The East Lansing city council has approved a tentative deal paving the way for a $132 million development project that would change the look of the college town’s downtown.
The 12-story complex will include hundreds of apartments and retail space.
Mayor Mark Meadows hopes the Center City District project will attract more older people to East Lansing’s downtown.
“Now someone can open a retail space that doesn’t just cater to somebody who’s 18 to 24 years old,” says Meadows.
Some East Lansing residents worry what the large complex will do to the downtown Grand River strip and the potential financial commitments the deal could tie to the city.
The project still has some hoops to jump through, but Meadows hopes to see shovels in the ground as soon as September.