A newsletter for East Lansing residents • May 2017 COMMUNITY EVENTS PLANNING East Lansing Farmer’s Market to An Update on Open Sunday, June 4 Development Th e 2017 season of the East Lansing Th e ELFM is a growers-only market located A number of development projects are currently Farmer’s Market (ELFM) kicks off this in an inviting, open-air park atmosphere. underway or are slated to break ground soon in June in Valley Court Park, 280 Valley Th e market is a quick walk or bike ride away the City of East Lansing. Court. Market days will take place June from several neighborhoods and is steps Construction has begun on a 156,170-square- 4-Oct. 29 on Sundays from 10 a.m.-2 p.m. away from downtown East Lansing and the foot Costco Wholesale Warehouse at 5800 Park Community members are encouraged to MSU campus. Lake Road. Th e project site will also include a mark their calendars for opening day on Th is year’s vendor lineup includes a great freestanding gas station and three outlots for Sunday, June 4. Th e fi rst 150 customers mix of returning and new vendors. Th e future development. Construction of the Costco to attend the market on opening day will 2017 vendors include Applegarth Honey, is expected to be completed by this fall. receive a FREE, reusable ELFM tote. Beagle’s Cafe & Bakery, Th e Cheese People Th e Liberty Hyde Bailey Center project broke In addition, there will be live music and of Grand Rapids, Circle F Ranch, Corrion ground last fall and is also slated for completion children’s activities. Farms, Fire and Rice, ..... continued on page 2 this fall. In addition to renovating the front of the former Bailey Community Center, the one-story addition has been torn down and a new three-story addition is being built. At completion, the building will house 30 senior apartment units, 9,000 square feet of low-traffi c commercial/daycare space, offi ce space and a renovated community space in the former gym. Two other projects currently underway include 565 E. Grand River Ave.; a fi ve-story, mixed-use building being built on the former Taco Bell site in downtown East Lansing; and the MSU Federal Credit Union headquarters expansion in the Northern Tier. Both are slated for Th e market’s 2017 season will run June 4-Oct. 29 on Sundays fr om 10 a.m.-2 p.m. in Valley Court Park. completion this August. ........ continued on page 2 Summer Solstice Jazz Festival to Take One Book, One Community 2017 IN THIS ISSUE Place this June .........................................3 Selection Announced ............................ 6 Guest Column: Help Bring a Pop-Up 2017 Crystal Awards Recipients City of East Lansing Community Events Library to East Lansing .......................... 2 Announced .............................................. 4 Summer Program ................................... 7 Dialog Newsletter May 2017 GUEST COLUMN Help Us Bring a Pop-Up Library to East Lansing It would be wonderful if libraries had all the money they needed to operate and be innovative; however, the reality is that New this year! Th ere will be ELFM Passports for kids and adults to pick up at the market information tent. many struggle to keep up with the rising FARMER’S MARKET costs of materials, staff and technology. Th e El Burrito Mexicano, Droscha Tongue Huggers, Trillium Wood Farm, East Lansing Public Library (ELPL) is no Sugarbush, Th e Fresh Lake Whitefi sh Wildfl ower Eco Farm, Wooden Shoe exception to this reality and that is why we Company, Good Eats Diva, Hickory Herb Farm, 517 Coff ee Company, 45th work so hard at fundraising. Th anks to the Knoll Farms Creamery, Jenny’s Sweets Parallel Pickle Company, Better Finds, community’s support, this year’s Books, & Treats, Th e Local Epicurean, MI For the Love of Grain, Guiding Light Bites & Bids raised $20,000 to help bring Pops, Michigan Soda Company, Owosso Garlic Farm, Sapo De Solis, Small House a Pop-Up Library to East Lansing. It was a Organics, Pregitzer Farm Market, Rasch and Tomac Pumpkins. record amount for the event, but two-thirds Orchards, Rust Belt Roastery, Stone of the funds still need to be raised to make Visit www.cityofeastlansing.com/ Circle Bakehouse, Swallowtail Farm, the Pop-Up Library a reality. farmersmarket to learn more. For those unfamiliar with Pop-Up Libraries, they are low-speed, electric vehicles specially customized to transport and display library materials. Bringing DEVELOPMENT UPDATE a Pop-Up Library to East Lansing will Recently, East Lansing City Council at 341-345 Evergreen Ave, featuring provide ELPL with the opportunity to approved the plans for the redevelopment 66 residential condos and two levels of extend its reach outside of the library of the Howard Johnson hotel site at parking. Th e developer will be seeking walls at special community events and 1100 Trowbridge Road. Th e project approval of state