Downtown : Development News

The City Market’s Waterfront Bar & Grill is still five months away from its second anniversary, but its already making big changes. The bar and restaurant, which features Michigan-made beer, wine and foods – with a particular focus on Lansing Market vendors – has doubled their indoor seating area.
 
“We can now seat 78 inside and 108 outside,” says Waterfront Bar & Grill owner Arby Schleman.  “We did the expansion between Christmas and New Year, and we’ve actually seen an increase in business already.”
 
The moving around of some City Market vendors made an approximately 600 square food area available right next to the Waterfront Bar & Grill. The business added 40 new seats in the area.
 
That’s not the only thing changing. According to Schleman, Waterfront will soon be selling their Michigan beer bottles and wines to go.
 
“They can have a beer here, or they can create a six pack to go,” he says. Additionally, the business will soon carry beer-making supplies for home brewers, such as hops and yeast.  The increase in seating and inventory will allow Schleman to hire four summer employees this year, as opposed to the two he hired last year.
 
Schleman says Waterfront’s commitment to Michigan-made products has been key to the business’ growth.
 
“We’re very thankful to the community for helping to support us,” he says. Being a Michigan-based company you see a lot more people who are don’t mind spending an extra dollar on a sandwich because they knew it’s all going to Michigan.”

Ruben Aldaco’s family has been serving up tacos to the Greater Lansing area for a long time. His uncle owned Famous Taco, where Aldaco began his career in the restaurant business at the age of 14. When his father opened Aldaco’s on East Grand River in Lansing, he worked for him as well.
 
Now Ruben owns Aldaco’s on South Cedar with his father and the business is expanding right into Downtown Lansing. Aldaco’s Taco 911 opened its doors the day before Thanksgiving to find the patrons of its neighboring bars – including Harem and The Tin Can – hungry for tacos at bar close.
 
“We did good,” says Aldaco. “Everyone got some thing to eat. Hopefully we get some people sobered up with food before they go home.”
 
The late-night crowd is the prime customer base for the restaurant, which serves a selection of Mexican beers along with tacos, burritos and popular mush bowl. The 800-square foot restaurant seats about 25 and currently operates from 8pm to 3am Thursday through Saturday.
 
Those limited hours may not last long, according to Aldaco.
 
“I’ve already had people who work around here stopping in to ask about lunch hours,” he says. “We’re definitely going to have some new hours as soon as we build it up a little bit.”
 
Aldaco hopes to expand Taco 911 in other ways as well, including a possible sidewalk café during warm weather months.

Tina Robinson started creating jewelry at home three years ago when back issues prevented her from continuing her studies in interior design.
 
“It was something I could do without bending over the drafting table all day,” says Robinson.
 
Her jewelry design grew quickly from a replacement hobby to a career. Robinson began selling her work online, as well as art shows. Now, she’s expanding her business to include women’s clothing and accessories and opening the doors of her new store, My Sistas, in Downtown Lansing.
 
“It was another progression to open the boutique,” says Robinson.
 
My Sistas opened the Friday after Thanksgiving in a 4,000-square foot Washington Square location.
 
“I’ve always liked this space,” says Robinson. “The history of the building has always appealed to me.”
 
The physical location give Robinson an opportunity to expand beyond the handmade jewelry market – though she still carries a wide variety of beaded, pearl, metal and crystal jewelry – into apparel.
 
“We’re trying to offer a unique products that people have not seen in Lansing,” says Robinson.
 
In addition to her retail space on the first floor of her building, My Sistas also offers a specialty area upstairs for formal dresses and event space for bridal showers and girls’ nights out.
 
My Sistas celebrated their Grand Opening last Friday.

There’s a new political public relations firm in town, and while they might be the new kids on the block today, founder Jake Davison has big plans for Advantage Associates to be operating along side the big dogs before long.
 
“Our goal is to be up there next to the big, expensive firms,” says Davison. “That’s where we see ourselves in a couple of years.”
 
Advantage Associates opened this summer and is already working toward growth with six clients and two employees, including a creative director and a senior policy consultant. Davison plans to hire a political coordinator in the near future. The Downtown Lansing-based firm was founded on Davison’s experience learning from the best.
 
“I’ve had two very important mentors in my career who made me who I am today,” he says. He credits his time working with Kelly Rossman-McKinney at Rossman Public Relations and John Selleck during his tenure with the Michigan Republican Party as integral to his career development.
 
