Trowbridge Developer Fixing Fire Suppression Issue

According to an email message yesterday sent from Tim Dempsey, Director of Planning for the City of East Lansing, to City Manager George Lahanas, a recent inspection of the new residential apartment building at Trowbridge Plaza turned up “insufficient fire separation between the commercial and residential spaces (first floor and second floor).”

In the email, Dempsey told Lahanas, “Upon determination of insufficient separation, our Building Official scheduled and held a meeting with our inspection staff and representatives of the owner and contractor to explain the shortcoming and review appropriate corrections. As a result, the owner is now making modifications that fully comply with the requirements.”

Lahanas tells ELi that in terms of the fire suppression issue, “The floor between the commercial and residential space needed drywall installed as a further fire separation.”

According to Dempsey, this remedy “illustrates how the inspection process is intended to work. During inspections and walk-thrus staff will on occasion identify deficiencies which are brought to the attention of the owners/builders for correction. Corrections are then made and inspections are approved after the deficiencies identified are brought into compliance.” 

The Trowbridge Village development has been controversial in terms of the design, the tax increment financing, and most recently, a problem of insufficient parking, and has been the subject of several contentious split votes at City Council.