Predictions for the coming year

[GRDadof3]

Alright I guess I'll start this thread, if people are interested.

 

My predictions (I could be wrong, obviously):

 

) A new riverfront condo project announced this year

) A development proposal for 201 Market (city owned land)

) Founders will expand again

) A restaurant will be announced for the Downtown Market, the brewery space will be split up into smaller spaces

) Arena Place project idea will wither away

) Grand Rapids will land on another "list."

) Hotel at Midtowne Village will kick off construction

) Hotel at WAM site will kick off, or not happen

) A lot of talk about streetcars will percolate up again

) Some really awesome plans for the Laker Line will come up

) Silver Line will be operational in August-ish. Amtrak station operational mid-summer (?)

) A new apartment project will pop up in Monroe North

) A parking ramp proposal will be debated for Monroe North

) MSU will unveil a "first of its kind in Michigan" research facility, to mixed reviews on the "institutional" design

) New Brewpub on Wealthy will finally open

) New mixed use projects on Wealthy will begin construction

) Something big will be announced. I can sense it in the force.

) GRID35 or whatever it's called will still be under construction.

) The new apartments on Monroe Center will begin to have tenants move in

 

I'll have some more. Just need to think about it.

[John E]

Alright I guess I'll start this thread, if people are interested.

 

My predictions (I could be wrong, obviously):

 

) A new riverfront condo project announced this year

) A development proposal for 201 Market (city owned land)

) Founders will expand again

) A restaurant will be announced for the Downtown Market, the brewery space will be split up into smaller spaces

) Arena Place project idea will wither away

) Grand Rapids will land on another "list."

) Hotel at Midtowne Village will kick off construction

) Hotel at WAM site will kick off, or not happen

) A lot of talk about streetcars will percolate up again

) Some really awesome plans for the Laker Line will come up

) Silver Line will be operational in August-ish. Amtrak station operational mid-summer (?)

) A new apartment project will pop up in Monroe North

) A parking ramp proposal will be debated for Monroe North

) MSU will unveil a "first of its kind in Michigan" research facility, to mixed reviews on the "institutional" design

) New Brewpub on Wealthy will finally open

) New mixed use projects on Wealthy will begin construction

) Something big will be announced. I can sense it in the force.

) GRID35 or whatever it's called will still be under construction.

) The new apartments on Monroe Center will begin to have tenants move in

 

I'll have some more. Just need to think about it.

 

The Rapid SilverLine is scheduled to begin operating in August and Amtrak at the new station in or before April.

I hope streetcar talk will get squashed with more and more BRT talk as the SilverLine becomes successful.

I think many will be surprised at the high amount of use of the park-n-ride system with the lot at 60th Street for the SilverLine.

Talk about getting articulating buses for the SilverLine will begin but fade away because of the cost.

Edited December 13, 2013 by John E

[GRDadof3]

The Rapid SilverLine is scheduled to begin operating in August and Amtrak at the new station in or before April.

I hope streetcar talk will get squashed with more and more BRT talk as the SilverLine becomes successful.

I think many will be surprised at the high amount of use of the park-n-ride system with the lot at 60th Street for the SilverLine.

Talk about getting articulating buses for the SilverLine will begin but fade away because of the cost.

 

Why would you want the streetcar talk "squashed?" They're two completely separate things.

[John E]

Why would you want the streetcar talk "squashed?" They're two completely separate things.

BRT systems operate the same and are more flexible. I don't like the idea of laying down tracks when they are not even needed.

I'm not into the cool factor, I'm into the practical factor. With tracks, if one part of the system goes down or is blocked the whole system goes down. That is not the case with BRT.

Look at how much G.R. has grown in the last decade. If a route needs to expand, with BRT it is just a matter of adding more stations. A rail line is set in concrete with expanding being extremely difficult.

BRT squashed streetcars, lol.

[fotoman311]

BRT systems operate the same and are more flexible. I don't like the idea of laying down tracks when they are not even needed.

I'm not into the cool factor, I'm into the practical factor. With tracks, if one part of the system goes down or is blocked the whole system goes down. That is not the case with BRT.

Look at how much G.R. has grown in the last decade. If a route needs to expand, with BRT it is just a matter of adding more stations. A rail line is set in concrete with expanding being extremely difficult.

BRT squashed streetcars, lol.

 

I think you're confusing streetcar with light rail.  A streetcar would serve as a circulator between high traffic pedestrian areas that are beyond most people's normal walking distance.  It would be more in competition with the DASH service than any BRT service.  There are still pros and cons to streetcars that will likely be argued about, but done well it could really add to the vitality and connectedness of our separate downtown neighborhoods.

