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New projects on the West Side


GRDadof3

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3 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

I see that Rockford is tearing down the houses right behind 616's project on Alabama. This was just for "future development" correct? Nothing definitive announced yet? 

Correct. I have to say it looks much better without the 2 blocks of ramshackle houses. 

Speaking of the west side, I went to New Holland on Friday. Amazing. I can't even imagine how much money they put into the buildout. It's pretty incredible (food, beer and service we're great too). 

Joe

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  • 2 weeks later...

Looks like the string of buildings that was Louie's Bar/Rocket Lounge/20th Century Meat is getting close to filling up. "One Bourbon" will be opening in the old LB/RL building, and they are looking through proposals for the old 20th Century building.

https://mibiz.com/item/24248-investors-scoop-up-5-properties-on-grand-rapids’-west-side

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Cool.  Thanks for sharing that article!  With my wife's building next door to Louie's, we knew Ryan had ideas for it but the fact that they're talking about it is a great sign that it will keep moving.  They even have a website up... http://onebourbongr.com  The restaurant sounds kind of like the new Butcher's Union going in down the street.  Will be interesting to see how things play out with all these new restaurants.  It's great those buildings are getting life - they need it. =)

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  • 2 weeks later...
17 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

Wow! Ferris Coffee and Nut are buying the 165,000 sf American Seating building on Seward for their new HQ. 

http://www.wzzm13.com/money/business/grbj/coffee-company-buys-west-side-building-for-hq/373702394

So does that mean they are vacating their current facility? That would be an interesting development site in a hot corridor (also "bridges" the gap between GVSU and Bridge Street). 

Didnt realize they were that big. Good for them!

Joe

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1 hour ago, GRDadof3 said:

Wow! Ferris Coffee and Nut are buying the 165,000 sf American Seating building on Seward for their new HQ. 

http://www.wzzm13.com/money/business/grbj/coffee-company-buys-west-side-building-for-hq/373702394

They talk about bringing all their employees under one roof, do you think that means they'll leave their current spot on Winter ave? It would be a prime spot for redevelopment if they did ever sell. 

Edit: I just realized Joe asked the same question. Still though, I'd be curious to see their plans. 

Edited by Pattmost20
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10 hours ago, Pattmost20 said:

They talk about bringing all their employees under one roof, do you think that means they'll leave their current spot on Winter ave? It would be a prime spot for redevelopment if they did ever sell. 

Edit: I just realized Joe asked the same question. Still though, I'd be curious to see their plans. 

I'll see what I can find out

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The article made it sound like they would vacate their current (and might i add newly expanded space) on Winter.  Seems like the building would be a good fit for another manufacturer.  Seems silly to knock it down, but I'm not a developer, so what do I know?   What I'm interested in, is the status of American Seating.  They are vacating a large manufacturing facility that they built in the early 90's Are they cutting workforce?   Anyone know the story there?

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4 hours ago, mpchicago said:

The article made it sound like they would vacate their current (and might i add newly expanded space) on Winter.  Seems like the building would be a good fit for another manufacturer.  Seems silly to knock it down, but I'm not a developer, so what do I know?   What I'm interested in, is the status of American Seating.  They are vacating a large manufacturing facility that they built in the early 90's Are they cutting workforce?   Anyone know the story there?

Last I heard they demolished a few empty buildings and are converting them into landscaping. They said that new buildings might be developed there too but not for awhile.

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5 hours ago, mpchicago said:

The article made it sound like they would vacate their current (and might i add newly expanded space) on Winter.  Seems like the building would be a good fit for another manufacturer.  Seems silly to knock it down, but I'm not a developer, so what do I know?   What I'm interested in, is the status of American Seating.  They are vacating a large manufacturing facility that they built in the early 90's Are they cutting workforce?   Anyone know the story there?

They just invested quite a bit into the building on Winter. I remember seeing something on the city's agenda about a year ago? 

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On 12/20/2016 at 11:33 AM, mpchicago said:

The article made it sound like they would vacate their current (and might i add newly expanded space) on Winter.  Seems like the building would be a good fit for another manufacturer.  Seems silly to knock it down, but I'm not a developer, so what do I know?   What I'm interested in, is the status of American Seating.  They are vacating a large manufacturing facility that they built in the early 90's Are they cutting workforce?   Anyone know the story there?

I don't think it's the right place anymore for a manufacturing building like this.

The structure itself creates a horrible dead zone along the street, not to mention the parking lot and retail store front that mostly only faces that lot.

I'm strange, but when I see it, I think why on Earth would I want to go to a coffee shop, next to downtown, to drink coffee in a place that looks more suited to be next to 29th street, with a view of acres of used cars?

 

Especially with all of the development taking place around it, my fear is that it WONT get torn down and rebuilt, or at least severely modified so Winter isn't fronted with that hideous blank wall on one side and the YMCA's parking lot on the other.

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1 hour ago, GR_Urbanist said:

I don't think it's the right place anymore for a manufacturing building like this.

The structure itself creates a horrible dead zone along the street, not to mention the parking lot and retail store front that mostly only faces that lot.

I'm strange, but when I see it, I think why on Earth would I want to go to a coffee shop, next to downtown, to drink coffee in a place that looks more suited to be next to 29th street, with a view of acres of used cars?

 

Especially with all of the development taking place around it, my fear is that it WONT get torn down and rebuilt, or at least severely modified so Winter isn't fronted with that hideous blank wall on one side and the YMCA's parking lot on the other.

I agree with you, in a perfect world it would be great to develop this along with all the Dash lots.   I think the concentration of development, will continue on and north of Bridge for the near future though.

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2 hours ago, GR_Urbanist said:

I don't think it's the right place anymore for a manufacturing building like this.

The structure itself creates a horrible dead zone along the street, not to mention the parking lot and retail store front that mostly only faces that lot.

I'm strange, but when I see it, I think why on Earth would I want to go to a coffee shop, next to downtown, to drink coffee in a place that looks more suited to be next to 29th street, with a view of acres of used cars?

 

Especially with all of the development taking place around it, my fear is that it WONT get torn down and rebuilt, or at least severely modified so Winter isn't fronted with that hideous blank wall on one side and the YMCA's parking lot on the other.

That coffee shop is one of the busiest downtown. I agree it seems like it's a weird place for a coffee shop, but it's apparently convenient for a lot of people (I assume mostly GVSU students). 

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15 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

That coffee shop is one of the busiest downtown. I agree it seems like it's a weird place for a coffee shop, but it's apparently convenient for a lot of people (I assume mostly GVSU students). 

There are many "tech" companies on the west side that use that shop as a meeting spot, alternative work environment, business coffee spot. I used to use it when I was working on the west side, north of Bridge.  Its easier to meet there than downtown shops, free parking, easy on and off the highway, if needed.  It also had more space, better seating, and more privacy than many other shops. But now that Ferris has their coffee shop  at 40 Pearl, in the Trust building, they have Start Garden above them and probably pull a similar spread of customers.  Maybe the Pearl location is taking over the retail arm of the Winter location.

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  • 2 weeks later...

If someone more savvy than myself can get in there and crop it out, the renderings of the Jolly Pumpkin are in this week's Design Team agenda for the Engineering Department. Personally I feel like it leaves a lot to be desired - especially given that it includes a parking lot and far less of a mixed-use component than I expected it might have had. Oh well - it'll bring even more vitality to that street so that is certainly exciting. 

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