Center City District

The Grand River Avenue side of the Center City District project is now showing hints of what the finished project will look like from that direction. ELi  brings you photos, renderings, and explanations.

Punk Taco and Cosmos coming to town? Dublin Square redeveloped? Biggby changing locations and getting a drive-through? ELi brings you the latest on developments in downtown East Lansing.

Christman Company, the lead contractor for the Center City District project, says there have been "some pretty significant delays." The company considers it a "huge win" to be able to rent public land across Abbot Road for $1,500 per month to relieve construction traffic congestion.

The contractor for the large Center City District project downtown is now looking to expand the construction zone across Abbot Road. ELi's Alice Dreger reports.

What happened at today's celebration of the Center City District redevelopment project? ELi's Alice Dreger brings you the story.

Michigan Lieutenant Governor Brian Calley will be coming to East Lansing next Tuesday to appear as a special guest speaker at a celebration of the Center City District Project. ELi's Alice Dreger reports.

ELi's Alice Dreger provides an update on Center City District construction, including where the Art Festival is moving, how Albert Avenue will be reconstructed, what to expect from the new Target store, and why Council authorized funds for a new water main pipe.

The City of East Lansing has been trying to help businesses downtown weather the stresses of the Center City District construction. ELi's Alice Dreger summarizes the efforts and talks to business owners about what's helping, what's not, and what might work better.

The cancellation of the Great Lakes Folk Festival has been unwelcome news to many artists, attendees, and downtown business owners. So how was the decision made, and why? ELi's Alice Dreger investigates.

MSU Museum Director Mark Auslander today explained to ELi his reasons for putting the Great Lake Folks Festival on what he calls “hiatus." Issues named include lack of diversity among attendees, a need to serve MSU undergraduates, and the challenges of construction downtown.

Using the Freedom of Information Act, ELi finds that almost $700,000 in future local taxes from the Center City District project have been earmarked to pay the developer’s attorneys, the developer’s financial advisors, and the developer’s father’s company. What does Council say?

What can the City of East Lansing expect in terms of benefits and costs of the Center City District redevelopment project? A reader asked, and we dug through a lot of records to get some answers.

East Lansing Planning staff say that the Center City District bonds have now closed, which means construction is officially starting on the project. What should we expect in the coming months? 

With approvals obtained yesterday from two East Lansing governmental bodies, financing for the Center City District project is expected to be finally settled next week. Construction will start after that. ELi's Alice Dreger reports.

This week, City Council approved a new performance-guarantee agreement with the Center City District developer. Today, that agreement amendment will be considered by the two other bodies that must approve it.