The Grand River?! You mean GR has a River?

[joeDowntown]

DTS - Winkelmann is working on the design (Verne Barry Place). Apparently one of the concerns is the large number of bonfires that are lit along the floodwall (on the river side, when the water is low).

Bonfires? From the lowland river folk living in the area? That is a concern I would have never thought of.

Joe

[GRDadof3]

Wow! Hooray!

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/08/grand_rapids_sewer_overflows.html

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – A project more than 20 years in the making, the separation of the city's combined sewer pipes, is virtually complete.

Grand Rapids at Washington Street and Lafayette Avenue SE recently wrapped up the last major construction project related to sewer overflows that once upon a time topped 10 billion gallons per year.

 

[GRDadof3]

Also this latest version of the river and riverbank restoration has come out. Must've gotten missed. Also says they hope to start construction in 2017. 

A lot of cool changes like a new park near the fish ladder, a huge new park at Coldbrook and Monroe, and a new adventure park up by the railroad tracks/city yard on Monroe near Tillman's. 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/07/next_steps_for_grand_rapids_wh.html

 

Edited August 7, 2015 by GRDadof3

[GRDadof3]

This really makes me happy. To go from billions of gallons of sewage being released into the Grand River every year (during heavy rains) to no releases is quite an amazing accomplishment. Imagine that Grand Haven and Spring Lake no longer have to tolerate GR's sewage during heavy rainstorms is quite a gift for many generations going forward. And now you can't really make the claim that the Grand River in Grand Rapids is full of crap. 

http://www.waterworld.com/articles/2015/09/grand-rapids-completes-major-water-project-years-ahead-of-mandate.html

http://globenewswire.com/news-release/2015/09/01/765225/0/en/Grand-Rapids-Completes-Major-Water-Project-Years-Ahead-of-Mandate.html

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/08/grand_rapids_sewer_overflows.html

10 billion gallons released annually when the separation project began..

 

Now if Lansing could get on the ball...

 

Edited September 2, 2015 by GRDadof3

[GRDadof3]

This sounds pretty cool: The Eddy Music Festival at ArtPrize will be held on the riverfront in Monroe North, just North of I-196 near Trowbridge (it says), under a 4000 person capacity tent (that's a lotta tent). Bands and art events Oct 2nd - 11th. Not sure if it's on that big grass field or the parking lots? 

https://porterhousepresents.com/the-eddy-at-artprize-grand-rapids/

http://www.mlive.com/artprize/index.ssf/2015/09/artprize_2015_the_eddy_lineup.html

 

 

 

[GRDadof3]

This sounds pretty cool: The Eddy Music Festival at ArtPrize will be held on the riverfront in Monroe North, just North of I-196 near Trowbridge (it says), under a 4000 person capacity tent (that's a lotta tent). Bands and art events Oct 2nd - 11th. Not sure if it's on that big grass field or the parking lots? 

https://porterhousepresents.com/the-eddy-at-artprize-grand-rapids/

http://www.mlive.com/artprize/index.ssf/2015/09/artprize_2015_the_eddy_lineup.html

 

 

 

The tent and bandstand for this thing are huge! Anyone get any photos? 

[joeDowntown]

The tent and bandstand for this thing are huge! Anyone get any photos? 

There's an article on Mlive today:

http://www.mlive.com/artprize/index.ssf/2015/10/the_eddy_is_set_up_ready_to_launch_downtown_for_artprize_2015.html#incart_river_home

Joe

[WMrapids]

You beat me to it Joe. Here's a view from across the river though.

[GRDadof3]

You beat me to it Joe. Here's a view from across the river though.

"Tent City." 

[arcturus]

 

"Tent City." 

Beer Tent City.

