The East Village Project finally has some muscle behind it.

The city of East Lansing entered into a memorandum of understanding with The Pierce Company in early August, which gives them 18 months to complete market, traffic and environmental studies, among others.

Specializing in developments for college towns, the company is putting the finishing touches on a project similar to the one targeted for the city at San Diego State University.

"We want to create a 24/7 all-year-round live, learn, work and play environment," said Frederick Pierce, the company's president and CEO. "We are a real estate developer for educational communities."

The East Village is bounded on the north and south by East Grand River Avenue and the Red Cedar River, and on the east and west by Hagadorn Road and Bogue Street. The project itself calls for an overhaul of the 35-acre area that houses the Cedar Village apartments.

New buildings containing space for businesses, student renters and permanent residents are slated to be built in the area.

Having met with some of the property owners in the East Village, Lori Mullins, the city's senior project manager, said their response to The Pierce Company has been positive.

"Several of the largest property owners have met with them," she said.

Although the city is spearheading the project, MSU officials are the ones who connected The Pierce Company with East Lansing's leaders.

Pierce said he hopes the project will make the university more accessible to the community, something that has been emphasized in other projects he's overseen.

Although some property owners are apprehensive about conforming to the East Village project, Pierce said his company would work to address their concerns.

"This is going to be a community project," he said.

"If we feel the property owners don't want us to come, we won't."

Because the company specializes in college town developments, East Lansing Mayor Sam Singh suggested they meet with some student organizations when the university is back in full session.

That way, those who are uneasy with the project will have most of their worries taken care of, he added.

For the time being, the project will continue to move forward and its course will continue to be mapped out, Mullins said.

"We are working to piece this project together to see if it's feasible," she said.