Westside Commercial Association

Westside News and Events

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March 19: 80s Flashback Party Benefitting Westside Murals to Feature
Starfarm Band!

Excerpted from Capital Area Women’s
Lifestyle Magazine www.cawlm.com:
Big hair, leg warmers and Atari —
the 1980s gave us a lot of great
things, but perhaps best of all was the
music. Who can resist singing along
with hits like “Jessie’s Girl,” “Living
on a Prayer,” “We Built This City”
and so many more.
Even more so, who can resist
dancing to these tunes? With music
being such a huge part of the decade
that gave us the Rubik’s Cube, we at
CAWLM couldn’t very well host a
party without music being a big part
of it. So, to make sure guests have a
tubular time, we’ve enlisted the help
of popular local 80s cover band
Starfarm to play the Mar. 19 event.
Starfarm plays a number of bars, pubs
and private parties all around the state.
Along with their track suits, [lead singer Whitney] Spotts said what keeps the crowd coming back
is simple. “Energy. We really try to give a full-out show every time.”
…
Other features of the CAWLM 80’s Flashback Party: 80’s hair and clothing stations, an 80’s Idol
Contest (think audience participation), 80’s candy booth and two special new award
presentations. The Caring About Women Locally award from CALWM praises the efforts of an
everyday woman who goes above and beyond the norm to support other women. The Westside
Commercial Association will also present the Westside Volunteer of the Year Award to a person
demonstrating consistent and exceptional volunteerism in Lansing’s Westside revitalization
efforts.

March 8—Business Class Starts

The Entrepreneur Institute is again offering its Foundations of Business Planning course, which
guides entrepreneurs through developing and writing a sound business plan. The cost is $ 275
or $ 375 (based on income levels). Register at www.eim-m.org call Denise Peek at 853-5890.

El Azteco Celebrates 30 Years
Excerpted from www.capitalgainsmedia.com article by Natalie Burg

When Art Santa Cruz came to
Lansing from New Mexico more
than 35 years ago, he didn’t
arrive with the plan to create the
now-legendary pair of Mexican
restaurants known to locals as
simply "El Az." Rather, he was
following a romantic pursuit.
"That didn’t go so well," Santa
Cruz says, "but I don’t have any
regrets about the rest of it."

"The rest of it" includes founding
East Lansing’s El Azteco
restaurant, and soon after, the Lansing arm of the El Az family located on West Saginaw. That
location celebrate[d] its 30th anniversary Feb. 5… but according to Santa Cruz, the real
celebration is being able to appreciate the community he’s grown over the past three decades.
"The people who work for me have been like an extended family," he says. That family now
includes more the 160 employees during the busy season. It takes that many to serve the steady
stream of customers, make the homemade tortillas and work with local suppliers. "We’re
very imbedded in the local economy," Santa Cruz says. "I’ve gotten farmers to grow things for us.
We get very few things from outside the Lansing area."

All this is true despite initial local skepticism that an authentic Mexican restaurant would even
work in Lansing. “When I first came here, people would go out for a nice dinner and either get a
steak and potatoes or a nice plate of chicken and potatoes," he says. "There wasn’t much variety.
It’s been really gratifying to me to have met so many people who are open-minded. People have
embraced me and brought me into the community.”

Congratulations Chiaravalli & Maxson DDS, PLLC

As of January 1, the dental practices of Dr. Peter Chiaravalli and Dr. Gregory Maxson became a
professional limited liability company, Chiaravalli & Maxson PLLC. Dr. Chiaravalli, or “Dr. Pete”,
has been practicing dentistry for more than 30 years. In the 1980’s, he transformed the building
at the corner of Saginaw and Jenison to house his dental practice. He also leases space
to Dr’s Figenshau and Fahrenbach. Pete has been an active member of the Westside
Commercial Association and various professional organizations over the years including Delta
Dental, Michigan Dental Association, the State Board of Dentistry, the UM School of Dentistry
Alumni Society, American Dental Association and the Academy of Operative Dentistry. He is a
Fellow of both the American College of Dentists and International College of Dentists and is a
clinical consultant for Dental Advisor Magazine.

In 2008, Dr. Gregory Maxson purchased the

dental practice of Dr. Kelly Johnson, then located

at 1500 W. Saginaw. Later that year, Dr. Maxson

also began teaming up with Dr. Chiaravalli to

provide extra support to Pete’s practice. The

teamwork of these two dentists eventually grew

into the two practices merging into one company.

Dr. Maxson has also been an active member of

the Westside Commercial Association, Michigan

Dental Association and Central District Dental

Society. He currently serves as the Chair of

MDA’s Committee for the New Dentist and

Treasurer of the CDDS.

