Frederik Meijer Gardens - $115 Million Expansions/Enhancements

[GRDadof3]

I read somewhere that the Gardens currently doesn't have plans for the former golf course property, and will allow it to revert to a natural setting for now.  With their largest expansion to date wrapping up, I'm sure they need a few years to get their ducks and dollars in a row.  

 

Funny that the golf course still has a website: http://grandrapidsgolf.net/

 

Back to your original point, I wasn't suggesting that they were going to announce anything major any time soon. They're probably getting out ahead of the tightening land shortage, especially this close to downtown and in a premiere school district and along a major thoroughfare. The golf course was actually master planned for single family homes, up to 500 of them I believe. Figured they'd lock all of it up before the window of opportunity closed.

 

On the other hand, seems like the FMG board has probably discussed a twenty year plan for all this property. No organization with this kind of money behind it makes investments haphazardly. 

[Allison Slater]

Has anything been announced for the old UAW site?  (Or was it a veteran's building?  I don't remember which..)  Or is that reverting to nature like the golf course as well?  I've proposed to the Rapid realigning route 15 to run through that corner as it does on detour when Leffingwell is closed.  If FMG were to build a second entrance there, finally connecting Route 15 to FMG would be a breeze.

[GRDadof3]

Has anything been announced for the old UAW site?  (Or was it a veteran's building?  I don't remember which..)  Or is that reverting to nature like the golf course as well?  I've proposed to the Rapid realigning route 15 to run through that corner as it does on detour when Leffingwell is closed.  If FMG were to build a second entrance there, finally connecting Route 15 to FMG would be a breeze.

 

Nothing has been "announced" for any of it, except that the old gerontology place will be parking for the amphitheater. 

[RegalTDP]

The opening of the Japanese garden in GR actually got some news coverage in Japan.  My brother, who lives in Tokyo, was reading the Japan Times and randomly spotted this article:

 

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2015/06/12/national/grand-rapids-debuts-serene-japanese-garden-featuring-sculpture-tea/#.VX28fGDmY3T

Edited June 14, 2015 by RegalTDP

[Paramaribo]

http://www.wsj.com/articles/these-japanese-gardens-turn-nature-into-man-made-paradises-1438726788

[GRDadof3]

Meijer Gardens has hired an international architecture firm after looking at 60 different firms, to work on their expansion and to "reinvision" the gardens:

http://www.grbj.com/articles/85261

http://www.twbta.com/

 

 

[joeDowntown]

FMG is currently building some sort of structure along Leonard. I assume it is for maintenance. 

[Allison Slater]

I keep meaning to snap a picture of it but forget to do so.

[WMrapids]

Here you go.

[GRDadof3]

6 hours ago, WMrapids said:

Here you go.

 

Holy cow that's YUGE!  12- 14 stories? 

 

 

[WMrapids]

7 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

Holy cow that's YUGE!  12- 14 stories?

Strictly 12.

[Chester Cheeto]

17 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

 

Holy cow that's YUGE!  12- 14 stories? 

 

 

Interesting construction sequence building the top floor and roof first... 

[EastownLeo]

Ok who has the scoop on what is next?

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2017/03/meijer_gardens_to_expand.html

Looks like the updated the article.

Not super impressive but more main building expansion.

[joeDowntown]

If the extra Andes the grounds at all, I could see them absorbing the old UAW space (as the first of many expansions). When you get over on that side, you're awkwardly close to the fence that separates the two properties. I'd also like to see the grand arch become a grand entrance to something. Right now, it sits to the side of the path. I would imagine you'll eventually walk underneath it to continue your journey. Love the Gardens!

Joe

 

[GVSUChris]

http://woodtv.com/2017/03/23/frederik-meijer-gardens-announces-115m-expansion/

 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2017/03/meijer_garden_unveils_115m_exp.html#incart_river_mobile_home

Edited March 23, 2017 by GVSUChris

[GRDadof3]

1 hour ago, GVSUChris said:

http://woodtv.com/2017/03/23/frederik-meijer-gardens-announces-115m-expansion/

 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2017/03/meijer_garden_unveils_115m_exp.html#incart_river_mobile_home

That's huge. 

I'll be nice when they release a site plan, which would make sense of a lot of this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[joeDowntown]

Awesome news. I agree, I'd love to see a site plan to get a sense of what's being added/expanded. 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

34 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

Awesome news. I agree, I'd love to see a site plan to get a sense of what's being added/expanded. 

Joe

No site plan available yet. 

There's this. Who said parking isn't an important topic.

 

 

[wingbert]

19 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

No site plan available yet. 

There's this. Who said parking isn't an important topic.

The city of Grand Rapids scoffs at this plan and would like to point out that if you alert people to the fact that there is a big parking lot a mile north across the Beltline at the Meijer store, they could actually reduce the amount of parking at the Gardens and attendance would go up.  Makes perfect sense doesn't it?  I mean, there's lots of parking in the area of Meijer Gardens if you just know where to look.

[joeDowntown]

Pretty amazing growth statistics over the years. Crazy to think the Gardens probably wouldn't have happened if The Meijer store proposed for that location had been approved. 

Joe

[mpchicago]

18 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

Pretty amazing growth statistics over the years. Crazy to think the Gardens probably wouldn't have happened if The Meijer store proposed for that location had been approved. 

Joe

Originally plans for "The Gardens" were proposed for Wahlfield Park in Alpine Township, but when Fred Meijer donated this land plans quickly changed for the better....

Do the rough sketches released remind anyone else of the Grand Rapids Art Museum, even a little bit?

Edited March 23, 2017 by mpchicago

[GRDadof3]

1 hour ago, wingbert said:

The city of Grand Rapids scoffs at this plan and would like to point out that if you alert people to the fact that there is a big parking lot a mile north across the Beltline at the Meijer store, they could actually reduce the amount of parking at the Gardens and attendance would go up.  Makes perfect sense doesn't it?  I mean, there's lots of parking in the area of Meijer Gardens if you just know where to look.

And there are bike trails from Meijer to Meijer Gardens! Get out and walk ya old farts!

[thebeerqueer]

28 minutes ago, mpchicago said:

 

Do the rough sketches released remind anyone else of the Grand Rapids Art Museum, even a little bit?

I was thinking the same thing!

[joeDowntown]

Have there been any specifics on what they are doing to the amphitheater? It said expansion, wonder if it'll be a significant increase in capacity?

Joe

[Quercus]

Wow. Seems like every other year there is a major announcement out there!

Interesting to see some of you bring up the parking. Meijer Gardens is providing the parking, not the city. And what choice does FMG have? The surrounding land uses aren't favorable for varied transportation. The city is diversifying transportation in areas where it works. FMG has always been auto-oriented and I don't see that changing anytime soon. I love the place, but from day one the location has always kind of disappointed me. It would have been interesting to see it in a more urban context like so many great botanical gardens.

It will be interesting to see if FMG's continued success forces them to implement regular shuttle service to the outlying south / overflow / amphitheater lot like they sometimes have for events. Then again, if the parking lot landscaping and walkways are nice enough people probably don't mind strolling a few extra minutes.