The new Spartan Dance Center (SDC), located on Albert Ave. in the heart of East Lansing, is an affordable traditional dance center that provides dance classes in a variety of styles, including lyrical, contemporary, ballet, tap, jazz, zumba, hip-hop and Broadway. 

One of the many goals of SDC is to provide a user-friendly and affordable dance studio to dancers of all ages, with options to fit various schedules, skill levels and preferences. 

“SDC will be an open and vibrant hub for dancers to come and go," says Luke Miller, public relations and media director for Spartan Dance Center.

Spartan Dance Center offer drop-in classes that require no registration and the flexible class structure allows dancers to either pay by the class or purchase a pre-loaded “class card” at a discounted rate. "This format is very unique to the area, since most studios in the area require specific times, memberships and registration for classes,” according to Miller.

Spartan Cash is also accepted for MSU students.

“Director Tiffany Russell found this style to be popular in New York City and thought the Lansing area could adapt a similar institute for an area that is equally youthful, urban and bustling," says Miller.

Source: Luke Miller, Spartan Dance Center

Writer: Suban Nur Cooley 

All Photographs © Dave Trumpie

One night after taking his friend out for his birthday in East Lansing, businessman Spencer Soka strolled up Grand River Avenue and stopped in front of the storefront that used to house Melting Moments.

It was perfect, Soka thought, for a deli. If only the spot was available.

As fate would have it, Melting Moments closed shop after 25 years in April, and Soka wasted no time moving in.

The Stateside Deli and Grill, opened its doors Aug. 7 at 313 E. Grand River Ave. It’s Soka’s second Stateside location. The first is in Okemos at 3552 Meridian Crossing Dr.

Soka promises a full deli experience, complete with fresh-baked breads, pastrami sandwiches, Philly cheese steaks and meats hanging from the ceiling. But you can also order a burger and onion rings.

“We never ask our customers if the food is good,” says Soka, 30, who also owns a Verizon store in Okemos. “You know why? Because we know it’s good.”

Stateside Deli and Grill is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., Monday through Wednesday, and from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m., Thursday through Saturday. On Sundays, the deli is open noon to 9 p.m.

Soka says he wants to cater to students, so he has opened up a back room where students can sit and study.

Source: Spencer Soka

Writer: Louise Knott Ahern

Habitat for Humanity of Lansing will build a house for its 100th family next month in a first-of-its-kind partnership with Michigan State University and the Whirlpool Corporation.

Construction on the home will begin on Sept. 11 – the 9/11 National Day of Service – and will end Oct. 15 during MSU’s Homecoming weekend. Habitat will then present the keys to the new homeowner, an MSU grad student and single mother of three, during MSU’s homecoming football game on Oct. 16th.

“We are very proud to have served 99 local families in need of affordable housing and look forward to reaching this milestone,” says Julie Burtch, Habitat spokeswoman. “This means that 100 families, including hundreds of children, are no longer living in substandard housing. Instead, they are homeowners in safe, affordable homes. We hope the community will continue to support us as we grow toward serving 100 more families.”

The build is part of the 2010 Whirlpool Building Blocks Initiative, the corporation’s signature philanthropy program with Habitat for Humanity. Since 1999, the company has donated more than 110,000 ranges and Energy Star qualified refrigerators to new Habitat homes.  

The home will be built in two phases. The first half will be constructed in the commuter lot on Mount Hope Road, and it will then be moved to its permanent location in Lansing.

When completed, the 1,000-square-foot house will have three bedrooms, two bathrooms and a full basement.

Source: Julie Burtch

Writer: Louise Knott Ahern

Consumers Energy is one step closer to building its first wind energy park in the next two years.

The Jackson-based company has signed a contract with a national manufacturer to supply 56 wind turbine generators for the utility’s Lake Winds Energy Park in Mason County on the state’s western shore.

The contract calls for Vestas-American Wind Technology, Inc. to manufacture, deliver and commission the V100-1.8 MW turbine units. The total installed generation capacity of the units is 100.8 megawatts.

“Securing this agreement is a major milestone in the development of our first wind energy park and continues our commitment to environmental stewardship,” says John Russell, president and CEO of Consumers Energy.

“Consumers Energy already is the largest supplier of renewable energy in Michigan. By the end of 2012, including the addition of our Lake Winds Energy Park, about eight percent of the power that Consumers Energy supplies to its customers is expected to come from Michigan-based renewable sources.”

Consumers Energy provides natural gas and electricity to 6.5 million of the state’s 10 million residents in the 68 counties of Michigan’s lower peninsula.

