown.
That's some absolutely great news about the population growth, hopefully it's a trend that accelerates. I'm really interested to see what the 2020 census has in store, it'll be interesting to see some concrete and detailed figures.
Thanks for the information. I am thinking that if they really do build out the empty GM sites we will for sure be seeing a lot more people in Lansing. I think we should really be working all of our infrastructure and facilities, to entice new people to live here. Improvements to the quality of life can be as important as a new factory.
I was downtown on my trip to the Peanut Shop and I noticed there is some kind of work going on in the ground floor of the Knapp's building. I have not heard of anything going in there, I wonder if anyone had heard. There were just signs for the construction company in the widows, but nothing saying what was being constructed. Around the corner the building and street look a bit deserted. No cloths displayed at The Runway and the sandwich shop looks like they just locked the door and left. Plant some trees cover over the empty spaces, finish rehabbing the buildings on the corner.
A a good development downtown is the re-opening of the library. It looks and feels really good. Lots of light coming in from the windows, new furniture, carpets and rest rooms have relieved the 1964 feeling, while actually enhancing the Mid-Century design with the open spaces and site lines. I am going to write the Lansing Garden Club to ask if they would consider taking over care of the gardens around the library now they now longer have the sunken garden to take care of. The gardens are much more visible from inside now.
BTW The corner of M-X and S Washington looks just about as bad as I was thinking it would, the fencing with that nice black plastic has all blown over. It was really hot and with glaring sun walking by. The river had globs of foam floating down stream wow what a mess.
Everstream is opening it's regional office in the Knapp's building. Waste of street level space IMHO. Eyde's are holding out for a high-end restaurant for the corner section. "Sarnie's" the sandwich "Shoppe" was ill-planned and lasted 5 months. The Runway is still viable, more focus on pop-up shops depending on the designer's cycles. The building on the corner was an extension of Knapp's "Knapp's Capitol Avenue" I believe it is still owned by WMU Cooley, though I could be wrong. I agree with you that MX and Wash looks horrible, I pass by there daily on my way to work.
Thanks, I found the page about this move at Capital Gains. I have been thinking that a high end restaurant may have of hard time in that spot, it is very large, there would be a lot of seats to fill every night. I'm thinking one or two smaller cafe type restaurants would do better. If they would have done a bit more in decor and direction, and promotion [getting people down there] the sandwich shop could have made it. It is good that there will be more people working downtown.
@MichMatters, where did you find the census info? There are some people I need to educate on Lansing growth that have the view Lansing is failing. It's really bothersome how many from Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids can be so ignorant as to what's going on here.
I have never understood why people from G.R. and A.A. are so arrogant. In G.R. I think their Calvinist views that they are descend [by God!] to be better may have something to do with it. They simply have do not time or interest in people or places the they see as inferior. Betsy DeVos comes to mind. As for A.A. they are just delusional!
Comments
On an amusing note, I noticed that the Capital City Grille in the Radisson downtown transformed itself into "Grillers" - a hamburger and fry joint with much cheaper food. Presumably this is just for the duration of Shuto-Con - and it was very busy actually! I was in the hotel today. Way to know your customers, Radisson.
I was downtown Saturday and there were lots of costumed people in every business that was open. It is a great example of if you have a thyme and a little promotion people will show up. I was thinking it's too bad there were not more places for these kids to spend their money. Downtown should have been decorated with flags and banners with comic-con images all week. That way maybe some who did not know that this event was happening might attend. Michigan thyme's, outdoor sports, auto-sports, car shows, local authors and play writes,ethnic festivals, collectors shows, antique shows, children's events. They streets are empty at night and on weekends, they are a perfect place to fill with street events every weekend or each month. I know that they do this for the 4th and silver bells, why not more events, that would change the perception that there is nothing going on downtown.
That's some absolutely great news about the population growth, hopefully it's a trend that accelerates. I'm really interested to see what the 2020 census has in store, it'll be interesting to see some concrete and detailed figures.
Thanks for the information. I am thinking that if they really do build out the empty GM sites we will for sure be seeing a lot more people in Lansing. I think we should really be working all of our infrastructure and facilities, to entice new people to live here. Improvements to the quality of life can be as important as a new factory.
I was downtown on my trip to the Peanut Shop and I noticed there is some kind of work going on in the ground floor of the Knapp's building. I have not heard of anything going in there, I wonder if anyone had heard. There were just signs for the construction company in the widows, but nothing saying what was being constructed. Around the corner the building and street look a bit deserted. No cloths displayed at The Runway and the sandwich shop looks like they just locked the door and left. Plant some trees cover over the empty spaces, finish rehabbing the buildings on the corner.
A a good development downtown is the re-opening of the library. It looks and feels really good. Lots of light coming in from the windows, new furniture, carpets and rest rooms have relieved the 1964 feeling, while actually enhancing the Mid-Century design with the open spaces and site lines. I am going to write the Lansing Garden Club to ask if they would consider taking over care of the gardens around the library now they now longer have the sunken garden to take care of. The gardens are much more visible from inside now.
BTW The corner of M-X and S Washington looks just about as bad as I was thinking it would, the fencing with that nice black plastic has all blown over. It was really hot and with glaring sun walking by. The river had globs of foam floating down stream wow what a mess.
Everstream is opening it's regional office in the Knapp's building. Waste of street level space IMHO. Eyde's are holding out for a high-end restaurant for the corner section. "Sarnie's" the sandwich "Shoppe" was ill-planned and lasted 5 months. The Runway is still viable, more focus on pop-up shops depending on the designer's cycles. The building on the corner was an extension of Knapp's "Knapp's Capitol Avenue" I believe it is still owned by WMU Cooley, though I could be wrong. I agree with you that MX and Wash looks horrible, I pass by there daily on my way to work.
Here is the Everstream link: http://everstream.net/everstream-invests-in-historic-knapps-centre/
Thanks, I found the page about this move at Capital Gains. I have been thinking that a high end restaurant may have of hard time in that spot, it is very large, there would be a lot of seats to fill every night. I'm thinking one or two smaller cafe type restaurants would do better. If they would have done a bit more in decor and direction, and promotion [getting people down there] the sandwich shop could have made it. It is good that there will be more people working downtown.
@MichMatters, where did you find the census info? There are some people I need to educate on Lansing growth that have the view Lansing is failing. It's really bothersome how many from Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids can be so ignorant as to what's going on here.
I have never understood why people from G.R. and A.A. are so arrogant. In G.R. I think their Calvinist views that they are descend [by God!] to be better may have something to do with it. They simply have do not time or interest in people or places the they see as inferior. Betsy DeVos comes to mind. As for A.A. they are just delusional!