Village of Ada - Complete Makeover

[joeDowntown]

I put that in quotes as that was the original headline on Mlive (they've since changed it). Pretty interesting that Amway has acquired a bunch of properties and plans a "major redesign" of the village based on a design charrette six years ago. 

 

http://www.mlive.com/ada-cascade/index.ssf/2012/12/ada_township_announces_amway_a.html

 

Please bring back coffee - Grand River Grocery / Ninth Bridge left a big void when they left. 

 

Joe

[wingbert]

What comes next?  Gated access to the village proper or a name change from Ada to Amwayville?

[SupercityGR]

I saw that on mlive.... Very interesting. Gonna wait and see what all happens to it.

[GRDadof3]

Creepy.

 

I did notice the pedestrian/bike lane that they added to the new bridge over the river is HUGE. Probably 15 - 18 feet wide maybe? It doesn't connect to anything on either side yet, but it's good that they planned it in.

[fotoman311]

Creepy.

 

I did notice the pedestrian/bike lane that they added to the new bridge over the river is HUGE. Probably 15 - 18 feet wide maybe? It doesn't connect to anything on either side yet, but it's good that they planned it in.

Yes, I am thankful for the foresight of the township and MDOT.  I believe that a federal Transportation Enhancement grant (part of the 1.5% of transpo funds for bike/ped facilities) paid for ~half of the extra cost, with the township providing the local matching funds.

 

Bridges are often a huge barrier because they are replaced so infrequently, so our leaders and transportation planners need to jump on these opportunities when they arise.

Edited December 14, 2012 by fotoman311

[joeDowntown]

I heard they are going to re-route the proposed trail to have it cut between some building and connect quickly to the bridge, instead of having people go all the way to the Pettis/Fulton intersection. Should be nice for bikers as that intersection is a little crazy.

 

Joe

 

 

Creepy.

 

I did notice the pedestrian/bike lane that they added to the new bridge over the river is HUGE. Probably 15 - 18 feet wide maybe? It doesn't connect to anything on either side yet, but it's good that they planned it in.

[wingbert]

So, this story... Isn't there already an Amway facility just South of Fulton on Spaulding?  Didn't they move all the Amway people out of that building and weren't they looking to unload it?  Didn't they let the Santa Claus Girls use that empty facility just this past Christmas?  Could I ask more questions?

 

Groundbreaking for Amway expansion Amway to add 200 jobs in new manufacturing plant

Updated: Friday, 24 May 2013, 11:18 AM EDT
Published : Friday, 24 May 2013, 11:18 AM EDT

ADA, Mich. (WOOD) - The groundbreaking for a new Amway manufacturing plant is expected to take place on Wednesday in Ada.

Amway will begin construction on the 317,000 square-foot plant on Spaulding Avenue just south of Fulton Street, which will add 200 jobs to the site over a three-year period.

The $81 million plant will manufacture NUTRILITE brand products, which is a line of nutritional products, sold only through Amyway distributors. It will have the capacity to produce a combination of 4.3 billion tablets and capsules each year.

Last May, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation approved $2.65 million in Michigan Business Development Program incentives for three new projects in Kent County, including Amway's NUTRILITE production facility.

The other two projects that got the green light from MEDC were Center Manufacturing in Byron Center and MedDirect, Inc. in Grand Rapids.

In all, the news projects were estimated to bring in $84 million and 600 new jobs to West Michigan.

[GR8scott]

 

So, this story... Isn't there already an Amway facility just South of Fulton on Spaulding?  Didn't they move all the Amway people out of that building and weren't they looking to unload it?  Didn't they let the Santa Claus Girls use that empty facility just this past Christmas?  Could I ask more questions?

 

Groundbreaking for Amway expansion Amway to add 200 jobs in new manufacturing plant

Updated: Friday, 24 May 2013, 11:18 AM EDT

Published : Friday, 24 May 2013, 11:18 AM EDT

ADA, Mich. (WOOD) - The groundbreaking for a new Amway manufacturing plant is expected to take place on Wednesday in Ada.

Amway will begin construction on the 317,000 square-foot plant on Spaulding Avenue just south of Fulton Street, which will add 200 jobs to the site over a three-year period.

The $81 million plant will manufacture NUTRILITE brand products, which is a line of nutritional products, sold only through Amyway distributors. It will have the capacity to produce a combination of 4.3 billion tablets and capsules each year.

Last May, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation approved $2.65 million in Michigan Business Development Program incentives for three new projects in Kent County, including Amway's NUTRILITE production facility.

The other two projects that got the green light from MEDC were Center Manufacturing in Byron Center and MedDirect, Inc. in Grand Rapids.

In all, the news projects were estimated to bring in $84 million and 600 new jobs to West Michigan.

