Village of Ada - Complete Makeover

[Raildudes dad]

That building you refer to is owned by ATT. It's full of land line switch gear and back up batteries. The "red" is the lawn area of the building on those sides.

[jonathan.jam]

A redesigned Ada will feature public market, riverfront amphitheater, village live-work units

Jan Holst {sodEmoji.|} December 17, 2013

 

We now know what Ada village may look like in 10 years and approximately $20 million of public funds later.

 

The Ada Township Downtown Development Authority Board voted to accept the final draft plan prepared by Progressive ae and the Township Board was presented with that plan this week in a public workshop session.

 

The plan, which if implemented fully, will unroll in seven phases and get under way as early as this coming 2014 construction season.

 

http://www.mlive.com/ada-cascade/index.ssf/2013/12/post_331.html#incart_river

 

The plan sounds interesting...now we'll just have to see how much of it comes to fruition.

[RegalTDP]

if it does work out, it's because Forest Hills is a top destination for high-income families new to the area.  They want their own Gaslight Village.  Not bad, though--Ada has a lot of history, and I'm glad they're trying to build something that reflects this.

 

I'm not sure they need a roundabout on M-21, though.

[GRDadof3]

 

if it does work out, it's because Forest Hills is a top destination for high-income families new to the area.  They want their own Gaslight Village.  Not bad, though--Ada has a lot of history, and I'm glad they're trying to build something that reflects this.

 

I'm not sure they need a roundabout on M-21, though.

I can't believe they're in negotiations to buy out the gas station on the corner. That place basically ruins downtown Ada. Exciting to see. That old school that was turned into commercial and condo space up the hill looks really cool.

[joeDowntown]

Agree on both GRDad- 

 

- Buying out the gas station would be a BIG win for Ada. They could always build new along Fulton. 

 

- And the old school is fantastic. I had heard that it also has residential but I don't know if it is true. I don't even know who is in there from a commercial perspective. No signs, but they are definitely using the buildings. 

 

There are some pretty cool renderings on the Envision Ada Facebook page. Interesting to see how they want to change the traffic flow: https://www.facebook.com/EnvisionAda

 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

Agree on both GRDad- 

 

- Buying out the gas station would be a BIG win for Ada. They could always build new along Fulton. 

 

- And the old school is fantastic. I had heard that it also has residential but I don't know if it is true. I don't even know who is in there from a commercial perspective. No signs, but they are definitely using the buildings. 

 

There are some pretty cool renderings on the Envision Ada Facebook page. Interesting to see how they want to change the traffic flow: https://www.facebook.com/EnvisionAda

 

Joe

 

 

There are definitely condos. I've seen them lit up at night near the backside. And at least one commercial tenant is a dance or yoga studio, and perhaps an artist in residence.

[GRDadof3]

This has been a long time in the making but the "reengineering" of downtown Ada's first phase appears to be almost finished. Looks a little barren out there now but I can see where they're going and how they've created some all new building sites for infill. The first new building out at Fulton is almost finished and a new traffic signal at Fulton is going in.

This is the new Headley St looking North from Ada Drive, Amway in the distance. There used to be a small house/shop here that they removed. All new development sites on the left have been created, slated as "live-work" on the new master plan. 

 

This is looking West at the new intersection, with the junky gas station at the top of the picture. Interesting "Left turn to nowhere right now" until the hair salon is removed for the new street that will go South toward the river. 

 

Another picture looking North from that intersection. 

 

 

The first new building at Fulton and the new street. I hope they mix up the architecture a bit because already they're looking "too" similar. Will start to look cartoonish after a while (IMO). If you're trying to recreate an old downtown, diversity of architecture is key. This building looks a lot like the dentist office in the last picture and the new daycare out on Fulton. 

 

 

New traffic signal:

 

 

 

Here's the most recent master plan. The curved street right in the middle that joins with Fulton is the first phase, photographed. It's going to get chaotic when they start tearing down the strip mall that houses Zeytin, McDonalds and Vitale's. 

 

Edit: they do have some renderings of the village square, looks pretty good. 

 

 

 

 

 

From the website: http://adamichigan.org/village?p=home.html

[joeDowntown]

I heard the hair salon was supposed to move in December but that has been pushed to February due to construction delays. Once they move, the building will immediately be demolished. 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

Another building planned for this:

http://www.grbj.com/articles/84767-partners-develop-office-and-retail-building

[GRDadof3]

Happened to be going through Ada today. Lot's of work going on, and they're clearing land for the new connection with Thornapple River Drive by the river. Refer to the site plan posted a few posts up. ^^^^

Looking from Thornapple River Drive North toward the old Heidi Christine's salon. River is to the right. 

