The redevelopment project, which costs $117 million, is being called City Center II and also would feature residential, office and retail space. It also is slated to house the MSU Museum.

Katherine Walquist, a Japanese and telecommunication, information studies and media senior, said she fears the city’s attempts to acquire properties through eminent domain would set a negative precedent.

“Over the past eight years, the site plan has seen countless revisions,” the Raft Hill cooperative resident, 420 Evergreen Ave., said. “We fear that if eminent domain is utilized on the plan as presented, there’s nothing to stop that plan from being modified to include our property in the future.”

City officials have said they are actively negotiating with property owners, but could use eminent domain under certain circumstances.

Tim Schmitt, an East Lansing community development analyst, said the development would replace apartments and homes that house 71 people with an apartment building that could house 105 residents.

There is no guarantee those apartments would be available for rent, which means they would have to be bought, East Lansing City Manager Ted Staton said.

With Michigan’s slumping housing market, Strathmore Development Co., the developer, is planning to rent the apartments. But if the market improves, the developer could consider selling the apartments.

While the upscale apartments will be among the most expensive in East Lansing, Staton couldn’t rule out the possibility of student renters.

“In some ways, it will be very high-end housing,” Staton said.

In the two years Ted Carter has lived at his house at 328 Evergreen Ave., he has seen the benefits of a short walk to class and the bar.

“I like the idea of students living in this area, even though the houses are older and it’s really expensive with utilities,” the hospitality business senior said. “I wouldn’t want it to be wiped out so older people could come in.”