Now, it will be turned into a multi-store hotspot with entertainment and dining options. Details like a timeline and amenities included are subject to change depending on partnerships, the group said. 

“It’s an exciting time to be in Lansing, as we have met the challenges of the last few years with new projects and developments all over the city and region,” Pat Gillespie, president and CEO of Gillespie Group, said in a release. “We have incredible momentum, and this site is a great example of that.”

Prior to closing two years ago, the 14-acre, 200,000-square-foot site was home to a Sears for 66 years. The name “ROECO” was chosen to honor the history of Sears, Roebuck and Co. in Lansing. Gillespie Group has owned the property for 13 years.

The development firm is partnering with real estate group Coldwell Banker Richard Ellis (CBRE) to begin marketing the property to vendors. According to a release, the ROECO is aimed to host entertainment, dining and housing.

“We look forward to bringing new and innovative retailers, restaurants, and entertainment concepts to the Lansing market,” Scott Young, first vice president at CBRE, said in a press release.

Gillespie said he is looking forward to working with new partners, reviving this location and contributing attention to this Lansing neighborhood.

The firm hired Washington D.C.-based consulting firm Streetsense to study the area’s demographics to recommend the types of businesses that will succeed in the location over a year ago, the Lansing State Journal previously reported.

Other Gillespie Projects

In the last few years, a number of projects have been started in this west-of-campus area.

Just across from the Frandor shopping center, the $260 million Red Cedar Development Project has begun projects in the Michigan Avenue corridor.

In Fall of 2021, the project's student housing complex University Edge welcomed its first batch of residents. Their $35 million luxury senior-living facility, Red Cedar Lodge, is set to open this month. The site will soon host two hotels, restaurants and retail stores.

Located next door to the former Sears store, SkyVue student apartments opened in 2017.

In September of 2021, Sparrow Health System unveiled its plan to build new medical facilities, including a five-story tower at its Michigan Avenue campus that sits between Michigan State's campus and the Michigan State Capitol.

“For decades, this area of Lansing has been known for unique dining, shopping, and entertainment and the ROECO plan will continue this tradition," Lansing Mayor Andy Schor said in a statement. "I’m always excited to see unique and creative redevelopment projects that will be a magnet for people coming to Lansing, bringing more vibrancy and energy to our city."

The Gillespie Group is marketing the ROECO as a near-campus destination that can be seen from US-127 and sits across from the Red Cedar Development project.

The group is responsible for the Block600 Lofts and Capital City Market by Meijer in downtown Lansing, two other commercial buildings near Frandor on East Michigan Avenue, as well as a number of properties deeper into Lansing.

They were founded in 1994 and now have a portfolio featuring 2000 residential units and nearly a million-square-feet of commercial space.