Predictions for the coming year

[GRDadof3]

I'm bored with talking about stuff that we've talked about for 10+ years. I feel like I'm going back in time, which is fine for the people who weren't here 12 years ago but...

ANYONE GOT ANY NEWS TO SHARE. PLEASE.

 

[The Llanito]

Would be interested to see how some of these predictions held out.

[GRDadof3]

I had a 2018 predictions or "what we'll see this year" all worked up and I completely lost the post. So here goes, if I can remember them:

What we'll see..

) 601 Bond topped out, feeling way taller in that neighborhood than anyone imagined

) Monroe North Embassy Suites closed in, won't be complete until 2019 though

) Warner Tower topped out, lower floors closed in, Hyatt Place either almost topped out or close

) A complete mess/flurry of construction work at Studio Park, some parts vertical by end of 2018

) A flurry of apartment projects wrapping up, vacancies will rise for a bit but will begin to be filled up again by early 2019

) Opening of GVSU health sciences in Belknap

) Grand Opening of Meijer/Bridge Street Market on West Side. Bridge St becomes almost impassable for much of the day

) 50 Monroe becoming one of the coolest projects downtown in some time. AC Hotel opening late 2019.

What we may see..

) Unveiling of GVSU/Spectrum project on Michigan Street, including a massive 2000 car parking ramp

) Lyon Square revamp kicked off

) Calder Plaza remake kicked off

) Another revamp of ArtPrize due to flagging attendance

) More projects on Wealthy Street, including the church and parking lot at Wealthy and Eastern

) The project at Cherry and Eastern finally kicking off

) Greg Gilmore actually getting his Mangiamo townhouse project approved, with some tweaks

)  A big project with UofM Metro Health, maybe even another medical school

) Hinman finally announcing a ground-breaking, but with both hotels and apartments in ample supply, not until 2019. 

Wild speculation/spitballing

) A massive mixed use/lifestyle-ish development announced in suburban Grand Rapids, either in Standale, or Kentwood, or along the Beltline

) Whole Foods finally announces a West Michigan location, in the parking lot at the new Woodland Mall expansion

) A major employer announces an expansion into this market at either the 36th Street site or in Cascade Township

) Meijer announces a new massive Jamestown Township development on the property they own out there

) Kent County Parks announces a major land purchase for a new park

) GRFC finds a spot for a new stadium. No one likes the location.  

) MSU announces a formal RFP for its property around the new research center. They also announce a major partnership with a federal agency that will include a large new research center.

I'll think of some more...

 

Anyone else want to take a stab at this annual tradition?

 

[walker]

1 hour ago, GRDadof3 said:

Wild speculation/spitballing

 

) Accordion music after decades of decline begins to come back starting on the old west side.  Not everyone is happy

[ironyisadeadscene]

CWD releases plans for the Fifth Third buildings? 

 

[Prankster]

18 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

Wild speculation/spitballing

) A massive mixed use/lifestyle-ish development announced in suburban Grand Rapids, either in Standale, or Kentwood, or along the Beltline

) Whole Foods finally announces a West Michigan location, in the parking lot at the new Woodland Mall expansion

) A major employer announces an expansion into this market at either the 36th Street site or in Cascade Township

) Meijer announces a new massive Jamestown Township development on the property they own out there

) Kent County Parks announces a major land purchase for a new park

) GRFC finds a spot for a new stadium. No one likes the location.  

) MSU announces a formal RFP for its property around the new research center. They also announce a major partnership with a federal agency that will include a large new research center.

I'll think of some more...

 

Anyone else want to take a stab at this annual tradition?

 

Interesting that your SWAG has a definite suburban tilt to it. Because of the parking issues downtown, wondering if we’ll start seeing the suburbs start to gain ground in landing larger developments. 

[GRDadof3]

48 minutes ago, Prankster said:

Interesting that your SWAG has a definite suburban tilt to it. Because of the parking issues downtown, wondering if we’ll start seeing the suburbs start to gain ground in landing larger developments. 