Source: Consumers Energy

Writer: Louise Knott Ahern

Michelle Gross knows that if you want to sell premium jeans, cocktail dresses and one-of-a-kind accessories, location matters.

Which is why Gross strategically decided to open her new clothing boutique, Jeanologie, just a few blocks away from a row of Michigan State University sorority houses in East Lansing. Her display window along M.A.C. Avenue can’t be missed by young women on their way to class or work.

“I was in a sorority at Michigan State, and I know how hard it can be to find cocktail dresses and other clothes for events,” Gross says.

Jeanologie opened July 1 in a 500-square-foot store at 303 M.A.C., across from the Marriott Hotel at University Place.

Gross offers a variety of sizes and brands – including BCBG, Kensie, Lucky Brand and Betsey Johnson.

“I don’t carry more than a few of each dress because I don’t want girls on campus running into each other wearing the same thing,” she says. “I carry a range of sizes, too. For a dress, I might have a size zero, an eight and maybe a 12.”

Gross is a graduate of Michigan State University with a degree in apparel and textile design. She is working with some of her former professors to offer current students a chance to carry their own designs in her store on consignment.

Source: Michelle Rose Gross, Jeanologie

Writer: Louise Knott Ahern

It was once the third-tallest structure in the entire world, but the famed WKAR broadcast tower on Dobie Road in Okemos will be replaced over the next few months with a new antenna designed to improve radio and TV reception for public programming.

The Michigan State University Board of Trustees approved construction of the new, 1,000-foot tower at its June 18 meeting. It will be finished by January 2011, after which the original 1953 tower will be dismantled.

The new tower will improve reception quality for WKAR’s television programming and its AM and FM radio broadcast channels. All have suffered from poor signal strength since the federally mandated conversion from analog to digital, said Diane Hutchens, WKAR communications manager.

“We have lot of people in Eaton Rapids and Jackson to the south of us who have a difficult time picking us up, even with converter boxes,” Hutchens said. “These are people who depend on public broadcasting for a lot of their news programs and entertainment programs, and they are so frustrated.”

During construction, WKAR will periodically operate at a reduced rate and will alert viewers and listeners ahead of time.

Funding for the project comes from a variety of sources, including grants, private donations and matching contributions from MSU.

Source: Diane Hutchens

Writer: Louise Knott Ahern

The section of Michigan Ave running from the Capitol building in Downtown Lansing all the way to East Lansing could look different in the future. Improvements to the corridor are still being discussed and planned, and a "unified vision for future developments of Michigan Ave" is on the horizon, according to Ken Szymusiak of the Lansing Economic Development Corporation.

There will be enhancements to the corridor's infrastructure, including new curbs, trees, benches and improved streets. Szymusiak says the goal is to have Michigan Ave "unified from the Capitol to East Lansing," with the focusing being on the "attractiveness" of the corridor's streetscape. A CATA study was done on transportation plans so that nothing is overlooked.

Szymusiak says there is nothing concrete yet, but that those along the corridor are making recommendations and seeing "block by block what could be done." Coordinating the look of Michigan Ave along the planned route is the key, as is maximizing the area. "We want to spur future development," says Szymusiak.

Street lights, flowers and more will be taken into consideration for the potential new look of Michigan Ave. Szymusiak says the key is to "think long term" when it comes planning and implementing any changes.

Source: Ken Szymusiak

Writer: Daniel J. Hogan

The interior of Hubbard Hall at Michigan State University is undergoing a $3 million renovation. The project on the 12 story building—the tallest on MSU's campus—is being managed by Triangle Associates, Inc. out of Grand Rapids.

"The Hubbard C-Store is outdated," says Triangle President Mitch Watt. The new Hubbard Hall will feature an open-air Sparty's Retail Store, which will include lounge space. The new store will be a hybrid of a small diner and a convenience store similar to a 7-11.

The north lounge will be separated into four areas for studying, lounging, dining and gaming. The south lounge will have more of a studying focusing, and features a quiet area for studying, as well as rooms for group meetings. Watt says the plan is to make Hubbard the "number one venue" on campus for students to spend their time.

Hubbard will be repainted and have its flooring replaced, giving the building a fresh, updated look.

Triangle is also renovating MSU's Case Hall. The contract for the two projects is around $20 million. Triangle had previously worked on Owen Hall for MSU.

The renovated Hubbard Hall will reopen this coming fall.

Source: Anne Rothwell, Mitch Watt, Brent Gibson at Triangle

Writer: Daniel J. Hogan