William Matt
It is my pledge to always seek justice on behalf of the City of Lansing. As your neighbor, I will work diligently to find responsible solutions to our challenges, and lead with a vision guided by a hope of an ever-better city.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
The South Grand Ramp
An issue before us on the ballot Tuesday is decision on whether to sell the South Grand Avenue parking ramp.
City of Lansing Sale or Disposition of Waterfront Property LINK
Did you get all that? Me either. If a paragraph is harder to follow than that, I don't know where it is!
A number of people have asked what I thought, so I'll give you my take.
The vote is required for the city to sell any riverfront property. A developer has proposed a large retail housing mix with parking. Their plan calls to tear down the old City Club property which is adjacent to the ramp to the South. This vote authorizes the city to develop property on the river, be it for this development or another. The city cannot develop all of the river fontage on our own, so we must work with developers to get a nicer riverfront. This is just like the vote that we just had for the Ottawa power station, where it makes obvious sense to sell some dated and depleted assets for a chance to develop it. It is in fact such a given that this type of developement is a great business decision, that there is talk of making a broader riverfront ordinance that would be more efficient and flexible. We will try to identify parcels to be rehabilitated and parcels like green space, to be protected so we can move forward with opportunities, be it public, private or grant driven, quickly.
The ramp itself does generate a revenue, but frankly, it's just getting too old to maintain it. The fact that the ramp is on the river which makes it an attractive parcel is actually very fortunate for us. Why would we want an old deteriorating ramp that we couldn't fix or sell. The thinking is that the development, even with tax abatements for 12 years, would be a net positive financially for the city, plus with a denser population of residents, the economic advantage is larger still. Well, we did not get specifics on these projections, but I would be confident that the gain is greater than 200 grand revenue from the South Grand Ramp minus repairs, etc.
There are still questions for the developers and the EDC. What is the estimated tax revenues for the new development? How much public parking will be available? Which parts of the small parking lot on the City Club parcel will be used? How exactly do you "sell or otherwise dispose of that portion of the South Grand Avenue parking ramp"? A Portion of a ramp? What?
The plan also mentioned maintaining (and actually replacing a broken) riverwalk access to the public. We will want to ensure this, and again, it should be a net investment to the city compared to our cost of fixing and maintaining that section of riverwalk. I would expect all departments, especially Planning, along with LEPFA and the downtown PSC to get a riverfront master plan for Lansing completed.
When I see the Grand River in Lansing Michigan, I want to see a sprawling boardwalk with parks and stores filled with couples and families, retail and entertainment, and yes, even condos. This vote will help us develop and highlight our greatest natural asset, so I plan to vote YES.
City of Lansing Sale or Disposition of Waterfront Property LINK
A portion of Lots 3 and 4 of Block 112 and Lots 1, 2 and 3 Block 113 Original Plat and vacated Allegan St. east of Grand Avenue beginning at the intersection of a line 22 feet north of the south property line of Lot 3 Block 112 Original Plat and the Grand River thence west 25 feet parallel to the south lot line of Lot 3 Block 112 Original Plat, thence south along a line parallel to the west bank of the Grand River to a point 4 feet south of the north line of Lot 3 Block 113 Original Plat thence east along a line parallel to the north line of Lot 3 block 113 Original Plat to the Grand River, City of Lansing, Ingham County, Michigan?
Did you get all that? Me either. If a paragraph is harder to follow than that, I don't know where it is!
A number of people have asked what I thought, so I'll give you my take.
The vote is required for the city to sell any riverfront property. A developer has proposed a large retail housing mix with parking. Their plan calls to tear down the old City Club property which is adjacent to the ramp to the South. This vote authorizes the city to develop property on the river, be it for this development or another. The city cannot develop all of the river fontage on our own, so we must work with developers to get a nicer riverfront. This is just like the vote that we just had for the Ottawa power station, where it makes obvious sense to sell some dated and depleted assets for a chance to develop it. It is in fact such a given that this type of developement is a great business decision, that there is talk of making a broader riverfront ordinance that would be more efficient and flexible. We will try to identify parcels to be rehabilitated and parcels like green space, to be protected so we can move forward with opportunities, be it public, private or grant driven, quickly.
The ramp itself does generate a revenue, but frankly, it's just getting too old to maintain it. The fact that the ramp is on the river which makes it an attractive parcel is actually very fortunate for us. Why would we want an old deteriorating ramp that we couldn't fix or sell. The thinking is that the development, even with tax abatements for 12 years, would be a net positive financially for the city, plus with a denser population of residents, the economic advantage is larger still. Well, we did not get specifics on these projections, but I would be confident that the gain is greater than 200 grand revenue from the South Grand Ramp minus repairs, etc.
There are still questions for the developers and the EDC. What is the estimated tax revenues for the new development? How much public parking will be available? Which parts of the small parking lot on the City Club parcel will be used? How exactly do you "sell or otherwise dispose of that portion of the South Grand Avenue parking ramp"? A Portion of a ramp? What?
The plan also mentioned maintaining (and actually replacing a broken) riverwalk access to the public. We will want to ensure this, and again, it should be a net investment to the city compared to our cost of fixing and maintaining that section of riverwalk. I would expect all departments, especially Planning, along with LEPFA and the downtown PSC to get a riverfront master plan for Lansing completed.
When I see the Grand River in Lansing Michigan, I want to see a sprawling boardwalk with parks and stores filled with couples and families, retail and entertainment, and yes, even condos. This vote will help us develop and highlight our greatest natural asset, so I plan to vote YES.
Labels: Bill Matt, lansing, LSJ, South Grand Ramp
# posted by Bill Matt @ 9:00 PM 
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