The communitywide debate has been ongoing since May. With the Tuesday decision, the surface parking lot will stay a parking lot.
Material just released under the Freedom of Information Act shows the Metzger/Fabian family chose to redevelop their portion of Parking Lot #11 after being told the city would not continue to rent it for parking.
The loss of surface parking is the chief objection of critics. But the owners of the land say the lot is going to be redeveloped one way or another.
“Parking is everything,” said one local business owner in objection to the plan. But the developer insisted the privately-owned parking lot parcel is “going away” regardless of whether his project is approved.
What’s the plan for 530 Albert Ave.? ELi explains the proposal, the opposition and the backstory.
There’s no topic quite so contentious as parking downtown, as became evident at Thursday’s DDA meeting.
A Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request turns up a surprising letter, and the vice president for developer ACD explains how a project would restrict who can rent there.
The proposal had its first public airing at East Lansing’s Downtown Development Authority (DDA) meeting today. ELi brings you the details.
Prices for parking at meters and City-owned ramps and lots may increase this summer. City staff is also calling for Council to consider a hike in fines for parking meter violations. Clay Oppenhuizen and Emily Joan Elliott explain why.
One of the proposed locations for a development of affordable housing geared toward creatives is Valley Court Park. Emily Joan Elliott digs in to what else is in the feasibility report and what we can learn.
Mopeds can’t park at bike racks anymore, as a new East Lansing law restricts their parking. And what about those e-scooters left blocking sidewalks?
As Jessy Gregg prepares to become East Lansing’s Mayor on August 11, she sits down with ELi’s Andrew Graham to talk local politics and the upcoming City Council election. Give a listen!
Big policing issues, parking for the Graduate Hotel, lawsuits involving the City of East Lansing, a new outdoor design for Harper’s – all this and MUCH more coming to Council this week. ELi tells you what’s on the agenda…and what’s missing.
We have NEWS on the Graduate Hotel’s rooftop bar, the MSUFCU downtown office building plans, entertainment activities downtown (including for kids), and food trucks. Read all about it, only at ELi.
After an ELi reader pointed out that ELPD was ticketing cars on Juneteenth when holiday parking rules should have been in effect, Mayor Aaron Stephens explained at last week’s Council meeting how those affected can appeal. How might the City honor Juneteenth in future years?
“As crappy as it sounds, forgiveness and compliance” is the way to go in cases of zoning violations like this one, said Mayor Aaron Stephens. What did other Council members have to say? Jack Harrison reports for ELi.
ELi’s Publisher and Executive Director Alice Dreger and Managing Editor Emily Joan Elliott discuss complaints made to East Lansing’s City Council about noise created by cars and motorcycles. Elliott also interviews ELPD’s Neighborhood Resource Specialist Tonya Williams.
Screaming motorcycle engines. Cars giving off what sounds like shotgun blasts. Some in East Lansing are fed up with the noise. ELi’s Alice Dreger reports on the complaints and City government responses.
City Council’s latest budget discussion revealed some key differences of opinion – including between the City Manager and Council members. Which disagreements grew tense? ELi’s Alice Dreger reports.
Ali Haider, the owner of East Lansing’s downtown 7-Eleven store, explains what his business has gone through with all of the street closures. Plus, two residents of Newman Lofts weigh in.
Here’s a rundown of what we learned last week in the City’s first budget work session of the year. Join ELi Monday night to talk about how the City can save money and increase revenues to try to improve its financial position.
Utility bill distress, environmental pollutants, bike lanes, the Michigan Flyer, rent and mortgage support, new ownership for the Landshark, Armenian Genocide Remembrance Day. All this and more came up in a dense City Council meeting this week. Find out from ELi what happened.
Which publicly-owned buildings will be demolished to create a construction staging area for the credit union’s new downtown office building? And what’s the anticipated construction timeline?
Will that unsightly Consumers Energy project near Marble School stay that way? Will the Graduate Hotel rooftop bar use plastic cups? What about that sorority in Chesterfield Hills and that frat in Bailey? Find out in our report from Wednesday’s meeting.
The Parking Department is floating the idea of charging moped users to park downtown. What’s behind the idea? Alice Dreger reports.
Interested artists have until March 30, by 5 p.m. to submit their qualifications. Sarah Spohn reports on the details.
Did the deer cull result in meat being delivered to local food banks? What’s up with parking at Bailey Park? What will happen with the Biggby lot on Grand River Ave? We bring some updates.
While the City Manager has said he sees “great news” in the big financial picture, a close look at the numbers suggests there is a great deal of uncertainty ahead. The City’s Finance Director says the income tax gives her heartburn in terms of unpredictability.
Property owners’ concerns about the draft plan include specific design requirements, review and approval processes, and the big picture of economic redevelopment. The changes could be significant for businesses, neighborhoods, and tax revenues.
The City’s parking system and some of the businesses that rent retail space from the City have been hit hard by pandemic-related shut-downs. A Freedom of Information Act response gives a window to some of the numbers.
Affordable housing for artists, the latest on the eBay-auctioned land, Dunkin Donuts’ and Walgreens’ openings, and lots more news in ELi’s latest East Lansing redevelopment update.
The anchor tenant backed out. The developers want MSU as a partner. And it’s City staff, not the developers, that’s been holding up the sale agreement. Here’s what we learned at today’s DDA meeting, where the vote went 8-2 to extend the exclusive talks another 6 months.
ELi’s Alice Dreger brings you the latest in the redevelopment deal on the DDA’s debt-ridden Evergreen properties. What’s up with “The CITADEL” now?
