The vision for the proposed $16.3 million East Village Master Plan became clearer Thursday as developers laid out a plan to extend Dormitory Road, create housing for 6,000-7,000 people, and build a $7.8-million boat basin.
The East Village Planning Team approved a possible Red Cedar River basin - which is a small enclosed body of water - in the middle of the Cedar Village area, to alleviate problems with future flooding of the river.
The 35-acres of land, which is bounded on the west and east by Bogue Street and Hagadorn Road, and on the north and south by Grand River Avenue and the Red Cedar River, would be replaced with new housing and retail facilities. The property currently has more than 2,000 residents, about 700 apartment units, 22 rental houses, five fraternity houses, one cooperative house and several businesses.
The property has a market value of $36 million, said Jim van Ravensway, the East Lansing planning and community development director.
Developer Dale Sass of Johnson, Johnson & Roy, or JJR, said redevelopment is estimated at $16.3 million, not including demolition of buildings that would be handled by a private developer. The project's original target cost was $20 million.
The planners hope to have a final draft to present to the city's planning commission in January. Once the commission reviews the plan, they can either recommend or not recommend the plan to city council, which has the final vote.
An extension of Dormitory Road would run from the boat basin north to Grand River Avenue.
JJR also proposed numerous parking options including below- and above-ground structures.
A number of property owners in attendance spoke out against re-naming the area "blighted." The city designated the area blighted property in 2000, but that label expired May 2003.
Tim Dempsey, East Lansing community and economic development administrator, said the designation is based on criteria that can be broadly interpreted, adding that the area's floodplain, past riots and some property contamination will allow the city to qualify it as blighted.
Labeling an area as blighted makes it eligible for a number of state grants.
East Lansing resident Jim Spanos said the project has potential, but he wants to make sure it is done right. He said he is concerned about how the development will affect properties north of Grand River Avenue.
"If this is built, can it be occupied for the tenants it was built for?" he said. "If that's going to be 200,000-square feet of bars, forget it."
Several fraternity members attended the meeting to voice their concerns about the future of their houses, which are located in the affected area.
"I feel like we have not been involved in this, and from that standpoint, it is moving too quickly," said computer engineering and pre-medicine senior Paul Hooven. "I would say that it does need to slow down a little bit so we can address the concerns that need to be addressed."
But East Lansing Planning Commissioner and geography graduate student Matt Mitroka said the student presence at the meetings is making a difference in guiding the formation of the plan.
"Their input is being heard and taken into account," he said.
Sass, of, said the planning team represents a wide range of interests and the progress is going smoothly.
"If it goes much faster than that, I get kind of skeptical," he said.
Staff writer Kris Turner contributed to this report.
Claire Cummings can be reached at cummin94@msu.edu.
