SkyVue on Michigan

edited May 2015 in Lansing
Announced today, a new development on the site of the Story Olds lot on Michigan Ave. [1]

STORY+REDEVELOPMENT+2.jpg

skyvue.jpg

From http://develop.metrolansing.com/forum/comments.php?DiscussionID=2&page=99#Item_18 and, "It will be nine floors, 667k sq ft and have 359 apartments along with commercial space. It says it will break ground this fall."

Also noted that it "will also feature indoor tennis, volleyball, and basketball courts." "The structure will back up against the Frandor Shopping Center and sit across the road from a planned development called the Red Cedar Renaissance." [2]

[1] http://www.wilx.com/home/headlines/Story-Oldsmobile--303765961.html
[2] http://wlns.com/2015/05/14/major-development-planned-for-michigan-avenue/
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Comments

  • Yes, please!

    With Red Cedar, the somewhat bustling Eastside Neighborhood, and the newer infill toward MSU, there are going to be a lot of people and some pretty big buildings along Michigan. Now, East Lansing, please figure out the debacle at the merge with Grand River Ave.

    I think the stretch with SkyVue and Red Cedar will need its own neighborhood name. Actually, I like Red Cedar Neighborhood. Or call it Eastside, too.
  • edited May 2015
    I would agree the area needs a name, I always called it Frandor. Red Cedar Neighborhood seems a little long winded, Frandor doesn't sound very good to me, I'm not sure what a good name would be. Whatever it's named, I don't think it should just be pulled out of thin air, it should have roots in something to do with that neighborhood.
  • I've always called it Frandor, too. Quite frankly, any name I'd give to it would only apply to the Lansing portion of it since the East Lansing part of this is distinct with some of the areas (like Delta) already having their own names. I'll probably always call it Frandor, maybe Red Cedar. I think Gillespie naming his development Midtown was also a way to brand the neighborhood, as I heard him saying something like it lies midway between the two downtowns.

    BTW, I saw Ferguson speak on this saying he didn't see it as a threat, which is what he has to say. It gets me wondering if this might push him to go bigger/bolder with Red Cedar? I do think this has to put pressure on Red Cedar to be competitive and creative. This also probably has the effect of making the old Sawyer Pontiac site on the other side of the road far more valuable than it was. This is beginning to get exciting.

    BTW x 2, this also got me thinking about the the discussion we had the other week about the largest apartment buildings in the area. This would be far and away the largest single apartment building in the region. Kind of amazing we were just talking about this.
  • I would hope that this would give Ferguson's investors a sign that there's a serious market here for that type of stuff. I'd also agree this adds to the value of the Sawyer's site, but it would make a small development there all the more disappointing.

    And I say no to the Midtown name logical or not. We're too close to Detroit to be calling our second downtown Midtown.
  • edited May 2015
    EDIT
  • I don't think we should base what we call areas of our region on our vicinity to Detroit.
  • The potential names I see for this area are:
    1) Frandor: used very commonly in the area, instantly recognizable and attributable to the area. Ties the name to the shopping center, which may be confusing as it starts incorporating other uses
    2) Red Cedar: name of the park/golf course, but also used in East Lansing with the Red Cedar Elementary school neighborhood that is closer to Trowbridge Rd
    3) Midtown: somewhat generic but describes its positioning between Lansing and East Lansing
    4) Ranney: The name of the large park with the skatepark and hill next to Frandor. Not well known but specific to the area.

    Of the four, I think Frandor has the most sticking power.
  • I agree, I think Frandor is the most recognizable. Though, like you mention, Frandor is used in a variety of ways (shopping center, general area, etc). Actually I don't think Sears is technically part of Frandor. Similarly Red Cedar, while I like it, can be confusing. The more I think about it, I'm not sure that the name has to be recognizable right now? If SkyVue ultimately gets built, along with the Red Cedar Renaissance, and the existing Midtown apartments -- just my opinion, but of the four, I like Midtown is as a name for this new/developing area. Overtime, Midtown will become well known.
  • I would agree that Midtown would be great name for the area, if only it wasn't already the very recognizable name for Detroit's second downtown.
  • edited May 2015
    There are midtowns all over the United States. It's a very common name for a certain type ofsub-downtown/secondary business district in a city. Not sure why you keep harping on Detroit. Detroit's isn't even the most well known midtown in the nation. Sometimes - many times - cities have district with exactly the same name. No one is really bothered by that. Maybe we need to rename Michigan Avenue because the one in Chicago is more famous? I kid, but someone actually wanted to do that about 15 years ago and it went absolutely nowhere because no one cared.
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