A joint effort between the city of East Lansing and DTN Management Co. to revive the blighted corner of Grand River and Michigan avenues only will be successful if officials respond to the needs of students.
The initial proposal of land use put forward by DTN consisted of four to five buildings tentatively filled with a year-round farmers market, wine bar, hotel, parking structure, urban grocer, restaurants and retail, commercial and residential uses.
When choosing businesses to fill the space, city leaders need to consider the students first. Members of the East Lansing City Council have talked often of attracting “young professionals” — white-collar single people just entering the workforce — with upscale new housing and businesses.
But with freshman classes getting larger every year, it is doubtful the number of potential customers will drop any time soon.
City officials also have talked of attracting a wider array of cultures to enrich the city. They need not look farther than their backyard as MSU students come from a wide array backgrounds, and the number of international students is steadily on the rise. Instead of trying to retain more students after graduation, city leaders could look to provide venues for culture events that take place on campus more often than not.
A perfect example was Wanderer’s Teahouse, which closed last May. The teahouse offered different community events, open mic nights and teas from around the world. It was a space where residents and students alike could share a cup of tea or attend a poetry reading.
Crunchy’s is another example of a unique community experience that both residents and students can enjoy. By wrapping craft beer, pen-graffitied walls, live music and customizable burgers into a non-corporate atmosphere, the burger-and-beer joint has become a landmark in East Lansing for young and old.
By Nov. 15, there will be three feedback sessions where the public can voice their opinions on the retail, commercial and residential uses of the Park District project.
“This is a significant portion of one end of our downtown,” East Lansing City Manager George Lahanas said at a city council meeting on Aug. 6. “What we do here will be the way the city looks for the next 50-60 years and beyond. So (we) want to make sure it’s done right.”
And 50-60 years from now students still will coexist side-by-side with East Lansing and still will be affected by the decisions of city leaders.
MSU students have the chance to steer East Lansing into a community of rich experiences and thriving businesses, to attract students and drive commerce.
Students should speak up, and city leaders should listen.
Support student media! Please consider donating to The State News and help fund the future of journalism.
