People have told me there’s a downtown East Lansing. But people also have told me there’s an Atlantis and El Dorado.

I guess downtown East Lansing is more like a Pangaea, the former supercontinent that broke up into all these little islands and continents we now have in this world.

Downtown East Lansing used to exist — it’s just always on the move.

The East Lansing City Council recently passed an ordinance to demolish buildings and construct new multiple-student and family residential units in the Delta Triangle — properties around Louis and Delta streets and Michigan Avenue. The council avoided touching several fraternity and sorority houses in the decision, although for a time I was skeptical that they would. And as an MSU student and East Lansing resident, I have every right to be skeptical when it comes to East Lansing redevelopment.

It’s my guess that the emphasis in this latest edition of East Lansing makeover would be on family residential units. I’m not an expert, but I’d say development plans, such as the East Village project, Albert Place Condominiums (located at the corner of Bailey Street and Albert Avenue), the momentum of the West Village project going to the formation of a new hotel (because, as we know, East Lansing is a hot tourist spot) leads me to believe student interest isn’t necessarily weighing on council members’ consciences.

Yes, the city council acted in the interest of MSU students this time. But that’s the key — it’s only this time.

These are city officials who are democratically elected by us, the students — which makes us residents of East Lansing, just in case the council forgot — yet they keep pushing us to the northern part of East Lansing. Areas such as Chandler Crossings off Chandler Road north of Lake Lansing Road, Abbott Pointe Apartments off Abbot Road near Saginaw Street and the Eastwood Towne Center off Lake Lansing Road west of U.S. Route 127 could very well be downtown East Lansing, as some of the city’s best shopping, restaurants and its best movie theater are located on or north of Lake Lansing Road.

Whether these proposed dwellings in the Delta Triangle will even be somewhat within the average student’s price range remains questionable. Given the trend of recent apartment and condominium development in the area, finding one of those proposed residential units for less than $600 per month is about as likely as me participating in an ABBA sing-along (although you might get me to belt out a ballad by Air Supply).

As affordable housing migrates north, Grand River Avenue will receive the final boost it needs to become the first ever main drag on a college campus with more empty storefronts than occupied. I can only assume this is the City Council’s goal. The council has the right equation in place to cultivate struggling business — bank-breaking parking rates and a dislocated consumer base.

East Lansing can accomplish both providing affordable housing for students while molding a downtown atmosphere by using smart growth. The apartments above Taco Bell at the corner of Bailey Street and Grand River Avenue exemplify this smart growth through mixed-use properties, which is when a building can be used for both commercial and residential purposes. The East Village project has proposed this, but there is concern (and rightfully so) that the residential units would be more expensive and less plentiful than what Cedar Village offers.

Communities across the country are springing up in the smart growth fashion. Long commutes to work, the grocery store and the movie theater are being questioned given the situation with foreign oil — gas may only cost $1.83 per gallon now, but that will change this summer and when the economy rebounds. People want immediacy and ease; that’s why smart growth communities are being planned in areas such as Meridian Township. With high-rise residential, commercial and office buildings, people can get everything they need just by walking.

If East Lansing is planning on reshaping itself, it needs to heed the lesson of smart growth. East Lansing businesses will not survive without MSU students near Grand River Avenue, and anyone can go from Abbot to Hagadorn roads to see that. This city is not Lansing and it will not attract Lansing residents. This is not Okemos and it will not attract Okemos residents.

This is East Lansing, home to MSU. The student is East Lansing’s resident.

Zack Colman is The State News opinion writer. Reach him at colmanz1@msu.edu.