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Predictions for 2013

GRDadof3

By GRDadof3
in Grand Rapids

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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- A major (not so mysterious) project will pop up by Founders. Mostly residential in nature.

 

- The lot across from the new market will get a couple of modest buildings, but there will be a proposal to pave it over for a pay parking lot.

 

- East Hills will continue to see major new developments. Several residential projects and dozens of homes on Eastern and between Lake Dr. and Fulton will be renovated.

 

Similar things will happen near the Fulton Market.

 

- Rapids for the Grand River will be approved.

 

- Wealthy St. will lag until mid-2013 when the old McDonalds site is bought and turned into a skateboard park. The corner of Wealthy and Fuller will see a new eatery for the Sandmann's site and a series of building go up on the empty lot across the street and down the street in Eastown. 

 

- D&G will continue to annoy me and the people around it.

 

-Art Prize will shift its boundaries to include the new market, E. Hills, and less of the west side. Spin off events like Design Prize, Music Prize, Fashion and Film Prize will either take place at the same time or earlier in the year. 

 

- DT will get a grocery, but will be modest for now.

 

-Martha's Vineyard will become a "micro chain" and will start by buying Clark's as their 2nd location.

 

- Ikea will locate out on Wilson and M45. This area and Rivertown will shift the shopping axis of GR permanently away from 28th street which will continue to degrade.

 

- Guiding Light Mission and Degege will move S. to Market and Wealthy or close to Franklin after they are offered nearly a million for their properties.

 

- Detroit will be dissolved after declaring bankruptcy leaving GR as the unofficial (no one will have to bravery to say it) largest city in Michigan.

 

- Holland-Muskegon-Grand Haven-Grand Rapids will form the lose beginnings of a interurban BRT system. 

 

Speaking of East Hills, there's at least one apartment project that I believe will be announced for East Hills.

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joeDowntown Metropolis

joeDowntown

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Two more items I forgot to add:

 

- One that GR_Urbanist pointed out, restoration of the Rapids will be in full swing by the end of the year (I expect this to get fully funded very quickly)

- Wealthy St. will continue to evolve - building falling apart near Wealthy St. bakery will start renovations (hopefully legal wrangling will end), 2-3 more storefronts will be renovated and the Kregel building will announce lofts/office and retail - major density addition to Wealthy St. proper. 

 

Joe

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joeDowntown Metropolis

joeDowntown

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It was really bad. Looked like a suburban hotel. If I'm not mistaken, his plan was to knock down the building Founders eventually renovated. So glad that didn't happen!

Joe

Does anyone else remember that really bad apartment project that the Moch's proposed behind Founders? Or was it behind Custer?

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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It was really bad. Looked like a suburban hotel. If I'm not mistaken, his plan was to knock down the building Founders eventually renovated. So glad that didn't happen!

Joe

 

 

 

Yes, and it had an ugly sloped green roof on it and the whole first floor was parking, barely screened. Barf. And the Founders depot building would have been gone now. Imagine that.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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I don't know if this belongs here and I didn't feel like digging for it, but does everyone remember when the Wayland casino was being fought by a group that believed it would take away from downtown entertainment? I drove by it on 131 the other day and the memory struck me.  Wonder if that sucking sound to Wayland ever happened?

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CarpenterJoseph Unincorporated Area

CarpenterJoseph

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I don't know if this belongs here and I didn't feel like digging for it, but does everyone remember when the Wayland casino was being fought by a group that believed it would take away from downtown entertainment? I drove by it on 131 the other day and the memory struck me.  Wonder if that sucking sound to Wayland ever happened?

 

It was the GR Chamber, Holland Chamber and MichGO (Michigan Gambling Opposition Corp) along with David Patchack that opposed it. The GR did a study on how it would negatively impact the entertainment and nightlife of GR, but they apparently haven't followed up on that recently. 

*The GR Chamber* had the study commissioned by a third party - sorry

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GR_Urbanist Burg

GR_Urbanist

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I don't know if this belongs here and I didn't feel like digging for it, but does everyone remember when the Wayland casino was being fought by a group that believed it would take away from downtown entertainment? I drove by it on 131 the other day and the memory struck me.  Wonder if that sucking sound to Wayland ever happened?

 

Well the strip club on Market is still there, so I wish they would try  a little harder!

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Jippy Whistle-Stop

Jippy

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I don't know if this belongs here and I didn't feel like digging for it, but does everyone remember when the Wayland casino was being fought by a group that believed it would take away from downtown entertainment? I drove by it on 131 the other day and the memory struck me.  Wonder if that sucking sound to Wayland ever happened?

 

You mean all the college kids and hipsters don't want to hang out in Wayland?

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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It was the GR Chamber, Holland Chamber and MichGO (Michigan Gambling Opposition Corp) along with David Patchack that opposed it. The GR did a study on how it would negatively impact the entertainment and nightlife of GR, but they apparently haven't followed up on that recently. 

