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East Lansing Downtown Development Hits A Snag

Work has begun on a fifth floor at the St. Anne Luxury Lofts in downtown East Lansing. The city council had only approved four stories.
Photo: Scott Pohl
/
WKAR
Work has begun on a fifth floor at the St. Anne Luxury Lofts in downtown East Lansing. The city council had only approved four stories.

The St. Anne Luxury Lofts development in East Lansing has hit a snag.
    

WKAR's Scott Pohl reports that work has begun on a fifth story, when the city council had only approved four.
 

East Lansing Planning and Community Development Director Tim Dempsey describes the situation as a miscommunication between the city and developer Kris Elliott. When the city learned that work had begun on a fifth floor, it was made clear that the change required council's OK.
    

Dempsey says he would recommend approving the change, based on the things the city is trying to accomplish downtown.

 

"Higher density, building vertically rather than horizontally, a new urbanist approach," Dempsey explains. "Green building. I think it fits within all the philospophies the city is trying to achieve."
 

Tonight, the council is likely to schedule a public hearing on the matter. In the meantime, work has halted on the fifth floor while continuing on the first four.

Scott Pohl is a general assignment news reporter and produces news features and interviews. He is also an alternate local host on NPR's "Morning Edition."
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