Area residents could have two new places to charge their electric vehicles if a plan to install two new charging stations at the East Lansing Public Library and in downtown Lansing is approved.
The East Lansing City Council discussed plans to build the stations at its Tuesday night work session and East Lansing Community Development Analyst Tim Schmitt said if approved, the stations would be open by spring 2012.
“This is one of those projects that has been floating around for a while and just before the Christmas holiday, we were able to nail down some details,” Schmitt said.
Schmitt said he is confident the library is a good starting point for a charging station, given its location, the amount of traffic around the area and the way the library is laid out.
The stations will be administered entirely through a grant from the Lansing Board of Water and Light, and although the cost of the electricity would be paid for by the city, Schmitt said the cost of charging a Chevy Volt is relatively inexpensive — less than a dollar for about eight hours of charging time.
The council also heard from Lori Mullins, the Community and Economic Development Administrator, about the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum and its connection to the community and presence in downtown East Lansing.
The museum originally was scheduled to open in April, but the date has been pushed back to the fall. In a previous interview, Dan Bollman, a design administrator with the MSU Physical Plant, said the delay was caused in part by delays with the building’s glass panels.
Mullins discussed parking for the museum, its look and location and how the museum can be connected with community art projects.
“One of the things we’ve been concerned with is what will visitors see in downtown East Lansing,” Mullins said. “Right now, you look and see an empty restaurant.”
Mullins said the Downtown Development Authority has been looking to recruit businesses for the empty building at 565 E. Grand River Ave., across the street from the museum, and the space is anticipated to be filled by the time the museum opens in the fall.
Planning also is underway to make improvements for parking near the museum.
“It’s really important to the museum that it’s easy for patrons to find parking,” Mullins said.
Mullins also talked about getting the museum involved with community art projects such as a temporary art exhibit downtown this fall and displaying student work in the museum.
“It’s about getting people to feel that the museum is part of our community,” she said.
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