Prankster

I like this quote from the mayor about this project: “This building is changing our skyline and we need more like it to truly change and grow our housing system. We need to look at every vacant and underused property across our city as a housing opportunity.” it actually gives me some hope that the city will start actively supporting higher density projects, and work with developers to make them.

I especially like this quote from Steve Heacock, the director of GR Whitewater: “We were being too progressive,” he said. “We were pushing beyond where the state was comfortable in going, and so we’re going back. They’re offering up kind of a 1970s-model of the engineering, and we’re going to go back and look at it and see what can be done within that structure.” Makes it seem like they were dealt quite a big blow to their plans.

If the city has taken over, that will add another 10 to the projected start date.

https://grbj.com/news/restaurants-1/construction-begins-on-new-sovengard-building/ Sovengard is back on track

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2023/03/new-pop-up-sandwich-shop-coming-to-grand-rapids.html New shop coming to the old Cherry Street Deli location.

Definitely going to rebalance the skyline a bit.

Comparing those universities to gvsu is like comparing walnuts to watermelons, the scale alone is not comparable. and if you go to midtown Detroit (WSU) or downtown Ann Arbor (UofM), they fit into the urban fabric better than gvsu.

My point is, they fit into the urban as much as a gas station. My bias has nothing to do with the aesthetics. They don’t go up to the sidewalk, they are surrounded by grass on all sides, they have blank walls facing the streets. Bad urban design.

I just can’t get excited about anything gvsu builds, because they all have the “building in a park” design that would be better built out by M6. The exception is what they have on Michigan St.

looks like a definite downgrade from the original plan. This one looks like it belongs on Lake Michigan Dr in Standale.

Is it just me, or does it seam they are already shortening the buildings in the new rendering?

He was big on taking advantage of the renaissance zone designation to sell units in his developments. Not that there was anything wrong with that. That is what they were there for.

yep

Still looks bad. The positioning of the building gives it a “tower in the park” feel, with no connection to the sidewalk whatsoever. Recladding that in glass will not improve it.

I’m digging it because it won’t be putting a house on a big lot, but truly infilling a vacant parcel.

“Grocery store”…ah yes, the ambiguous promise that all developers make, but rarely produce.

Add Mertens to that category too

Glad to see this finally get the green light. My daughter worked on the design, and they were having a helluva time designing it around the power generator.

I agree with you. But unfortunately, in regards to most commodities, the supply chain issues will take years to get corrected.

Good God, every time someone mentions that the preservationists lose their minds over losing the Calder painting on top of the county building that no one can see.

https://www.tommysgrandrapids.com/map-hours-directions-boats-dealership--locations Tommy’s Grand Rapids, a boat dealership

I remember going shopping there with my mom when it was Atlantic Mills.

When have we ever seen anything move quickly in this town? For good or bad, the city leaders have always been a deliberate and cautious bunch of folks.

Not being political, but West Michigan is not a UAW stronghold.

In absence of fact, we speculate. And with the group we have on this site, it is usually pretty accurate.