EAST LANSING, Mich — East Lansing's Downtown Development Authority is set to consider three proposals for the future of the Albert EL Fresco space, a popular outdoor gathering area that has been a fixture of the city's downtown since the pandemic.
- The East Lansing Downtown Development Authority is considering possible changes to a seasonal, pedestrian-friendly outdoor space.
- The proposals range from keeping things as they are to reopening the street and increasing seating throughout downtown.
- Video shows details of each proposal set to be considered by the DDA on Thursday.
WATCH: East Lansing's Albert EL Fresco space could look different this summer as city weighs three options
The area has offered neighbors and visitors an outdoor space to enjoy during warmer months.
The first option would keep things as they have been in recent years—closing the stretch of Albert Avenue in front of Jolly Pumpkin and Hopcat to cars and placing seating, flower boxes, and an event space in the street for pedestrians.
The second option would keep the street open to traffic and instead add seasonal seating around the broader downtown area. That change would affect some of the events that typically take place in the El Fresco space, but the season would run longer, lasting until mid-September instead of the current end date of early August.
The third option would combine elements of both, maintaining the regular closure of Albert Avenue while also adding seating in other parts of downtown. Under this proposal, the street closure would still end in early August, the additional seating would extend into September, and the existing event schedule would remain intact.
For some residents, the events that have defined the space are what they hope to see preserved. MSU student Alex Kalin said the programming made an impression when he first arrived in the area.
"When I first moved in over the summer, they had shut the road off, and they were giving away stuff, and there was a bouncehouse, so that was pretty cool. I got a succulent, and I still have it to this day, so it's pretty cool," Kalin said.
The DDA will weigh the options at its Thursday meeting.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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