20 Fulton E, Mixed Use Development

[mpchicago]

1 hour ago, GVSUChris said:

I keep wondering if we will see a tenant in this retail space. All of the other retail spaces in his projects are STILL empty, so I'm nervous about this one too. 

Thanks Joe!  The lower floors are a lot darker than I imagined.

I'm hopeful.  I think the difference between Chew's other buildings and this one...

1) It's on a busy, central thoroughfare

2) It's all new construction with 50% market rate

3) I assume the retail space gets some customer parking in the ramp.  

Still hopeful we will see a full service Walgreen's or CVS.

[gvsusean]

7 hours ago, GVSUChris said:

I keep wondering if we will see a tenant in this retail space. All of the other retail spaces in his projects are STILL empty, so I'm nervous about this one too. 

That place is hideous.... it looks like something that gets torn down to be replaced by something nice...

[GRDadof3]

8 hours ago, GVSUChris said:

I keep wondering if we will see a tenant in this retail space. All of the other retail spaces in his projects are STILL empty, so I'm nervous about this one too. 

Chew was one of the commercial landlords complaining about homeless people in Heartside. Not saying he's wrong..

[andrew.w]

I think this building had a good thing going on, but lost it in the details. I really like the black brick floors, but there are a few too many random patterns going on at one time on the upper floors. I took JoeDowntown's picture and just removed the anodizoed silver panels above the HVAC louvers and right there the design became immediately better. A little editing and more thoughtful arrangement of modules and detailing I think would have made this a pretty decent building. However, the actual result isn't exactly pleasing

Edited April 27, 2017 by andrew.w

[WMrapids]

On 2/11/2016 at 0:05 AM, WMrapids said:

Yeah. Not feeling this either. This reminds me of the diocese building further down the road...

 

On 2/11/2016 at 2:26 PM, WMrapids said:

Exactly. It's messy and makes it look like they took too much time designing the inside but forgot that the public will see this calamity...

The original proposal was much more sleek and didn't look stubby like this. I also loved the "T" shape it made and the use of overhangs. I usually don't get too upset over things like this, I mean I'm not as enthused about how the tower (or cube) next to the BOB ended up, but I'm happy that we're actually got something there. This, however, is a clear miss that had potential.

Still stick by what I said. Looks like DeVos Place got something like the original proposal. They also darkened the lower portion which made it worse since the building doesn't blend together that wel anymore. The original drawings had a lighter lower portion.

[wingbert]

On 2/11/2016 at 0:05 AM, WMrapids said:

Yeah. Not feeling this either. This reminds me of the diocese building further down the road...

Speaking of the diocese... It appears the old diocese buildings on Burton that became a charter school are going to be available for a new purpose soon.

http://woodtv.com/2017/04/28/grand-rapids-ellington-academy-closing-after-5-years/

 

[sparky05]

A few photos from the other day:

20 Fulton E - May 9, 2017 by Marc VM, on Flickr

20 Fulton E - May 9, 2017 by Marc VM, on Flickr

20 Fulton E - May 9, 2017 by Marc VM, on Flickr

Three cheers for the prospect of having that sidewalk open again, btw.

[discgrab21]

Personally, I really like the dark lower floors. The upper, i just can't wrap my head around as a worthy aesthetic, no matter how hard I try.  What I really love though, despite the puzzling design, is the scale.  Walking E on Monroe Center, it has a very imposing presence being at the end of the sight-line and uphill.  Hopefully they can fill that puppy (if they can fill the apartments, you have to think it can support the retail, right?)

[GR_Urbanist]

It'd a fine building for what it is.

In a larger city, you would not really notice it because they have so many more structures that are its size or larger. DT GR is seriously underdeveloped like that to the point where this building will dominate the scenery, even though it isnt stylistically the greatest design you could hope for.

But I love how "weighty" it is. How much it just anchors everything around it and ties it together. Those black lower floors just look like they should house something really classy...I hope.

It terms of urbanism, this is one of the most important buildings down there. It has seriously transformed how you look at everything near that intersection.

[mpchicago]

3 hours ago, GR_Urbanist said:

It terms of urbanism, this is one of the most important buildings down there. It has seriously transformed how you look at everything near that intersection.

