Area in need of infill

[GRDadof3]

Can anyone think of a parcel in the city that would be good for an infill development? Medium sized (3 or 4 floors, so downtown is probably not going to work out financially), condos and possibly ground floor retail? Or maybe even townhomes like the ones behind ICCF. All market rate.

I know a developer (possibly two) who are ready and financed to start basically today if they find the right spot. My first reaction is that there has to be ample opportunities but I'm hitting dead ends.

[Veloise]

http://goo.gl/maps/tFJTL

 

http://goo.gl/maps/2NF9f (deed-restricted for a while yet, maybe expires in 2014)

 

http://goo.gl/maps/8e1JR

 

I am just flying around in a satellite view.

 

http://goo.gl/maps/O7Fp0

[GRDadof3]

http://goo.gl/maps/tFJTL

 

http://goo.gl/maps/2NF9f (deed-restricted for a while yet, maybe expires in 2014)

 

http://goo.gl/maps/8e1JR

 

I am just flying around in a satellite view.

 

http://goo.gl/maps/O7Fp0

 

 

Thanks for the ideas! Some of those would be a tough sell for condo buyers, and I'd be concerned they wouldn't appraise. Rentals possibly.

 

Any area where the nearby homes are selling for at least $125K average is probably a good start. $60 - 80K home price areas, not likely.

[GR_Urbanist]

The NE corner of Fuller and Wealthy (around 1204 Wealthy SE). Seems more likely now that those projects down the street in Eastown are about to kick off.

 

The SE corner of Barth and Wealthy has a tiny square of empty land that needs a infill project and the building next door in a boarded-up eyesore that could also be part of a larger project.

 

The areas on Fulton Veloise cited are also major candidates. E. Fulton needs a killer project on both ends, until someday when the Valley City land could ever be redeveloped.

 

Everything west of St. Mary's until you actually run into a building that's still standing.

 

The parking lot of the church at Wealthy and Holister is begging for something. Obviously the church would need to sell it first.

 

The parking lot at the corner of Abney and Lake. Drive. But it  may be important to the apartment project next door.

 

The parking lot for LaFontsse(sp?) Galleries is more than they ever use. They may be happy to rid themselves of part of it.

 

The parking lot at Baldwin and Diamond SE. Not sure if Congress Elementary or the Church across the street owns it. May be too small though.

 

1041 E. Fulton is for sale. But it has a hideous building that needs to be torn down first. But it may be worth it since it's right by the Farmers Market.

[GRDadof3]

The NE corner of Fuller and Wealthy (around 1204 Wealthy SE). Seems more likely now that those projects down the street in Eastown are about to kick off.

 

The SE corner of Barth and Wealthy has a tiny square of empty land that needs a infill project and the building next door in a boarded-up eyesore that could also be part of a larger project.

 

The areas on Fulton Veloise cited are also major candidates. E. Fulton needs a killer project on both ends, until someday when the Valley City land could ever be redeveloped.

 

Everything west of St. Mary's until you actually run into a building that's still standing.

 

The parking lot of the church at Wealthy and Holister is begging for something. Obviously the church would need to sell it first.

 

The parking lot at the corner of Abney and Lake. Drive. But it  may be important to the apartment project next door.

 

The parking lot for LaFontsse(sp?) Galleries is more than they ever use. They may be happy to rid themselves of part of it.

 

The parking lot at Baldwin and Diamond SE. Not sure if Congress Elementary or the Church across the street owns it.

 

1041 E. Fulton is for sale. But it has a hideous building that needs to be torn down first. But it may be worth it since it's right by the Farmers Market.

 

See my post above. ^^^ I'm not totally convinced that Zillow is a good barometer (I think they're getting better with more data), but it does help to get some housing value averages for an area by navigating around on their maps.

 

I do like the Lafontsee parking lot that faces Eastern, if they'd part with it. Not sure since they moved to that space to host more events.

