New projects on the West Side

[GRDadof3]

On 11/27/2018 at 4:32 PM, GRDadof3 said:

She rises.. 

Drove by this today on the way to the Y. I believe the elevator tower is topped out! Meant to get a picture...

6 hours ago, GVSUChris said:

I couldn't remember if this topic had its own thread or not, but the Consumers HQ(2? hehe) project is still a go and planning to break ground in the first quarter of 2019. It sure would be nice to see some site plans and renderings. 

https://www.grbj.com/articles/92186-consumers-spotlights-renewable-energy

That's great news!

[GRDadof3]

[jonrapley]

26 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

It's so much taller than I anticipated.

[GRDadof3]

1 hour ago, jonrapley said:

It's so much taller than I anticipated.

Wait until they start adding mass to that puppy. It's going to look like a giant tall rectangular box until they add balconies (hope they still add the balconies). Otherwise, woof. 

[thebeerqueer]

27 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

Wait until they start adding mass to that puppy. It's going to look like a giant tall rectangular box until they add balconies (hope they still add the balconies). Otherwise, woof. 

 

I'm pretty sure the balconies were in the last rendering. Fingers crossed though. 

[jonrapley]

Yeah without balconies I can see it looking like the newer Third Coast Building on Michigan in-between Benson and Grand. My God that thing is ugly. 

[wingbert]

1 hour ago, jonrapley said:

Yeah without balconies I can see it looking like the newer Third Coast Building on Michigan in-between Benson and Grand. My God that thing is ugly. 

It’s a question that goes beyond Grand Rapids...

Why do all new apartment buildings look the same?

[GRDadof3]

2 hours ago, jonrapley said:

Yeah without balconies I can see it looking like the newer Third Coast Building on Michigan in-between Benson and Grand. My God that thing is ugly. 

It's fine, if it were a county health department building. 

[GRDadof3]

This project turned out pretty nice, further down Bridge St. 

 

 

 

 

 

[HavingAhoot]

yeah the brick on what was the white house looks great as well.

This image is from 2011

Edited December 12, 2018 by HavingAhoot

[GRDadof3]

1 minute ago, HavingAhoot said:

yeah the brick on the white house looks great as well

I love that house. It's got such clean lines to it with just the right amount of brickwork/flair above the windows.  Would it be considered a saltbox style? 

[mpchicago]

36 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

I love that house. It's got such clean lines to it with just the right amount of brickwork/flair above the windows.  Would it be considered a saltbox style? 

I like the black accents on the trim and windows.   I think this would be classified more closely to an Italianate cottage/home.  It definitely has the classic Italianate window caps and porch overhang with supporting corbels. 

[joeDowntown]

7 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

I love that house. It's got such clean lines to it with just the right amount of brickwork/flair above the windows.  Would it be considered a saltbox style? 

I think the roof is wrong to be considered saltbox. It's impressive to see the before and after. No small feat to remove all of that paint. You see it done on large properties, but haven't seen it done often on smaller properties. 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

 

17 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

I think the roof is wrong to be considered saltbox. It's impressive to see the before and after. No small feat to remove all of that paint. You see it done on large properties, but haven't seen it done often on smaller properties. 

Joe

You're right, not sure what I was thinking. Salt box turned sideways.

The St James School project is moving right along. This is a block off of Bridge St to the North, behind St James Church. New townhouses and the school being converted into housing.

[thebeerqueer]

2 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

 

You're right, not sure what I was thinking. Salt box turned sideways.

The St James School project is moving right along. This is a block off of Bridge St to the North, behind St James Church. New townhouses and the school being converted into housing.

The apartments inside the school look great! As a former student of St. James, I'm so glad to see this property repurposed. Looking forward to some more activity in that area. 

[joeDowntown]

1 hour ago, thebeerqueer said:

The apartments inside the school look great! As a former student of St. James, I'm so glad to see this property repurposed. Looking forward to some more activity in that area. 

I drove by and took a look at the townhouses, but never realized the school was being converted as well. Nice! 

Joe

 

[GRDadof3]

4 hours ago, thebeerqueer said:

The apartments inside the school look great! As a former student of St. James, I'm so glad to see this property repurposed. Looking forward to some more activity in that area. 