[GRDadof3]

I hate when people overuse the term game changer, but man this could be a game changer:

http://fox17online.com/2015/10/12/grand-rapids-kent-co-vying-for-game-changing-federal-grant/

Edited October 12, 2015 by GRDadof3

[joeDowntown]

That is impressive. 25 miles of riverfront restoration (wetlands redevelopment, etc). Interesting that they said $200M of local government and philanthropic money is already secured.

Joe

[GRDadof3]

That is impressive. 25 miles of riverfront restoration (wetlands redevelopment, etc). Interesting that they said $200M of local government and philanthropic money is already secured.

Joe

I thought that was interesting too. Didn't realize they had secured that much locally. 

[GRDadof3]

There's a Colliers sign out in the grass park by Plaza Towers, on the river side. Can anyone find the listing? Didn't know if they were trying to revive that riverfront project there?

Or is it just to lease retail space in there (boring).

[joeDowntown]

There's a Colliers sign out in the grass park by Plaza Towers, on the river side. Can anyone find the listing? Didn't know if they were trying to revive that riverfront project there?

Or is it just to lease retail space in there (boring).

It'd be great if they tried another development on the riverfront. I rather liked the last development proposed. It was quirky and unlike anything we have in GR now. 

Joe

[getemngo]

It'd be great if they tried another development on the riverfront. I rather liked the last development proposed. It was quirky and unlike anything we have in GR now. 

Joe

Is there any information about what that last proposal was, for the uninformed?

[GVSUChris]

I believe it was called 275 Fulton Place. If I remember one of the big local banks was going to anchor it, pre recession. 

[GRDadof3]

I believe it was called 275 Fulton Place. If I remember one of the big local banks was going to anchor it, pre recession. 

Yup, Huntington I believe.

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/topic/38331-275-fulton-place/

 

 

 

 

 

 

I don't think they're reviving it though. I found a listing for NAI West Michigan for some of the office space there. Couldn't find a Colliers listing.

[droonus2000]

Man I wish they would revive that design, one of my favorites from the rendering graveyard. Simple, elegant and unique.

[joeDowntown]

It was designed by Meyer en van Schooten, Dutch architects who have some pretty iconic structures.

http://www.mvsa-architects.com/

Joe

Edited October 28, 2015 by joeDowntown

[WMrapids]

River restoration may begin in 2017 if everything falls into place correctly.

http://woodtv.com/2015/11/10/river-restoration-work-could-begin-in-2017/

[ctpgr34]

Some work being done along the river

[GRDadof3]

23 hours ago, ctpgr34 said:

Some work being done along the river

Nice! Glad to see that spur off of the park moving forward. That powerline is awful. Hopefully they budgeted enough to bury it. Wonder what the final design will look like? This was in the GR Forward presentation for this piece of land:

[GRDadof3]

On 7/16/2015 at 9:56 AM, GRDadof3 said:

The Woda Group finally got its LIHTC funding credits for their riverfront development at the old Ryder Truck facility on Front St:

http://michigan.realestaterama.com/2015/07/16/woda-group-bringing-housing-diversity-to-north-side-of-grand-rapids-with-lihtc-funds-from-mshda-ID0973.html

Back in 2013 the project went on hold indefinitely due to lack of MSHDA support (I think there was a big changing of the guard at MSHDA back then?)

http://mibiz.com/news/design-build/item/21107-lack-of-mshda-support-stops-proposed-gr-housing-project

 

 

 

 

Says "breaking news" in the GRBJ today but not really breaking. I think Woda Group has finally closed on the land. 

http://www.grbj.com/articles/84310-developer-plans-12m-residential-complex-on-riverfront

These were the drawings from back in 013. 

 

http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/devnews/GrandViewPlace0131.aspx

 

Despite being income restricted LIHTC apartments, I think they will enhance the look of the riverfront. Thoughts? 

[joeDowntown]

More on the plans by the Woda group. The renderings look a lot different (meh) but it looks like they may be following the plans set by GR Forward / the rapids restoration. 

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2016/01/developer_plans_12m_affordable.html#incart_river_mobile_home

Joe