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Eastown Flats - 1400 &1415 Wealthy St.

Gorath

By Gorath
in Grand Rapids

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  • 3 weeks later...

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  • 1 month later...
fotoman311 Burg

fotoman311

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I think its going to be a great addition. I'm looking forward to the additional retail options and what they can add.

 

Interesting that it doesn't look like the new retail options, or their window displays, will be very visible from the sidewalk.  I think they should have hired an architect with a little better chops for urban retail.  But that ship sailed long ago.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Interesting that it doesn't look like the new retail options, or their window displays, will be very visible from the sidewalk.  I think they should have hired an architect with a little better chops for urban retail.  But that ship sailed long ago.

 

 

They should be allowed to do blade signs, I would think. Seems like the city is warming up to that trend.

 

https://www.google.com/search?q=retail+signs+hanging&biw=1366&bih=633&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=xfvAVMXsGo-GyASV2YCADA&ved=0CAcQ_AUoAg#tbm=isch&q=retail+blade+signs&imgdii=_

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fotoman311 Burg

fotoman311

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Great! Then we'll at least know what is hiding in the bunker behind the generic landscaping.

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  • 4 weeks later...
x99 Burg

x99

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Nonsense!  Blade signs are for wimps.  Since I'm on a sign kick today, how great wouldn't it be to have a two story tall internally illuminated sign?  Back when retail worked in Grand Rapids, that's what everyone had (and "everyone" isn't much of an exaggeration).  What would make Wealthy really pop is a trip back to the past for those signs again.  Today, we're limited to a 10 square foot sign that doesn't go up past the second story window sill, and you need an encroachment permit to go out over the sidewalk.  BAH!  Gimme a neon Johnny B's sign that I can see from half  a mile away.  Gimme a WOLFGANG's sign that burns my eyeballs out.   With a good three stories, they could at least have an awesome sign on this building to make up for the raging disappointment of the chintzy cladding.  Stupid zoning code written by suburban dweebs that hate great signs...  :angry:  Ought to be a minimum size on signs.  No maximum.  And yes, I am 100% serious.

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egrguy Burg

egrguy

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Nonsense!  Blade signs are for wimps.  Since I'm on a sign kick today, how great wouldn't it be to have a two story tall internally illuminated sign?  Back when retail worked in Grand Rapids, that's what everyone had (and "everyone" isn't much of an exaggeration).  What would make Wealthy really pop is a trip back to the past for those signs again.  Today, we're limited to a 10 square foot sign that doesn't go up past the second story window sill, and you need an encroachment permit to go out over the sidewalk.  BAH!  Gimme a neon Johnny B's sign that I can see from half  a mile away.  Gimme a WOLFGANG's sign that burns my eyeballs out.   With a good three stories, they could at least have an awesome sign on this building to make up for the raging disappointment of the chintzy cladding.  Stupid zoning code written by suburban dweebs that hate great signs...  :angry:  Ought to be a minimum size on signs.  No maximum.  And yes, I am 100% serious.

 

 

I was driving on Burton and noticed the old Princess Bake Shop sign (two stories) and thought, that it would be really cool to restore that for future use. I can't tell if your actually serious or not, but Easttown would be a good neighborhood to have nostalgic type of signage like that.

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x99 Burg

x99

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I was driving on Burton and noticed the old Princess Bake Shop sign (two stories) and thought, that it would be really cool to restore that for future use. I can't tell if your actually serious or not, but Easttown would be a good neighborhood to have nostalgic type of signage like that.

 

Dead serious.  Urban areas look like suburban strip malls when you take away their signage.  Which our zoning code does.  We have almost as many businesses in Eastown as we used to, but you would never know it.  Without the signs, it looks empty. 

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RegalTDP Burg

RegalTDP

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I like giant signs too, and the HARRIS sign is one of my favorites.  But if I'm looking to rent an apartment, I'm a lot less likely to go for the one with a giant lit sign right outside the window.  I can't speak for the zoning code, but I can see why developers wouldn't want to put those in.  Makes you think you live in Sam Spade's office.  Just saying.

 

But if it's okay with the renters, it's okay with me.  More signage, please.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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I like giant signs too, and the HARRIS sign is one of my favorites.  But if I'm looking to rent an apartment, I'm a lot less likely to go for the one with a giant lit sign right outside the window.  I can't speak for the zoning code, but I can see why developers wouldn't want to put those in.  Makes you think you live in Sam Spade's office.  Just saying.

 

But if it's okay with the renters, it's okay with me.  More signage, please.

 

Ha! Or like the Seinfeld episode with the giant Kenny Roger's Roasters sign across from Kramer's apartment. :)

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q40fKsRsHFU

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joeDowntown Metropolis

joeDowntown

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Vancouver actually encourages neon signs in certain districts. I read something that said Vancouver had 19,000 neon signs, but people found them "unsavory" in the sixties. There is now a push to restore old signs, replace missing signs and allow new businesses to put up neon as a nod to the past. I think it is a great idea.

Joe

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Allison Slater Town

Allison Slater

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Wealthy, South Division/Heartside, W Leonard would all be excellent places for neon.  We've got (or had?) a neon sign shop on W Leonard who I'm sure would appreciate the business.  I think Monroe Center could benefit, as well, but I imagine there'd be more opposition there since they aren't part of the picture-perfect main street.

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  • 1 month later...
GVSUChris Hamlet

GVSUChris

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I was at Billy's on Thursday and noticed the building on the South side of Wealthy. All of the exhaust vents on the front of the building are glaringly noticeable. Value engineering vs aesthetics at work. Blech.

I always try to not be critical and find some positive things in new developments, but when I was in GR a few weeks ago and saw that, I was so disappointed that I couldn't even stand it. Between the materials and how poorly the infrastructure of the building was set up, it is really disappointing. "Blech" is right. :(

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thebeerqueer Burg

thebeerqueer

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I should have taken a progress photo on Thursday but its a far cry from the proposed image.

 

For those interested, groundbreaking on the 22nd at 11am.

 

South Bldg

attachicon.gifEastown Flats South Bldg.jpg

 

North Bldg

attachicon.gifEastown Flats North Bldg.jpg

 

My first reaction to these updated renderings was "I feel like I've seen an apartment building like these in Ann Arbor." Anyone else?

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x99 Burg

x99

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I should have taken a progress photo on Thursday but its a far cry from the proposed image.

 

... and let's not forget they are proposing to acquire the land at Carlton and Fulton for another apartment project.   They violated trust once by proposing attractive brick buildings and then building fiber cement covered, value-engineered rubbish--all at significant taxpayer expense.  Will they get away with this scheme twice?  I hope not. 

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