“Ever since I worked at the Rossman Group I wanted to open my own firm,” says Davison, who adds that the troubled economy is working to his advantage.
 
“We have worked for the best people in the state and we can do what they can do at least 99 percent as well at a lower cost.”  
 
Advantage Associates is currently finalizing their permanent office location, but intends to remain close to Downtown Lansing. The firm’s services include political campaign consulting, public relations, lobbying and digital and print design.

http://www.kositcheks.com/For 146 years, Kositchek’s Menswear has been outfitting Lansing area men in fancy clothes of the highest quality. Throughout their history, the family-owned company has retained the same core value: to pay close attention to their customers’ needs and find a way to meet them.
 
“We keep our ear to the ground,” says owner David Kositchek. “When we see a need, we take care of it in a first class way.”
 
As of late, the staff at Kositchek’s had been hearing the same customer issue arise again and again – that pursuit of quality attire for big and tall men was a challenge.
 
“It’s been hit or miss for the big and tall gentlemen,” says Kositchek. “They can always find something to wear, but it’s hard for them find quality they’re looking for.”
 
That’s why Kositchek’s is unveiling their new, 1,300-square foot Big and Tall Specialty Shop this week. Located inside their current 10,000-square foot location, the Big and Tall Specialty Shop will feature clothes cut to fit taller and larger customers from the same manufactures as Kositchek’s existing stock.
 
“And that’s the difference,” says Koskitchek. “We are working with our manufacturers to make clothes exclusively for us in larger sizes. We’ll have the largest inventory of big and tall clothing for men in the state.”
 
The local menswear shop isn’t stopping there in their pursuit to meet the needs of all men. Next up is the development of a specialty shop for young and smaller men. 

Besides putting on stage productions, the Riverwalk Theatre has been doing one thing since moving to their current location in 1989: growing. Now, thanks to a $9,223 grant from the Capital Region Community Foundation, they will begin a new campaign to make some much needed improvements to the facility.

"We need a new roof, electrical, heating and air conditioning," says Riverwalk Theatre Manager Michael Siracuse. "Our A/C is so loud, but in this heat we've had to run it during a show. The actors did well, but they had to speak really loud."

The Riverwalk Theatre has made several improvements to their Museum Drive location over the last two decades, including a new lobby, restrooms, boardroom, an additional auditorium and more.

"The really great thing is that all of this was raised," says Siracuse. "We never had a loan, never had a mortgage on the building. Everything we have done has been paid for by the community."

Siracuse hopes that trend will continue with their last capital improvement needs. He estimates the updates will cost between $40,000 and $60,000. They are waiting on other outstanding grant applications before going to their membership for a campaign to raise the remaining funds.

"The support of our members and of the Community Foundation has truly humbled us," says Siracruse. "Now that we have these two auditoriums we're doing a lot more shows. It's given us a lot more flexibility in what we provide."

The Yang family opened their first Thai restaurant in Farmington Hills about five years ago. When they decided to expand, they took their time looking around Michigan for the perfect location.

"We felt Downtown Lansing had a homey feeling, a community feeling," said Lisa Yang. "With it being the state capitol and having so any businesses downtown, we knew it would be the right place."

Thai Village opened on the 400-block of Washington Square on Monday with a ribbon cutting. The 2,000 square foot restaurant will feature dine-in for about 50 customers, as well as catering and carry out. According to Yang, customers will first note the freshness of the food at Thai Village.

"My parents shop for food and vegetables daily," says Yang. "All of our food is really fresh."

Yang's parents, Steve and Marie Yang are the owners of both family businesses. They will employ approximately 10 local employees.

"We're just excited," says Yang. "I think overall, this is the best place we could be."

Downtown Lansing men have a new place to get a trim on Washington Square, and it won't be like any haircut experience they've had before. The Barberrettes is now open, and owner Felix Campos is billing his new business as "Lansing's Premier Gentlemen's Barber Shop.

"I came up with the concept of showcasing professional women barbers," says Campos. "Hopefully it will be something that people find very tasteful."

The 1,500 square foot Barberrettes shop is in the location of the former Perelli's barbershop. Campos says the renovations have taken awhile, but he is pleased with the result

"I've got great concepts going inside," Campos says. "I'm going to add some of the history of Lansing at each station."

