Development Projects - Belknap Lookout Area

[grandrollerz]

Also, I believe this project was recently approved in Dec 2020.

https://www.mlive.com/news/2019/01/grand-rapids-condo-project-grows-in-size-units-drop-in-price.html

The whole block basically, 50 units.

 

[GRDadof3]

3 hours ago, grandrollerz said:

Also, I believe this project was recently approved in Dec 2020.

https://www.mlive.com/news/2019/01/grand-rapids-condo-project-grows-in-size-units-drop-in-price.html

The whole block basically, 50 units.

 

How many times has that project been approved? 8 or 9?

[Chester Cheeto]

13 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

How many times has that project been approved? 8 or 9?

Those numbers seem low... 

[wingbert]

1 hour ago, NoDustBusterNoMore said:

Those numbers seem low... 

Some people just can’t take “yes” for an answer.

[grandrollerz]

On 5/9/2019 at 7:56 AM, GRDadof3 said:

More condos coming to the hill on Belknap overlooking Monroe North. These would be at the North end of Fairview:

 

 

 

 

To me they're not bad, but there's something odd about those rooflines. Just can't put my finger on it....

 

These are almost done and looking pretty good.  I'd say smart move not making them three stories. the two unit across the street arent there yet though.

[joeDowntown]

The new DDA budget has funds to design the Switchback Park which would connect Belknap to the Monroe North neighborhood. Excited to see what they come up with. Here's a couple of designs they released a few years back:
 

 

[Khorasaurus1]

What's the Ionia linear park? Would that vacate Ionia in favor of a bike path and trees or something like that? That's not a bad idea - the street could very easily be replaced by a couple of driveways to Division. 

[joeDowntown]

I don't know if it's still planned, or if it was just a pipedream. From the same document:

"The proposed two-way cycle track for Ionia Downtown will provide a dedicated and safe space for north-south bicycling. North of 196, this facility can become a true linear park with landscaping, seating and bicycle paths offering a direct link from Belknap, Monroe North and Creston straight to Downtown. In this area, Ionia Street serves as a spillover parking and carries extremely limited traffic."

I do like the bike path on Ionia with a boulevard on Division. Maybe it'll show up in the budget in a few years? Seems like the Switchback Park had been on the backburner for a few years. 

 

[wingbert]

4 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

The new DDA budget has funds to design the Switchback Park which would connect Belknap to the Monroe North neighborhood. Excited to see what they come up with. Here's a couple of designs they released a few years back:
 

 

 

The switchback path reminds me the path to the fort on Mackinac Island.

[grandrollerz]

23 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

The new DDA budget has funds to design the Switchback Park which would connect Belknap to the Monroe North neighborhood. Excited to see what they come up with. Here's a couple of designs they released a few years back:
 

 

OMG, am I going to be a NIMBY on this one??! As a Belknap Bluffs resident I am....excited to see this development.  :-)  Cycling back up the hill from Monroe to my place is an absolute bear.  Bring on the switchback!

[Raildude's dad]

90 feet up is 90 feet up , switchback or not LOL  If they came south from the high point on Division  switchbacks wouldn't be needed. 

[joeDowntown]

The housing project behind GVSU I finally starting. Looks like they’ll be moving fast as occupancy is expected in Spring 2022. 

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/gvsu-lot-in-grand-rapids-soon-becoming-affordable-housing-complex/

Joe

[joeDowntown]

They broke ground on the apartment building behind GVSU today:

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/ground-broken-on-apartment-building-near-medical-mile/

Joe

[Cookin_peacocks]

15 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

They broke ground on the apartment building behind GVSU today:

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/ground-broken-on-apartment-building-near-medical-mile/

Joe

The seven story one?

[joeDowntown]

52 unit Income restricted housing project coming to Belknap:

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2022/01/52-unit-income-restricted-apartment-building-planned-for-grand-rapids-neighborhood.html

[GRDadof3]

16 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

52 unit Income restricted housing project coming to Belknap:

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2022/01/52-unit-income-restricted-apartment-building-planned-for-grand-rapids-neighborhood.html

I liked the condo development that was going to go there a lot better. Wonder what happened? 

[GRDadof3]

New project coming to Fairview. 15 units total.  Some neighbors are opposed to the 6 unit building, saying it's incongruent with the Area Specific Plan.  A whole bunch of letters in support of the project as well. 

[GVSUChris]

1 hour ago, GRDadof3 said:

New project coming to Fairview. 15 units total.  Some neighbors are opposed to the 6 unit building, saying it's incongruent with the Area Specific Plan.  A whole bunch of letters in support of the project as well. 

Oh man, I thought this already passed for some reason. That’s right by our condo and I’d love to see more sense housing around us.  

[Chester Cheeto]

1 hour ago, GRDadof3 said:

New project coming to Fairview. 15 units total.  Some neighbors are opposed to the 6 unit building, saying it's incongruent with the Area Specific Plan.  A whole bunch of letters in support of the project as well. 

Interesting, so this is across the street from the development they've been building the last few years on the bluff.

Looks like with the 600 Fairview buildings they are continuing the townhome look that is just south of Trowbridge that Artesian did a few years back.

[joeDowntown]

Looks nice!

[GRDadof3]

Progress on this project, behind GVSU. I'm glad they kept the tree canopy. 

[whitemice]

On 2/23/2022 at 9:41 AM, GVSUChris said:

Oh man, I thought this already passed for some reason.