Much of the growth in an around downtown in the last few years has been apartment projects and I don't foresee any large scale residential projects announced this year downtown or near downtown.  Plus, the availability of land is dwindling fast.

But the metro area is still booming and the housing market is still pretty strong, and retail is surprisingly still strong in the metro area.

[gvsusean]

Mr Cleo here,

I predict:

1) new stadium for GRFC in conjunction with GVSU will be built on the Crab lot.

Thats all.

[wingbert]

7 hours ago, gvsusean said:

Mr Cleo here,

I predict:

1) new stadium for GRFC in conjunction with GVSU will be built on the Crab lot.

Thats all.

I was going to predict that GRFC backers would buy out AJ's Fun Park and build the new soccer stadium up where they can share parking with Fifth Third Ballpark but I would never presume to question the fallibility of Mr. Cleo, so forget that.

I also predict that despite a fair number of national/international corporations headquartered in the greater Grand Rapids metroplex, they will all steadfastly refuse to bring an HQ from the suburbs into the downtown area and, if questioned, they will cite parking as a top concern.

[GRDadof3]

11 hours ago, gvsusean said:

Mr Cleo here,

I predict:

1) new stadium for GRFC in conjunction with GVSU will be built on the Crab lot.

Thats all.

Crab lot? Charley's Crab? 

[thebeerqueer]

2 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

Crab lot? Charley's Crab? 

I certainly hope so. That's the best nicname for a surface parking lot ever!

[GRDadof3]

2 hours ago, thebeerqueer said:

I certainly hope so. That's the best nicname for a surface parking lot ever!

Haha, word.

[scottythe1nonly]

Grand Castle will "open" for a limited number of move ins but will not be completed before the end of 2018.  Developer will go bankrupt pursuing his dream

201 Market Project will get be delayed due to requests by the developer for large sums of public money

Convention Center expansion will be announced

Whole Foods will finally announce a future location in the Metro GR area

The Hinman Tower site will be closed to surface parking by year's end

Rockford Stadium project will not find a location.  Soccer Team Investors will continue to keep quiet and not make their plans public.

A new hospital will be announced for Medical Mile

Privately operated rail service between the lakeshore, GR and lansing will be announced

 

[GRLaker]

22 hours ago, scottythe1nonly said:

Grand Castle will "open" for a limited number of move ins but will not be completed before the end of 2018.  Developer will go bankrupt pursuing his dream

201 Market Project will get be delayed due to requests by the developer for large sums of public money

Convention Center expansion will be announced

Whole Foods will finally announce a future location in the Metro GR area

The Hinman Tower site will be closed to surface parking by year's end

Rockford Stadium project will not find a location.  Soccer Team Investors will continue to keep quiet and not make their plans public.

A new hospital will be announced for Medical Mile

Privately operated rail service between the lakeshore, GR and lansing will be announced

 

A new hospital on Medical Mile? 

[joeDowntown]

On 1/11/2018 at 11:35 AM, GRLaker said:

A new hospital on Medical Mile? 

Hey Man, they are all spitball predictions. I do think he'll be somewhat accurate. Not a new facility per se, but I think U of M will start flexing its muscle a bit. If nothing more than signage and shuffling around services in the Women's Health Center. 

Joe

[wingbert]

1 hour ago, joeDowntown said:

Hey Man, they are all spitball predictions. I do think he'll be somewhat accurate. Not a new facility per se, but I think U of M will start flexing its muscle a bit. If nothing more than signage and shuffling around services in the Women's Health Center. 

Joe

I thought it meant animal hospital.

[WMrapids]

Ok, my first try:

• Hinman Tower will be scaled down

• We will not see a new proposal over 12 stories (keeping it safe at 12)

• GVSU will announce further plans to become even more involved near the Medical Mile.

• Nothing will happen with the post office, though they might get opioid detecting equipment

• Rapids restoration plans will progress significantly

• We will see more of Amplify GR’s presence in southeast Grand Rapids

[getemngo]

5 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

Not a new facility per se, but I think U of M will start flexing its muscle a bit. If nothing more than signage and shuffling around services in the Women's Health Center. 

