Westside News and Events
Mural Project for Youth Ages 12-20
The Genesee Neighborhood Mural is seeking youth ages 12-20 to help design and paint this
744-foot piece of artwork on the east-facing wall at the Black Child and Family Institute on
Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. To get involved contact
Jessica at 517-999-2894, 517-214-5684 or jessica@nwlansing.org or Erika at
erikamagers@comcast.net. This project is made possible by funding from Michigan Council of
Arts and Cultural Affairs, Arts Council of Greater Lansing, City of Lansing, and the Mayor’s
Neighborhood Advisory Board.
Volunteers Needed for Westside Summer Fest on Saturday, July 24
Contact brushtyl@msu.edu and learn more at www.westsidesummerfest.com/volunteers
Flower Planting Thank You
Thank you to Ramona Spencer, Janine Boylan, Lisa Benck, Alex Hernandez and family, Nick
Yorko, kids from Eaton County Day Treatment, and Rathbun Agency employees Douglas Krause,
Martha Beuerle, Nancy Lewis. This wonderful group planted the flower planters and tidied up
along Saginaw between MLK and Pine on Saturday May 29. Thanks also to Hickory Corners
Nursery in the Lansing City Market for the wonderful pricing on beautiful plants.
15-Week Business Planning Class, Start-Up and Expansion Loans
The Entrepreneur Institute of Mid-Michigan (EIMM) will offer its Foundations of Business Planning
Class starting August 11. This 15-week course will take place on Wednesdays from 6:00 p.m.
until 9:00 p.m. at the new EIMM training facility located at 200 Museum Drive, which is connected
to Impression 5 Science Center— off Michigan Avenue across from the Lansing Center. The fee
for the class is $375, or $275 for low-to-moderate income students. The class covers all of the
elements of a successful business plan. Students write their plan during the class. Completion
of the class and the plan are required to apply for EIMM low-interest business start-up or
expansion loans of $500-$10,000. Healthy credit history is also required in order for loan
approval. EIMM will also offer its Credit Before Capital course in July ($50 fee). To register for
these courses and learn more, contact Denise Peek at 517-853-5890 or
denise@yourfoundationforbusiness.org.
Historic Buildings for Sale—909 & 913 West Saginaw
909 and 913 West Saginaw Street and 629 Butler Boulevard are listed for sale by Jim Sturdevant
of Vlahakis Company. This buildings were owned by Joe Covello until his recent death, and are
now being listed for sale by Mr. Covello’s children. All
reasonable offers will be considered. Contact jessica@nwlansing.org or 517-214-5684 to learn
about incentive programs to assist with renovation and taxes on the properties. Neighborhood
and business surveys indicate that the most demanded businesses for this area are grocery
stores and places to buy fresh foods, as well as restaurants, coffee shops and banks. For more
information about the property contact Jim at 381-7413 or jsturdevant@vlahakis.com.
Petition for Safer Streets on Saginaw and Oakland
Please sign the petition to make Saginaw Street and Oakland Avenue safer and more attractive
for people in cars, on foot, on bikes, and in wheelchairs or walkers. The petition
can also be signed online at www.ipetitions.com/petition/saginawandoakland/ Help WCA collect
2,000 signatures to show community support for a bike lane, on-street parking from Princeton to
Butler and new trees and landscaping. Signatures will be given to local and state officials.
Please return completed petitions to Jessica Yorko at 1012 North Walnut, Room 207, or contact
Jessica for petition pick-up: 214-5684 or jessica@nwlansing.org.
CSO (Combined Sewer Overflow) Construction is coming to Saginaw Street
in 2010, including the following lane closures:
Traffic will be detoured from Saginaw to Jenison,
Shiawassee, and Walnut. If your business is located
in this area and you have not yet completed a site
access survey, please complete the survey to ensure
access to your business. Get the survey from
jessica@nwlansing.org.
The City of Lansing and Motion Marketing & Media
(M3) can create custom maps that you can give your
customers prior to and during construction, showing
detours, phasing, and access to your business. To get your custom map, contact Julie Becker at
julie@m3group.biz or 203-3333.
M3 will also be coordinating a billboard campaign to remind drivers that Saginaw Street
businesses are open. M3 would like to work with Westside businesses to host some special
events featuring Swish the Fish, the official mascot of the CSO Control Program.
Businesses can also work with the Westside Commercial Association to advertise any
construction specials or promotions in our neighborhood newsletters, which are direct mailed to
4,500 households and reach another 2,000 electronically. We can include articles on your
specials for no charge, or you can run ads in the print publications at very reasonable rates.
Contact jessica@nwlansing.org for rates and deadlines.
Above all, please bear in mind the CSO construction is a federally and state mandated
environmental project that is aiding the removal of 1.65 billion gallons of combined sewer
overflow entering our rivers. Swish and his fishy pals thank you for supporting these efforts and
staying positive during construction.