[John E]

I think you're confusing streetcar with light rail.  A streetcar would serve as a circulator between high traffic pedestrian areas that are beyond most people's normal walking distance.  It would be more in competition with the DASH service than any BRT service.  There are still pros and cons to streetcars that will likely be argued about, but done well it could really add to the vitality and connectedness of our separate downtown neighborhoods.

I think of streetcar and light rail as the same. Just a matter of service area, and a BRT route could provide the same service as a streetcar.

"Streetcars differ from buses, but they also differ from Light Rail (although streetcars and Light Rail work well together, and can even share the same tracks). The main difference is purpose: as our definition says, streetcars are for local transportation. A Light Rail line may operate ten or twenty miles out beyond the downtown, running at high speeds between suburban stations spaced a mile or more apart. Streetcars operate in the downtown and perhaps a bit beyond it, picking people up and letting them off at almost every street corner. Often, people will use Light Rail to come into town, then use a streetcar to get around town. Of course, along downtown portions of the Light Rail line, it also serves as local transportation. But the much lower construction and operating costs of streetcars mean they can serve the downtown more widely, and do so without reducing the overall "line speed" of Light Rail trains."

Source: http://www.heritagetrolley.org/artcileBringBackStreetcars4.htm

For me the only difference between streetcar/light rail and BRT is the infrastructure look of the rails embedded in the road. They all operate the same. I think the rails are ugly and a pain to deal with.

[GRDadof3]

I think you're confusing streetcar with light rail.  A streetcar would serve as a circulator between high traffic pedestrian areas that are beyond most people's normal walking distance.  It would be more in competition with the DASH service than any BRT service.  There are still pros and cons to streetcars that will likely be argued about, but done well it could really add to the vitality and connectedness of our separate downtown neighborhoods.

 

Exactly. And the streetcar system being talked about would primarily service downtown,  and would be primarily privately funded (possibly operated by The Rapid).

 

It could possibly be expanded to serve other areas. The first loop of the Portland Streetcar is a good example: built privately, publicly managed.

 

Anyway, back to Predictions for 2014...

[John E]

My easy predictions for 2014 are:

- The SilverLine will be successful from the starting gate.
- Construction of 20 East Fulton will begin.
- Construction of the Grand River for the rapids will begin or at least approved for and finances secured.
- Development on the West side of Division Ave. between Wealthy and Franklin will be proposed.
- The former Grand Rapids Press building will be demolished to make way for the new research building.
- More airlines come to the airport.
- Plans for a new park at the old Butterworth Landfill on Wealthy get on the drawing board.
- The Rapid looks to expand the Central Station Platform to accommodate more buses.
- Ionia gets new development between Wealthy and Franklin.
- The development of the S.E. will continue with more projects around Burton.
- The Downtown Market looks at purchasing part of Heartside Park for more parking and venders under the bridge.
- Riverside Park gets a make-over.
- Zip-The-Grand begins construction North of Michigan Street.
- ICCF secures a grocery store for Tapestry Square.
 

[GRDadof3]

My easy predictions for 2014 are:

- The SilverLine will be successful from the starting gate.

- Construction of 20 East Fulton will begin.

- Construction of the Grand River for the rapids will begin or at least approved for and finances secured.

- Development on the West side of Division Ave. between Wealthy and Franklin will be proposed.

- The former Grand Rapids Press building will be demolished to make way for the new research building.

- More airlines come to the airport.

- Plans for a new park at the old Butterworth Landfill on Wealthy get on the drawing board.

- The Rapid looks to expand the Central Station Platform to accommodate more buses.

- Ionia gets new development between Wealthy and Franklin.

- The development of the S.E. will continue with more projects around Burton.

- The Downtown Market looks at purchasing part of Heartside Park for more parking and venders under the bridge.

- Riverside Park gets a make-over.

- Zip-The-Grand begins construction North of Michigan Street.

- ICCF secures a grocery store for Tapestry Square.

 

 

 

I've heard it takes a small act of congress now to have any parkland in Grand Rapids transferred to a developer, including multiple public hearings. I don't see the market taking over Heartside Park any time soon.

 

Where do you think Zip the Grand would go?

[John E]

I've heard it takes a small act of congress now to have any parkland in Grand Rapids transferred to a developer, including multiple public hearings. I don't see the market taking over Heartside Park any time soon.

 

Where do you think Zip the Grand would go?

Just what I stated about them.

Emphasized for clarity:

The Downtown Market LOOKS at purchasing PART of Heartside Park for more parking and venders under the bridge.

Zip-The-Grand begins construction NORTH OF MICHIGAN STREET.

 

[GRDadof3]

Well North of Michigan could be all the way up to Comstock Park. I'm just curious where you think it might go.