 

 

maybe they sold it? or are expanding the building? or building a new one next to it that better fits their needs? or who really cares?...... its good to see more job growth here

 

 

Also all the ppl who think now that now that Amway owns a good chink of the village there will be a disney world with gates and what not, think about if you had $BILLIONS and you care about the community that you are from, wouldn't you have ideas of what you think would be an improvement and not a complete waste of money but something that benefits the community and gets a return on your investment? IF not then you are probably the same kind of people who blow lottery winnings within a few years on crazy junk like live tigers in a cage and such...so what do you think THEY should do with THEIR money? not buy property? not develop things? just give it all away recklessly?

Edited May 24, 2013 by GR8scott

[GRDadof3]

 

So, this story... Isn't there already an Amway facility just South of Fulton on Spaulding?  Didn't they move all the Amway people out of that building and weren't they looking to unload it?  Didn't they let the Santa Claus Girls use that empty facility just this past Christmas?  Could I ask more questions?

 

Groundbreaking for Amway expansion Amway to add 200 jobs in new manufacturing plant

Updated: Friday, 24 May 2013, 11:18 AM EDT

Published : Friday, 24 May 2013, 11:18 AM EDT

ADA, Mich. (WOOD) - The groundbreaking for a new Amway manufacturing plant is expected to take place on Wednesday in Ada.

Amway will begin construction on the 317,000 square-foot plant on Spaulding Avenue just south of Fulton Street, which will add 200 jobs to the site over a three-year period.

The $81 million plant will manufacture NUTRILITE brand products, which is a line of nutritional products, sold only through Amyway distributors. It will have the capacity to produce a combination of 4.3 billion tablets and capsules each year.

Last May, the Michigan Economic Development Corporation approved $2.65 million in Michigan Business Development Program incentives for three new projects in Kent County, including Amway's NUTRILITE production facility.

The other two projects that got the green light from MEDC were Center Manufacturing in Byron Center and MedDirect, Inc. in Grand Rapids.

In all, the news projects were estimated to bring in $84 million and 600 new jobs to West Michigan.

 

 

Yes, they're not really building a "new" facility, but I think they may be adding on to the Spaulding facility a bit for this new "expansion." From what I understand, they moved a bunch of office people out of the Spaulding ave facility, moved them into an addition that they made on Fulton, and left the Spaulding facility basically empty. Now they're looking at using it again, hence the press release.

[GRDadof3]

maybe they sold it? or are expanding the building? or building a new one next to it that better fits their needs? or who really cares?...... its good to see more job growth here

 

 

Also all the ppl who think now that now that Amway owns a good chink of the village there will be a disney world with gates and what not, think about if you had $BILLIONS and you care about the community that you are from, wouldn't you have ideas of what you think would be an improvement and not a complete waste of money but something that benefits the community and gets a return on your investment? IF not then you are probably the same kind of people who blow lottery winnings within a few years on crazy junk like live tigers in a cage and such...so what do you think THEY should do with THEIR money? not buy property? not develop things? just give it all away recklessly?

 

Oh no, not the Amway - Devos - VanAndel debates again. I think we can all agree it's great that investments are being made in Grand Rapids, and that it's also creepy that they control so much property. If you think about downtown, they have their hands in the Amway trio of hotels, the Market Ave site, Olds Manor, the Reserve Building, much of Michigan Street hill, the RDV building and now the Peninsular Club, the building next to MadCap, Morton House (I believe they have a minority interest), and through CWD (Dan DeVos) a large number of downtown office buildings.

[wingbert]

GRDad, thank you for the measured and coherent response.  Makes sense.  That's basically all I was curious about.

GR8scott, ummmmm, thank you.  We’re all refreshed and challenged by your unique point of view

[GR8scott]

yes that was the point....a challenge 

[JimInGR]

Amway did basically shutdown the Spaulding building when they elminated Quixtar. They moved many of the employees to the headquarters and were trying to selling the building. Sometime last year they began making Nutrilite products there though. This will be in addition to what the are already making there.

[joeDowntown]

They are moving some manufacturing from California to Ada, plus adding additional capacity due to increased sales (China). 

 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

yes that was the point....a challenge 

 

Wait, what's the challenge?

[GR8scott]

Wait, what's the challenge?

I am actually not sure, it was just a response to someone saying everyone was "challenged" by my point of view. Maybe its a challenge to try to put yourself in other's shoes and see all perspectives for some?

[Veloise]

...Also all the ppl who think now that now that Amway owns a good chink of the village there will be a disney world...

Great, now I have to see banner ads for magical kingdom places.

[GRDadof3]

I am actually not sure, it was just a response to someone saying everyone was "challenged" by my point of view. Maybe its a challenge to try to put yourself in other's shoes and see all perspectives for some?

