Predictions for the coming year

[Cookin_peacocks]

2 hours ago, trongrr said:

The USPS property on Michigan at the Grand River will remain, preventing any sort of positive development in that spot.

Grand Rapids will get a fully "dark grocery store" - think Witmark for groceries.    As Meijer, Spartan-Nash and GFS have big footprints in the area, it would be easy to run a test store in the metro to see how this might roll out further.

 

 

Nothing over 12 stories? The tower across from Fulton!

 

Or was that announced before the new year?

[GRDadof3]

On 1/1/2021 at 5:03 PM, joeDowntown said:

A few predictions for 2021- Not even looking at my predictions from last year.

1. Plans for Consumers Energy building will re-emerge. May be on a different lot or part of a mixed use development (still on the west side).

2. Details of Spectrum Health's new building on Monroe / Bond will be released. Project will be slightly delayed due to COVID and the most we'll see this year is clearing of land/prep work

3. Perrigo Building will break ground. Perrigo will also announce space being leased in Doug Meijer Building for R&D.

4. Office space will shuffle at a brisk pace as companies re-evaluate their needs, buildings with Spectrum as a tenant start to adjust  to open space, etc. 

5. Several buildings will pivot from Office to multi-use / residential as they respond to new realities. Brassworks building will among the buildings laying the groundwork for sweeping changes.

6. By Fall, restaurants and bars will be packed as people flock back to "real life". The restaurants / bars that made it will come back stronger than ever.

7. People will flock to Studio Park / Celebration Cinema. People are sick of sitting on their couches and the the downtown theater will come back strong. 

8. Amway will start to hint at details of a mixed use building at Fulton and Market as plans for the Charley's Crab / 201 Market site solidify.

9. ArtPrize will set records as people get out of their houses. Unfortunately, the winner will be more crafts than art (again). Shiny statue guys will be in the top 10 again, and everyone will be pissed (again).

10. At least one new residential building in either the core or west side will be announced.

11. Someone will come forward with plans for the Keeler Building  - and succeed.

12. Kent County won't pull the trigger on selling their building ... again.

I sure wish they'd tear down Charley's Crab. What an eyesore it has become (all boarded up).

[grandrollerz]

On 1/5/2020 at 11:58 AM, grandrollerz said:

An Ariel tram will connect Spectrum Health on Monroe to the hill.
Plans for a county wide Ariel tram from millennium Park to Meijer gardens are reinvigorated.
Founders will distribute it's NA beer (it's delicious and a growing catgeory).
Spectrum Health reaches a deal with Hughes property to buy 1300 Michigan (minimally) to keep it out of Michigan Medicines hands.
It doesn't work and Michigan Medicine announces a downtown urgent care and a concierge medicine clinic a la Mayo.
A lucky strike is announced at the heart of the hotel district.
Spectrum opens a medical hotel on the football field to replace Renucci House, Renucci House becomes medical resident housing.
The ground floor of the new hotel is a partnership with MVP and a they start a medical fitness program that doubles as gym for employees (please!)
Consolidation occurs in rehab and TBI due to auto no fault changes.
North Ottawa hospital finally closes, site is converted to condos.
Tesla opens a showroom downtown.
Transit to the Lakeshore talks start
Transit to Holland via Chicago drive BRT goes to pilot
Plans made for connecting belknap hill to Monroe are finalized ahead of the spectrum ground breaking...a funicular is not included.
Urban Target near studio park
Kent country club closes and becomes Grand rapids central park.
A two story Starbucks Reserve opens as infill on the corner Monroe and Michigan.
Starbucks opens an Allendale stand alone bldg
Trader Joe's or aldis opens in standale
Olive garden or bravo cucina open in standale.
Movies on Monroe lot announces plans to become a food truck park in 2021.
Bird scooters arrive.

I got scooters almost right. Otherwise a bust. Terrible list in retrospect...more of a dream list than predictions.

