GVSU - $16 Million Downtown Expansion

[GRDadof3]

MiBiz has this article regarding the expansion. I get the feeling that all of the Universities downtown are hot-blooded competitors, and are trying to out-do each other. And we won't stop them.

I have some contacts at Progressive AE, so I will try and get my hands on some renderings in a couple of months

[joeDowntown]

I think this will actually be somewhat boring for us building lovers as it is tucked on the backside of the Keller Engineering building. Unless you are parking in the ramp by the museum, you won't really see it.

Joe

MiBiz has this article regarding the expansion.  I get the feeling that all of the Universities downtown are hot-blooded competitors, and are trying to out-do each other.  And we won't stop them.

I have some contacts at Progressive AE, so I will try and get my hands on some renderings in a couple of months

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[egrguy]

i agree with joe downtown, its much more of a subtle development, but the jobs and brain accumulation it brings dt will surely be of a benefit.

[superNOVA]

It brings more people downtown. If GVSU moves their entire 700 person school of Engineering downtown, there are 700 more prospects for downtown living. I suspect that we may start seeing proposals for apartment buildings around GVSU soon.

[LA Dave]

The Keeler building was formerly part of GRCC (GRJC when I lived there). Before that, it was a Lear Siegler office building, I believe.

Interesting about the increasing moves of GVSU into GR. This recitifies the big mistake of the 1960s, when the then-GVSC was built in an Allendale cornfield instead of downtown.

I am particularly fond of the Business School architecture on the West Side; it is really nice to see that part of town getting a needed infrastructure boost.

[egrguy]

kind of a blend of topics...

but with the van andel arena expansion theories and the rapid growth of gvsu towards downtown. does anyone feel if gvsu were to go division 1 we could see the arena expanded for the benefit of gvsu to play their basketball games dt?

even if they were a mac school, the arena's seating dwarves that of others in the conference, but a d1 school in my opinion would garner much more support then minor league basketball.

im neither a gvsu alumni or huge hoops fan, but to have the opportunity to support a d1 school locally i think i would grow interested in watching the team grow.

[GRDadof3]

They are actually exploding out in Allendale too, and have regular shuttle buses to downtown. The downtown Business Campus was designed after the Thomas Jefferson campus of the University of Virginia:

Allendale

Health Studies

Some of these are GRCentros, and some are from GVSU.

[LA Dave]

Thanks, great pics. Those big pitched roofs remind me a little of the Carl Schurz High School on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago. (Why is it that the best architecture in GR reminds me of Chicago?)

[snoogit]

Thanks, great pics.  Those big pitched roofs remind me a little of the Carl Schurz High School on Milwaukee Avenue in Chicago.  (Why is it that the best architecture in GR reminds me of Chicago?)

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GR is kind of a mix between chicago, and Detroit (new, and old respectively)

[superNOVA]

but with the van andel arena expansion theories and the rapid growth of gvsu towards downtown. does anyone feel if gvsu were to go division 1 we could see the arena expanded for the benefit of gvsu to play their basketball games dt?

More likely - and something I have heard rumors of over the years would be Padnos selling their downtown land to be used for a DI Football stadium.

Now that would be sweet.

[Prankster]

[GRDadof3]

More likely - and something I have heard rumors of over the years would be Padnos selling their downtown land to be used for a DI Football stadium.

Now that would be sweet.

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That might explain McGraw's buy and hold move on the bicycle factory. Maybe he knows something.

[wyoming_mi]

A D-1 football stadium downtown would be AMAZING, but to me it is probably 10+ years away. The NCAA has been cracking down on the number of schools making the jump to D-1 over the pat few years, and has even lowered the status of about half the MAC schools for not averaging 15,000+ per home football game. I hope the next few years can continue GVSU's success and build on it so that a move to D-1 is feasable. I would LOVE to see the Lakers in Division 1, but they will need to make that decision wisely. It costs TONS more and the competition is that much stronger. Either way, a downtown presence of a D-1 program from a school that knows how to succeed would be a perfect fit for downtown Grand Rapids. Can you imagine the amount of redevelopment and new entertainment options that would explode on the near-Westside?!?

[GRDadof3]

I think this will actually be somewhat boring for us building lovers as it is tucked on the backside of the Keller Engineering building. Unless you are parking in the ramp by the museum, you won't really see it.

Joe

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I think we are going to be surprised. 50,000 square feet is more than twice the size of the recently added labs, and almost as large as the Eberhard Center.

[joeDowntown]

I hope your right. I'd like to see something new poke out from behind the Keller Building.

I think we are going to be surprised. 50,000 square feet is more than twice the size of the recently added labs, and almost as large as the Eberhard Center.

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