The school is a beautiful building. 

Anyone know anything about the Edge Flats project at 59 Seward? It was awarded LIHTC credits from the State. 34 unit townhomes. I wonder if it's the same proposal that was put forward back in 2008 that got shot down? 

 

[thebeerqueer]

5 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

The school is a beautiful building. 

Anyone know anything about the Edge Flats project at 59 Seward? It was awarded LIHTC credits from the State. 34 unit townhomes. I wonder if it's the same proposal that was put forward back in 2008 that got shot down? 

 

The school is quite beautiful and durable, my Mom went there too. 

I'm not sure about the 2008 proposal but the Edge Flats proposal came through our NA right before my tenure ended and they seemed to have it pretty well together. I'm at work right now and don't have any of the details  with me but I'll check my notes later. 

[Guest]

Not sure if this has been mentioned anywhere, but the Harrison Park apartments on Alpine topped out on their stairwells and it looks like its going to be a pretty good sized building.  Sorry no pics.

[GRDadof3]

In my 2019 predictions, I talked about a West Side live "music village."  I drive through that area near Douglas St 3 or 4 x a week going to the Y, and the vision finally hit me this week.  But instead of just live music, it would be an open air market mixed with restaurants, live music venues, a farmers market of sorts (something that people wanted out of the Downtown Market but didn't quite hit it). If you've been to the Eastern Market area in Detroit, it might help to see it.

See if you can see it too.  It would involved vacating the short stretch of Douglas between Summer and Winter. (lol) and keeping most of the existing buildings relatively intact. New construction could be added in the vicinity and on the city lots.  With the Circuit West campus going in North of Bridge, which who knows what that will include in addition to Consumers Energy, this could be epic (a game changer.)  

[GVSUChris]

You have no idea how many times I've shared the same vision with others! It is literally set-up like  "district" and you can just imagine all the uses it could have. I also absolutely love the art supply store, because I can imagine it being painted black with huge glass doors opening to what is now its parking, and having it be some kind of epic establishment as well. I love that area and have spent a lot of time thinking the same thoughts you have!

[MJLO]

1 hour ago, GRDadof3 said:

In my 2019 predictions, I talked about a West Side live "music village."  I drive through that area near Douglas St 3 or 4 x a week going to the Y, and the vision finally hit me this week.  But instead of just live music, it would be an open air market mixed with restaurants, live music venues, a farmers market of sorts (something that people wanted out of the Downtown Market but didn't quite hit it). If you've been to the Eastern Market area in Detroit, it might help to see it.

See if you can see it too.  It would involved vacating the short stretch of Douglas between Summer and Winter. (lol) and keeping most of the existing buildings relatively intact. New construction could be added in the vicinity and on the city lots.  With the Circuit West campus going in North of Bridge, which who knows what that will include in addition to Consumers Energy, this could be epic (a game changer.)  

I agree this would be fantastic.  I was walking up Stocking yesterday afternoon and thought that it also is ripe for the taking.  There is so much opportunity in the blocks both north and south of Bridge St.  to continue the "West Villiage" momentum.

[GRDadof3]

57 minutes ago, GVSUChris said:

You have no idea how many times I've shared the same vision with others! It is literally set-up like  "district" and you can just imagine all the uses it could have. I also absolutely love the art supply store, because I can imagine it being painted black with huge glass doors opening to what is now its parking, and having it be some kind of epic establishment as well. I love that area and have spent a lot of time thinking the same thoughts you have!

Let's get r dun! 

There are so many little alleyways and alcoves that create little outdoor "rooms" for different uses. Call the whole thing the Summer - Winter Market. lol.  I think it's what they envisioned happening around the Downtown Market but it ended up just being a bunch of affordable housing (so far). 

Forward Craft Metal owns a big chunk of buildings South of Douglas. Otherwise I think much of the rest of it is owned by Swift Printing (Walt Gutowski)

 

 

 

 

[GRDadof3]

Also this right up the street

[JoeSchmo]

Match this with the idea of Bridge St going to a curbless "shared" street .