The Metro Lansing area is centrally located within a large cluster of urban centers that are only a short drive away via I-96, I-69, and U.S. 127. By one estimate, it is 90 minutes from 90% of the State’s population. As both the seat of state government and host to a major research university, the Lansing area is fertile ground for the growth of New Economy industries spawned by MSU and the other universities in the state's fledgling technology triangle, which is formed by Lansing, Kalamazoo, and Ann Arbor/Detroit.

The State’s recently christened “Tri-Corridors” initiative is attempting to create a technology identity for this region. The Initiative also provides regional impetus for technology transfer and the commercialization of university-generated research, particularly in the area of life sciences. However, compared with many other capitol/university towns that have emerged as the growth poles of the New Economy, the Metropolitan Lansing area has not yet achieved its full potential. Separated local government and physical distance between Downtown and the MSU campus may have much to do with its current lack of urban synergy and focus.

In spite of this absence, the Lansing area, by sheer virtue of its location and its government/ university supported economy, seems ready to take its place among other mid-sized “creative class” communities of the Midwest such as Columbus and Madison. And unlike many other capitol/university cities whose economies have been driven largely by administrative functions, Lansing’s economy has a long manufacturing history, which left a large stock of industrial loft buildings with an edgy, post industrial urban aesthetic. These features have proven particularly attractive to technology companies and their workers in other cities.

Signs of the region’s awakening can already be seen on the edges of downtown and along the Grand River Road corridor in East Lansing. Experiences in other cities suggest that a prolonged phase of urban infill and restoration in the metropolitan core will take place concurrently with new infill development in fringe areas. Much of this growth will be fueled by the retention and attraction of young professionals and empty nesters who want to be close to where the action is. Therefore, an emphasis on centrality, convenience, a sense of community, and a variety of housing alternatives geared toward thirtysomethings and active seniors will be paramount. A hint of this demand can already be seen on the opposite side of U.S.127 in East Lansing’s Northern Tier, where quality multi-family and senior lifestyle housing is being quickly absorbed into the local real estate market.