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Southeast Side Construction


joshleo

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I live on the southeast side, just south of Ottawa Hills, I used to live on Franklin and in the past 3 years I have noticed certain establishments change over time. I thought I would share some of that info as well as ask you all if you had any information about future development.

1st: Miss Tracy's

Miss Tracy's was a liquor store on the corner of Franklin and Neland. It was a prime spot to find police officers dealing with people disturbing the peace. Recently, the store relocated to the opposite corner and made a run-down ugly building into something that I think looks quite nice.

Previous Location:

post-11342-003955100 1276625728_thumb.jp

New Location Before:

post-11342-036649000 1276625767_thumb.jp

Miss Tracy's Now:

post-11342-057530600 1276625801_thumb.jp

2nd: Big Bob's Pizza

Before relocating to East Grand Rapids in Gaslight Village, Big Bob's used to be on the corner of Giddings and Hall. The location has been empty ever since. It was purchased but nothing has changed. I talked to an employee at Master Cleaners (in the same complex) about what might be happening with the building. The person said they weren't sure but thought they heard that the owner was going to open a bakery in the front and a car-detailing service in the back. It seemed like a strange combo to me. The only progress made on the building that I can tell is the installation of garage doors on the back half of the building. Anyone know what is going on in this complex? the space next door to it is also now for sale. I would love it if a bakery, coffee shop, pizza place, BBQ restaurant or anything useful went into this location. I live so close to it that I would be a patron based on it's sheer proximity to my front door. Whatever it is!

Big Bob's Before:

post-11342-050941500 1276626089_thumb.jp

Big Bob's After:

post-11342-053567100 1276626115_thumb.jp

know of anything else going on in this area?

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looked at the construction permit in the window: it was issued in April of 2009 and described that the "existing space would be separated into 3 tenant spaces."

not sure what that means, because it doesn't look like the space is big enough for more than one business...

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  • 5 months later...

MLive has some info on the plan for the new, improved Joe Taylor Park (Baxter Green), including a rendering:

http://www.mlive.com...l_get_a_ne.html

taylor-park-1207jpg-31cc722b38544754.jpg

According to the article, city commissioners will approve $500,000 in funds for the project.

This will be nice for Baxter. I was actually wondering recently if the city had any water playgrounds. Will this be the first?

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I was actually wondering recently if the city had any water playgrounds. Will this be the first?

I'm not sure how elaborate a facility has to be to be considered a "water playground," but there's a moderate one on the Alger Middle property (a block from my house):

http://maps.google.c...,274.53,,0,4.47

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I'm only going off the rendering here, but it looks like the Baxter "splashpad" will be the biggest one. At the very least, it'll be the most aesthetically pleasing... it's an ovular shape, and it's surrounded by gardens and brush rather than a chain link fence.

Initially, in my head I was thinking of one like on Christian Science Plaza here in Boston. Well, maybe not that big, but something similar.

Children_playing_in_water_fountain_at_Prudential.jpg

(Boston.com)

ON ANOTHER NOTE, I read the funding for the park will include some DeVos money. Like, from Grandpa himself. I think it's something that he would give back to his old neighborhood.

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Isn't there one implemented into the water park at Millennium Park as well?

And how do area residents feel about Baxter being chopped in half with that abandoned street section? Seems like with that being the street for business, having your business district dead end at a park may cause the same effect the pedestrian mall had on Monroe Center. Otherwise, it looks like the area could definitely use some attention and any park there would probably be better than the urban field that's there now.

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  • 2 months later...

More plans for another park, this time to replace a parking lot in South Hill:

http://www.mlive.com...nts_want_t.html

pleasantparkjpg-087b83f7900eebb5.jpg

I'm not sure the "alcove" across the street really adds anything. If they're going to use that small lot, they should do something special like a community garden or whatnot. Or else, just leave it as it is and save themselves some fundraising. But otherwise, the neighborhood could use a nice park and this is a great idea. What's that parking lot for, anyway? That county building on Franklin?

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More plans for another park, this time to replace a parking lot in South Hill:

http://www.mlive.com...nts_want_t.html

I'm not sure the "alcove" across the street really adds anything. If they're going to use that small lot, they should do something special like a community garden or whatnot. Or else, just leave it as it is and save themselves some fundraising. But otherwise, the neighborhood could use a nice park and this is a great idea. What's that parking lot for, anyway? That county building on Franklin?

Yes, it was parking for the Department of Human Services I believe, which moved over to the new building on Franklin.

Someone had looked at building a house on that small lot a few years ago, but was denied by the city. It's really narrow.

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Yes, it was parking for the Department of Human Services I believe, which moved over to the new building on Franklin.

Someone had looked at building a house on that small lot a few years ago, but was denied by the city. It's really narrow.

that tiny park across the street from the big one reminds me of another in this neighborhood on the southwest corner of Prospect and Logan.

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Yes, it was parking for the Department of Human Services I believe, which moved over to the new building on Franklin.

Oh yeah? So is that building sitting empty now? That's a lot of space.

Does anyone know what that building was originally? I used to get it mixed up with South High.

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Oh yeah? So is that building sitting empty now? That's a lot of space.

Does anyone know what that building was originally? I used to get it mixed up with South High.

Used to be Grand Rapids Christian, I believe it is now owned by Madison Square Church and they have plans to use it for a variety of purposes.

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Oh yeah? So is that building sitting empty now? That's a lot of space.