More info at www.lansingcso.com or 394-5566.
Westside Summer Fest is July 24
This annual celebration of community and diversity takes
place at Saginaw & Princeton in the large parking lot
behind Park Furniture. More than 8,000 people attended
in 2009.
Activities include live music, a farmers' and artisans
market, a kids' 3 v 3 basketball tournament, bicycle rodeo
and helmet giveaway, health expo and passport to
wellness, children's building, garden, art, and science activities, and more. For 2010, also expect
a slam dunk and free-throw competitions.
Sponsorship options are available from $250 up to $10,000, and provide excellent recognition of
your business or organization. To learn more about sponsoring, contact jessica@nwlansing.org.
There are vendor and display opportunities, lots of ways to be part of the event, sell your product,
promote your business, and contribute to the community.
Visit www.westsidesummerfest.com for past year's photos, vendor forms, sponsor info, and
more, or contact jessica@nwlansing.org; (517) 999-2894.
Holy Cross Property Update
The property that formerly housed Holy Cross Church was listed for sale in September 2009
following consolidation with St. Mary's in Downtown Lansing.
The property is 4.7 acres, with three buildings totaling 56,000 square feet and 200 parking
spaces. The property was appraised for $2.3 million in the summer of 2009, and the list price is
$1.8 million.
For more information or to view the property, visit www.holycrosssale.com or contact Mitch Crank
of Looking Glass Century 21 Realty at 517-290-6885 or mcrank@century21.com.
Fall 2009 Clean Sweep
Curious about the history of your neighborhood? Click here for a PDF of the Lansing's Westside
Neighborhood Historic Tour and learn about the history of over two dozen west side locations!
The Genesee Neighborhood Mural is seeking youth ages 12-20 to help design and paint this
744-foot piece of artwork on the east-facing wall at the Black Child and Family Institute on
Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays from 3:00 p.m. until 5:00 p.m. To get involved contact
Jessica at 517-999-2894, 517-214-5684 or jessica@nwlansing.org or Erika at
erikamagers@comcast.net. This project is made possible by funding from Michigan Council of
Arts and Cultural Affairs, Arts Council of Greater Lansing, City of Lansing, and the Mayor’s
Neighborhood Advisory Board.
Volunteers Needed for Westside Summer Fest on Saturday, July 24
Contact brushtyl@msu.edu and learn more at www.westsidesummerfest.com/volunteers
Flower Planting Thank You
Thank you to Ramona Spencer, Janine Boylan, Lisa Benck, Alex Hernandez and family, Nick
Yorko, kids from Eaton County Day Treatment, and Rathbun Agency employees Douglas Krause,
Martha Beuerle, Nancy Lewis. This wonderful group planted the flower planters and tidied up
along Saginaw between MLK and Pine on Saturday May 29. Thanks also to Hickory Corners
Nursery in the Lansing City Market for the wonderful pricing on beautiful plants.
15-Week Business Planning Class, Start-Up and Expansion Loans
The Entrepreneur Institute of Mid-Michigan (EIMM) will offer its Foundations of Business Planning
Class starting August 11. This 15-week course will take place on Wednesdays from 6:00 p.m.
until 9:00 p.m. at the new EIMM training facility located at 200 Museum Drive, which is connected
to Impression 5 Science Center— off Michigan Avenue across from the Lansing Center. The fee
for the class is $375, or $275 for low-to-moderate income students. The class covers all of the
elements of a successful business plan. Students write their plan during the class. Completion
of the class and the plan are required to apply for EIMM low-interest business start-up or
expansion loans of $500-$10,000. Healthy credit history is also required in order for loan
approval. EIMM will also offer its Credit Before Capital course in July ($50 fee). To register for
these courses and learn more, contact Denise Peek at 517-853-5890 or
denise@yourfoundationforbusiness.org.
Historic Buildings for Sale—909 & 913 West Saginaw
909 and 913 West Saginaw Street and 629 Butler Boulevard are listed for sale by Jim Sturdevant
of Vlahakis Company. This buildings were owned by Joe Covello until his recent death, and are
now being listed for sale by Mr. Covello’s children. All
reasonable offers will be considered. Contact jessica@nwlansing.org or 517-214-5684 to learn
about incentive programs to assist with renovation and taxes on the properties. Neighborhood
and business surveys indicate that the most demanded businesses for this area are grocery
stores and places to buy fresh foods, as well as restaurants, coffee shops and banks. For more
information about the property contact Jim at 381-7413 or jsturdevant@vlahakis.com.
Petition for Safer Streets on Saginaw and Oakland
Please sign the petition to make Saginaw Street and Oakland Avenue safer and more attractive
for people in cars, on foot, on bikes, and in wheelchairs or walkers. The petition
can also be signed online at www.ipetitions.com/petition/saginawandoakland/ Help WCA collect
2,000 signatures to show community support for a bike lane, on-street parking from Princeton to
Butler and new trees and landscaping. Signatures will be given to local and state officials.
