New projects on the West Side

[GRain]

17 minutes ago, thebeerqueer said:

There's a Turnstiles sign on the building across from the Clique on Stocking. Did the location move from Leonard to Stocking? Doesn't look like there's too much work going on in the building on Stocking. 

Found this article that explains the move: https://mibiz.com/sections/real-estate-development/new-bar-live-music-spot-turnstiles-opening-on-gr-s-west-side?fbclid=IwAR1CMrPlr2ks39HVgdvRdcMAntmmXtCRg9qOueq_KdtRbSqSYPi58NjREy4

I seem to recognize some of the people involved.   IIRC, they were, shall we say, very customer-friendly bartenders.  But I cant really remember where.  Might have been a couple places?  Anyway, if that is actually them, then owning a place will require an absolute and complete change of mindset, lol.  I hope they make it!   It helps if Rockford is on their side.

[whitemice]

The old YMCA / Geek Group site (900 Leonard St. NW)
https://mibiz.com/sections/real-estate-development/mixed-use-project-planned-at-former-ymca-on-grand-rapids-west-side-calls-for-119-apartments

119 units:: 40 studios ($930/mo), 50 single bedroom ($1,170/mo), 20 two bedroom ($1,500/mo)
Four stories
Ground floor commercial space.
Developer will pay for adjacent bus stop shelter, provide tenants with WAVE cards, and parking is with a shared-use agreement with the church next door.

[Floyd_Z]

Quote

Hoedeman’s plans include a 1,500-square-foot, four-story building that would contain 119 market-rate residential units and ground floor retail space. Ten new jobs are planned to be created by the tenant of the commercial space. 

1500sqft / 119 Units = 12.6sqft/unit.....

[Pattmost20]

18 minutes ago, Floyd_Z said:

1500sqft / 119 Units = 12.6sqft/unit.....

They just strap you in to a vertical bed and inject you with Ambien every night.

[Floyd_Z]

3 minutes ago, Pattmost20 said:

They just strap you in to a vertical bed and inject you with Ambien every night.

or this......

[GRDadof3]

On Bridge Street, Kale's is for sales. 

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/owner-selling-iconic-kales-korner-bar-on-grand-rapids-west-side/

Sounds pricy until you realize it includes the lot across the street and the lot out in the back. 

 

[Floyd_Z]

2 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

On Bridge Street, Kale's is for sales. 

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/owner-selling-iconic-kales-korner-bar-on-grand-rapids-west-side/

Sounds pricy until you realize it includes the lot across the street and the lot out in the back. 

 

I was wondering when this would happen.  I wish the planning commision would do away with height restrictions with all of the lack of housing.  Something larger than 5 stories would be nice.

$100 says Rockford buys it.  I wonder how much longer El Sombrero will last.

[cstonesparty]

4 hours ago, Floyd_Z said:

I was wondering when this would happen.  I wish the planning commision would do away with height restrictions with all of the lack of housing.  Something larger than 5 stories would be nice.

$100 says Rockford buys it.  I wonder how much longer El Sombrero will last.

I wonder if a developer offered El Sombrero a sweetheart lease in a new building if they'd do it...

[mpchicago]

40 minutes ago, cstonesparty said:

I wonder if a developer offered El Sombrero a sweetheart lease in a new building if they'd do it...

SIBSCO (Secchia family) owns the El Sombrero building and property.   I'm surprised they have not come forward with mixed use proposal for the property yet. 

[mgreven]

46 minutes ago, mpchicago said:

SIBSCO (Secchia family) owns the El Sombrero building and property.   I'm surprised they have not come forward with mixed use proposal for the property yet. 

I was about to comment that.  I wonder if they would buy Kale's and combine it into something bigger...that would be cool.  Like cstoneparty said, keep El Sombrero on the ground floor.  =)

[Floyd_Z]

Is it Rockford that owns Duthlers and the old bank on Bridge?  The LLC's for them seem similar to other Rockford properties.

I'm a little surprised they haven't done anything with those.  Again, something higher than five stories would be nice.  I think the planning commision is reviewing their master plan this year, maybe they'll increase the height limits to be more reflective pof a real city.  They seem kinda restrictive.

[Khorasaurus1]

1 hour ago, Floyd_Z said:

Is it Rockford that owns Duthlers and the old bank on Bridge?  The LLC's for them seem similar to other Rockford properties.

I'm a little surprised they haven't done anything with those.  Again, something higher than five stories would be nice.  I think the planning commision is reviewing their master plan this year, maybe they'll increase the height limits to be more reflective pof a real city.  They seem kinda restrictive.