[RegalTDP]

751 Wealthy (aka the empty lot west of Donkey Taqueria).

 

733 Wealthy.  We've seen plans for the building there, but the parcel stretches all the way to the vacant lot facing Eastern.  Though we haven't heard anything for the building since Summer, that parcel could be split and something could go up on that lot.

 

946 Cherry.  I had dinner at Maru Sushi yesterday and thought the parking lot directly across Cherry looked so tragic.  The lot belongs to the accounting firm on the corner and I don't know if they'd part with it, but there needs to be some street frontage there.

[GRDadof3]

751 Wealthy (aka the empty lot west of Donkey Taqueria).

 

733 Wealthy.  We've seen plans for the building there, but the parcel stretches all the way to the vacant lot facing Eastern.  Though we haven't heard anything for the building since Summer, that parcel could be split and something could go up on that lot.

 

946 Cherry.  I had dinner at Maru Sushi yesterday and thought the parking lot directly across Cherry looked so tragic.  The lot belongs to the accounting firm on the corner and I don't know if they'd part with it, but there needs to be some street frontage there.

 

I like the Cherry St spot. Combine it with that little block building to the West. And you just made me think of another Wealthy St parcel.

 

Anyone know what is going on with the old Social Security Admin building on College? It has a Dodgson Realty sign out front (at least I thought it did) but I can't find a listing anywhere. That sucker is hideous.

 

https://maps.google.com/maps?q=50+College+Avenue+Southeast,+Grand+Rapids,+MI&hl=en&ll=42.961168,-85.656794&spn=0.003103,0.005284&sll=42.955628,-85.651447&sspn=0.003126,0.005284&oq=50+college&t=h&gl=us&hnear=50+College+Ave+SE,+Grand+Rapids,+Michigan+49503&z=18&layer=c&cbll=42.961168,-85.656794&panoid=smqtAnoijvgJ00Q2C6EKdw&cbp=13,62.41,,0,0.64

[dbrock1046]

Property at the corner of Wealthy and LAfayette ave. Where the Little Jacks was just demo'd with Federal funds. It's a decent size parcel runs from Lafayette east to Prospect. Owned by ICCF but......

[GRDadof3]

Property at the corner of Wealthy and LAfayette ave. Where the Little Jacks was just demo'd with Federal funds. It's a decent size parcel runs from Lafayette east to Prospect. Owned by ICCF but......

 

If I could get the okay to tear down the house on Prospect that is part of that, then yes a good possibility.

[joeDowntown]

GR_Urbanist had two of my top choices:

 

- "The NE corner of Fuller and Wealthy (around 1204 Wealthy SE). Seems more likely now that those projects down the street in Eastown are about to kick off."

 

- "The parking lot of the church at Wealthy and Holister is begging for something. Obviously the church would need to sell it first."

 

- The house on Eastern/Cherry that was recently sold by Project Rehab. With that house + two lots on Eastern, it seems like a fantastic spot. 

 

- Anything near West side would be good too (since SWAN seems to be less NIMBY these days).

 

I also think Michigan St. is heating up and 616 will start to change the way people think about the street.

 

Joe

[Veloise]

Thanks for the ideas! Some of those would be a tough sell for condo buyers, and I'd be concerned they wouldn't appraise. Rentals possibly.

 

Any area where the nearby homes are selling for at least $125K average is probably a good start. $60 - 80K home price areas, not likely.

So, using my highly-technical methodology...

GRAR now has a mapping function. Search by price and confine to a certain area, then strap on your jetpack and fly around.

[GRDadof3]

So, using my highly-technical methodology...

GRAR now has a mapping function. Search by price and confine to a certain area, then strap on your jetpack and fly around.

 

I know, but that's only for homes currently listed. At least Zillow shows the estimated value of each and every home based on "sold home" algorithms. It's not perfect, and I wouldn't use it to base a home sale price, but it gives you good birds eye averages.

[GRDadof3]

GR_Urbanist had two of my top choices:

 

- "The NE corner of Fuller and Wealthy (around 1204 Wealthy SE). Seems more likely now that those projects down the street in Eastown are about to kick off."