Updates to the location include bamboo hardwood flooring, glass partitions, granite countertops, a theater area and more. Campos plans to employ five workers at The Barberrettes.

It’s been a tough decade for travel agencies. Between the same financial crisis all businesses had to contend with they have also suffered from the advent of Internet travel sites and a notable downturn in international travel after September 11, 2001.

Today, Craig Corey Vacations celebrates 20 years in business not only because they survived, but now they are back in growth mode. The agency, which once employed six in a large Downtown Lansing loft office, downgraded to a home-based business in 2002. Now, the agency is moving back to downtown, into a 500 square foot office in the Atrium Office Center.

“You really still need the visibility of a physical office,” says owner Craig Corey, “and I want to seize the opportunity to do so, but also, there is a renaissance occurring in Downtown Lansing, and I want to be a part of it.”

Corey is currently the only employee of his company, though he plans to expand his staff as the business continues to grow. He explains the resurgence of his industry as travelers having a renewed interest in learning more about where they’re about to go.

“We’ve had a huge a move back to professional travel planning,” he says. “There is so much information on the Internet. It might be factual, but it might not be realistic when it comes to your trip.”

Corey will move to the new location in mid-July. Craig Corey Vacations will be the only full-service travel agent in the City of Lansing.

Source: Craig Corey, Craig Corey Vacations

Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor

A new style of street level, open-air bar has made its debut in Lansing, just in time for a summer of fun across Michigan Avenue from the Lugnuts.

The Dugout is a 400-square foot walk-up bar from the owners of Harem, who converted one of the original bar’s VIP area into the new, baseball-themed space.

“We’re right around the corner form the baseball game, and it’s just a small, little space, so The Dugout was the perfect name,” says Dave Sell, the bar’s general manager. “We’ve got ballpark-style dog and big draft beers, and we’re in the perfect place to watch fireworks. They literally pop up right above your head.”

The Dugout opened three weeks ago and employs four new workers. Even with a quiet opening and less than ideal weather in their first couple of weeks, the bar had a strong showing from the get go.

“Surprisingly, I’ve been pretty busy,” says Sell. “We’ve had people just walking by who say, ‘What’s this?’ We’ve gotten a great amount of walk up business.”

Sell plans to ramp up the buzz even more with a grand opening as soon as the warm weather stabilizes this summer.

The new bar is a part of the same ownership as neighboring bars The Exchange, The Harem Urban Lounge and The Loft, who invested $20,000 in the The Dugout.

Source: Dave Sell, The Dugout

Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor

The future of the Knapp’s Building is looking brighter after the encouraging announcement of a Renaissance Zone approval for the site. The designation will not only benefit the developers by allowing the building to be free of property taxes for 12 years, but also future residential and business tenants will realize future tax breaks as well.

“We’re hoping to attract future tenants who will be professionals who work downtown,” says Mark Clouse of the Eyde Company. “We’d like to provide an upscale housing option for them, and this will be a great incentive for them to locate there.”

The project, which is set to include 21 residential units, 69,000 square feet of office space across three floors and retail space on the first floor, is estimated to total $36 million. The final step before work can begin on the project is securing a competitive $2 million federal Brownfield Economic Development Initiative (BEDI) grant from U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.

“We applied last year and were not successful,” says Clouse, “But this year we think our chances are very, very high.”

The Eyde Company hopes to begin interior work on the redevelopment project as early as this summer and expect the entire project to take 18 months.

Source: Mark Clouse, Eyde Company

Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor

The 1,000-foot steam line and 1,300-foot water main under the Lansing Community College was installed in the 1890s. With all that has changed in Lansing since Ransom E. Olds founded the Olds Motor Vehicle Company around the same time, it was about time for an upgrade.

“The infrastructure upgrade has been planned by the BWL for several years," says Sue Warren, Manager of Energy and Eco-Strategies with the Lansing Board of Water and Light.   "The steam line, which has experienced several leaks in recent years, was installed approximately 90 years ago.”

The BWL began the $2 million project on the LCC campus in early April, and work will continue through mid-September. The project will affect pedestrian traffic on LCC campus, a portion of the playground at the Early Learning Children’s Community and LCC’s outdoor amphitheater. Multiple lane closures will affect traffic through May 15.

