Michigan Avenue is the main artery between Lansing and East Lansing and though it has many bright spots—great bars, lofts, a baseball stadium, Michigan State University (MSU)—it could use some improvements.
During the next few weeks, the Michigan Avenue Corridor Improvement Authority will start developing a plan to make every portion of Mid-Michigan’s most prominent corridor attractive to businesses, visitors and consumers.
“The first analysis is going to include sitting with anyone who's interested in Michigan Avenue and basically saying, ‘What are the things you like and what are the things you don’t like? What will make you visit more often?’” says Brian Anderson with the Lansing Economic Development Corporation.
Anderson says he expects citizens to ask for everything from more rain gardens and detailed brick street work to a solution to the watershed problem in the Frandor Shopping Center.
After listening to several weeks of public comment, the three entities involved in the project—Lansing, Lansing Township and East Lansing—will make improvement recommendations.
“I think it’s pretty significant because we have Lansing Township and East Lansing equally participating through this entire effort,” says Anderson.
The portion of the corridor being reviewed extends from Clara's Restaurant in Lansing to Grand River Avenue in East Lansing. After a plan is finalized, the three municipalities will determine how to fund the improvements. This is the first time the three governments have come together on a Michigan Avenue improvement plan.
Source: Brian Anderson, Lansing Economic Development Corporation
Ivy Hughes, development news editor, can be reached here.
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