 

Ah. Also, in regard to your post about turning Ada into a disney world, I think what they mean is sometimes these "new urbanist" village projects turn out looking artificial, like the downtown sections of disney. Also, in the case of downtown Salt Lake City, where the Mormon Church bought up nearly a 1/3 of it and built a massive $multi-billion indoor/outdoor mall, that chunk of downtown is now considered "private property." You can still walk through it when the businesses have closed, but it's private property with cameras, security guards, a big list of "rules of conduct" and, get this, no photography in front of the storefronts.

 

Sort of reminds me of the plaza at Gaslight Village. Those sculptures and fountains are fun to look at, but don't you dare play in them as they were designed.

[GR8scott]

Ah. Also, in regard to your post about turning Ada into a disney world, I think what they mean is sometimes these "new urbanist" village projects turn out looking artificial, like the downtown sections of disney. Also, in the case of downtown Salt Lake City, where the Mormon Church bought up nearly a 1/3 of it and built a massive $multi-billion indoor/outdoor mall, that chunk of downtown is now considered "private property." You can still walk through it when the businesses have closed, but it's private property with cameras, security guards, a big list of "rules of conduct" and, get this, no photography in front of the storefronts.

 

Sort of reminds me of the plaza at Gaslight Village. Those sculptures and fountains are fun to look at, but don't you dare play in them as they were designed.

 

I can see that. But I have been to the downtown SLC shopping area and thought it looked great. Think if that were in GR with a lightrail station, it would be like playing in the big leagues (also doesnt hurt for SLC having a pro team, a hub airport, state capitol, oplympics host and work class skiing destination nearby)

[GRDadof3]

I can see that. But I have been to the downtown SLC shopping area and thought it looked great. Think if that were in GR with a lightrail station, it would be like playing in the big leagues (also doesnt hurt for SLC having a pro team, a hub airport, state capitol, oplympics host and work class skiing destination nearby)

 

There's got to be a way to play in the big leagues and not climb into bed with Christian centric organizations. Oh right, there is. Every other big city in the country.

[Gorath]

WOOD : Community gets first look at new Ada

 

Note: Going to search for renderings, see if I can find any.

 

Edit: Here we go, a website.

 

http://www.envisionada.com/home.html

 

And some master plans, I hope these links work.

 

Master Plan A

http://nebula.wsimg.com/229e2d323f0b9b729bee54b5189f5201?AccessKeyId=098EC522B9C57E0B685A&disposition=0

 

Master Plan B

http://nebula.wsimg.com/2c3799af7198966a5d4883763f0f757c?AccessKeyId=098EC522B9C57E0B685A&disposition=0

 

Master Plan C

http://nebula.wsimg.com/339f6f7e93439a737b6c2abd378e451e?AccessKeyId=098EC522B9C57E0B685A&disposition=0

Edited September 7, 2013 by Gorath

[joeDowntown]

This was on Dixon Architecture's facebook page (sorry for scalping, but it is the only semi-finalized plan I've seen and it is a photo from a projected screen- horrible justification, but at least I can sleep at night ). 

 

It's interesting to see the additional roads and road re-alignment (also notice the roundabouts and boulevard on Fulton). Also, it shows the gas station as a "town commons" of sorts. I didn't hear anything about the gas station being acquired. 

 

I assume Orange is commercial, Yellow is residential and gray is an existing structure that will stay. Anyone know what red indicates? I'm assuming it is some sort of public building/space (notice red on the train trestle, and something adjacent to one of the current buildings on Ada Drive (the AT&T building?). 

 

 

Joe

[GR8scott]

Maybe the red is public or community property? I cant remember but the top left one could be a church and the bottom right one could be where the old schoolhouse is?

 

I think I will like the road improvements and would like to see buildings designed to be close to the road with pedestrians in mind. Also like the use of the riverfront as well as bringing more residential in the village area.

 

My question is would Ada incorporate as a village? What are the pros and cons and necessary steps to to so? It would be nice to live up to its name and be an actual village with limits and a population 

[GRDadof3]

Maybe the red is public or community property? I cant remember but the top left one could be a church and the bottom right one could be where the old schoolhouse is?

 

I think I will like the road improvements and would like to see buildings designed to be close to the road with pedestrians in mind. Also like the use of the riverfront as well as bringing more residential in the village area.

 

My question is would Ada incorporate as a village? What are the pros and cons and necessary steps to to so? It would be nice to live up to its name and be an actual village with limits and a population 

 

N/m

[ArsEcclesiae]

Could the red mean restoration/redesign? The small little corner of the building across from the current gas station and Goodwin's is also red. Isn't that the sixties style old post office? Perhaps they are going to update it to bring it more into character with the rest of the village?