678 replies to this topic

[Pachuco]

Encouraged by the Grand Blanc topic and my effort to make the Mid Michigan Forum more busy I created this topic to discuss downtown projects and to keep people interested in downtown flint which is waking from it's long thought to be eternal sleep.


P.S please post recent,great pics of downtown flint

Edited by Pachuco, 14 February 2005 - 09:03 AM.

[dnast]

Funny you posted this. I was going to take a few pics yesterday, but I left my memory card at home  

Anyway, I lost most of my more recent pics that weren't uploaded to a web site, but I'll show a few of my more recent pics that are posted at www.emporis.com

Northbank Center



Citizens Bank


Riverfront Character Inn




Mott Foundation Building



Also, Allan did a great 3 part tour of downtown last year.
Sunny day in Flint, MI (Part I)
Sunny day in Flint, MI (Part II)
Sunny day in Flint, MI (Part III)

[Allan]

Nice photos, dnast!  I haven't been to downtown Flint to take photos since I took those photos last winter.  I did go downtown to snap a photo of the Halo Burger for my design class, but other than that, I've just been too busy!  Maybe in three weeks....

[Pachuco]

Any news or pics about U of M student housing ?

[tropolis]

you would think by now the architect would have drawn the plans for residence halls.

[Pachuco]

Have any of you noticed lights going on and off  at the genesee towers and trucks being parked in the middle of the building ?

[dnast]

I might have missed something, but I don't think they've even chosen a developer yet. But I wouldn't be surprised if some of the propsed plans are shown in the school's publication in the near future.

[Pachuco]

At the UM flint site it tells in the news and events section ot says interviews with potential developers will begin this month.

[dnast]

Good. There's only a year and a half left for them to meet the target completion date.

[Pachuco]

Any recent news on the indian casino ? If they choose the bucik city site in flint alot of financial,employment,attraction,and economical problems would be solved with city of flint and genesee county.

Edited by Pachuco, 14 February 2005 - 12:33 PM.

[tropolis]

I like how a casino brings lots of money to the city, but i do not like the increase in crime that they bring. I hope they build up the police before this casino is built.

[Pachuco]

tropolis, on Feb 14 2005, 01:08 PM, said:

I like how a casino brings lots of money to the city, but i do not like the increase in crime that they bring. I hope they build up the police before this casino is built.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah the havn't had a raise in yrs.,but maybe the casino money ,if built can bring money into the police dept.

[dnast]

The townhouses being built in Carriage Town are getting wood panel siding on the second floors. That's great, considering when they said they couldn't afford do all brick I thought they were going to just slap on some vinyl or aluminum siding.

Also, a similar project on the north side is coming along nicely. The first two floors are built on one row of buildings and they are topping it out now. There's no brick or siding yet, but they just started in December.

[Pachuco]

Coney Island Coming To Downtown Flint


Flint
The Flint Journal First Edition
Thursday, February 17, 2005
by James Miller


Flint - For the first time in yrs. a coney island restaurant will be serving customers in downtown. George and Rocky Dedivanaj owners of Mega Coney Island in Fenton, plan to open a second eatery in the former McDonald's restaurant at King and First avenues.

George Dedivanaj said their father Zef, started the father started the family buisiness in Detroit about 10 yrs. ago.

There's a strong dispute among aficinados of the sauce-covered hot dog, but Dedivanaj said they don't take sides."We specialize in 2 different styles- The Original Flint Style and the Detroit style," he said.

In addition to offering both kinds of dressed-up hotdogs, the restaurant will offer grilled chicken, stacked sandwhiches, and a full breakfest menu, including omelets.

He said the restaurant, Which is in the final stages of renovations will have 20 to 25 full and part-time employees.

Dedivanaj said he has been looking for several locations for several yrs.

The building is less than 10 yrs. old. It wa built for McDonald's, Which opened in August 1995 and closed in April 2003.