Does anyone know what that building was originally? I used to get it mixed up with South High.

Not sure. I think the city ended up with the building on Madison and the parking lot when they swapped the land where the new county building sits (??) The one on the corner (looks like a school) I believe is owned by a development company.

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Not sure. I think the city ended up with the building on Madison and the parking lot when they swapped the land where the new county building sits (??) The one on the corner (looks like a school) I believe is owned by a development company.

The building is owned by Ed De Vries. It was taken in a complicated swap deal with the City for 1120 Monroe. The empty lot to the North went to the City in this deal, which is now being used for a planned City Park (as previously reported). The County maintained some sort of ownership or access to the Paul I Phillips Gym on Madison in this deal. A few upgrades were recently done to the gym and it is going to continue to be used for the summer basketball and other gym programs which have operated there for years. I have heard that Madison Square Church is moving their church plant, which is now being held at Ford Middle School, into the office portion of the giant office building on the corner.

The real news in the Madison Square neighborhood is the incredible renovations being done on the corner of Madison and Hall by LINC (formerly Lighthouse)

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The building is owned by Ed De Vries. It was taken in a complicated swap deal with the City for 1120 Monroe. The empty lot to the North went to the City in this deal, which is now being used for a planned City Park (as previously reported). The County maintained some sort of ownership or access to the Paul I Phillips Gym on Madison in this deal. A few upgrades were recently done to the gym and it is going to continue to be used for the summer basketball and other gym programs which have operated there for years. I have heard that Madison Square Church is moving their church plant, which is now being held at Ford Middle School, into the office portion of the giant office building on the corner.

The real news in the Madison Square neighborhood is the incredible renovations being done on the corner of Madison and Hall by LINC (formerly Lighthouse)

http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/features/02032011LINC.aspx

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  • 1 year later...

So my friend was talking to the owner of Big Bob's in EGR and he said that he was interested in thier old location on the corner of Hall and Giddings but the current owner (who has had the windows covered with newspapers for years) wants 1 million for it... So it looks like that whole retail block there will continue to suffer. It is too bad there is some great potential to serve ottawa hills/ SE side there.

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So my friend was talking to the owner of Big Bob's in EGR and he said that he was interested in thier old location on the corner of Hall and Giddings but the current owner (who has had the windows covered with newspapers for years) wants 1 million for it... So it looks like that whole retail block there will continue to suffer. It is too bad there is some great potential to serve ottawa hills/ SE side there.

Does the current owner's last name contain a couple Z's?

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So my friend was talking to the owner of Big Bob's in EGR and he said that he was interested in thier old location on the corner of Hall and Giddings but the current owner (who has had the windows covered with newspapers for years) wants 1 million for it... So it looks like that whole retail block there will continue to suffer. It is too bad there is some great potential to serve ottawa hills/ SE side there.

A million?????? He cant be serious!

My family lived near this corner back in 1987 and I've never known a time when that intersection could have ever warranted that type of price on any of those buildings. The Ottawa branch library, one of the few well-maintained buildings, wouldn't even fetch that much. the rest of the intersection is mostly

shabby car repair shops, and a liquor store. It's been a long time, But I think a tailor and a karate

school was also in the area.

Just another one of these local property trolls looking to score a fantasy payout on property that does not deserve the asking price.

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  • 4 months later...

Honestly not the best location. It is somewhat isolated from not only Boston Square but also from the small business district @ Giddings and Hall, where I think it would have made a far bigger impact being right across from the library, at a more pedestrian-friendly intersection, and at the nexus of the MLK Park neighborhood, Ottawa Hills, Mulick Park neighborhood, and even some bleed over from EGR.

 

I'm very familiar with this building though. My sister worked in it back in the early-mid 90s when the bottom floor was a store called "Casual Connections". We also used to go there in the late 80s when it was an ice cream shop called "Mr Smoothies".

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  • 1 month later...

So my friend was talking to the owner of Big Bob's in EGR and he said that he was interested in thier old location on the corner of Hall and Giddings but the current owner (who has had the windows covered with newspapers for years) wants 1 million for it... So it looks like that whole retail block there will continue to suffer. It is too bad there is some great potential to serve ottawa hills/ SE side there.

We are trying to get the name of the owner of Big Bob's old building in SE GR (Giddings/Hall) but have unsuccessfully spent many months now going in circles. Do you have any knowledge or information on who we can contact about that building? Grateful for any advice of neighbors or community members that know the history there!

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We are trying to get the name of the owner of Big Bob's old building in SE GR (Giddings/Hall) but have unsuccessfully spent many months now going in circles. Do you have any knowledge or information on who we can contact about that building? Grateful for any advice of neighbors or community members that know the history there!

 

The address was actually 1163 Giddings. Looking at Regis, it shows it is owned by JD Coop Properties LLC, Ryan Cooper:

 

http://www.dleg.state.mi.us/bcs_corp/dt_llc.asp?id_nbr=E0985J&name_entity=JDCOOP%20PROPERTIES,%20LLC

 

I also found this, page 2:

 

http://grcity.us/design-and-development-services/Planning-Department/PlanningCommission/2008-08-28_Entire%20Packet%208-28-08_opt.pdf

 

You could check with the Planning office at the city and see if they have contact info.

 

If you're really ambitious:

 

http://www.whitepages.com/name/ryan-cooper/Grand-Rapids-MI

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