numstead

Thinking about it more, it likely means that they have secured funding from critical sources (private and public) to do the most significant amount of the work, or to at least underwrite the project debt, and that they'll have a more high-profile public fundraising campaign (buy-a-brick style) to pay for the rest.

“We haven’t actually started the fundraising at this point, but we’re confident that the funding is coming together very nicely,” she said. What does that even mean?

hmmm, plans and elevations appear to contradict each other regarding the presence of windows on the short ends

Here's a view of our "Belknap Housing" project from a few days ago. Just a couple couple more weeks of interior work on the upper levels, and some paving and landscaping. I'm pretty happy with the building's presences along the street and the scale with all those existing trees.

Not my(our) project, but perspective as an Architect... A building like that is reviewed under the Michigan Building (Commercial) Code - not the Michigan Residential Code - where there is an exception that allows for windowless spaces provided adequate artificial lighting is provided (MBC Section 1205.1/1205.3). There is a maximum "common path of travel" distance allowed within the unit to a point in the corridor where you have the ability to get to two exits, and they appear to have that covered. The City of GR Ordinance is silent on the interior environment of multi-family residential units. So, its not illegal. There have been some stories in the news media in the last year about proposed university dormitories that included those types of units for density purposes. Lots of critical backlash. Developers must believe there is a market for them. I'm all for good urban density, but I can't ever imagine living in an environment like that and wouldn't be opposed to local or national code amendments that would prohibit residential units without access to natural light.

Yes, Morning Belle is going in by Bobcat Bonnies. Under construction now.

Condado is actually going back next to DWR. Some changes are in the works for the old Omelette Shoppe facade however.

I really wanted to drop the word "arcology" in here and watch everyone freak out, but that would have been a bit of an exaggeration.

mixed-use high rise No, they weren't planning on moving the printing operation there as far as I can remember. I don't believe the images we were cooking up ever made it out publicly. I found a color test print in a folder I have stashed away, but can't find a digital file anywhere. It might be an interesting project for someone in the local AIA chapter to try to convince some of the other architects and developers in town to release images from old projects that are long dead just to show off some of the design talent that exists in this town. I'm sure there are some pretty unique ones out there. Maybe it could trigger some new ideas or foster some new connections.

I've seen a thing that is interesting that is not related to Grand Action, Fulton/Market, Post Office site, or Acrisure. I suspect I know who Cookin-peacocks' lurker source is and could speculate on how that person could've heard about this particular thing. That said, I've seen lots of things burn bright within architectural offices over the last couple decades in this town, only to see them flicker out (I made some renderings in the early 2000s for an 8-story HQ for the GR Press on the 555 Monroe NW property), and since I'm not directly involved in this particular thing I have no idea if it's a matchstick or a duraflame log. I can't tell if I just threw gas or water on the fires of speculation.

Heading home yesterday I followed a section of the tower on the back of a trailer along Ottawa/Monroe until it turned west on Leonard, presumably heading toward 131. There area some sections of a green tower crane sitting along the Ottawa Ave side of the CTI site, which I believe were moved from the old Baker Furniture building lot.

It's three stories. 50 residential units.

Most of the columns are being reinforced by welding thick steel plates or steel tubes to the sides. This is to help carry the added gravity loads that would be introduced with new floors. We also have to add diagonal bracing between columns in a couple different bays to improve the building's lateral stability.

zippered mouth emoji

This is a project that I've been working on (Architectural PM) for the last couple years. I can confirm there are plans for additional floors. I cannot confirm how many or for what use. That said, those hoping for a skyscraper on this site will be disappointed, but I am hoping that those who appreciate architectural design will be impressed. Right now we're not planning to re-skin any of the existing building. Below 169 Monroe are two levels of parking (concrete structure) that are an extension of what is below 171 Monroe, and developed at the same time. That foundation was designed to carry more floors than just the three you see, but when the 169 building was constructed the steel frame was not designed to accommodate the same.

It sure looks like they took (I know they didn't) my 2009 Thesis proposal for the Monroe side of Vandenberg Center and applied it to the Lyon side...

Integrated is indeed moving out of "The Learning Center", our home since the late 90s. It's a move that been in the works for a few years, but required finding a new owner/user for 4090 Lake Drive. Recently a local organization (confidential for now) came along, bought it, and we're working on plans to transform it to fit their mission and serve their community's needs. We're also very excited to be transforming the 840 Ottawa building and moving into the Monroe North neighborhood. I'm sure there will be some rendering published in the near future, and I may be able to share some pre-demolition and construction progress photos along the way.

actually, not necessarily mansard roofs, but gabled, gambreled, or hipped. I worked on the St. Luke University Parish building in Georgetown Township a couple years ago. Their zoning ordinance sets the height limit at 35'. For gabled roofs, that limit is the "mean height" of the roof form. The initial building design put the roof apex around 55', but because the spring point of the roof was around 18' it put the "mean height" above that 35' limit. We had to change the roof pitch to accommodate the ordinance. The funny thing is that if the spring point of the roof was at grade, we could technically have built a 70' tall building, which elsewhere in the community would have seemed quite out of scale.

has the new tenant at 50 Louis not been formally announced? it's not going to be retail, but rather business use most of the time with occasional assembly use.

a thread with a poll for the top ten should be started (somebody who knows how to do that) to get the UP voice, I honestly don't know who I'm going to vote for, but 5 that I absolutely won't give my vote

my thoughts exactly, I hate how words like "sustainable" get tossed around like that. I chastised my co-workers the other day for putting "sustainable" in a marketing piece. if he would have stuck it in the river and geared right, the slower flow could have gotten the wheel spinning at the right speed for the frames/second that it needed. that would have been something and you might be able to call it "sustainable"

She will be if she gets hungry

thanks for reminding me... soon I hope... its been an incredibly hectic summer, getting married and all... I still have a backlog of photos from the summer that I need to process and upload to flickr I do appreciate the interest in my work though

"excuse me, coming through..." John, I must say, that's a really great photo, it says a lot very simply. Excellent capture.

already open for business... http://andrewsoncherry.com/home.php