The project will be funded by the BWL and is the largest infrastructure improvement made to the property since the campus opened in 1957. The BWL will use a technique called “pipe-bursting” to minimize excavation for the water main replacement. Excavation will be necessary for replacing the steam line.

Throughout the project, signage will be erected to navigate pedestrians safely through the construction zone and all LCC classrooms and parking lots will remain open.

Source: Sue Warren, Lansing Board of Water and Light

Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor

Downtown Lansing has been eagerly awaiting the completion of the Accident Fund’s new headquarters in the former Lansing Board of Water & Light Ottawa Street Power Station for years now, and the wait is finally over. The grand opening of the building, which took place on March 29, marked the beginning of the 650-employee transition.

The move not only marks $182 million invested in a 334,000-square-foot historic site and room for the company to add 500 more employees over the next ten years, but it also will bring 300 Blue Cross Blue Shield employees to Downtown Lansing even more quickly. BCBS staff from the company’s Creyts Road location and other area offices will consolidate into the former Accident Fund building as soon as this spring or summer.

According to the Accident Fund’s Media & Public Relations Advisor Stepheni L. Schlinker, adding 800 more employees downtown reflects her company and BCBS’s commitment to Downtown Lansing.

“Accident Fund is nearing its 100-year anniversary and we have always been based in downtown Lansing,” Schlinker said. “We are committed to Lansing and helping to grow Lansing’s economy.”

The major renovation project, which was overseen by The Christman Company, was completed utilizing 90 percent Michigan-based contractors, employing 106 statewide.

“The new headquarters is important to Accident Fund as it allows us to grow,” says Schlinker. “The new facility has given us the extra space we need to conduct agent meetings at our headquarters – something we didn’t have space to do in the Capitol Ave. building.”

Source: Stepheni L. Schlinker, The Accident Fund

Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor 

All Photographs © Dave Trumpie

A new restaurant and bar is coming to Downtown Lansing, with an eye on a very specific goal: being a friendly place.

“I want it to be the Cheers of Lansing,” says owner of the newly opened The Board Room, Dan Korrey. “I want the staff to build a relationship with our customer base, and to what they like to eat and drink when they come in the door.”

The Board Room, which is planning a soft open this week with a limited menu, is in the 3,600 square foot location formally occupied by the Downtown Doghouse.

“We completely remodeled the whole place,” said Korrey. “There is an all new design, all new kitchen, floor and a new bar.”

A grand opening is likely to happen some time in April. Korrey want to concentrate first on build and train a staff to meet his high standards for customer service.

“I think the quality of staff will reflect a lot in how our customers view us,” he says. “We want to create the kind of place where people want to start their night and then come back to end their night.”

Korrey anticipates hiring around 20 employees to fully staff The Board Room. Interested applicants may visit the bar's website. Updates regarding the grand opening event will also be posted on the website and The Board Room’s Facebook page.

Source: Dan Korrey, The Board Room

Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor

Two familiar names in the Lansing PR world have just become one big, hyphenated communications powerhouse. On Jan, 11, the firms The Rossman Group and the John Truscott Group officially became Truscott Rossman.

"Kelly has always been a friend and a competitor," says John Truscott of his now-associate, Kelly Rossman-McKinney.

"We were talking one day last spring about growth opportunities and how we could better help our clients. She said, 'Why don’t we just join forces?'"

Several months later, the new idea became a plan of action.

Rossman and Truscott are now busy renovating a space large enough to house the merged firm, which now supports 13 full-time staff.

The former Rossman and Truscott firms were each occupying 3,000 square-foot spaces in Old Town Lansing and the Boji Tower in Downtown Lansing, respectively.

The new firm is expanding the Truscott Group’s existing Boji Tower office space into a 7,000 square foot space.

"It’s the best location in town," says Truscott. "Both my office and Kelly’s look right out over the Capitol."

Combined staff isn’t the only benefit to the Truscott-Rossman merger; they also combined skill sets.

"We both have partisan backgrounds," says Truscott. "Kelly is more of a Democrat, and I’m more of a Republican. As a bipartisan team, we have the strength of both our experiences."

Renovations on the Boji Tower offices are currently underway and are expected to be completed in the next few weeks. The former Rossman Group’s Old Town location is currently available for lease.

Source: John Truscott, Truscott Rossman

Writer: Natalie Burg, News Editor