Uptown Reinvestment Corp. bought the building as a defensive move.

Tim Herman, head of URC, said board members and other stakeholders downtown were concerned the building might become a liquor store.

"We're happy that we could secure that site and see a quality operator downtown," Herman said. "Another restaurant downtown is a good thing.

Dedivanaj said his family is working on something to bring back to downtown and added "We're looking toward the future."

Downtown once boosted several coney islands. In1965, four were in the short 2 blocks of Saginaw st. south of the river.

Edited by Pachuco, 17 February 2005 - 08:41 PM.

[VeeFan]

There was also another small article in tonight's paper that said a new company has bought out the old Kmart on Pierson Road, and is going to begin moving in this summer.  It's not exactly downtown news, but it's definitely a good sign when North Flint/Mt. Morris is able to begin revitalizing itself.

[Allan]

It's good that they will be turning that old McDonald's into something.  I'm assuming this will be open 24 hours?  You never can have enough 24-hour restaurants.  There's nothing I hate more than having to make my own food at 3:00 AM.  Haha.

[dnast]

It would be a pity if they weren't open 24 hours. They'd be one of only a handful of coney islands that aren't open 24/7. They should also do great for the nightclub crowd if/when the downtown area gets more. Most 24-hour coney places are packed starting around 2:30 AM.

And that's great news about the K-Mart. It's been sitting vacant for too long. Last year I almost got stuck in the snow after going to the H&R Block over there to do my taxes, lol.

[dnast]

UM-Flint dorm plan at 'critical' stage now
FLINT
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Thursday, February 17, 2005
By Christofer Machniak
cmachniak@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6304
QUICK TAKE
# Housing updateWhen: 10-11 a.m. Tuesday and 1-2 p.m. Wednesday.

# Where: Riverview Room on the third floor of the University Center at UM-Flint.

# Questions: (810) 762-3351.

FLINT - Imagine a ribbon-cutting for the University of Michigan-Flint's first student housing just in time for the school's 50th birthday in the fall of 2006.

But as school officials prepare to hold two forums on the project next week for students, faculty, staff members and the public, a high-ranking UM-Flint official says the "window is closing" to make that dream a reality.

"We're dangerously close (to a delay)," UM-Flint Vice Chancellor William Webb said Wednesday. "The next couple of months are critical in how we move forward to make this timeline."

The school received

bid presentations from four out-of-state companies last week.

The bids include proposals to design, build, furnish and manage an apartment-style complex that could accommodate 240 to 300 students. The complex would be on the west side of Parking Lot G, just south of the Murchie Science Building. Details have yet to be made public.

Webb said a 14-member committee is reviewing the bids and plans to deliver either a recommendation

or rankings to UM-Flint Chancellor Juan E. Mestas within the next two weeks. Mestas would make a choice and take it to UM's regents for final consideration.

Christina Cecchin, president of UM-Flint's student government, said she wouldn't be surprised if the housing project, an issue discussed for years, is delayed, but the campus is ready to burst with excitement if it moves forward.

"We just hope to see that, after all this time of reviewing, (the project) actually becomes reality," Cecchin said. "That's what we're interested in."

School officials scheduled the forums - which include updates on housing from Webb and on downtown development projects from Tim Herman, president of Uptown Reinvestment Corp. - after a similar presentation in January to an alumni group.

Officials also want an opportunity to answer campus concerns about parking, tree removal and whether the development might block sunlight to the biology department's greenhouse.

Cecchin said students are eager to learn more about the plans and ask questions.

"We've been waiting," Cecchin said. "I know I'll be there. We'd like to know what we're getting into."

Edited by dnast, 17 February 2005 - 11:05 PM.

[Allan]

It's good to hear an update on this.  It's unfortunate that it might be delayed though.  They've been trying to get this project done for quite a while now.

[Pachuco]

This off topic, but in the Journal it predicted Flint would lose 13.?? of it population by 2030, another let down for Flint.