MSU Red Cedar Message Board

Sorry, but if you need specific examples of the East Lansing City Council thwarting economic development opportunities you've had your head in the sand for the past 30 years. Or you're a councilman, which from your defensive posts in this thread seems likely.

My memory is the city put out a bond and purchased the properties.

Depends, if you feel what makes your community attractive and unique includes a strong arts and culture offering... Then you might feel it is an essential element to providing that.

Last time I was in downtown East Lansing, it was nothing but chain restaurants (no booze, of course!) and empty storefronts. More of the latter than anything. Now the old Jacobson's/Barnes&Noble site is empty too (or about to be). Good luck filling that up with the wonderful welcome mat the council rolls out for businesses. "Welcome to our city! We won't allow you to sell products that will make you successful and expand, we'll tax the crap out of you, your customers won't have parking and we'll hound your ass relentlessly with regulations and cops until we drive you out. Goooooo EL!"

You know things are bad when Virg Bernero is running circles around you. Last time I was in downtown Lansing there were new restaurants and bars everywhere. He even has some shuttle that brings MSU students to Lansing from EL. What kind of bizarro world has the MSU area turned into???

Yeah, put in a high end restaurant that 40,000 people in your city can't afford to go to. Great idea!!

I'm not saying it has to all be dive bars, more places like Dublin Square would be great, but the city of EL really needs to wake up and realize why the town is relatively stable financially. It's not because of the bluehairs.

That's like Apple refusing to make the iPhone because teenagers may play games on it.

Ugh. I hate agreeing with this but when I was there over Memorial day there was an unacceptable amount of empty storefronts and my only college town experience before EL was Iowa City so I've always felt EL was lacking in the number of quality bars walking distance from campus.

Of the restaurants on Grand River off the top of my head I can think of at least 8 that are 100% chain (not necessarily a bad thing but...)-- Pancheros, Pita Pit, Potbelly, Cosi, Chipotle, Five Guys, Jimmy Johns, Taco Bell oh and Brueggers. I like a lot of those places don't get my wrong but it chokes out a lot of the local flavor that could exist.

I've very concerned about what is going to be in the BN. I loved it as a bookstore and I'm afraid whatever goes in there will be either really lame or last like 6 months then bail because it was a bad idea/fit

You're right. All the Michigan students go to the Chop House for dinner 3 times a week.

Downtown Lansing is succeeding because it is a viable alternative for people who want to get away from students, not because e.l. Is driving students away

Which is now gone as well

Funny. The main issue was a councilman saying he wanted upscale(which is because they want to diversify the customer base) and fletch says that's a no no but you're saying that is exactly what is needed in el.

You're an idiot sorry.

First, Both Lou Ha's and Chipotle were given liquor licenses in the past 10 years in the downtown. Also Dublin was approved to be developed (they didn't need a liquor license as they bought the one that the Grill orignally had).

Second, as mentions, the apartments in the Taco Bell building were built as well as a major addition to apartments along Michigan Ave. (outside of downtown proper but still not in the Northern Tier).

Finally, EL had nothing to do with the development in the Northern Tier. The apartment developers wanted to build student housing apartments on Campus which they'd turn over to the university after a set number of years. MSU declined so they bought cheap land in Bath Township, covinced Bath Township to run untilitied to the land and rediculous cost and built the apartments out there. It was only after this that the residents at the units requested to be annexed into the City.

Planning Commision and Council hasn't turned down a new restaurant or bar in the downtown in years. It's simply the fact that we are in a recession and people don't want the take the risk still.

Now as far as the Noise ordinance, yes that was stupid and a pain in the ass and caused more problems than it stopped. Instead of a few large parties it force numberous small parties which created more noise issues spread out of a larger area which makes it look like their is a larger problem than previous. That said, only one council memeber is still on the council from when that ordinance was put in.

I don't really care if this is geared towards students or a little more upscale. Someone is will yo drop some major coin to turn dump into an actual building. It would make the city look so much better and bring in a ton of revenue. Not sure why this is even a question

Madison has more than one place like this. Granted it is a bit of a different demographic but the majority of what is played at the Majestic is either local artists or slightly bigger names geared toward college kids.

http://www.majesticmadison.com/

I really think East Lansing could support something like this.