METROPOLITAN CENTER:Fulton/Division SW Corner Site

[jystewart]

Chalk me up as a Starbucks naysayer. I'd take Four Friends over Starbucks any day, and surely if we really want to see Grand Rapids develop we'll want to see an increase in the number of downtown businesses that have a real commitment to the city?

[mrknowitall]

well crumbs-

enjoy your new parking ramp. apparently $$ can buy anything...

[metrogrkid]

Hello all!

First, this is completely awesome! I am on board for whatever help that I can provide towards the improvement of this project. Secondly I have some questions.

First, like a previous poster said, is there a real connection with D. Trump? I am having trouble guaging if the names floated about are more hypotheticals or are serious contenders to launch this prime piece of real estate into something much more grand. In my daydreaming I have often thought of trying to lure Trump to GR to really catapult the city to greater things. For the size and economic power of GR its downtown just doenst have that same feel. Using a celebrity name to build a 25 story tower would bring GR to a new level.

Secondly, are there any ideas for this project amongst the forumers? As in height, retail, entertainment? From the previous proposals I really like the fact a bookstore and jazz club would be included. Both markets which are pretty much underserved in GR.

Lastly, thanks for reading my random thoughts and whatnot, and I hope to help in any way possible.

Rock on GR!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

jdkacz:

" . . . . For all of those here at UrbanPlanet-Grand Rapids that have some courage, vision and belief that with our collective will WE CAN CREATE THE WORLD-CLASS GR WE YEARN FOR, then please contact MBEI at [email protected] and submit your name and contact information so that we may convene a planning charrette for this opportunity <on April 18, 2005> in downtown Grand Rapids. THE PLANETS ARE ALLIGNING IN OUR FAVOR it would seem. Let's see how high toward them we can go . . . . ".

Follow those instructions by tonight so I can get you the two sets of e-materials all the other participants already have received.

Metrogrkid

[daniel nudnik]

Joe - I am with you all the way on your criteria with one addition and one subtraction. I would add LEED sustainability standards and scrap the starbucks. Why not let four friends and discussions and morningstar 76 - all local owner-operated businesses - continue developing downtown culture as they already have done for years. Starbucks is a nasty neighbor - they already helped shut down Crisan's coffee in EGR.

[joeDowntown]

Daniel, I agree on the LEED development. I can be convinced to nix the Starbucks. They do make the most consistent cup of coffee in town, but both Urban Mills and Four Friends make a pretty darn good cup themselves.

If I am not mistaken, Grand Rapids leads the way in LEED certified buildings. Does anyone know the facts on this one? It seems like EVERYTHING in Grand Rapids is LEED these days (which is good).

Joe

Joe - I am with you all the way on your criteria with one addition and one subtraction. I would add LEED sustainability standards and scrap the starbucks. Why not let four friends and discussions and morningstar 76 - all local owner-operated businesses - continue developing downtown culture as they already have done for years. Starbucks is a nasty neighbor - they already helped shut down Crisan's coffee in EGR.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[PBJ]

Daniel, I agree on the LEED development. I can be convinced to nix the Starbucks. They do make the most consistent cup of coffee in town, but both Urban Mills and Four Friends make a pretty darn good cup themselves.

If I am not mistaken, Grand Rapids leads the way in LEED certified buildings. Does anyone know the facts on this one? It seems like EVERYTHING in Grand Rapids is LEED these days (which is good).

Joe

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As an employee of a major furniture manufacture in the area, I can say that over the past year LEED has become a MAJOR part of sustainable design, new buildings, and renovations. Our Chicago showroom has won MANY awards for being LEED certified in the Chicago Merchandise Mart. Just thought I'd throw my two cents in, I think LEED certification is a HUGE selling point

[snoogit]

As an employee of a major furniture manufacture in the area, I can say that over the past year LEED has become a MAJOR part of sustainable design, new buildings, and renovations.  Our Chicago showroom has won MANY awards for being LEED certified in the Chicago Merchandise Mart.  Just thought I'd throw my two cents in, I think LEED certification is a HUGE selling point

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Starbucks is great for areas that don't have good coffee bars (like the Alpine Ave. Corridor which to my knowledge has NO coffee centric stores, and there is only one starbucks in walker which is on Rememberance inside the D&W. and other suburbs) but please please keep it out of downtown

That, and I know one of the owners of a coffee shop downtown although I havent spoken to them in a looong time so I forget which one.

