Citizen outpour and a littany of debate amongst council members led to an amendment to the proposal — the reduction of the five-story building to four stories.

Since its initial proposal, the project has been met with a barrage of citizen criticism, with many local residents concerned about the new building's potential effects.

“Originally the community was optimistic of the redevelopment. However disappointment soon followed,” said Jim DeWitt, president of the Red Cedar Community Association.

DeWitt, along with many other local residents were not in favor of such a large, residential building in the area. Concerns were also raised about the traffic problems they alleged would arise.

“The plan before us presents an extreme traffic hazard,” East Lansing resident Sheila Taylor said.

Taylor said the squeezing of parking spaces, coupled with the increase in pedestrian concentration could be a lethal combination.

However, some residents believe this opportunity is a rare change for improvement to a blighted area.

"I know the history of East Lansing. All around us East Lansing is being redeveloped, except Trowbridge Road,” local resident and owner of Wendy’s restaurant Randy Isreal said. “We finally have someone willing to invest a lot of money into the city. Nobody has been willing to invest for years and years, until now. If we don’t fix this now, it will become a very big eyesore.”

“There are concerns about density, financing, traffic and size,” East Lansing Mayor Nathan Triplett said. Triplett and the council said the reduction of the building works to solve these problems.

The site had been reduced before coming to the council. The developing company, Caddis Development Group, worked with local residents to reduce the original plan of two five-story buildings on the site to one.

The president of Caddis Development, Kevin McGraw, declined to comment after the meeting.

The approval of the project could mean an increased student population in the area. Three of the four stories in the new high rise will be devoted to housing. According to the proposal, these rentals will be marketed to students.

Students living in the new building will also have access to the new grocery story and businesses that will occupy the refurbished plaza.

“Will this affect all MSU students? Probably not,” Chairwomen of the Trowbridge Business Association, Susan Chalgian said. “Will some students want to live there and enjoy the retail choices and proximity to school — absolutely.”

With the changes made to the proposal during the council meeting, estimates for completion are still somewhat unclear. However, Chalgian said the project should be completed within two years.