 

River. 

 

 

 

Looking South from the other side.  I used to love the market that sat here. They've been out of business for a while though. 

 

 

The old salon, all set to be demolished. The salon has moved to the new building near Fulton across from Amway.

 

The first mixed use building on this corner is going in (foundation):

 

 

 

And by the aforementioned building by Fulton, another building appears to be going in. 

[ctpgr34]

2 location for Kingma's, I thought this or State St would be perfect for them.  http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2016/06/kingmas_market_to_open_2nd_loc.html#incart_river_home

[GRDadof3]

5 hours ago, ctpgr34 said:

2 location for Kingma's, I thought this or State St would be perfect for them.  http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2016/06/kingmas_market_to_open_2nd_loc.html#incart_river_home

This is really cool. Ada is shaping into a real downtown.

[john_denver]

Is this going in that big sea of a parking lot?

Is the goal for that big strip to be replaced eventually?

[joeDowntown]

Kingma's will do great out there. Does that mean the LMCU branch will get knocked down?

John_Denver, read the last 2 pages ^^^.  it's a complete tear down / realignment of most of Ada. 

Joe

 

[GRDadof3]

36 minutes ago, john_denver said:

Is this going in that big sea of a parking lot?

Is the goal for that big strip to be replaced eventually?

The whole strip mall, parking lot, everything is going. 

I think Kingma's is going right here? It's kind of hard to tell from the renderings, but it does say Southeast corner. 

 

 

[john_denver]

Nice!  Thanks guys

 

[arcturus]

Oh no, where's Gravel Bottom going to go?

[ctpgr34]

3 hours ago, arcturus said:

Oh no, where's Gravel Bottom going to go?

From a March article in MiBiz-  

Matt Michiels, owner of Ada-based craft brewery Gravel Bottom Brewing and Supply, said the current brewery is maxed out at its existing 2,000-square-foot facility and will use the downtown redevelopment plans as a catalyst for expansion. 

Gravel Bottom plans to build a new 10,000-square-foot facility that will allow the craft brewery to grow its capacity tenfold to between 2,000 and 3,000 barrels annually, according to Michiels.

“I’m just excited to be part of the development,” Michiels said. “I’ve wanted to be part of a small community and not just a tax ID. This will help us become a destination.”

Michiels projects spending between $2.5 million to $3 million on the expansion, which he hopes to begin by the middle of 2017. 

 

[GRDadof3]

It's sickening watching downtown Ada get gentrified. 

[RegalTDP]

30 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

It's sickening watching downtown Ada get gentrified. 

Having spoke with numerous near-Ada residents about these issues at recent housing forums, it is disconcerting that there are no voices critical of the Ada Village projects.

[GRDadof3]

9 minutes ago, RegalTDP said:

Having spoke with numerous near-Ada residents about these issues at recent housing forums, it is disconcerting that there are no voices critical of the Ada Village projects.

No one's speaking up which is a clear indication that people are being oppressed, boots to the throat style. 

[MJLO]

Maybe some Westside residents can go to Ada and protest the developments for them.

[thebeerqueer]

On 6/3/2016 at 2:42 PM, RegalTDP said:

Having spoke with numerous near-Ada residents about these issues at recent housing forums, it is disconcerting that there are no voices critical of the Ada Village projects.

BOOM!!! Mic drop.

[GR8scott]

On 6/3/2016 at 0:42 PM, RegalTDP said:

Having spoke with numerous near-Ada residents about these issues at recent housing forums, it is disconcerting that there are no voices critical of the Ada Village projects.

well its unincorporated and just part of a charter township, kind of a recipe for "no voices" this would be the idea time to incorporate as a village!

[Chester Cheeto]

The wife and I recently traded city life for country living, I guess adding a few kids to the family makes one want to have room to spread out some, who knew...

Anyways, the random updates for projects around Belknap are going to stop from me.  But now since my commute to/from the office takes me through Ada, random update shots for all the construction going on there will happen sporadically.

These shots were taken heading north on Ada Dr, about to turn east onto Fulton.

(sorry for the blur, light just turned green)

And here is Kingmas, which will have some frontage along Fulton itself.

Looking at the overhead shot below, the first building is roughly the left half of the red box and a little beyond along Ada Dr, and Kingmas is roughly the right half of the red box and beyond with some frontage along Fulton.

On 6/1/2016 at 9:11 PM, GRDadof3 said:

 

There is also another building that just got the roof joists installed further west along Fulton, where Headley and Fulton intersect, I'll take a little detour tonight on my way home to snap a picture or two of that job site.