Joe

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Metro Health Hospital was designed to accommodate a future second "tower" above the ER portion of the building. While it won't happen this year or anytime soon, it would be nice to see UM go through with that expansion, maybe adding a research component to the hospital. It's not as exciting as downtown but Metro Health Village could certainly use more density.

Edited January 12, 2018 by getemngo

[GRDadof3]

31 minutes ago, getemngo said:

Somebody correct me if I'm wrong, but I believe Metro Health Hospital was designed to accommodate a future second "tower" above the ER portion of the building. While it won't happen this year or anytime soon, it would be nice to see UM go through with that expansion, maybe adding a research component to the hospital. It's not as exciting as downtown but Metro Health Village could certainly use more density.

That does sound familiar. I think I saw a Tower II in some planning documents somewhere that nothing seemed to happen with? 

[crinzema]

The link below is a comparison of Downtown GR from 2013-2017 Enjoy!

https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/juxtapose/latest/embed/index.html?uid=1b291762-f8ce-11e7-b263-0edaf8f81e27

Edited January 14, 2018 by crinzema

[discgrab21]

On 1/13/2018 at 8:58 PM, crinzema said:

The link below is a comparison of Downtown GR from 2013-2017 Enjoy!

https://cdn.knightlab.com/libs/juxtapose/latest/embed/index.html?uid=1b291762-f8ce-11e7-b263-0edaf8f81e27

That's cool.  The two things that stood out out me is the Founder's expansion, and the sheer size of the Meijer/Rockford development.

[joeDowntown]

I was horrible at last years predictions so I’m going light this year.

1. A techshop will be announced near downtown. 

2. The Hinman building will be cannibalized by lack of apartment demand and other hotel developments. 

3. The Convention center hotel will get renewed focus (and help kill the Hinman project). 

4. Plans will be announced for a building “off Bridge Street” that will test the height limits of the west side. 

5. The old GM plant project will announce tenants, though most/all will be local expansions, not new players in the market. 

6. The business community will become very vocal about parking concerns downtown, influencing the new DGRI / city manager candidates. 

7. GR Whitewater will announce a major private donor to help restore the rapids.

Joe

 

[organsnyder]

Since we're already 1/12th done, I'll make mine:

1. Some downtown projects will be scaled back as growth slows to a more reasonable level.

2. Downtown theater will break ground and proceed on-schedule.

3. Hinman building will be delayed and/or scaled back.

4. AmplifyGR will continue to keep a low profile, but will facilitate two or three industrial tenants in the Cottage Grove / Madison area (where development is less controversial).

5. The Castle will limp toward the finish line.

6. Burton Heights will see signs of continued growth, including the closure of the trashy XXX shop.

7. Inequality and poverty will continue to be the attention of many forums and much consternation, but no major initiatives will be introduced.

[GRDadof3]

8 hours ago, organsnyder said:

Since we're already 1/12th done, I'll make mine:

1. Some downtown projects will be scaled back as growth slows to a more reasonable level.

2. Downtown theater will break ground and proceed on-schedule.

3. Hinman building will be delayed and/or scaled back.

4. AmplifyGR will continue to keep a low profile, but will facilitate two or three industrial tenants in the Cottage Grove / Madison area (where development is less controversial).

5. The Castle will limp toward the finish line.

6. Burton Heights will see signs of continued growth, including the closure of the trashy XXX shop.

7. Inequality and poverty will continue to be the attention of many forums and much consternation, but no major initiatives will be introduced.

In conjunction with that Burton Heights mention, I saw a "Garfield Parks Lofts" on one of the city agendas recently.  Anyone know what that is? 

 

I'm glad to see a few posts in this thread. There's certainly a lot to be excited about for the upcoming year(s). Everyone's so dour but there is much to celebrate. 

[walker]

35 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

In conjunction with that Burton Heights mention, I saw a "Garfield Parks Lofts" on one of the city agendas recently.  Anyone know what that is? 

garfield lofts

100 Burton SE