The January 2020 predictions are sad to read to see how much progress was shorted by COVID-19.

On the upside, I was vaccinated this morning, so hoping the public campaign isn't too far behind!!!!!

[joeDowntown]

Tough crowd on predictions this year.

[Cookin_peacocks]

I'll give it a go. I will recycle two from last year.

The bank property on Bridge will be re-developed into a mixed use project.

The parking lot next to the AC Hotel and the old small Davenport building will be featured in a mixed use proposal that will be similar to the Exchange Building in downtown Kalamazoo.

And for craps and giggles: Tapestry Square breaks ground

[GR8scott]

2 hours ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

I'll give it a go. I will recycle two from last year.

The bank property on Bridge will be re-developed into a mixed use project.

The parking lot next to the AC Hotel and the old small Davenport building will be featured in a mixed use proposal that will be similar to the Exchange Building in downtown Kalamazoo.

And for craps and giggles: Tapestry Square breaks ground

Really hoping that parking lot holds out for a TALL development, there’s not a better spot around for something grand scale, iconic and new tallest, when will the market be there though? Would love to see something at least 500’ at that location not predicting that for 2021 

[Cookin_peacocks]

1 hour ago, GR8scott said:

Really hoping that parking lot holds out for a TALL development, there’s not a better spot around for something grand scale, iconic and new tallest, when will the market be there though? Would love to see something at least 500’ at that location not predicting that for 2021 

I would too. But I think a more linear building, though taller then the Exchange Building, will be built there. 

[GRLaker]

Prediction?

I predict Rivertown Crossings will be as lifeless as Westshore Mall with all of the stores that are closing up and Brookfield will still do nothing to save it.

Edited January 5, 2021 by GRLaker

[GRDadof3]

Pretty good list out today by WoodTV (I'm shocked too)

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/growing-grand-rapids-and-beyond-21-places-aiming-to-open-in-2021/amp/

[Prankster]

5 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

Pretty good list out today by WoodTV (I'm shocked too)

https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/growing-grand-rapids-and-beyond-21-places-aiming-to-open-in-2021/amp/

It seems that WoodTV has taken over with better reporting on downtown that MLive used to. 

[mpchicago]

7 minutes ago, Prankster said:

It seems that WoodTV has taken over with better reporting on downtown that MLive used to. 

Mlive is a pitiful shell of what The Grand Rapids Press used to be.  Very sad.

[joeDowntown]

2 hours ago, mpchicago said:

Mlive is a pitiful shell of what The Grand Rapids Press used to be.  Very sad.

It sucks, but newspapers are a dying breed (I've often wondered if community newspapers need to flip their model and become a non-profit?). TV Stations still generate ad revenue (for now) and can pay actual reporters. It's a real bummer (says the person that doesn't subscribe to the Grand Rapids Press). 

Joe

[arcturus]

18 hours ago, mpchicago said:

Mlive is a pitiful shell of what The Grand Rapids Press used to be.  Very sad.

Boy isn't that the truth.  A bunch is self-inflicted which now assumes news must be filtered because readers shouldn't be given all the facts.

[joeDowntown]

20 minutes ago, arcturus said:

Boy isn't that the truth.  A bunch is self-inflicted which now assumes news must be filtered because readers shouldn't be given all the facts.

Not to get off topic, but how so? I always attributed the decline in quality to lost revenue / not having the ability to support a real news room with journalists, editors, etc. How are they filtering the facts? Unless you are the NY Times, Washington Post, or WSJ (there may be others), I don't think it's a great time to be in the newspaper business. I'd be shocked if the poor quality of reporting is the result of anything other than steep declines in revenue.

Joe

[GRDadof3]

26 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

Not to get off topic, but how so? I always attributed the decline in quality to lost revenue / not having the ability to support a real news room with journalists, editors, etc. How are they filtering the facts? Unless you are the NY Times, Washington Post, or WSJ (there may be others), I don't think it's a great time to be in the newspaper business. I'd be shocked if the poor quality of reporting is the result of anything other than steep declines in revenue.