You can still reach these dentists at 485-5738 or

485-5629 and can look forward to receiving the

same quality care as always.

Jessica Yorko: New Job, Same Westside Love
From Jessica Yorko:

Serving at the Manager of Lansing’s Westside Commercial Association for nearly five years has
been a great honor. Growing enthusiasm for Lansing’s Westside has fueled me over the years
and will continue fuel the WCA and its next Manager. It really is amazing what a dedicated
group of people working together can accomplish!

I am currently working with the WCA Provisional Board and other committees to close out my
WCA projects and document steps for WCA activities. I am also finishing up my share of
business surveys, promoting and selling tickets for the 80s Flashback Party, and helping with
other aspects of WCA’s transition as it becomes its own non-profit organization.

I remain a devout a friend and resident of
Lansing’s Westside, and will continue to help
with future events and projects as I am able. I will
also continue to push for new investments and
improvements to our beautiful community and its
commercial, residential and public areas.
Thank you to all who have placed your trust and
hope in me and in our area over the past five
years. Keep fighting the good fight.
I hope to continue working with many of you in
my new position as Ingham County’s
Environmental Justice Coordinator
and as your City Council person.

Lansing Program to offer Loans to Green Businesses
Reprinted from Lansing State Journal, by Susan Vela

Lansing businesses interested in

“going green” may receive

$50,000 to $100,000

if they

qualify to receive one of the

city’s new loans. Mayor Virg

Bernero announced

Thursday

the launching of the city’s

Energy Efficiency Revolving

Loan Fund, which

will lend

money to city businesses for energy-efficiency

efforts such as wind

turbines, solar arrays and

heat capture systems. Electrical upgrades,

mechanical

improvements and better power

management for information technology also are

possibilities to get the loans. “Our new Green

Loan Fund will help Lansing’s

small businesses

improve their bottom line by making their operations

energy efficient” Bernero said in a

press release. “While bank financing remains

difficult to obtain for many small businesses, this

is one way we can help local

entrepreneurs move forward in a tough economy.”

According to city officials, loan recipients will have 60 months, or five years, to pay back the loans.
Those dipping into the city’s new loan fund — made possible by a federal grant — can use
cost savings achieved to reimburse the city, said Taylor Heins, director of the city’s Go Green!
Initiative. During the first round of funding, $200,000 will be available. The Lansing Economic
Development Corporation and Bernero’s Greater Lansing Go Green! Initiative will administer the
fund. “We’re going to be looking for projects that are innovative,” Heins said. “Those applicants
that can provide up to a 50 percent match will be preferenced.” More information at www.
lansingmi.gov/gogreen or contact Taylor Heins at 517-483-4597.

Another Push for Saginaw Street Road Diet

C LICK HERE for a letter of support for you and/or your company to remind Lansing Mayor Virg
Bernero that Saginaw Street needs traffic calming and pedestrian and bicycle friendly
improvements. You can also sign the online or paper petitions for the changes. Petitions can be
found at Sawyer’s at 608 West Saginaw and online at ipetitions.com/petition/saginawandoakland/

Please mail your signed letter back to WCA by February 25 at P.O. Box 13243, Lansing, MI
48901. WCA will copy and deliver all of the letters to Mayor Bernero, along with all of the
300+ signatures that we have collected in support of bicycle and pedestrian improvements
on Saginaw and Oakland.

The Michigan Department of Transportation (MDOT) is still waiting for City staff to provide an
analysis of eight intersections along Saginaw Street. This work has been “in progress” since
April 2010. Your letters will provide needed encouragement for the City to complete this step
and submit the information to MDOT.

Holiday Campaign Thank You

Big thanks to all who participated in the 3rd Annual Westside Holiday
Campaign. Dozens of businesses and more than 50 utility poles
were decorated, thanks to generous contributions and purchases of
many individuals and business and time from secret Holiday Elves.

The 2nd Annual Crazy Sweater Party was also great fun. Thanks to
our hosts at Motion Marketing Media and to donations from Domino’s
Pizza, Lisa Benck, Alex Hernandezand other WCA Committee members.

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 p eggy @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
Karl Dorshimer, Lansing EDC, kdorshim@lansingmi.gov, 517-483-4140.

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
peggy @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 peggy @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.

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

Westside Neighborhood Historic Tour

Curious about the history of your neighborhood? C lick here for a PDF of the Lansing's Westside
Neighborhood Historic Tour and learn about the history of over two dozen west side locations!

Old Oakland Neighborhood Historic Tour

If you missed the June 19 Old Oakland Neighborhood Historic Tour, you can still do wnload the
tour information online.