 

- "The parking lot of the church at Wealthy and Holister is begging for something. Obviously the church would need to sell it first."

 

- The house on Eastern/Cherry that was recently sold by Project Rehab. With that house + two lots on Eastern, it seems like a fantastic spot. 

 

- Anything near West side would be good too (since SWAN seems to be less NIMBY these days).

 

I also think Michigan St. is heating up and 616 will start to change the way people think about the street.

 

Joe

 

Did that Project Rehab house on Cherry sell Joe? It still shows that it's still owned by Project Rehab on the county's site.

[joeDowntown]

Now that you say it, maybe it didn't. I was thinking Malone(?) picked it up, but I think they took the other two buildings. That would be an excellent spot. Look at the space on Eastern (empty lots), and restoring the big house on the corner would be great for the area.

 

Joe

 

Did that Project Rehab house on Cherry sell Joe? It still shows that it's still owned by Project Rehab on the county's site.

[SupercityGR]

Corners of Ottawa, Ionia, and Lyon. Nice 4 story building with ground floor retail.  

[GRDadof3]

Corners of Ottawa, Ionia, and Lyon. Nice 4 story building with ground floor retail.  

 

Trying to figure out which corner(s) you're referring to. And downtown land prices are way out of whack.

[ctpgr34]

Assuming the Ellis Lot

[RegalTDP]

Corners of Ottawa, Ionia, and Lyon. Nice 4 story building with ground floor retail.  

 

If something ever does get built there, I'm hoping for something greater than 4 stories.  There's only so many spots left downtown where there's room for height and this is one of the best, so I think we should save it.  No less than 12 floors on that spot.  Even though we may have to wait a while.  Just my own personal desire.

[SupercityGR]

Assuming the Ellis Lot

 

Yes, that lot. I just hate walking through city center and seeing that big empty lot in such a great location 

[GRDadof3]

Yes, that lot. I just hate walking through city center and seeing that big empty lot in such a great location 

 

That will take someone with more horsepower than I have.

[GR8scott]

Maybe slightly off-subject but there are still several tracts of wooded areas on the NE and and few on the NW that should be developed, maybe not with this high of density buildings but some of them might be large enough for a sizable mixed-use development and at the very least have a modern urban single-family homes in high density, garages in the back ally, energy efficient, community park ect. The largest such area begging to be devleoped right is bound between Leonard, Ball, Perkins, and Knapp http://goo.gl/maps/LWTFP 

 

Another smaller area that should be developed borders I-96 and 3mile just east of Plainfield

[fotoman311]

Maybe slightly off-subject but there are still several tracts of wooded areas on the NE and and few on the NW that should be developed, maybe not with this high of density buildings but some of them might be large enough for a sizable mixed-use development and at the very least have a modern urban single-family homes in high density, garages in the back ally, energy efficient, community park ect. The largest such area begging to be devleoped right is bound between Leonard, Ball, Perkins, and Knapp http://goo.gl/maps/LWTFP 

 

Another smaller area that should be developed borders I-96 and 3mile just east of Plainfield

 

The "largest" area you mentioned is Ball-Perkins Park, owned by the City.  I don't foresee that being developed as anything but a park.  Grand Rapids is already below many of our peer cities in park acres per capita, although not drastically so if you count "parks" around the GRPS schools.  We're losing some of those.  

 

Ball-Perkins was one of the specific park charrettes (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charrette) developed at Green Grand Rapids in 2009-10.  You can see the concept plan in the final Green Grand Rapids document (pg 61 in this .pdf of the final report, http://grcity.us/design-and-development-services/Planning-Department/Documents/GGR_REPORT_3_1_12_low%20rz.pdf).   While that's only a concept, two of the other parks that had charrettes were Joe Taylor Park, opened in 2011, and Pleasant Park, construction scheduled to begin spring 2014.

 

I have heard that the city is beginning another update to the Parks & Rec master plan in 2014, as part of how to most effectively spend the additional money from the millage.