Where the government has a roll

[cathlab3]

From Ex-Mental Hospital to a New Mixed-Use LifeBy KEITH SCHNEIDER

TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Until it closed in 1989, the Traverse City State Hospital was among the largest employers in this small city in northern Michigan. Two new commercial and residential construction projects are bringing the old asylum, renamed the Village at grand Traverse Commons, closer to regaining that distinction.

[cathlab3]

This month carpenters and electricians neared completion of a 13,000-square-foot, $2.3 million restoration of the hospital’s former upholstery shop into a modern office building. A local investment advisory firm is moving into a 4,200-square-foot space on the building’s first floor.
And across a central square that includes a new bocce court, construction has begun on a $14 million, 47,000-square-foot conversion of the main hospital building’s north wing to 39 units of affordable housing, with rents from $450 to $750 monthly.

[cathlab3]

When the asylum opened in 1885 it was the largest building in northern Michigan. It was designed by the prominent Detroit architect Gordon W. Lloyd, and the light-filled interior and calming exterior were inspired by Thomas Kirkbride, a Pennsylvania psychiatrist who theorized that beauty, work and nature were the best treatments for serious mental illness.
In the nine years since a local developer, Raymond Minervini, and his family gained ownership of 63 acres, 27 Victorian-Italianate brick buildings, and 750,000 square feet of space on this city’s wooded west side, the development has emerged as a steadily expanding retail, office and residential hub.
The biggest investment so far is the $28.7 million that the Minervinis spent from 2003 to 2005 to turn the 125-year-old south wing of the main building into a ground-floor marketplace of 41,000 square feet and 108,500 square feet of commercial and residential space. A warren of basement hallways and arched storage rooms became Trattoria Stella, an Italian restaurant that is considered one of the city’s best. The wing now has 39 stores and offices, and 52 residential condominiums.

[cathlab3]

My question ;
 
Is this the type of so called pork barrell project the Federal government should be involved in.Or is it a state responsibilty to give seed money to these types pf projects.
I believe the state should do these things and the fed has no business involved.When did the fed become  interested in these things? And should they be funding state projects such as this. It is VERY successful and has become a beautiful area.When I first moved to this area,the state hospital was a dark and foreboding place.Now it is bright and inviting.
 

From the New York Times

[Thomasj_tx]

What was the government's roll?  From what I have read, there was not "seed money" involved.

[cathlab3]

I did not want to be seen as spamming the board so I did not post the whole article.
2 million in seed money was given by the government to get the ball rolling.

[whaler23]

wheat roll?
 
 
 
LMAO

[lluke47]

They're moving the DNC headquarters there..

[cathlab3]

wheat roll
 
No No......dinner roll with real butter.
LMAO

[Thomasj_tx]

http://www.thevillagetc.com/tmg.html
 
http://www.thevillagetc.com/renzone.html
 
 

[wmdn_bs]

CathLab, have you eaten at Stella's yet? I hear it is great, though I haven't had the pleasure yet. Maybe soon. I have an interview in T.C. next week. If everything works out I won't be making this 18 hr. round trip every two weeks.

[hoosier_daddy]

I would think they would rather have a cookie than a roll.