[John E]

Well North of Michigan could be all the way up to Comstock Park. I'm just curious where you think it might go.

I'm just going by what has been said by Zip-the-Grand. I'm thinking between Michigan Street and Leonard. I don't have a guess on the exact location.

[Jippy]

The downtown movie theater is dead

The BOBville complex finally goes away it is reimagined as a mixed-use residential building

Two hotels begin construction

Brookstone starts construction on their project mixed-use project

CWD's office or Arena Place begin construction, but not both

Continued hard work on the Grand River project, but nothing firmed up

Continued real estate momentum on Michigan 

Another new apartment project announced downtown

Smallish (under 30 unit) condo project proposed

Streetcar conversations pick up

A new major downtown tenant is announced (my failed 2013 prediction)

MSU firms up plans and tears down the Press building

A mid-rise proposal for Division along the Silver Line

ICCF lands a grocer. 

Work begins on two new construction on Wealthy plus conversion of one into mixed-use residential

[RegalTDP]

- Initial ridership for the Silver Line will be slow at first, but improve over time.

- MLive will gleefully cover any delays or problems with the Silver Line’s rollout, with quotes from the anti-transit crowd complaining about slow traffic on Division.  Nobody outside of MLive will really care.

- No ITP referendums in the suburbs this election year.

- More GR park improvements will be announced.  The boost in neighborhood quality of life from park improvements just this year alone will be major.

- Woodland and Centerpointe will increase in retail activity.  Rivertown Crossings will decline.

- Also more retail in vicinity of Breton Village and EGR.  Possibly including a full-scale Lululemon.

- New businesses move into 978 Cherry and 619 Wealthy.

- One of the properties razed on Division last year will see something new proposed.

- I put odds at greater than 50% that the Tanger Outlets will not happen.  I don’t know why, I just have a feeling.

- US-131 will be dismantled piece by piece, ground into dust, and the citizens of GR will rejoice and dance and in its ashes…  In dreams posted on the Salon’s Facebook wall, again and again, all year long. (Love ya Salon! )

Edited December 17, 2013 by RegalTDP

[Jippy]

Trader Joes or Whole Foods will announce plans

[SupercityGR]

My only hope is less parking lots, not more

[GR_Urbanist]

The intersection of Wealthy and Eastern will see a number of renovations and construction projects. Continued high crime will leave the Franklin and Eastern area dormant.

 

Boutique hotels ( to help accommodate a huge uptick in tourism) will become the big trend as several appear between DT and Reeds Lake.

 

Spin-off development around the new market will be modest or even lackluster. It will still receive lots of foot traffic

 

The Siverline will be a bust, but interest will pick up on some form of public transport to the "Gold Coast".

 

The hotel on N. Monroe will not be built.

 

Another record flood will almost scuttle any talks of seriously putting rapids back into the river or removing any of the floodwalls.

 

The ICCF project on Division will be redesigned into low-income apartments with ground floor retail after all hopes for a grocery are abandoned.

 

Ferris-Kendal buys the Keeler building to become student apartments and studio space.

 

The area behind the D&W in EGR will become home to a number of small ultra-modern homes, condos and apartments.

 

 

 

The Ford Federal Building is slated to be rebuilt.

 

The Post Office will stay put.

 

The rather large church between Lake Dr. and E. Fulton, on Diamond, will be bought and converted into an independent theater and performing arts center.

 

The triangle of land across from Marie Catrib's will be officially named Marie Catrib Square with a carillon clock tower in the center.

 

There will be an attempt to try to block off parts of DT to cars by overzealous bike activists and some city officials. It will suffer a huge backlash.

 

The west side will finally see some new development in the area adjacent to GVSU.

 

Apartment development next to Founders (This will be the year!)

 

 

"- Plans for a new park at the old Butterworth Landfill on Wealthy get on the drawing board." - John E

I agree on this one, and it will be a park built on stilts and platforms to avoid contact with the ground. Think the High Line in NYC but on a broader area.

 

 

I will post a rant with poor grammar and spelling at some point. :^P

[Jippy]

 

- US-131 will be dismantled piece by piece, ground into dust, and the citizens of GR will rejoice and dance and in its ashes…  In dreams posted on the Salon’s Facebook wall, again and again, all year long. (Love ya Salon! )

 

 

Never say never! http://www.freep.com/article/20131215/OPINION05/312150060/Black-Bottom-Detroit-I-375-I-75-paradise-valley-removal?goback=%2Egde_116818_member_5818119952229498883#%21

[GRDadof3]

 

- Initial ridership for the Silver Line will be slow at first, but improve over time.

- MLive will gleefully cover any delays or problems with the Silver Line’s rollout, with quotes from the anti-transit crowd complaining about slow traffic on Division.  Nobody outside of MLive will really care.

