The debate over where and how to house students in East Lansing continues at tonight's City Council meeting, at which council members will discuss whether to accept an application calling for a new student apartment complex.
The application from Campus Village Properties would renovate part of the Ramada Inn property, 1100 Trowbridge Road. The area was not intended for student living, but because property owners seek to transform the former Kubuki Restaurant into retail space, Campus Village can apply for a special permit that would allow them to build student-rented apartments near the property. The company owns Campus Village Apartments, 1151 Michigan Ave.
"This site was chosen because there are very few locations in East Lansing on which to build a new apartment complex," said Mike Mills, special projects manager for Campus Village. "We only build or renovate locations within close walking distance to campus."
But residents near the property are concerned about students living in the area. The land is close to the Ivanhoe subdivision, which is full of permanent residents, near Red Cedar Elementary School, 1110 Narcissus Drive, and about 10 feet from Arbor Forest Apartments, 1185 Palmer Lane.
"When students come in an area, you have to expect that the noise level would increase, not just because of them, but because of their vehicles," said Debi Robinson, Arbor Forest resident manager.
Campus Village's site plan would include 65 two, three and four bedroom apartments, which would house 204 students. It would look like an arch and would contain a parking structure.
Robinson also is concerned about the overflow of students into her parking spaces, which she said already are packed almost every day, and students who might use her pool. She said the 54-foot tall building would be problematic.
"The height of the complex is just unreal," Robinson said. "Because we would be so close to the complex, the sun wouldn't even reach the plants surrounding our apartments."
Mills said area residents are concerned because of the negative stereotype that all college students are rowdy. He said residents should be happy Campus Village wants to construct apartments rather than houses, because residents seem to be more against students renting houses that are spread throughout the city rather than apartments in a central location.
"We're only talking about 200 students, not 2,000," he said.
In May, the city's Planning Commission unanimously rejected Campus Village's application. Community Development Analyst Ronald Springer said community members were adamant about their position.
"It was a packed house," Springer said. "The biggest concern seemed to be the density of the area."
Springer said a typical apartment complex is required to have a certain amount of open space between it and other subdivisions or complexes. But because Ramada will be opening retail space near the complex, those regulations do not apply - which is why the complex could be erected ten feet from Arbor Forest.
Councilmember Beverly Baten said she has her own issues with the proposal.
"I have a concern about impacting the neighborhood - affecting established neighborhoods, changing the quality of life they have had and forcing a new one on them," she said. "These projects going up against established neighborhoods is always going to be a contentious issue."