incentives this July and, destinations throughout the community, will include a four-story, extended-stay pending the outcome, it is anticipated such as the East Lansing Farmer’s Market, Springhill Suites by Marriott and a that demolition will begin this summer the East Lansing Family Aquatic Center, single-level retail building. Demolition and construction will begin next spring. schools, senior communities, area festivals is expected to begin soon, with Another redevelopment project proposed and more. construction underway by this summer. for downtown East Lansing is the Center Community members who were unable to City Council also recently approved City District project. Th e development make it to this year’s Books, Bites & Bids the Park District Planning Area team proposes to redevelop two acres of can still donate to our fundraising eff ort redevelopment project. Th e developer property within the 100 and 200 blocks by donating a vehicle “part” to the library. plans to demolish the properties at 100- of E. Grand River Avenue and the Albert Th ere are many parts at diff erent price 140 W. Grand River Ave. and build a Avenue parking lot. Th e project, which is points and donations of any amount are new 11-story mixed-use building with still in the review stages, would include welcome! Learn more at www.elpl.org or by two levels of parking. Th e building will a Target, senior and mixed-market stopping in or calling us at (517) 351-2420. include a 150-room hotel, retail space, housing, street-level retail, a parking 197 mixed-market rental units and structure and new utility infrastructure. Kristin Shelley a rooft op terrace. Th e developer also For more information, visit www. East Lansing Public Library Director plans to build a new fi ve-story building cityofeastlansing.com/development. Page 2 Dialog Newsletter May 2017 PARKS & RECREATION “Our East Lansing Lifeguard Team lifeguards are Receives Platinum Safety Award extensively trained in order to make quick, For the third year in a row, the East Lansing Department of Parks, Recreation & Arts (ELPRA) lifeguard team has received Jeff Ellis & Associates’ prestigious Platinum smart decisions in International Aquatic Safety Award. emergency situations.” Based on four unannounced safety audits conducted by Ellis & Associates last year, the award puts the East Lansing lifeguard team in the top 10 percent of all facilities in the country ELPRA Aquatics/Athletics that train under the lifeguarding principles of Ellis & Associates as it relates to aquatic safety. Coordinator Jim “We would like to congratulate our entire lifeguard team for their hard work and dedication to Jennings aquatic safety in the East Lansing community,” said ELPRA Director Tim McCaff rey. “Patrons of the East Lansing Family Aquatic Center and the East Lansing Hannah Community Center’s indoor pool should feel reassured in knowing that they are consistently being aff orded with the highest level of swimmer protection.” Th e East Lansing Family Aquatic Center (ELFAC) will open for its 2017 season on Saturday, June 3 at 11 a.m. Th e 2017 season will run from June 3-Sept. 4. ELFAC features a number of interactive water features, including tube and body water slides, a diving board, a splash park and much more. Community members can fi nd hours, rates and additional information at www.cityofeastlansing.com/AquaticCenter. COMMUNITY EVENTS Summer Solstice Jazz Festival to Take Place this June Festival season kicked off with the East Albert Avenue Lot, 230 Albert Ave.; Ann Line Parade, starting at 3:10 p.m. Festival Lansing Art Festival and will continue this Street Plaza (corner of Albert and M.A.C. goers are invited to enjoy live performances June with the Summer Solstice Jazz Festival avenues); FieldHouse, 213 Ann St.; and the in Broad’s Sculpture Garden and then join (SSJF), presented by the City of East Eli & Edythe Broad Art Museum, 547 E. in the Second Line Parade procession, led Lansing and the MSU College of Music. Circle Drive. Th e festival hours are 4 p.m.-1 by the Gabriel Brass Band, from the Broad Th e SSJF will transform downtown East a.m. on Friday, June 23 and noon-1 a.m. on to Ann Street Plaza. Lansing into a world class jazz venue Saturday, June 24. Th is year’s headliners will include Dafnis featuring the best in local, regional, In addition to the stage performances Prieto on Friday and Randy Gelispie, national and international jazz musicians. in downtown East Lansing, Saturday’s Fareed Haque, Tony Monanco, Tim Th e two-day, free event will be taking festivities will kick off at the Eli and Edythe Warfi eld and Michael Dease on Saturday. place June 23-24 at multiple venues in Broad Art Museum with the Kozmic View the full lineup and festival schedule at and around downtown, including the Picnic, starting at noon, and the Second www.eljazzfest.com.