The first of three forums asking for community input on the proposed mixed-use Park District Project is set for 5:30 p.m. Monday evening.
The first of these meetings, known as charrettes, will be at the Marriott at University Place, located at 300 M.A.C. Avenue. The forum is a joint effort between the East Lansing Department of Planning, Building and Development and DTN Management Co. to gather insight from residents on how they want the final product to look.
Monday’s meeting will focus on community members’ expectations on the design and use for the building.
The project is a proposed $105 million redevelopment effort that could bring retail, residential and housing spaces to a parcel of land near the site of the former City Center II project.
The DTN proposal includes a hotel, 450 residential units and 400 ground-level parking spaces.
In previous interviews with The State News, DTN Vice President Colin Cronin said DTN views community involvement as a vital part of the project.
“Over the next nine months, if us, the city and the community come up with a vision that is financially feasible, then we’ll actually get into a formal development agreement with the city,” he said.
Mayor Diane Goddeeris said the timing of these discussions are important.
“Here we are at the beginning, getting input from the community,” she said. “Having that first conversation is very important.”
Goddeeris said her ideal plan for the site centers around the project improving the downtown area.
“The number one thing we want is it to be an asset to the downtown,” she said.
City Manager George Lahanas said the meetings are designed to receive input from the public on what they want the area to look like.
“We involve the community in every step of the process,” he said.
Lahanas said city council wants to see a site that has diverse options.
“We want mixed use, we want density,” he said. “We want to see commercial, meaning office and retail, and people living there.”
A mixed-use facility has a number of advantages, Lahanas said.
“It’s always vibrant, always active and it’s feeding each other.” he said.
Don Power, a former council member who was on the council when the City Center II project fell through, said he’s been pleased with community involvement so far.
Power said he wanted to see a project funded mostly through private capital.
Finances also were issues for the City Center II project.
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Doug Jester, chair of the team that reviewed project proposals, said the decision to hire DTN was made based on the developer and not the plan submitted, so DTN is not tied to the proposal they showed the city council and review team.
The other two charrettes will be on Oct. 16 at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum and Nov. 14 at the Marriott at University Place.