Please return completed petitions to Jessica Yorko at 1012 North Walnut, Room 207, or contact
Jessica for petition pick-up: 214-5684 or jessica@nwlansing.org.
CSO (Combined Sewer Overflow) Construction is coming to Saginaw Street
in 2010, including the following lane closures:
- March - November: Saginaw reduced to one-lane between Westmoreland and Chestnut
(expect lane reductions to begin further west of Westmoreland) - July - August: MLK Jr. Boulevard temporarily closed at Saginaw for approximately six to
eight weeks - All dates and phasing schedules subject to change due to weather and external
circumstances
Traffic will be detoured from Saginaw to Jenison,
Shiawassee, and Walnut. If your business is located
in this area and you have not yet completed a site
access survey, please complete the survey to ensure
access to your business. Get the survey from
jessica@nwlansing.org.
The City of Lansing and Motion Marketing & Media
(M3) can create custom maps that you can give your
customers prior to and during construction, showing
detours, phasing, and access to your business. To get your custom map, contact Julie Becker at
julie@m3group.biz or 203-3333.
M3 will also be coordinating a billboard campaign to remind drivers that Saginaw Street
businesses are open. M3 would like to work with Westside businesses to host some special
events featuring Swish the Fish, the official mascot of the CSO Control Program.
Businesses can also work with the Westside Commercial Association to advertise any
construction specials or promotions in our neighborhood newsletters, which are direct mailed to
4,500 households and reach another 2,000 electronically. We can include articles on your
specials for no charge, or you can run ads in the print publications at very reasonable rates.
Contact jessica@nwlansing.org for rates and deadlines.
Above all, please bear in mind the CSO construction is a federally and state mandated
environmental project that is aiding the removal of 1.65 billion gallons of combined sewer
overflow entering our rivers. Swish and his fishy pals thank you for supporting these efforts and
staying positive during construction.
More info at www.lansingcso.com or 394-5566.
Westside Summer Fest is July 24
This annual celebration of community and diversity takes
place at Saginaw & Princeton in the large parking lot
behind Park Furniture. More than 8,000 people attended
in 2009.
Activities include live music, a farmers' and artisans
market, a kids' 3 v 3 basketball tournament, bicycle rodeo
and helmet giveaway, health expo and passport to
wellness, children's building, garden, art, and science activities, and more. For 2010, also expect
a slam dunk and free-throw competitions.
Sponsorship options are available from $250 up to $10,000, and provide excellent recognition of
your business or organization. To learn more about sponsoring, contact jessica@nwlansing.org.
There are vendor and display opportunities, lots of ways to be part of the event, sell your product,
promote your business, and contribute to the community.
Visit www.westsidesummerfest.com for past year's photos, vendor forms, sponsor info, and
more, or contact jessica@nwlansing.org; (517) 999-2894.
Holy Cross Property Update
The property that formerly housed Holy Cross Church was listed for sale in September 2009
following consolidation with St. Mary's in Downtown Lansing.
The property is 4.7 acres, with three buildings totaling 56,000 square feet and 200 parking
spaces. The property was appraised for $2.3 million in the summer of 2009, and the list price is
$1.8 million.
For more information or to view the property, visit www.holycrosssale.com or contact Mitch Crank
of Looking Glass Century 21 Realty at 517-290-6885 or mcrank@century21.com.
Fall 2009 Clean Sweep
- On Saturday, September 19, 2009 more than 40 volunteers
joined together to beautify Saginaw Street from Stanley to
Verlinden.Volunteers came from Dicker N Deal Cash
Centre, United Way, Comerica Bank, MSU, Lansing
Catholic, Everett High School, Westside, Old Oakland, and
Genesee Neighborhoods, and General Motors Retirees.
Supplies, refreshments, and waste removal services were
provided by Dicker N Deal Cash Centre, Capital Area United
Way, BIGGBY Coffee, and City of Lansing Office of Waste
Reduction.
The results of the event include: 280 tulip bulbs planted
(look for these in spring), 50 chrysanthemums planted, 2 full
blocks of sidewalks and parking lots edged and weeded,
and more than 50 yard waste bags filled.
Curious about the history of your neighborhood? Click here for a PDF of the Lansing's Westside
Neighborhood Historic Tour and learn about the history of over two dozen west side locations!
| NorthWest Initiative - 1012 North Walnut, Lansing, MI 48906 - Phone: 517-999-2894 - Fax: 517-999-2897 |
Annual Westside Summer Fest: Click here to learn about the event, including photos and activities from the Festival! |
| Westside Commercial Association Mission: To create enjoyable and prosperous business and residential areas on Lansing’s Westside. |
| Click here to learn about the many upcoming events on Lansing’s Westside, including monthly Business Breakfasts (second Wednesdays at 8am), Live Entertainment, Festivals and More! |