- No ITP referendums in the suburbs this election year.

- More GR park improvements will be announced.  The boost in neighborhood quality of life from park improvements just this year alone will be major.

- Woodland and Centerpointe will increase in retail activity.  Rivertown Crossings will decline.

- Also more retail in vicinity of Breton Village and EGR.  Possibly including a full-scale Lululemon.

- New businesses move into 978 Cherry and 619 Wealthy.

- One of the properties razed on Division last year will see something new proposed.

- I put odds at greater than 50% that the Tanger Outlets will not happen.  I don’t know why, I just have a feeling.

- US-131 will be dismantled piece by piece, ground into dust, and the citizens of GR will rejoice and dance and in its ashes…  In dreams posted on the Salon’s Facebook wall, again and again, all year long. (Love ya Salon! )

 

 

Ha. Yes, what's the hashtag that's going around?

 

I'm not sure Lululemon is going to be much of a brand in 2014. They're getting a ton of criticisms all over the yoga world for their cheaply made clothes and exorbitant prices.

[GR_Urbanist]

So what is the deal with tearing down 131 anyways? I hate that it was built where it is too, and how it was done, but I'm not going to pretend that it hasn't been the most effective way to quickly navigate the GR metro area. 44th street to Plainfield in minutes on most days sure beats taking an hour+ on surface streets.

 

Like what are you supposed to replace it with? Nothing? All of that traffic will just clog Grandville, Market, and Division. And truthfully it isnt impairing any developments around it as most of the land adjacent to it in the downtown area is nothing but parking lots and empty lots.

 

We cant even get that stuff built up. Adding acres more land to that isn't going to accomplish anything. 

[gvsusean]

So what is the deal with tearing down 131 anyways? I hate that it was built where it is too, and how it was done, but I'm not going to pretend that it hasn't been the most effective way to quickly navigate the GR metro area. 44th street to Plainfield in minutes on most days sure beats taking an hour+ on surface streets.

 

Like what are you supposed to replace it with? Nothing? All of that traffic will just clog Grandville, Market, and Division. And truthfully it isnt impairing any developments around it as most of the land adjacent to it in the downtown area is nothing but parking lots and empty lots.

 

We cant even get that stuff built up. Adding acres more land to that isn't going to accomplish anything. 

 

 

It sounds like you just said how it is impairing development... 

Edited December 18, 2013 by gvsusean

[GR_Urbanist]

It sounds like you just said how it is impairing development... 

 

Those lots I described are not there because of the highway, nor is it stopping anyone from developing them.

 

One became the new market. Another became the bus station. A couple of the largest ones will the the Arena South area.

 

 

I actually should have said that the land that it uses isnt needed for development because there is plenty of wasted space adjacent to it that needs to be developed first.

[gvsusean]

Those lots I described are not there because of the highway, nor is it stopping anyone from developing them.

 

One became the new market. Another became the bus station. A couple of the largest ones will the the Arena South area.

 

 

I actually should have said that the land that it uses isnt needed for development because there is plenty of wasted space adjacent to it that needs to be developed first.

I see.... But, one could argue that the land next to the expressway is less valuable due to the expressway. Therefore, its good for nothing other than a parking lot...  But that is just a thought and not based on any facts whatsoever

[GRDadof3]

I see.... But, one could argue that the land next to the expressway is less valuable due to the expressway. Therefore, its good for nothing other than a parking lot...  But that is just a thought and not based on any facts whatsoever

 

Ask the people in River House and Union Square who look right out on the highway, if they feel it impairs their values.

 

All of those lots West of 131 would be developed in a heartbeat if the city took their claws off of them (highway or no highway).

[GRDadof3]

The downtown movie theater is dead

The BOBville complex finally goes away it is reimagined as a mixed-use residential building

Two hotels begin construction

Brookstone starts construction on their project mixed-use project

CWD's office or Arena Place begin construction, but not both

Continued hard work on the Grand River project, but nothing firmed up

Continued real estate momentum on Michigan 

Another new apartment project announced downtown

Smallish (under 30 unit) condo project proposed

Streetcar conversations pick up

A new major downtown tenant is announced (my failed 2013 prediction)

MSU firms up plans and tears down the Press building

A mid-rise proposal for Division along the Silver Line

ICCF lands a grocer. 

Work begins on two new construction on Wealthy plus conversion of one into mixed-use residential

 

I just read an article that The BOB is expanding their brewery operations, in their basement. I think that signals the end of the whole expansion idea.

 

"Another new apartment project announced downtown" I think is a little light. I'd say probably 4 new apartment projects, one new condo project, minimum.