Lansing-East Lansing, MI Development

[LMich]

Originally Posted by Hayward

It's a good article. Even building closer to campus doesn't always mean higher construction costs and land acquisition / taxes is a bad thing if you charge higher rents. The problem with amenity communities is they really need to fill up those apartments. They can't just raise rents as easily like a building with a good location. Because with a good location, residents won't leave until they graduate, and if they leave before that, there will always be someone else next in line ready to pay more.

Exactly. Location will always bringer longer returns than amenities since the popularity of certain amentities change with the times. It's why you see places like Chandler both redoing the older central section of the complex and adding tons of new units. It's the only way to make the business model work, because the location certainly isn't prime. At a certain point, though, these huge complexes are going to collapse unless the urban areas grows into them. Otherwise, these colonies along the fringe will begin to cannablize themselves.

People will always pay for location, but you get the rents too high in these fringe amenity complexes, and the students simply move on to the next trend. It's a quick way to make money, but it ain't sustainable unless it's built close enough to a real neighborhood to sustain it, if not even at its peak size.

[GRap]

I know this has been discussed before but is there any chance of Lansing Charter Twp being annexed by the city and maybe the section of MSU farm to EL? This would change some of those stats and I think bring the entire area more together.

I also see a lot of similarities of Lansing and Lansing Twp with Kalamazoo and Kzoo twp and to a lesser extent AA and twp. All have non-contiguous sections and are older urban developed with very little individual community resemblance separate from the larger city its next to. I feel like all these twps take away from the larger city and metro area as a whole and it sounds like AA twp will eventually be annexed into AA city. GR also has a charter twp on the outskirts but its much larger and much different than the city it self, its also one continuous community of suburban development and tries hard to differentiate itself with the city.

[LMich]

Originally Posted by GRap

I know this has been discussed before but is there any chance of Lansing Charter Twp being annexed by the city and maybe the section of MSU farm to EL? This would change some of those stats and I think bring the entire area more together.

Yep, this was brought up on June 4th back in the thread. It's not going to happen anytime soon. In fact, annexation of Lansing Township actually moved backwards in 2012 with the election of a new township supervisor who treats the place like her own personal fiefdom.

[subterranean]

No city or township has jurisdiction over land use decisions on university property.

[LMich]

Originally Posted by subterranean

No city or township has jurisdiction over land use decisions on university property.

Yep, forgot to bring that up, but I was definitely going to say that if anyone was going to annex anything, it wouldn't make sense for any city or township to annex university land, particularly the expiremental and research farms. Not only wouldn't they have any say over the land - which will probably remain research farmland for the forseeable future, god willing - but they wouldn't get any taxes from university land, anyway.

In my mind, if Lansing were to annex any land, it only be from Lansing Township, and then only the three sections on the eastside of the city (Groesbeck, Urbandale & retail west of Frandor) and the large western section of the township that's contiguous with the city. My compromise would be that I'd leave them with their "downtown Eastwood" tract, which they could develop a municipality around, and their research farm tract on the southeast side.

[LMich]

After quite a few weeks of preparing the site and moving around dirt, it appears that the first phase of Market Place in downtown Lansing officially started construction, Monday.

Andy Balaskovitz/City Pulse

Market Place under way

By City Pulse staff

September 19, 2013

Thursday, Sept. 19 — Construction on developer Pat Gillespie’s prominent Market Place project started Monday following years of delays caused by the housing market and recent pressure from the city to get moving.

Construction equipment was onsite Tuesday, moving dirt in preparation for a five-story, 80-unit apartment structure immediately northeast of the City Market, Gillespie said today.

...

Once the environmental cleanup was finished, construction had to start within 45 days, according to the agreement with the city. Gillespie now has 17 months for “substantial completion” of the building, “with an additional six months if necessary due to unforeseen circumstances that could arise in the course of construction,” the agreement says.

Gillespie said the project, which has been scaled back from previous designs, should be done this time next year.

...

[subterranean]

I'm assuming not mixed-use, set away from the road, parking up front.

[LMich]

I haven't seen an official siteplan or rendering of this thing in years. I've seen some old stuff they've put out, and a rough rendering I posted a few pages back, but that's it. Apparently, it's been changed around quite a bit. From what I've been able to gather, this thing has been scaled back to two buildings in three phases. The first phase is this apartment building. The second phase is another residential wing to be added to the apartment, building demand warranting. The third phase is apparently off in the future, and will be an office/retail mix.