*The GR Chamber* had the study commissioned by a third party - sorry

 

Might be due to change of leadership. I wonder what the current leadership at the chamber would do if you brought it up? (other than snicker)

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fakkelsey Unincorporated Area

fakkelsey

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Does casinos give or take life? In Ohio, ofcourse, where casinos can be built, there they have built a couple in the downtown areas of Cleveland as well is Cincinnati. The verdict is still out. While certainly drawing many people in from out of town, do they explore and spend money outside of the casino? Casinos, ofcourse, are known to be cities of entertainment of and in themselves. It would be interesting to see the results and conclusions after, say twenty years. I might research that a bit.

 

 I just can't believe the fight the city held against the location of the casino. I truely wonder of the impact it may of had downtown. Look at Chicago versing Gary. I mean, does Chicago suffer at the likes of Gary?

 

Just my thoughts.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Does casinos give or take life? In Ohio, ofcourse, where casinos can be built, there they have built a couple in the downtown areas of Cleveland as well is Cincinnati. The verdict is still out. While certainly drawing many people in from out of town, do they explore and spend money outside of the casino? Casinos, ofcourse, are known to be cities of entertainment of and in themselves. It would be interesting to see the results and conclusions after, say twenty years. I might research that a bit.

 

 I just can't believe the fight the city held against the location of the casino. I truely wonder of the impact it may of had downtown. Look at Chicago versing Gary. I mean, does Chicago suffer at the likes of Gary?

 

Just my thoughts.

 

I have my doubts that it draws that much of the same crowd. Young suburbanites might go to the casino occassionally for something different to do (like a group of young guys going to a strip club), but hardly a regular weekend outing. I can't think of one person I know who makes going to a casino a regular outing, except my uncle and aunt who are retired. They wouldn't go downtown for anything unless Neal Diamond was in concert.

 

In the few years that the casino has been open, the nights I do happen to go downtown GR I've never seen it so busy, even on non-event nights. It's certainly busier than it was 5 or 6 years ago.

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fakkelsey Unincorporated Area

fakkelsey

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I fully agree. I did do some research. Some cities, like Detroit, it seemed to have no effect. Across the river it did have an impact. Across the country results have varied, but some things seem to be universal. 80% of casino goers are local. Most cities see a decrease in surrounding stores. Casinos cater more to the older than any one else who often cannot really afford it to begain with. It seems most cities, despite the hiring of employees, the employment is usually off set by other places closing down. On saying these things, however, some cities have gained, but the ones who have are out weighed by the ones who have been hurt. More often though, it seems no real impact accurs one way or the other in many cities. Perhaps, it is as you have pointed out, the casinos cater to a different crowd than downtown hot spots and shows.

 

 All in all, I do not believe Grand Rapids missed out at all. You are right. Downtown is a busy and beautiful place now. I live just to the east of DT and they are in the process of planning out improvements to State st. as well. Grand Rapids, though it may fail in comparison to much larger area like Cincinnati, Chicago and and Cleveland when it comes to retail and world class attractions, for the size that Grand Rapids is, we are ahead of the game, and surpass many other cities of like populations. For being a city that is not on a main throughfare our standing is quite impressive, thanks in part to all the donations of the wealthy that have greatly added to this grand city.

 

 I am looking forward to seeing what truely is all in store for the city, and I am sure the new market will have a huge impact. I cannot think of another place in Michigan where I would rather live.

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wingbert Burg

wingbert

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FWIW. Not sure if this adds any weight to urban suction argument. 

 

http://mibiz.com/item/20547-gun-lake-tribe-plans-casino-expansion-hotel

 

It wasn't all that long ago that the legacy of Native American tribes stemmed from their life of harmony with nature and the appalling way in which they were driven from their lands by the white man and his pursuit of materialism.  Now we've got the Gun Lake tribe requesting to fill in wetlands in order to build a bigger casino complex.  Oh, but they'll pay extra for environmental credits to do so.  Kind of takes a nice big dump on that heritage doesn't it?

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CarpenterJoseph Unincorporated Area

CarpenterJoseph

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It wasn't all that long ago that the legacy of Native American tribes stemmed from their life of harmony with nature and the appalling way in which they were driven from their lands by the white man and his pursuit of materialism.  Now we've got the Gun Lake tribe requesting to fill in wetlands in order to build a bigger casino complex.  Oh, but they'll pay extra for environmental credits to do so.  Kind of takes a nice big dump on that heritage doesn't it?

 

It's perplexing at the very least. 

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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It wasn't all that long ago that the legacy of Native American tribes stemmed from their life of harmony with nature and the appalling way in which they were driven from their lands by the white man and his pursuit of materialism.  Now we've got the Gun Lake tribe requesting to fill in wetlands in order to build a bigger casino complex.  Oh, but they'll pay extra for environmental credits to do so.  Kind of takes a nice big dump on that heritage doesn't it?

 

Jeez, culturally stereotype much?

 

I still don't see the casino being turned into a resort hurting downtown that much. Because frankly, downtown's primary entertainment offering is bars. And people who want to go out to bars do not want to drive all the way to Wayland, unless they live in Bryon Center.

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