We explain what’s happening at two spots on Burcham Drive and two spots on Grand River Avenue in East Lansing in our latest “Ask ELi to Investigate” column.
The library faces financial trouble, calls for ambulances are way down, the mayor asks that mug shots be withheld from press releases, and Council members say what’s on their minds. Read all about it.
ELi gives you a two-minute rundown on what to expect in terms of East Lansing government decisions this week.
Planning Commission is currently reviewing the latest draft of a plan that would create a new zoning district, with a form-based code, called the Avenue Form District. Andrew Graham explains.
Spoiler alert: the developers benefited. And now, with yet another of the deal’s financial protections for the City seeming to fall away, former mayor Mark Meadows is saying that “injunctive relief should be sought.”
Council member Dana Watson successfully removed sexist language from part of the proposed ordinance. Andrew Graham reports on that and the rest from Council.
A long-planned project will improve sewer infrastructure and change the amount of parking in the area, leaving some displeased. Alice Dreger reports.
During a discussion-only meeting, Council members seemed open to the idea of a tax exemption for TechSmith and briefly workshopped parking solutions, among other things. Andrew Graham reports.
Want to weigh in on cultural arts grants, a resolution declaring racism a public health crisis, money problems in Parks & Rec and in the parking system, and traffic on Highland Ave.? ELi’s Emily Joan Elliott tells you which East Lansing City meetings will cover what this week.
The Dublin Square property owners are warning MSUFCU to stay off their property during construction that involves building all the way to the property line. What could this mean for the future of the proposed office building?
A stacked City Council agenda, another meeting of the Police Oversight Study Committee, School Board, and more. Alice Dreger reports.
Earlier in October, ELi asked what laws in East Lansing you, the readers, would like to see changed. Andrew Graham brings you the responses.
What’s going on with the Evergreen Ave. properties? ELi’s Alice Dreger brings you an update.
Several bodies, including City Council, the Downtown Development Authority, and the Commission on the Environment, meet next week. Andrew Graham takes you through the agendas.
The building has been described as “bold architecture” and previously housed an Arby’s. In a few weeks, it will be gone.
City Attorney Mike Homier explained that Tuesday’s meeting could proceed despite recent actions by the State Supreme Court. See what he said and what Council did on Tuesday.
Once a cash cow, parking fines and citations have fallen dramatically in 2020. ELi’s Emily Joan Elliott takes a look at how those numbers have changed, now costing the City more money than it makes in fines.
What happened to the motorcycle parking on Albert Ave.? Is Breugger’s Bagels reopening? And what’s action that on Trowbridge Road? You ask. We answer.
Contract through 2024 for the City Manager? Pave over more of Sharp Park for bike parking? Reduce car lanes further on Abbot? ELi’s Alice Dreger tells you what’s up this week and how you can weigh in.
While many Michigan cities and schools are slashing budgets in response to the economic fallout of the Covid-19 pandemic, East Lansing’s City Manager tells Council he has “actually some pretty good news.”
It’s true: if you park in the old Biggby’s lot without permission, you may not find your car there when you come back.
“We are hearing over and over about how tight the site is,” Planning Commissioner Chris Wolf said before voting against the proposal. “What I’m getting from that is that the building is too large for the site.” The rest of the commission supported it.
Wearing matching t-shirts saying “good trouble,” the new City Council met for the first time last night. We give you a rundown of what happened during those five hours.
Planning Commission will likely vote on a recommendation for the MSUFCU proposal tonight. ELi brings you the details with images and maps.
After months of delay, Georgio’s Gourmet Pizza will reopen a location on Grand River Ave. on Tuesday, Aug. 4. ELi’s Sarah Spohn brings the story.
River Caddis Development has put together a draft agreement that would shift yet more of The CITADEL project costs onto the public ledger. For now, East Lansing’s DDA has agreed to more talks.
At Planning Commission, the eBay auction winners asked for more time on their approvals, and owners of three already-built locations asked for permission to sell recreational marijuana. What happened?
Could municipal regulation of food delivery services help local restaurants survive?
The developer came well armed with representatives, but the City went in with no financial advisor to this deal. Its usual advisor is actually being paid with public money to represent the developers.
The Bell family of developers is back. What new Center City District public financing deal will be made with them this time? ELi’s Alice Dreger reports what we know.
ELi’s Alice Dreger and Chris Root tell you what stands out in the submitted plans and what comes next in the review process.
In the midst of plunging public revenues, East Lansing Parks & Rec is moving forward with various projects by pulling together funds from various sources. ELi’s Emily Joan Elliott reports.
Free parking ends June 30. Georgio’s has asked the City for rent forgiveness, but the parking system can’t afford it. The finances look bad.
News on The Abbot, The Graduate, affordable housing, Coleman Road, the new elementary schools, MSUFCU’s downtown project, and marijuana sales locations. We also tell you where in East Lansing the state’s wetland protection agency plans a new office building that would disturb a wetland.
Is big new office space viable? What tax incentives will the developers want? And what does the new “stakeholders” team think of it all?
The filing of Chapter 11 bankruptcy by HopCat’s parent company speaks to the level of distress in the bar and restaurant industry. The City of East Lansing is trying to help out.
As long as the state presents no barriers and the weather cooperates, the culture of drinking and dining in East Lansing will change for at least a few months.
The mayor doesn’t want to be led with an offer of an office building and told later the developers want to construct towering student housing.
With the only active proposal for the DDA’s properties, River Caddis Development wants an exclusive agreement. But do they have a viable concept?