There is one siteplan that shows just that (surface parking along Cedar), but this was when the Gillespie Group was going to move its offices to the site. Hopefully, it was changed for the better. In my opinion, surface parking on Cedar for this area of downtown is completely unacceptable. I hope to god that they are hiding it in the interior like the first concept of this site showed.

I'm trying to find this in some city council packet, but wouldn't even know where to begin given how long this has been strung out.

[LMich]

The Gillespie Group if sporadically tracking construction of Market Place on their Facebook page. Here is a photo from September 24 just to show how large the site is:



IMO, the site is large enough that you could have basically built a small neighborhood on it, and given the site's location, you could have really maximized the vistas by going vertical.

Anyway, they are currently moving the utilities located on the northeast corner of the site. Oh, the first phase of the first building will run parallel to the (ugly) City Market pictured. I believe the second phase/wing of the first building will then run along the back (river) end of the site.

[LMich]

The House, which we discussed a few weeks back, at the southeastern fringe of the city was approved by the city council, last night. They are going very quickly with this, and better yet, they are not asking for any tax incentives.

From the Lansing City Pulse:

Monday, Oct. 7 — The Lansing City Council unanimously approved two requests tonight from a developer who wants to repurpose a vacant hotel in the southeast corner of the city for student housing.

The House project would redevelop the old Harley Hotel at 3600 Dunckel Road, which sits on over 12 acres and has been vacant for longer than a decade. Developers plan to build out from the existing facility, At-Large Councilman Brian Jeffries said tonight, “Not extending the footprint.”

The project calls for 142 units geared toward “professionals and graduate students,” Jeffries said. It’s located just east of U.S. 127 on Dunckel. It also will reportedly include upscale amenities meant to give the development an all-inclusive feel.

The Council approved a rezoning of the property from commercial and parking to residential, as well as a “Planned Residential District.”

“What’s really nice about this is that they’re investing $9 million into rehabbing this facility,” Jeffries said. “All of this without a request for an incentive from the city. I wish we could do more of these.”

From the project's Facebook page:

I've never seen an old motel reused like this. It's really weird.

[subterranean]

It is kind of weird. Is this the old Red Roof Inn? I've never heard of the Harley Hotel.

[LMich]

No, this is directly across the street from the Red Roof Inn (and directly north of the Collins Road Post Office). The property went through a number of brandings before it shut down. I believe the last iteration of the property was the Waterfrod Estates Lodge. I never stayed there, but it was definitely a bit more upscale than much of the other freeway motels. There is an indoor pool at the center of the site (third picture) and tennis courts out back.

[LMich]

Up 496 from The House, Trowbridge Plaza, the shopping center directly across Harrison from campus right off Trowbridge, is being redeveloped into something a bit more dense. I'm still not clear as to exactly which buildings are involved besides the Wendy's, but they are adding housing to the site. This is being done by Caddis Development, the same guys doing the East End in Midland:

Developer pitches plan for East Lansing's Trowbridge Plaza

By Dawn Parker | Lansing State Journal

October 8, 2013

EAST LANSING — A local developer wants to update a shopping center near the southern edge of Michigan State University’s campus, tearing down some business spots and adding two apartment buildings.

Kevin McGraw, president of DeWitt Township-based Caddis Development Group LLC, outlined a plan Tuesday to remodel the Trowbridge Plaza near Trowbridge and Harrison roads in East Lansing.

The company’s proposal, presented to a neighborhood group, calls for two new apartment buildings and a new Wendy’s restaurant.

...

The site does have its challenges, however, including benzene and petroleum in the soil from the gas station. McGraw also expressed concern about the possibility of dry cleaning chemicals in the soil from a former dry cleaners in the eastern part of the property.

The shopping center is anchored by Goodrich’s Shop-Rite. It will remain, as will other businesses. The entire project could be finished by July 2015, developers said.

The building that has been home to the Bamboo Room and Oodles of Noodles Chinese restaurant — the former Pretzel Bell — would be razed and replaced with an apartment complex aimed at students.

McGraw said the building would have 100 mainly one- and two-bedroom units.

A second building with 30 mainly one-bedroom apartments would be marketed to young professionals and retirees, McGraw said.

Plans also call for demolishing the existing Wendy’s fast-food restaurant and building a new location in a different part of the center.

[Rizzo]

This sounds promising. Judging by the developer's current projects, this could have a nice urban presence on that corner.