[GRCentro]

Potential elements for Grand Rapids Metropolitan Center (as identified by steering committee and planning charrette meeting, April 16, 2005) :

Retail

[metrogrkid]

MBEI METROPOLITAN CENTER CONCEPT CHARRETTE:

4/16/05 Committee Report

Metro Center Concept Charrette was convened at 12:00 noon on Saturday, April 16, 2005 at the Board Room of The Herkimer Building at 323 South Division Avenue, Downtown Grand Rapids MI.

The Charrette was attended by Michael Rodriguez, Josh Vanden Broek, Brian Helder, Eric Carter and Rudy Treece (MBEI Host / MBEI President).

The key outcomes from the Charrette amounted to assignments (due at Metro Center Charrette II on April 23, 2005) that will culminate in a final Metro Center Plan including:

-creation of a vertical layout/floorplan for a 20+ story tower that will include: 1) an underground Transit Superstop for ITP Transit Routes 1,2,3,4,5,6,9,14 & 15; 2) an underground multiple-level parking ramp; 3) a glass-enclosed 3-5 level shopping atrium at base of building anchored by an 8-12 screen movie theatre (with sky-lobby overlooking and integrated into the second-from-top floor of the shopping atrium), a Dominick's-style urban grocer and destination retail (with retailers not found in the 2 hour drive radius around downtown GR); 4) a 300-400 room hotel on 10-15 stories (with sky-lobby overlooking and integrated into the top floor of the shopping atrium just above movie theatre sky-lobby); 5) 5-10 levels of Class-A office space (geared toward having a downtown collective business address for select centralized business functions of the region's current major economic players - i.e. Meijer, Alticor, Johnson Controls, Steelcase, Herman Miller, Haworth, etc.); 6) 10-15 floors of apartment and condominium housing; 7) panoramic top floor(s) destination restaurant

-integration of setbacks into tower as it rises to gradually reduce mass of building and to provide staging areas for outdoor garden patios and verandas

-integration of snowmelt system into surrounding sidewalks

-use of an architectural style that complements the surrounding older buildings of the Heartside District (i.e. - Art Deco as exemplified by New York City's Chrysler and Rockefeller Center buildings)

-production of a roster of key recipients for final Metro Center plan (i.e. - world-class developers of urban mixed-use developments including Donald Trump, Taubman & Associates, developers of recently selected RSC Project, etc.)

[twoshort]

If RSC's plan was already approved, why continue with this idea? Or am I missing something?

[metrogrkid]

If RSC's plan was already approved, why continue with this idea?

[twoshort]

  the "selection" was selected by an advisory body that must now forward its recommendation to the City Commission - READ:  RECOMMENDATION. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I knew that would be the response... I was just figuring that the recommendation was a pretty strong recommendation and wondered if you thought you had a chance of going over the top of their recommendation.

Ultimately, even if the Metro Center plan is not utilized for the Fulton/Division site, its layout and design can easily be tranferred and reconfigured for any number of other downtown GR sites

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I figured this would be the case as well. Thanks for confirming things.

[snoogit]

Ultimately, even if the Metro Center plan is not utilized for the Fulton/Division site, its layout and design can easily be tranferred and reconfigured for any number of other downtown GR sites that the Committee will be exploring next and likewise offering up logical, world-class concepts for. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Well if you dont get division and fulton, then Lyon and Ottawa would be a good second choice (if devos sells the land)

[joeDowntown]

There is also the triangular shaped parking lot on fulton and Lyon, across from San Chez and the City Centre Ramp space. The lot is deceiving. It is actually pretty large, though parking would have to be accomodated for elsewhere (like the Michigan National Bank lot. Hinman Development owns both of these lots and had considered building a 20+ story building on the site several years ago.

Joe

Well if you dont get division and fulton, then Lyon and Ottawa would be a good second choice (if devos sells the land)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[GRDadof3]

There is also the triangular shaped parking lot on fulton and Lyon, across from San Chez and the City Centre Ramp space. The lot is deceiving. It is actually pretty large, though parking would have to be accomodated for elsewhere (like the Michigan National Bank lot. Hinman Development owns both of these lots and had considered building a 20+ story building on the site several years ago.

This one? Oh, and look, there is everyone's favorite parking ramp still in the photo.