Speaking of this location, plans are moving forward to rebuild Sheldon Blvd.  The final design selected is the linear park option that will eventual run from Cathedral Square to Vets Park.  The city has also contracted with Katerberg -VerHage to move forward with, what appears to be, a scaled back plan to update Vets park.  The reflecting pool will be rebuilt, with a new concrete plaza installed. Walkways will be built in the current configuration with new concrete. Here is the final Sheldon configuration.  It doesn't appear to have a bike lane?

 

 

Edited May 11, 2017 by mpchicago

[x99]

3 hours ago, GR_Urbanist said:

, even though it isnt stylistically the greatest design you could hope for.

There's an understatement.  

Speaking of this project, whatever happened to Karl Chew?  If you google the guy up pops a State Farm agent that looks a lot like Karl.  

[mpchicago]

50 minutes ago, x99 said:

There's an understatement.  

Speaking of this project, whatever happened to Karl Chew?  If you google the guy up pops a State Farm agent that looks a lot like Karl.  

I think that's our man.  I believe he has his tentacles in a lot of ventures.

[GRDadof3]

7 hours ago, discgrab21 said:

Personally, I really like the dark lower floors. The upper, i just can't wrap my head around as a worthy aesthetic, no matter how hard I try.  What I really love though, despite the puzzling design, is the scale.  Walking E on Monroe Center, it has a very imposing presence being at the end of the sight-line and uphill.  Hopefully they can fill that puppy (if they can fill the apartments, you have to think it can support the retail, right?)

You can't support ground-floor retail with just the residents or workers above it. Unless it's a 100 story building, then... maybe. 

[scottythe1nonly]

On 5/11/2017 at 2:22 PM, mpchicago said:

Speaking of this location, plans are moving forward to rebuild Sheldon Blvd.  The final design selected is the linear park option that will eventual run from Cathedral Square to Vets Park.  The city has also contracted with Katerberg -VerHage to move forward with, what appears to be, a scaled back plan to update Vets park.  The reflecting pool will be rebuilt, with a new concrete plaza installed. Walkways will be built in the current configuration with new concrete. Here is the final Sheldon configuration.  It doesn't appear to have a bike lane?

 

This type of update would be a good opportunity to start building the bike lane above the curb, between the road and the sidewalk (not in the roadway) like most cities in the EU do.  

[thebeerqueer]

50 minutes ago, scottythe1nonly said:

This type of update would be a good opportunity to start building the bike lane above the curb, between the road and the sidewalk (not in the roadway) like most cities in the EU do.  

I'd love to see this but I don't think it's a possibility. Also, some folks here will come for you if you're advocating additional bike infrastructure. 

[Chester Cheeto]

Doesn't seem that long ago this was a surface lot.

[gvsusean]

2 hours ago, mielsonwheels said:

Doesn't seem that long ago this was a surface lot.

God, that thing is hideous

[GR_Urbanist]

Build 7 more of them all the way down Sheldon and LaGrave to Wealthy, and it can be a homely as it wants.

 

It sure beats the parking lots and general emptiness they bring with them.

[WMrapids]

22 minutes ago, gvsusean said:

God, that thing is hideous

Can't make out the Morse code looking random white panels. Does... does that read "kill me now"? Poor thing...

Halfway agree with you and Urbanist though, it's better than a parking lot but it could've been better.

[GRLaker]

1 hour ago, gvsusean said:

God, that thing is hideous

It would be tolerable if it wasn't for the mess of white panels. Those things make it a dumpster fire.

[gvsusean]

9 hours ago, GRLaker said:

It would be tolerable if it wasn't for the mess of white panels. Those things make it a dumpster fire.

For sure. Its solely the panels the make it hideous. Reminds me of the 80's for some reason haha

[MJLO]

To me the true horror are the screens that thinly veil the HVAC units in each apartment.

[The ATX]

It's not that bad.  My only complaint would be that it continues with the 12-story height plateau. 

[joeDowntown]

2 hours ago, The ATX said:

It's not that bad.  My only complaint would be that it continues with the 12-story height plateau. 

Agreed. This building doesn't bother me as much as it seems to bother others. Much like the Venue tower annoyed everyone. I think it's pretty nice infill, though a little squat. 18 stories and this would have looked nice from all directions. 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

On 5/27/2017 at 11:06 PM, joeDowntown said:

Agreed. This building doesn't bother me as much as it seems to bother others. Much like the Venue tower annoyed everyone. I think it's pretty nice infill, though a little squat. 18 stories and this would have looked nice from all directions. 

Joe

It doesn't bother me as much as the mobile home on stilts by the arena.