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Uptown Village

GRDadof3

By GRDadof3
in Grand Rapids

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ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

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Dave,

What's the deal with the Madison/Hall housing/commercial development. I went by the other day and the place looks completely unoccupied. Are the units available and not renting or is something else going on? Or, are they occupied and just look empty.

The Madison Square Townhomes are full with a waiting list that is growing by the week. I mentioned this a while ago on a post...all 12 families moved in from Kentwood (or shall I say "Rentwood"). The retail space has run into a few snags. These should be worked out and hopefully some action will take place when spring hits.

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ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

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On a lighter note, speaking of Wealthy Street, when are we going to start seeing demolition of that old garage to make way for this project? I drove by there the other day and nothing's changed :(

Nothing has changed because...nothing has changed. We are submitting our tax credit application on January 3. However, last Thursday we were thrown a HUGE monkey wrench! The State, with no warning, as proposed to handle the applications differently for the pool of money in which we are applying. What was a 100% sure thing, may end up being turned into a lottery. We are doing a ton of advocacy on this to get our porject to go forward. We will see. If the tax credit is approved we will break ground around April 1.

We also made a significant change to the site plan. As soon as Isaac has our new elevations I will post them here. I think you will all be quite impressed.

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EastownBoy Crossroads

EastownBoy

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Nothing has changed because...nothing has changed. We are submitting our tax credit application on January 3. However, last Thursday we were thrown a HUGE monkey wrench! The State, with no warning, as proposed to handle the applications differently for the pool of money in which we are applying. What was a 100% sure thing, may end up being turned into a lottery. We are doing a ton of advocacy on this to get our porject to go forward. We will see. If the tax credit is approved we will break ground around April 1.

We also made a significant change to the site plan. As soon as Isaac has our new elevations I will post them here. I think you will all be quite impressed.

The houses that are going to be torn down, Do you go in and take out all of the old woodwork? Its hard to get that trim, and wonder if it ever gets saved when the old houses fall.

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ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

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The houses that are going to be torn down, Do you go in and take out all of the old woodwork? Its hard to get that trim, and wonder if it ever gets saved when the old houses fall.

Trust me...these are some of the worst houses I have ever been in. There is absolutely nothing to salvage. A bulldozer is the best thing that could happen to them.

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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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^If I were you I would go through the place very throughly, especially in the crawl spaces and the spaces between walls. We did some demo in my grandfathers house on Lee SW and I found bonds, wads of cash from the early 1900s, it was crazy. The walls sometimes hold some valuable history.

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Prankster Burg

Prankster

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^If I were you I would go through the place very throughly, especially in the crawl spaces and the spaces between walls. We did some demo in my grandfathers house on Lee SW and I found bonds, wads of cash from the early 1900s, it was crazy. The walls sometimes hold some valuable history.

To add to this point, wasn't there a house owner in Heritage Hills that just recently discovered a rare painting that was uncovered while renovating the basement?

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ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

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^If I were you I would go through the place very throughly, especially in the crawl spaces and the spaces between walls. We did some demo in my grandfathers house on Lee SW and I found bonds, wads of cash from the early 1900s, it was crazy. The walls sometimes hold some valuable history.

Oh don't worry...my staff and I are some of the best scavengers you will ever find. Before the bulldozers roll, we will go through the homes with a fine tooth comb. If it has value it will be gone.

I will tell you what I will try to do...I will have my construction manager go through with a digital and take some photos of the condition of these places inside. I will post them here. I thinkn you all would get a kick out of seeing them.

For example, someone broke into one last week, kicked the door in...when we went to board it up, there were dozens of used rubbers all over the filthy floor :sick:

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Oh don't worry...my staff and I are some of the best scavengers you will ever find. Before the bulldozers roll, we will go through the homes with a fine tooth comb. If it has value it will be gone.

I will tell you what I will try to do...I will have my construction manager go through with a digital and take some photos of the condition of these places inside. I will post them here. I thinkn you all would get a kick out of seeing them.

For example, someone broke into one last week, kicked the door in...when we went to board it up, there were dozens of used rubbers all over the filthy floor :sick:

Oh man!! :sick: Thanks for sharin THAT info Dave. :rofl: I'd love to see some photos of these homes under demo.

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  • 3 weeks later...
PBJ Burg

PBJ

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Uptown Village was added to the Planning Commission agenda for some slight deviations. Here are the latest elevations and site plan:

Sorry for the poor quality, but these are what the city had.

:thumbsup: Looks good to me.. go dave go.. that area needs it.

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gr49503 Unincorporated Area

gr49503

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Dave:

The townhouses on the South side look a little suburban/standard. Anything you can do to "urbanize" the appearance? The rest looks great. I can't tell on my screen what the materials of the larger building are...brick?

I agree that the townhouses could be improved. There are also some new infill houses in that area that look like an attempt was made to create an aesthetic that would compliment the area, but fell a little short.

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ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

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I agree that the townhouses could be improved. There are also some new infill houses in that area that look like an attempt was made to create an aesthetic that would compliment the area, but fell a little short.

To be honest our partner on this project got the elevations to the City Commission before I even had a chance to see them. So, I am looking at them here before I see them in person...once again Go Urban Planet.

In regard to the proposed facades of the town homes, what I am seeing here is significantly different from our original concept. I will certainly be on top of it to make sure we are fitting in with where the neighborhood is going, or where we want it to go design wise. I was looking for something more narrow, higher, a different roof liine, and with more brick etc. Not to worry, the final product will be sound.

Do note the very very cool Uptown sign on the Wealthy/Diamond corner of the building. This was my design and I am quite proud of it. One thing that does not come out in these drawings is that on the south elevation the main floor or ground floor is acutally covered parking under the building.

The bad news is that about 3 weeks ago the State pulled the rug out from under is, so to speak, and made an administrative change in going from a first come first served basis, which would have guaranteed our project to a lottery system. We have been hot on their heels advocatiing for our project to be exempt from the lottery. I will let you all know what is up. If our funding goes through we should be breaking ground by May 1.

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torgo Town

torgo

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I also like the covered parking in the back and the sign is very cool. Nice work! I agree that the townhomes are a little "blah", but it sounds like they are going to be changed, so I'll shut up about that. :P Keep up the good work lighthousedave! :good:

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  • 2 weeks later...
ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

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Just a quick update on Uptown:

The lottery with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) is today at 1:30 PM. Supposedly our project has two balls in the lottery. There are only 4 projects total in the lottery. We need our project to be pulled 1st or 2nd to be guaranteed funding. If it is picked 3rd or 4th there is still a very good possibility it will go forward, but I do not want to take any chances and am praying for 1st or 2nd.

Those of you that are people of faith, please send up a prayer :rolleyes:

We have a rep at the drawing. When I hear UP will hear.

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ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

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We were picked 3rd and it is all good! First was a VERY small project that really has no impact on any of the projects in the lottery. Second was a medium sized project in Jackson, we were third. At this point we are about 99% sure Uptown will go forward as there will be enough funding when nit gets to our project.

All the other pieces of the project are in place, and have been so for a long time.

I will let you all know when the bull dozers are scheduled to roll, maybe we will have a ceremony at the site when the first building comes down a'la Extreme Home Makeover...who could play Ty Pennington?

Oh and BTW, I will be looking at the new elevations for the town homes on Sigsbee street tomorrow AM.

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