678 replies to this topic

[dnast]

I agree. There needs to be something away from Saginaw St. that will attract a lot of people, making more people walk around downtown. After a while businesses and lofts will fill in the space between it and Saginaw St.

I agree about the connection to the cultural center as well. There are long-term plans for doing this. What would really help is a highway cap on 475 like in Columbus, OH. It basically hides the freeway by allowing buildings to be built flush with the bridge, etc. The hard part would be slowing down auto traffic around there.

[Pachuco]

Has anybody heard any recent news on a national tenant for the bottom floor of the 352 ? I was looking at downtown reports at the abc12 site and a report from fall of 03 mentioned a national tenant.

[Pachuco]

I was just reading the journal and it mentioned ideas of tearing down Central and Whittier and building a new 7 - 12 grade school connected to the cultural center.

Now that would be one of the best ideas and thing the Flint schools to do and com eup with. Interim Superintendent Rutherford deserves some kind of award for such a creative and great idea.

[dnast]

Pachuco, on Mar 1 2005, 11:32 AM, said:

Has anybody heard any recent news on a national tenant for the bottom floor of the 352 ? I was looking at downtown reports at the abc12 site and a report from fall of 03 mentioned a national tenant.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The plans must have changed since then. A few months ago it was mentioned that the owner/developer (Al Kloss, Daystar Developments) was waiting to find somebody to occupy the first floor so he could use the money to fix the rest of the building.

I'm guessing it'll be easier to find a tenant now that he has the funds to fix the whole building.

Pachuco, on Mar 1 2005, 11:51 AM, said:

I was just reading the journal and it mentioned ideas of tearing down Central and Whittier and building a new 7 - 12 grade school connected to the cultural center.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That would be wonderful. Those schools and the library are the only buildings left in the Cultural Center area that haven't had a makeover in recent years. I'm just wondering where the money would come from.



Oh, and speaking of the Cultural Center. The Flint Institute of Arts expansion is coming along nicely. I was in the area last week and saw them putting the glass walls in. Already it looks WAY better than it used to.

[Pachuco]

dnast, on Mar 1 2005, 11:22 AM, said:

The plans must have changed since then. A few months ago it was mentioned that the owner/developer (Al Kloss, Daystar Developments) was waiting to find somebody to occupy the first floor so he could use the money to fix the rest of the building.

I'm guessing it'll be easier to find a tenant now that he has the funds to fix the whole building.
That would be wonderful. Those schools and the library are the only buildings left in the Cultural Center area that haven't had a makeover in recent years. I'm just wondering where the money would come from.
Oh, and speaking of the Cultural Center. The Flint Institute of Arts expansion is coming along nicely. I was in the area last week and saw them putting the glass walls in. Already it looks WAY better than it used to.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

In the article it only sad at this point a dream.

[dnast]

Quick update:

Mega Coney island has a free-standing sign up now. It says "Breakfast" and "Lunch" - nothing about being open 24-hours. But maybe it's something they didn't want to put on a permanent sign until they get a feel on the local customers.

Also, I saw workers removing the lead paint from the beams of the Hughes & Hatcher. I guess that project is back on track.


Talk to you guys tomorrow (I can't wait 'til I get the 'net cut on at my new place...ughh)[/mini-rant]

[dnast]

This was in the news the other day, but I can't seem to picture what they're talking about. Does anyone know exactly where this is?
___________________________________________

County looking at its own parking structure
HOMETOWN HEADLINES
GENESEE COUNTY
THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION
Tuesday, March 01, 2005
By Ron Fonger
rfonger@flintjournal.com • 810.766.6317

The county has hired a company to advise it what to do with the parking structure at its offices between S. Saginaw and Beach streets.

The county Board of Commissioners will pay Carl Walker Inc. $11,800 to appraise the condition of the covered parking area and make recommendations for repair options.

Some county officials have wondered if a second-floor of the parking structure could be used to park on, increasing the available space. Currently, the deck is used only as a roof over street-level parking.

Removing the deck is one option that will be considered, said Richard E. Hammel, chairman of the county commissioners.

[Pachuco]

The building on the left side of the PSI building, I hope it will get some facade work and some renovations, it is the biggest eysore, second to the Genesee Towers in DT Flint.

[dnast]

I guess the city got the funds to fix 3rd Ave. from the federal government. It's doubtful, but I hope the road construction includes streetscape improvements as well. Just fixing the street won't help the area much, in my opinion. Besides, 5th Ave. is in much worse shape.

Link

[dnast]

Before this forum goes back into a coma I figured I'd post a pic that I took (in the Fall, I believe) of First Street Lofts. I found it on my hard drive today. Forgot all about it. I can't wait to see how the building looks when they replicate all the details the building had in the '20s.

[Allan]

Haha, yeah, where did all the forumers go?  I guess the lack of development news in the Flint area is to blame.

[dnast]

Actually, downtown was on the front page news in Sunday's paper. Not that there was a whole lot of new information, but it took up three pages and had renderings.

[Allan]

I guess I missed that.  I was in Grand Rapids all weekend, before I rushed back home and then to school.

[Allan]

Here's an article about the building the Genesee County Land Bank is turning into its offices.  According to the article, they hope to finish by October.

http://abclocal.go.c...a_downtown.html

[dnast]

Good find. It's nice to see this building is getting 7 lofts. With all those buildings getting 1-2 lofts, it was going to take forever to get up to a significant number of new residences downtown.

[Pachuco]

Entertainment and dorm buildings will begin in June.

[dnast]

Well, there will only be one floor of residential lofts in the entertainment complex, so it won't have too many. Somehow I forgot about the dorms when I was writing that, though.

[VeeFan]

Some of the scaffolding came down on the old Economy Store, and at first I didn't notice any difference in the facade, but it does looks better.

[Pachuco]

The facade is red brick right ? I forgot

[dnast]

I'll have to check it out. It never looks any different when I pass by. When's the completion date for it, anyway? I don't remember.