There may be an impediment to increased height in Stockbridge. The City wants the industrial uses on Front between 196 and Leonard to, over time,  redevelop into mixed use with a continuous riverfront walkway. Current zoning incentivizes developers to build the walkway (and allow it to be open to the public) by offering additional height.  If too much height is allowed in Stockbridge, that will reduce demand for mixed use on the riverfront, meaning no continuous walkway. 

[joeDowntown]

27 minutes ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

There may be an impediment to increased height in Stockbridge. The City wants the industrial uses on Front between 196 and Leonard to, over time,  redevelop into mixed use with a continuous riverfront walkway. Current zoning incentivizes developers to build the walkway (and allow it to be open to the public) by offering additional height.  If too much height is allowed in Stockbridge, that will reduce demand for mixed use on the riverfront, meaning no continuous walkway. 

I’m pretty sure the city started allowing up to 10 stories on the near west side (with a buffer zone around Seward). Am I making this up?

[thebeerqueer]

14 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

I’m pretty sure the city started allowing up to 10 stories on the near west side (with a buffer zone around Seward). Am I making this up?

I feel like that was approved for east of Seward Ave. 

[Khorasaurus1]

Ok, I looked in the Zoning Ordinance. It's a little chaotic, but here's what I found.

West of  the library-ish, Bridge is zoned TBA (Traditional Business Area), which has a 3 story limit (up to 4 with bonuses). 

From the library to Stocking (on the north) and the library to Seward (on the south), Bridge is zoned TCC Transitional City Center, which is 4 stories (5 with bonuses).

Stocking to Seward (Bridge Street Market) is a Planned Redevelopment, so presumably the height was negotiated between the developer and the City. 

East of Seward, Bridge is zoned CC (City Center), which I don't see a limit on, but I could just be missing it. Certainly that's the zoning district that allows the most height. 

 

[Cookin_peacocks]

One of my favorite anecdotes about building height is a new highrise in Ottawa that I believe is the tallest in the city is on the same block as single family houses.

[Khorasaurus1]

9 minutes ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

One of my favorite anecdotes about building height is a new highrise in Ottawa that I believe is the tallest in the city is on the same block as single family houses.

This is known as an "Atlanta."

[whitemice]

20 hours ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

which has a 3 story limit (up to 4 with bonuses

There is a change which is  either very recent or still in the pipes to remove the 4-with-bonus and make it simple-4.  I though that was part of the same revision as the ground floor residential.

The PCs comment was that nobody used the 4-with-bonus as it was too complicated for too little.
https://www.grandrapidsmi.gov/files/assets/public/meetings/city-commission/2021-01-12/2021-01-12-proposed-zoning-tex-amendments.pdf

Aside#1: I have no idea why "ADU requirements vs construction costs" is a bullet point on slide 4.
Aside#2: Frustrating and ironic that this can pop-up and be approved in 70 days, the process arguments around land-use policy are so utterly bogus.  Where was the "deep community engagement" required for Zoning changes?

Edited March 19, 2021 by whitemice

[Floyd_Z]

Already pending........

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/sale-pending-on-iconic-kales-korner-bar-in-grand-rapids/

[GRDadof3]

1 hour ago, Floyd_Z said:

Already pending........

https://www.woodtv.com/news/grand-rapids/sale-pending-on-iconic-kales-korner-bar-in-grand-rapids/

Not surprising. 

[Cookin_peacocks]

Not sure if this has been covered, but Sullivan Field is getting renovated next year per a Facebook group about old ballparks I belong to

[Floyd_Z]

I see the building right next to Kales is now for sale, I can't seem to find a listing though

[thebeerqueer]

On 4/17/2021 at 8:39 AM, Floyd_Z said:

I see the building right next to Kales is now for sale, I can't seem to find a listing though

I noticed that too, walking by it a couple weeks ago. It was the Mayan Buzz Ice Cream/Tamales shop but never seemed to get off the ground. They also vacated their space in the Bridge St Market. 

[joeDowntown]

Looks like "Bloomfields" (Cannabis) is looking to build a 3 story building at Fulton and Lexington (currently an empty lot). Looks like they'll rent office space on the 2nd and 3rd level. Definitely adds infill to that area. My only gripe is it'd be nice if they had less parking (which probably isn't feasible) and the facade went was contiguous with the building to the west. 

 

 

 

[thebeerqueer]

1 hour ago, joeDowntown said:

My only gripe is it'd be nice if they had less parking (which probably isn't feasible) and the facade went was contiguous with the building to the west. 

The curb cut out onto Fulton isn't my favorite thing either. Does anyone know how Bloomfields is involved in the cannabis industry? I couldn't find anything on the googles.