New in Town: Gillespie Co.’s Provident Place moving in tenants by March

One of Lansing’s development hype-trains is finally arriving at the station. With interior construction nearing completion and approved tenants slated to move in by March 1, Gillespie Co.’s  $7 million Provident Place apartment building on E. Michigan Avenue is practically a go.

Construction of Provident Place, which features 33 apartments and 9,500 square feet of retail space, required the demolition of two vacant buildings and a soil cleanup project that was funded in part by a 2015 grant program from the EPA that sponsors environmental cleanup projects. Provident Place also received a brownfield tax incentive — $1.7 million over 19 years.

The buildings, which Gillespie Co. founder and owner Scott Gillespie said were beyond repair, were razed and much of the dirt beneath had to be removed.

“Years ago, both of the properties were service stations. So there were multiple tanks in the ground,” Gillespie said. “We removed the buildings, we removed the contamination and removed a ton of soil.”

Provident Place offers a 505-square-foot studio option, and two different one-bedroom and two-bedroom options, with the largest apartment reaching 1,025 square feet. Each unit sports a cool, modern look and features a washer/dryer and dishwasher. Dogs and cats are allowed. And, for a $50 monthly fee, residents have access to an underground parking garage with an elevator. Rent for a studio apartment starts at $795, while one-bedrooms and two-bedrooms start at $900 and $1175.

The façade of the building immediately drew attention on social media, as it features a unique design that emulates the visage of several buildings squashed together on a city block, à la New York City or Chicago.

“We took it another step and got a lot of feedback — to figure out what people are liking and what people want to see,” Gillespie said. “We started with a clean sheet of paper and distilled all the comments that we received. We took all of that information and designed it directly from the feedback. That part was a lot of fun.”

While some online weren’t kind to the design, Gillespie said he is open to conversations with dissatisfied critics of Provident Place.

“I take pride in being part of the growth of Lansing and the rebirth of the east side,” Gillespie said. “I’ve spoken with a ton of people on the east side, and I am always open to doing that.”

Provident Place already has a tenant for the first floor’s retail space, a gym called Flex City Fitness. Whether there will be a discount for tenants hasn’t been confirmed.

For more information on Provident Place visit thegillespiecompany.com