Studying Michigan Avenue

This story was corrected Jan. 31.

Monday, Jan. 31 — The Lansing City Council is scheduled to appoint three members to the Michigan Avenue Corridor Improvement Authority at tonight’s meeting.

The authority is charged with brainstorming potential improvements to Michigan Avenue, which stretches from the Capitol building to downtown East Lansing and also includes portions of Lansing Township. Each jurisdiction will put together committees.

Lansing Mayor Virg Bernero nominated the following people to the board, all of whom were considered at the Development and Planning Committee meeting on Wednesday:

• Joseph Ruth, 6480 Kernwood, East Lansing, for a term to expire June 30, 2014;
• Scott Gillespie, 7240 Farm Hill Drive, Lansing, for a term to expire June 30, 2013; and
  
• Joan Battley-Finken, 6663 Quaint Ridge Trail, Brighton, for a term to expire June 30, 2012.

Following each jurisdiction’s recommendations, a single committee will move forward with improvement suggestions.

An exploratory committee was formed in 2008 in light of the state Corridor Improvement Authority Act of 2005 to look at this corridor. The act aims to promote major-corridor improvements throughout the state. Improvement authorities are eligible for Tax Increment Financing, special assessments and bonds to help fund projects.

Goals range from making the corridor more walk- and bicycle-friendly to more commercially attractive. A Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) plan is being considered to look at public transportation improvements as well.

The Council is also scheduled to appoint the following members to the Saginaw Avenue Corridor Improvement Authority:

• Michael Schury, 1611 S. Genesee Drive, Lansing, for a term to expire June 30, 2014; and
  
• Kira Carter, 1210 W. Saginaw St., Lansing, for a term to expire June 30, 2014.
  

In other business, the Council is scheduled to vote on an ordinance to rezone 934 Clark St. on Lansing’s east side from “B” residential to a “D-1” professional office district. East Lansing-based developer Ryan Kincaid has said he wants to move the headquarters of Kincaid/Henry to this location between Grand River and Oakland avenues. Tentative plans also call for a business incubator on the property owned buy the Ingham County Land Bank.

In other business, the Council will vote to schedule Feb. 11 as the first Elected Officers Compensation Committee meeting.