Big Changes And Street Closures For Downtown East Lansing In June

See What Had Happened Was...

Downtown East Lansing has had a pretty rough go of it during the pandemic. There was that thing about Harper's being the epicenter of a super spreader event.

Get our free mobile app

And the worst case scenario has indeed begun to unfold. Because people who visited Harper's returned home and spread it to someone in their community. Drastically effecting the numbers almost 100 miles away. And mind you, this is just the story in one community.

Read More: Harper's East Lansing Covid Cases Near 90 & Reach Across Michigan

We went full on masks inside and outside Downtown EL.

East Lansing Police pulling over one particular group of people especially.

Data from the East Lansing Police Department showed African-American residents in East Lansing were almost three times more likely to be pulled over by police than Caucasians. (WLNS)

Read More: African Americans 3X More Likely To Be Pulled Over In East Lansing

So suffice it to say now that we have warmer weather, a vaccine or three, a Study Commission talking to the city council about police oversight, facemask mandates and more being lifted...it's time to see if we can put a positive spin on things and bring folks back downtown to East Lansing.

And this is a start.

Say hello to Albert ELfresco

Starting the first week of June, a portion of Albert Street is going to get shut down and a bold new initiative is going to start.

It's being billed as "a new pilot pedestrian-friendly area" with seating, lighting, programming, music, and more. And as noted above it will be on Albert Ave. between Abbott and M.A.C.

Click on the map below for a better look of the area that's going to be affected.

While the project might cause the loss of some parking spaces, access to businesses and homes shouldn't be a factor.

And this isn't an invite to walk around with open cocktails in hand unless you're at a business that serves adult beverages.