[metrogrkid]

GRDadof 3:

Would you try to repair your entry so the picture shows up and, by the way, check the following:

. . . . the small triangular parking lot adjacent to the Fulton/Division site (surrounded by Fulton, Ionia and Louis - ideal for high-rise housing) . . . .

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Metro Center Steering Committee WOULD LOVE to get the detailed skinny on this site - WOO HOO!!

[GRDadof3]

GRDadof 3:

Would you try to repair your entry so the picture shows up and, by the way, check the following:

  The Metro Center Steering Committee WOULD LOVE to get the detailed skinny on this site - WOO HOO!!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I tried, but no luck. I'm not sure why, but I can see it on my browser at work, but not at home. And yes, I browse this site while I am supposed to be working

You can try this link: http://ims.gvmc-regis.org:1052/website/pub...lic_Parcel_Find

and then just keep zooming in until you see the satellite photo of the property. If you click the parcel, it then takes you to accesskent, which says it is owned by a group in Kalamazoo (someone mentioned Hinman??). Sometimes developers set up temporary companies to hide their intentions from the competition, such as some of the properties downtown are owned by JA-RI Corporation. Hmmm, I wonder who that could be??

Good Luck!

[joeDowntown]

That parcel is indeed owned by the Hinman Corporation. They also own the Michigan National Bank Building (or whatever you call it these days) and the ramp across the street. They own a ton of real estate throughout Michigan including a lion's share of downtown Kalamazoo (plus a bunch of the restaurants, etc). If you see their logo, it is a cool stylized image of the MNB building.

I tried, but no luck.  I'm not sure why, but I can see it on my browser at work, but not at home.  And yes, I browse this site while I am supposed to be working

You can try this link:  http://ims.gvmc-regis.org:1052/website/pub...lic_Parcel_Find

and then just keep zooming in until you see the satellite photo of the property.  If you click the parcel, it then takes you to accesskent, which says it is owned by a group in Kalamazoo (someone mentioned Hinman??).  Sometimes developers set up temporary companies to hide their intentions from the competition, such as some of the properties downtown are owned by JA-RI Corporation.  Hmmm, I wonder who that could be??

Good Luck!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[MJLO]

So what has ever come of this topic, I think it's great the kind of vision some of us have, but does anyone think, at least at this point that Donald Trump would have any interest in a Secondary city in Michigan?

Not to be the cynic, but I have never seen a Donald Trump Project Under 800 feet, a small Tower In G-Rap would just not be worth an the small economic return it would garnish. Not that I don't admire the vigor, let me know how i can help. Does anyone have an update..

[joeDowntown]

MJLO,

I think Donald Trump is an example. As someone stated in another topic, Chicago investors are looking for good deals outside of their hometown. Real Estate is so expensive and they consider real estate prices up here to be a bargain. What we need to show is that GR is ready for their types of development. Plus, it never hurts to push conventional thinking. That is how true greatness is achieved.

Joe

So what has ever come of this topic,  I think it's great the kind of vision some of us have,  but does anyone think, at least at this point that Donald Trump would have any interest in a Secondary city in Michigan?

Not to be the cynic,  but I have never seen a Donald Trump Project Under 800 feet, a small Tower In G-Rap would just not be worth an the small economic return it would garnish.  Not that I don't admire the vigor, let me know how i can help.  Does anyone have an update..

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[metrogrkid]

Hello all!

First, this is completely awesome! I am on board for whatever help that I can provide towards the improvement of this project. Secondly I have some questions.

First, like a previous poster said, is there a real connection with D. Trump? I am having trouble guaging if the names floated about are more hypotheticals or are serious contenders to launch this prime piece of real estate into something much more grand. In my daydreaming I have often thought of trying to lure Trump to GR to really catapult the city to greater things. For the size and economic power of GR its downtown just doenst have that same feel. Using a celebrity name to build a 25 story tower would bring GR to a new level.

Secondly, are there any ideas for this project amongst the forumers? As in height, retail, entertainment? From the previous proposals I really like the fact a bookstore and jazz club would be included. Both markets which are pretty much underserved in GR.

Lastly, thanks for reading my random thoughts and whatnot, and I hope to help in any way possible.

Rock on GR!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

SEE ----> "FINAL REPORT: Metropolitan Center Report, Report & Press Release Texts, Renderings" here with UrbanPlanet-GR forums. It, among many things addresses the Trump issue (of which - YES - MBEI does have a connect to through the Trump Chicago development)