Government

Image: Proposed southern elevation view from the CAHP plan for redevelopment of the Bailey Community Center structure

Image: The new commercial and apartment building at Trowbridge Plaza, built with TIF support.

NOTE: Since this article was published, another $1.5 million TIF was approved; read more.

Today’s question for “Ask ELi to Investigate,” which arrived to us on May 6 from a reader, is: "Could someone please calculate how much revenue is lost to East Lansing each year due to prior TIF financing, and how this is different from welfare?"

Image: City Council last night debating TIF

Although last night’s City Council meeting lasted only about an hour, it was permeated with debate about Tax Increment Financing, or TIF. The lively TIF discussion stretched from public comments into councilmember reports into the discussion of the City’s budget and finally into the main reason it had come up: a re-vote on the Gateway Project “Amended Brownfield Plan #4” for the project DTN plans to build at 300 West Grand River Avenue, between Biggby’s and the West Village townhouse condos.

Above: Image from yesterday's presentation by Capital Area Housing Partnership

About four dozen East Lansing residents, mostly from the Bailey neighborhood, attended a meeting at the Bailey Community Center yesterday to hear the Capital Area Housing Partnership (CAHP) present plans for repurposing the building. People posed questions about various aspects of the early version of the plans, but no one raised serious objections and several residents made a point of expressing their support for the proposal.

New information from City staff has emerged on the past and possible future of the Bailey Community Center, just as the Capital Area Housing Partnership is moving to convene a public discussion this week about that organization’s vision for how to use the property.

Erik M. Altmann says he’s tired of watching the City of East Lansing giving away money to developers and ignoring the needs of its neighborhoods.

“It’s out of control,” said the MSU professor of Psychology. “It started with City Center II. The city got starry-eyed and we are still paying for it.”

Image: The empty lot where the project is proposed, as seen from Biggby looking west toward the West Village condo townhouses.

Approximately 50 East Lansing residents who participated in the two-part, facilitated public discussion about the future of the Bailey Community Center have formulated nine clusters of ideas about the future use of the building. The sessions were organized by the City of East Lansing and held on April 27 and May 4 at the Hannah Community Center.

The ideas were in response to this question presented by facilitator Doak Bloss: “What are some ways to repurpose the Bailey Center that would bring the greatest benefit to residents of East Lansing?”

Bill Castanier explains the surprising history of racist housing discrimination in East Lansing.

This Tuesday, May 5, registered voters in East Lansing can vote on two possible amendments to the City Charter, one on the sales of public lands, the other on marijuana enforcement. Below we provide information that may help you decide how to vote on the land sale charter amendement. Click here for information on the charter amendment regarding marijuana.

Image: The empty lot now at 300 West Grand River Avenue (courtesy of Google streetview)

At its work session this week, City Council continued review of DTN’s “Gateway Project,” proposed for 300 West Grand River Avenue, an empty lot just to the east of the West Village 2 townhouse condos. Council and City staff also debated whether the project warrants public subsidy in the form of tax increment financing (TIF).