Frandor operator to remove two CATA stops, cites safety concerns and'vagrancy'
LANSING — The Frandor Shopping Center will remove two public bus stops from its parking lot next month, blaming city policies the center's operator said prevent police from removing people who use the stops as shelter.
The decision will impact two routes: Route 1, which traverses downtown Lansing to Okemos, and Route 15, which connects the Meijer store on Lake Lansing Road to downtown.
CATA spokesperson Lolo Robison said Lansing Retail Center will end service Oct. 17 to the east and westbound Frandor Center stops. She said 200 to 250 people utilize the two stops daily.
CATA buses stop at five other locations along the shopping center's perimeter, all of which will remain in use. They are located along Clippert Street, East Saginaw Street and Michigan Avenue.
Patrick Corr of Lansing Retail Center, LLC, which owns Frandor, in a release cited safety concerns which he said city officials haven't addressed. Among the issues, he cited "vagrancy, public intoxication/open container, aggressive panhandling (and) public urination."
Natalie Hufnagel, a spokesperson for Lansing Mayor Andy Schor, deferred comment to Lansing police. Lansing police Public Information Director Jordan Gulkis said Monday she couldn't immediately comment but would issue a statement at a later date.
The Lansing City Pulse reported that Schor said Corr raised issues in February, and that the issues Corr is concerned about are the same issues other parts of the city are dealing with. He blamed a lack of support services for the area's homeless.
Tenants, employees and customers have expressed safety concerns, according to Corr. He added that some business owners have considered relocating their stores, and some workers are considering job changes due to various incidents.
"Unfortunately, the changes to various laws/ordinances the city have put in place have greatly hindered the ability of police to affect significant progress," the release said. "The CATA shelters are being used as a 'safe haven' from LPD and our security staff and, almost daily. And, when called, the police do not always remove them from the property for the above referenced incidents."
The shopping center is home to many businesses, including a Kroger grocery store. Robison said the greatest impact will be felt by people with disabilities and senior citizens.
For example, Route 15 traverses Clippert Street on the west side of the shopping center, which does not have a crosswalk. Robison said CATA's immediate priority is to figure out an alternative way for riders to safely access the shopping center from their stops across highly trafficked roads.
Still, she urged Corr to return to negotiations. She said the shopping center and CATA have worked together since 1998.
"There have been challenges but we've always been able to work them out and we've always shown a willingness to do so," Robison said. "We would love to resume dialogue, and so we would urge Frandor to return to the table and address this community issue with the community. It's not isolated to Frandor. It is not isolated to the city of Lansing or CATA."
The real estate firm informed CATA of its decision to terminate an existing contract in a letter dated Aug. 1, according to Robison. However, Robison said, the letter was sent to the CATA Transportation Center in downtown Lansing, rather than the administrative offices on the south side. As a result, CATA received the letter Aug. 17.
Spec-Train, CATA's advance-reservation transit system for people with disabilities, will remain open. The services costs $2.50 for each one-way ride, however, compared with a 60-cent fare on other forms of transit for folks with a valid ADA card.
Contact reporter Jared Weber at 517-582-3937 or jtweber@lsj.com.
This article originally appeared on Lansing State Journal: Two CATA bus stops to be removed from Frandor over vagrancy concerns
