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New projects in Monroe North


GRDadof3

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I just use a different browser when I reach my limit.  I'm sure it must be stored in a cookie.  You could try to clear it, but that would require work to figure it out. And the different browser trick seems to work. 

 

It's about as silly as the Crain's Detroit website.  You can't read an article on the site unless you subscribe.  But if you just Google the headline and then click on the Google search link you can read the story without a subscription.

 

AHHH!  You just ruined capitalism!  (In addition to using other browsers, use your phone, tablet, work computer, grandmas AOL account...)

 

Good to see what's finally going in there.  I've been waiting and it sounds like a good fit.

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I just use a different browser when I reach my limit.  I'm sure it must be stored in a cookie.  You could try to clear it, but that would require work to figure it out. And the different browser trick seems to work. 

 

It's about as silly as the Crain's Detroit website.  You can't read an article on the site unless you subscribe.  But if you just Google the headline and then click on the Google search link you can read the story without a subscription.

 

There hasn't been a business journal article lately that I wanted to read that badly. :)

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There hasn't been a business journal article lately that I wanted to read that badly. :)

 

I still subscribe to their RSS feed to catch the occasional news items that I've missed, but their strategy for increasing pageviews—being intentionally vague on headlines and summaries—is grating. For example, their top headline right now is "Downtown hotel joins Hilton chain"—funnily enough, in this case, this is actually less clickbaity than had they actually mentioned the Amway Grand by name.

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Amway is still the Amway.   "The Curio Collection" is a collection of established elite hotels.  All that means is that you will book the AGP through the HHonnors website.   The Grand Rapids market remains without an upper-mid flagship hotel brand ie  an actual Hilton or Marriott.  People often confuse a "Hilton Garden" as a Hilton, but it's just a brand under the Hilton umbrella.   The Hilton on 28th by the airport became a Doubletree a few months ago.   That has left me wondering if there are plans in the works to put the Hilton brand in a more prominent place. 

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Amway is still the Amway.   "The Curio Collection" is a collection of established elite hotels.  All that means is that you will book the AGP through the HHonnors website.   The Grand Rapids market remains without an upper-mid flagship hotel brand ie  an actual Hilton or Marriott.  People often confuse a "Hilton Garden" as a Hilton, but it's just a brand under the Hilton umbrella.   The Hilton on 28th by the airport became a Doubletree a few months ago.   That has left me wondering if there are plans in the works to put the Hilton brand in a more prominent place. 

You mean like in a parking lot next to 50 Monroe?? :)

 

*fingers crossed* haha...

 

The modern proposed design I recall seeing actually seems in line with what I would picture a Hilton-type brand building.

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I still subscribe to their RSS feed to catch the occasional news items that I've missed, but their strategy for increasing pageviews—being intentionally vague on headlines and summaries—is grating. For example, their top headline right now is "Downtown hotel joins Hilton chain"—funnily enough, in this case, this is actually less clickbaity than had they actually mentioned the Amway Grand by name.

 

Whaaaaa!!!! You mean you don't like the cutesy titles? :)

 

"The beginning of a long road" - for Long Road Distillery

"Homebuilders produce Spring Parade of Homes"

"Ottawa county feeling the water pressure."

"Cream of the ice cream crop"

"At Bros Leather, it's in the bag"

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  • 3 months later...

I noticed the small law firm on the riverfront (across from the Boardwalk) was being vacated today by Two Men & A Truck trucks.

 

I don't know the timeline but the property was purchased by Orion in November last year. 

 

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2014/12/developers_pay_13_million_for.html

Interesting, now there's an Orion construction sign out in front. Haven't seen anything in the city's business that would indicate something was starting here soon..

 

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Interesting, now there's an Orion construction sign out in front. Haven't seen anything in the city's business that would indicate something was starting here soon..

 

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Plans may have changed since December, but an old Mlive article said they were thinking about a high-rise but weren't sure:

"Jason Wheeler, a spokesman for Orion, said the property was purchased as an investment without a specific plan for future use. The law firm will stay in the building through April, he said.
Wheeler said the site probably will be used to develop a high-rise residential building, given its small footprint."

mlive link

 

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Plans may have changed since December, but an old Mlive article said they were thinking about a high-rise but weren't sure:

"Jason Wheeler, a spokesman for Orion, said the property was purchased as an investment without a specific plan for future use. The law firm will stay in the building through April, he said.
Wheeler said the site probably will be used to develop a high-rise residential building, given its small footprint."

mlive link

 

I knew that but hadn't seen anything since that article. Mielsonwheels may be right. 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Looks like they're moving ahead with "Phase 2" if you will, of Icon on Bond. It will be at 601, 12-13 stories (magic GR number) with retail, parking structure, and 150 apartments. I'm thrilled. At this point it's just fun to see infill popping up everywhere, and it's one of the reasons I'm excited to move back to GR. Between this, Embassy Suites/HGI, and the MSU/Rowe project, this area is poised to be just a vital as the other up and coming areas! So great. They're going before Brownfield Authority next week.

