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Target coming to downtown E.L. as part of Center City development

April 12, 2017
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Target has announced plans to open a small-format store in East Lansing as part of the upcoming Center City District project, according to a press release. The store is projected to open in 2019.

The Center City District project has included a grocer as part of its first floor plan since its inception, but until now no specific tenant had been named.

The $132 million Center City District project is slated to include two 12-story structures raised on Grand River and Albert Avenues. The Grand River Avenue building would feature floor-level retail and 11 stories of housing. The Albert building would feature a six-story parking garage topped with six stories of senior housing and first-floor retail.

“On behalf of Harbor Bay and the Ballein Family, we want to thank Target for committing to be a part of this proposed, transformational development,” Mark Bell, CEO of Center City District developer Harbor Bay Real Estate Advisors, said  in the release. “Target’s small-format store epitomizes urban, mixed-use design principles, focusing on a pedestrian-rich environment, and their store will serve as the nucleus of the Center City District Development. We also want to thank Mayor Meadows, city staff, (Lansing Economic Area Partnership) and various city stakeholders for helping to provide this opportunity.”

The proposed Target will be approximately 22,000 square feet and will provide goods such as certain groceries, cosmetics, home décor and apparel, according to the release. The store will also offer online orders to be picked up in-store.

Of Target’s 35 current small-format stores, five are on college campuses, according to the release, with seven more campus stores planned to open this year.

“Growth on college campuses and in urban markets is a priority for Target,” Target Properties Senior Vice President Mark Schindele said in the release. “We’re able to serve more guests by adding small-format stores near top universities across the country, including the quick-trip shopping experience we’ll bring to East Lansing and the Michigan State University campus in 2019. … We’re thrilled to open our first small-format store in East Lansing and to join the Spartan community.”

The East Lansing Planning Commission is scheduled to vote on whether or not to recommend the project’s current site plan to council Wednesday at their 7 p.m. meeting. East Lansing City Council has scheduled a public hearing on the project’s brownfield reimbursement plan for their April 18 meeting.

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