[LMich]

The Vista at the Heights of Eastwood Towne Center (lol! at the pretentious name) has finally broken ground. It will be joined by two hotels - a Hyatt Place and a Fairfield Inn - as well as a parking garage it's attached to. Again, terrible site plan and placement at the mall.

DTN breaks ground on upscale apartments at Lansing Township's The Heights at Eastwood Towne Center

By Brandon Howell | MLive.com

October 9, 2013

LANSING TOWNSHIP -- After some delays, construction of regional rental property giant DTN Management Co.'s The Vista at Eastwood Towne Center is under way.

DTN and Lansing Township officials gathered Wednesday at the site of The Heights development for a ceremonially groundbreaking on the 124-unit upscale apartment community. The Vista will boast 35,000 square feet of commercial space and 6,000 square feet of residential amenities.

Other features will include a three-seasons lounge area with grilling space, a spa pool and Jacuzzi, Wi-Fi in all common areas and meticulous landscaping. The Vista is named for the views it offers of the Michigan State Capitol, Spartan Stadium and other Lansing-area landmarks.

...

The Heights development also includes a 716-space mixed-use parking garage and 100,000 square feet of retail, restaurant and entertainment space. Also part of that is the 124-room Hyatt Place and a Fairfield Inn & Suites, as well as The Vista.

...

The Vista is designed by Dallas-based Humphreys & Partners Architects L.P. and built by Grand Rapids-based Orion Construction. It is expected to be completed in late 2014.

DTN also is working on The Quarry in DeWitt Township, a residential project that will feature 76 units in its first phase with a total of 272 units when all phases are completed. DTN also will soon complete another phase of Aspen Ridge in Holt, which will add 104 residential units.

In total, the three developments represent nearly $40 million in privately financed investment by DTN in the Lansing area.

DTN also is in the process of designing its redevelopment of the Park District in downtown East Lansing, a project that may involve a hotel at the western gateway of the city.

[LMich]

Speaking of the Park District DTN is doing in downtown East Lansing, the city put out two public notices, these week, for public hearings for two downtown projects requesting special use permits and site plan approvals:

903 East Grand River Avenue - At Bogue at the literal eastern edge of downtown, this site is currently a 1-story office building. It will be demolished to make room for a 4-story mixed-use building with 18 apartments, and 1,500 square feet of office space for the existing tenant on the site. The developer is Kincaid Henry Building Group, which has done a lot of great historic restoration work, recently.

500 Albert Avenue - at Division in the eastern quarter of downtown, this site currently contains a parking lot, I believe. This building will literally abut a old, 2-story home and consists of a 5-story mixed-use building with 13 apartments, and 2,500 square feet of office/retail space on the ground floor. The developer is Lingg Brewer, who has done a lot of smaller projects in Lansing and East Lansing.

[Rizzo]

Originally Posted by LMich

The Vista at the Heights of Eastwood Towne Center (lol! at the pretentious name) has finally broken ground. It will be joined by two hotels - a Hyatt Place and a Fairfield Inn - as well as a parking garage it's attached to. Again, terrible site plan and placement at the mall.

Sad. A pretty decent looking building in the middle of sprawl. Would have perfect in the heart of Lansing.

[LMich]

Sanitary sewer pipes going in at Marketplace (October 9) via Gillespie Group's Twitter:



Still waiting to here about the 4-story mixed-use building going up at Michigan & Larch a few blocks away across from the existing Stadium District building.

[subterranean]

Lmich--any idea what's going on at the corner of Grand River and Cedar in Lansing? It was the site of an old gas station and McDonald's, but the site has been completely cleared.

[LMich]

It's Saginaw and Larch (Grand River and Cedar is the entrance to Old Town i.e. Preuss, Temple Building, Speedway) you're talking about, I think. I'd actuallywritten the planning department about it, and the director was coy, not revealing anything. I noticed just yesterday, however, that some real estate company had a sign up on the site, so maybe there isn't anything imminently planned, but the director seemed to be hinting that we'd be hearing something soon.

I'm also really interested in what Paramount Coffee plans to do with the site of the demolished (old Abram Aerial Survey Building) directly next door to their store/factory along Larch near Michigan. I see they filled in the basement and graded the site, so I was really dreading that they'd add surface parking, but nothing had been done with the site since. There is a lot happening on Larch that nobody's talking about for whatever reason.