A rendering of the proposed MSUFCU branch and innovation building. COURTESY OF EAST LANSING.
Michigan State University Federal Credit Union, or MSUFCU, provided more details on the office building they plan on opening at the northwest corner of the intersection of Albert Avenue and Abbot Road.
At the Tuesday East Lansing City Council discussion-only meeting, MSUFCU talked with the council about a rendering of their building and the good they believe it will bring to East Lansing.
MSUFCU believe they will be able to offer high quality jobs, keeping Michigan State graduates in East Lansing and attracting talent from outside the city.
“We pay competitive wages and offer robust benefits,” MSUFCU Vice President of Infrastructure Planning and Facilities Erin Bowdell said. “Providing an opportunity for our employees to work downtown in East Lansing with nearby coffee shops, restaurants and MSU’s campus will help us attract and retain great talent here in East Lansing.”
The proposed building is eight stories tall in the rendering. However, the sale will need to be approved by voters on a March 10 Primary election ballot question for the building to happen. After that, MSUFCU would submit a final site plan. If approved, the land would sell for $810,000.
David Mefford, a design architect with Neumann/Smith Architecture, who have been working with MSUFCU, said they considered the fit with downtown East Lansing when creating the rendering.
“We went to great lengths to work in conjunction with the city and really looking at what East Lansing is in the downtown core and create a building that we feel matches and compliments the great things that currently exist,” Mefford said.
East Lansing Mayor Ruth Beier expressed support for the project.
“I couldn’t be more happy,” Beier said. “When I started on council ... six years ago, I thought ‘Why can’t we get a nice office building downtown?’”
MSUFCU plans on having about 65 employees per office floor and to use existing city parking spaces, Bowdell said.
“This proposed project would further diversify and increase the number of office users in our downtown, which is consistent with City Council’s policies and the City’s Master Plan,” East Lansing City Manager George Lahanas said.
In addition to the jobs the building would bring, Bowdell said MSUFCU plans to aid the community through philanthropic efforts, housing, youth programs, financial education and supporting local art.
While ultimately East Lansing voters will decide if the office building opens, multiple council members were optimistic of it coming to fruition.
“I think there’s a very good feel about this project,” Beier said.
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