Joe

The ones that will do well are the ones with good subscription models that people are willing to pay for (WSJ, WashPo, NYTimes). But when I go to read a Lansing State Journal article and it wants me to subscribe, I laugh. 

I do wonder though with the continued splintering of streaming services how local TV affiliates will be able to continue to have good ratings. Good ratings is how they continue to sell expensive ad spots (and shows like EightWest that charge a fortune to be featured on). 

[arcturus]

On 1/7/2021 at 7:16 AM, joeDowntown said:

Not to get off topic, but how so? I always attributed the decline in quality to lost revenue / not having the ability to support a real news room with journalists, editors, etc. How are they filtering the facts? Unless you are the NY Times, Washington Post, or WSJ (there may be others), I don't think it's a great time to be in the newspaper business. I'd be shocked if the poor quality of reporting is the result of anything other than steep declines in revenue.

Joe

Suspect descriptions and withholding names until arraignment for starters, and then failure to follow through with arraignment info.    There was an editorial about this change in policy about a year ago which read like a 'we know better' sermon that castigated readers for jumping to conclusions.    That's not professional journalism, it's an excuse to push ideology.  This is all I'm going to say on the subject.

[GRDadof3]

Not predictions but a whole slew of new apt buildings planned for GR:

 

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2021/01/grand-rapids-to-give-tax-exemptions-for-6-affordable-low-income-housing-developments.html

[Pattmost20]

Per a conversation on a different thread, I think 2021 will be the year of Recreational Marijuana store boom in Grand Rapids. Given how many have seemed to be on planning commission agendas, there have to be 15-20 that are in the works around town.

[GR8scott]

37 minutes ago, Pattmost20 said:

Per a conversation on a different thread, I think 2021 will be the year of Recreational Marijuana store boom in Grand Rapids. Given how many have seemed to be on planning commission agendas, there have to be 15-20 that are in the works around town.

Safe bet, I can only hope a good number are local or at least local investments with the amount of money generated, it would be absolute missed opportunity not to prioritize keeping the money local 

[GRDadof3]

Just thinking of the big projects coming up. May be the year for announcements..

Not to mention Spectrum Health which we haven't seen pictures of but I believe we shall this year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Khorasaurus1]

On 2/20/2021 at 7:30 PM, GRDadof3 said:

 

I recognize the other three, but what is this building?

[mpchicago]

1 hour ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

I recognize the other three, but what is this building?

It's the second phase Acisure Insurance HQ building, SW corner of Oakes & Ottawa.  You can see the their 100 Ottawa building just to the left in the rendering.  Hope Covid didn't kill this project.

[Floyd_Z]

I predict a large old factory will be rennovated  and there will also be a few new buildings built.  Mainly residential.

[GRDadof3]

Not necessarily for 2021 but I foresee the 2021 - 2025 years being the "big boom" that Grand Rapids hasn't seen since Medical Mile. 

) Amphitheater and other mixed use on the same site. Market/Fulton. *

) Soccer stadium on the West Side with spinoff developments*

) Orion's tower on Ionia

) New convention center hotel tower

) Priority Health moving to Michigan Street next to GVSU*

) Spectrum Health's new downtown campus

) Work on restoring the rapids "finally" begins

) The Century Avenue warehouse renovation and new buildings is much larger than anything like it in downtown previously

) Acrisure moves forward with second tower 

) Studio Park goes forward with residential tower

) GRAM announces a "renovation"*

) New building goes up above the old Mlive offices

 

I'm predicting 7 or 8 tower cranes in the air by 2023/2024. 

*Not verified but based on "word on the street." 

[Allison Slater]

I'd predict a few office -> residential conversions starting in a couple years also, although not many, and probably limited to the smaller buildings that offer office space.

Edited August 2, 2021 by Allison Slater