It was, they've filed for an extension on their SLUdue to COVID/Supply-Chain.  (600-614 Fairview NE)
http://grandrapidscitymi.iqm2.com/Citizens/Detail_LegiFile.aspx?Frame=&MeetingID=6557&MediaPosition=&ID=17916&CssClass=

[grandrollerz]

There is a virtual meeting on the Hill + River Network (formerly Switchback park) next week.  My primary comment will be that they should totally upend Division, move it to Ionia/Ottawa and install major traffic calming measures.  Those MFers with the loud cars and bike looooove going down this stretch of Division whole hog and making a crap ton of noise, that then bounces off the buildings and echoes throughout the valley and surrounding neighborhoods (mine specifically, lol...on the Bluff). In my perfect world, it would look something like this: (pipe dream i know! but it was fun to do over coffee this morning)

Wednesday 3/2, 6:30 PM - Help design a better way down Belknap hill In September 2021, DGRI hired the SmithGroup out of Ann Arbor to design a series of projects known as The Hill + River Network. Originally envisioned as the implementation of the Switchback Park (page 280 of GR Forward), The Hill + River Network also includes a variety of other interventions, including enhanced pedestrian crossings at Division Avenue; improved connections on Fairbanks and Newberry Streets; the design and repurposing of the Ionia Avenue right-of-way; and the pedestrianization of the railway tunnel connection under I-196. The hillside project includes the redesign of the existing stairs, a potential accessible/non-motorized connector up the hill (the switchback), and the Hastings connector (which will connect the existing Hastings corridor to the hillside). The SmithGroup has been working on concepts that are informed by the various legacy plans and citizen input that has been collected over the years – including MOBL/NOBL and the Michigan Street Corridor Plan, as well initial conversations with various stakeholders. The project concept development is now at a point where we need to have conversations and feedback from selected focus groups. A meeting with the Belknap Neighborhood is one of these critical touchpoints. This meeting will be an opportunity to hear from the SmithGroup designers and to provide your insights. Microsoft Teams meeting Join on your computer or mobile app https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NTI4YjA0MjMtZmUxYy00ZjlhLTgxMTktMTUxNDJlN2U3Zjc3%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22aa6673ac-3b79-4ed2-a894-169d7bcd1e96%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22f02d8f19-5969-4a44-b86a-81df1e6df377%22%7d

[GVSUChris]

7 hours ago, grandrollerz said:

There is a virtual meeting on the Hill + River Network (formerly Switchback park) next week.  My primary comment will be that they should totally upend Division, move it to Ionia/Ottawa and install major traffic calming measures.  Those MFers with the loud cars and bike looooove going down this stretch of Division whole hog and making a crap ton of noise, that then bounces off the buildings and echoes throughout the valley and surrounding neighborhoods (mine specifically, lol...on the Bluff). In my perfect world, it would look something like this: (pipe dream i know! but it was fun to do over coffee this morning)

Wednesday 3/2, 6:30 PM - Help design a better way down Belknap hill In September 2021, DGRI hired the SmithGroup out of Ann Arbor to design a series of projects known as The Hill + River Network. Originally envisioned as the implementation of the Switchback Park (page 280 of GR Forward), The Hill + River Network also includes a variety of other interventions, including enhanced pedestrian crossings at Division Avenue; improved connections on Fairbanks and Newberry Streets; the design and repurposing of the Ionia Avenue right-of-way; and the pedestrianization of the railway tunnel connection under I-196. The hillside project includes the redesign of the existing stairs, a potential accessible/non-motorized connector up the hill (the switchback), and the Hastings connector (which will connect the existing Hastings corridor to the hillside). The SmithGroup has been working on concepts that are informed by the various legacy plans and citizen input that has been collected over the years – including MOBL/NOBL and the Michigan Street Corridor Plan, as well initial conversations with various stakeholders. The project concept development is now at a point where we need to have conversations and feedback from selected focus groups. A meeting with the Belknap Neighborhood is one of these critical touchpoints. This meeting will be an opportunity to hear from the SmithGroup designers and to provide your insights. Microsoft Teams meeting Join on your computer or mobile app https://teams.microsoft.com/l/meetup-join/19%3ameeting_NTI4YjA0MjMtZmUxYy00ZjlhLTgxMTktMTUxNDJlN2U3Zjc3%40thread.v2/0?context=%7b%22Tid%22%3a%22aa6673ac-3b79-4ed2-a894-169d7bcd1e96%22%2c%22Oid%22%3a%22f02d8f19-5969-4a44-b86a-81df1e6df377%22%7d

My husband is on the steering committee for it and they met today and that was a big idea being floated was to make Division into more green space and redo Ionia. Here’s to hoping. 

[grandrollerz]

Some updates from the Belknap Hill area.....

CopperRock looks to be doing more units across the street from the new ones they just put in at the end of Fairview. The part that butts up to the actual resevoir.

My place, Belknap Bluffs, sent a notice that they're going to build out the rest of the units in the front of our space. They reduced the number of units by four i think. so I think 6 more units up front where the green space is currently.

Union Suites seems to making substantive progress...i think?

Quote

A public “Notice of Finding of No Significant Impact” and “Notice of Intent to Request Release of Funds” for the Union Suites on Coit project to be located at 608-626 Coit Avenue, NE, Grand Rapids, MI 49503was published in the Grand Rapids Press, May 5, 2022.

Written comments on the Environmental Review Record (ERR) for the Union Suites on Coit project will be accepted by the City of Grand Rapids through May 20, 2022 and by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) from approximately May 25 through June 9, 2022.  The ERR can be accessed here.  This project involves the demolition of five (5) vacant homes and construction of a 3-story building containing 52 rental units (23 one-bedroom, 27 two-bedroom, and 2 three-bedroom) and related site improvements.  

 

...and the weird apartments who had their roof blown off? still not open.