 

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Looks like they're moving ahead with "Phase 2" if you will, of Icon on Bond. It will be at 601, 12-13 stories (magic GR number) with retail, parking structure, and 150 apartments. I'm thrilled. At this point it's just fun to see infill popping up everywhere, and it's one of the reasons I'm excited to move back to GR. Between this, Embassy Suites/HGI, and the MSU/Rowe project, this area is poised to be just a vital as the other up and coming areas! So great. They're going before Brownfield Authority next week.

 

Woot! I wondered what was going on with it after I heard the company that owned tower 1 had an option on site 2 earlier this year. 

Like you said, a lot of activity could be poised to take off in Monroe North.

Rockford Construction has purchased the old Baker Furniture building further up on Monroe and are master planning the entire site. It's huge, a lot of possibilities. 

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How tall is the existing icon on bond building?

8 floors of residential. 2 floors of parking (one underground). Tower 2 sounds like it will be a bit larger. 

Page 10:

http://grcity.us/design-and-development-services/Economic-Development/Brownfield/BRA Agenda Packet 10-01-15.pdf

150 units, 3 story parking, ground floor retail. I think the existing tower has 96 units? (12 units x 8 floors). 

 

Edited by GRDadof3
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8 floors of residential. 2 floors of parking (one underground). Tower 2 sounds like it will be a bit larger. 

Page 10:

http://grcity.us/design-and-development-services/Economic-Development/Brownfield/BRA Agenda Packet 10-01-15.pdf

150 units, 3 story parking, ground floor retail. I think the existing tower has 96 units? (12 units x 8 floors). 

 

Terrific. I'd love to see some height north of 196.

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Wasn't Tower 1 supposed to be about 12 stories and got denied for being too tall due to height restrictions and view interference for the hill?

Not that I'm aware of. There was an Icon on Bond version that was 25 or 30 stories (?) that had a lot of objections. 

The master plan for Monroe North stipulates taller buildings the further you get away from the river, so I don't think 12 - 13 stories would run into problems. Maybe I'm wrong. No matter how tall it is, I imagine that the condo owners next door will have an issue with it being built, even though it was approved for a second tower long ago and they should have been aware of it. 

Edited by GRDadof3
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Does all of this investment on Monroe, if it all comes to fruition move the center of downtown northward? Or is that established and the Monroe North beings a neighborhood within the downtown area?

I think the historic city center created by Lyon and Campau will always remain the center city. Monroe North, even if it were built out, would still be a neighborhood. I don't know which will build out faster though, Monroe North or the near West Side? 

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The city of 12 stories haha

I'm pretty sure this is new $35million proposed 12-13 story apartment tower.  This one by a New York firm looking for a tax recapture from the previous proposal.  They say ground breaking mid 2016.  Seems legit, but outside of arena place we have yet to see any of the other vertical projects break ground.

 

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The city of 12 stories haha

I'm pretty sure this is new $35million proposed 12-13 story apartment tower.  This one by a New York firm looking for a tax recapture from the previous proposal.  They say ground breaking mid 2016.  Seems legit, but outside of arena place we have yet to see any of the other vertical projects break ground.

 

Define "vertical." :) 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

 

I knew that but hadn't seen anything since that article. Mielsonwheels may be right. 

Well here we go... public hearing Oct 22nd. 

d) 2:00 - 1001 Monroe Avenue NW (Special Land Use) (PC-SLU-2015-0085)

The request of 1001 Monroe LLC (Ryan Wheeler) for waivers associated with the construction of a parking structure in a proposed mixed-use building.  A waiver is requested to reduce the minimum required ground-floor active use dimension on the Monroe-facing building side and the minimum transparency on the river-facing building side.  The Planning Commission will also consider the ground-floor façade treatment on the river-facing side of the parking structure.  This request will be evaluated by the Planning Commission for compliance with the standards contained in Article 6 and Sections 5.8.03., 5.9.17., 5.9.23., 5.10.05., 5.12.08. and 5.12.12. of the Zoning Ordinance.

 

 

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Edited by GRDadof3
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