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Calder PLAZA to get makeover


GRDadof3

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I'm thrilled to see some of the ideas proposed in golscorer's thesis project.
 

Also the pedestrian bridge over Monroe. Wish I could find the photo showing the icy cascade off the curved facade element and the subsequent barricades and hazard tape; adding a bridge could take care of that issue too.

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1 hour ago, GRDadof3 said:

Which version do you like the best of the three? I'm still undecided (like aspects of all of them)

I like aspects of all three!   I would lean toward Urban Living Room, and add a few features from the other two designs.   The food truck plaza of Modernist Lines makes more sense to me than using the center of the plaza for something temporary in time.   In place of where the food trucks would've been, would be a good location for a water feature, or something to break up the larger expanse just south of the sculpture.   I like the restaurant, but also include the lighted biergarten.   If not, placing it next to the event lawn space.   That way groups could enjoy biergarten, lawn space and food trucks, all in one close proximity.   White birch would also look great as featured in the concept imagery of Sculpture Grove.  Pick and choose might not be an option, but just my thoughts.  

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  • 2 months later...

Here's the full proposal (really well done IMHO). I think it looks great. Love the lighting elements, landscape, treatment of the dreadful Monroe side, etc. 

http://s3.amazonaws.com/downtowngr.org/about/Reimagining-Calder-Downtown-Resident-Network-Presentation-Nov-11-2016.pdf?mtime=20161110102759

I thought this image on page 3 was a perfect "this is why the plaza sucks" photo. Can't get any more bland than this:

Screen_Shot_2016-11-11_at_11_29.10_AM.png

Joe

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13 minutes ago, Prankster said:

Doug Small also mentioned to me recently that the new AC Hotel going into 50 Monroe is great but it's not enough. They need more rooms, or a bigger hotel/conference center project. 250 rooms as mentioned in the article is a sizable hotel. JW Marriott has 337. 

The new hotel portion of the 42 story tower is only 11 floors, so probably 100 rooms tops, based on the small footprint. 

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I've stayed at 1717 Broadway in Manhattan.  It houses two brands for 600+ rooms.   Courtyard floors 6-33, and Residence Inn 37-65.    Could be an opportunity to get two new brands with a similar format (albeit different scope)?    

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  • 1 month later...

This is interesting. No ball drop this New Year's Eve. And this, in talking about the city wanting it at Calder Plaza:

"Yes, it's downtown, but it feels like it's 10 miles away -- especially when you're doing an event," Bradman said of Calder Plaza. "When there's nothing else around there it really hurts the attendance. Space-wise it was the best space but it just didn't feel right."

Will even a re-designed Calder change that? I doubt it. Would a new hotel/conference center next to it change it? 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2016/12/grand_rapids_wont_ring_in_new.html

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31 minutes ago, SEsideguy said:

Yes let's let's fix up the plaza so we can have more events and then don't schedule any events???

That's the guy from the radio station in that quote, saying they don't like doing it at Calder Plaza because the attendance goes way down and it's far away from anything else. My point is, will fixing up the plaza matter? If there's nothing else around there? 

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1 hour ago, GRDadof3 said:

That's the guy from the radio station in that quote, saying they don't like doing it at Calder Plaza because the attendance goes way down and it's far away from anything else. My point is, will fixing up the plaza matter? If there's nothing else around there? 

 

1 hour ago, SEsideguy said:

That is the "BIG" question? I've paid my tickets and my taxes but let's go hang out at City Hall? 

 

I don't blame the station manager, we all know it's an absolutely miserable place...right now.  However, if CWD can pull off their master plan for the 5/3 buildings (with bars, restaurants) possible 500 room hotel on/near plaza, and if access point are added to plaza from Monroe, Lyon, and I argue at Michigan/Monroe (access to Bridge and North Monroe) it could be a pretty good central gathering spot. Fixing up plaza may only matter if these other things fall into place.  

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Still don't see how the preservationists aren't going to have a hissy about how changing the plaza will take away the from the intended experience of the the Calder.

If I had my way, tear up the soviet style plaza and put an east-west street in to break up the block. Make the north side of it a more intimate and pedestrian friendly plaza, and make the south side of it more commercial with mixed use buildings to reactivate the street. 

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7 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

This is interesting. No ball drop this New Year's Eve. And this, in talking about the city wanting it at Calder Plaza:

"Yes, it's downtown, but it feels like it's 10 miles away -- especially when you're doing an event," Bradman said of Calder Plaza. "When there's nothing else around there it really hurts the attendance. Space-wise it was the best space but it just didn't feel right."

Will even a re-designed Calder change that? I doubt it. Would a new hotel/conference center next to it change it? 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2016/12/grand_rapids_wont_ring_in_new.html

That is a disappointment. It did really well on Rosa Parks Circle. I'd agree with him, it does seem like a million miles away from anything. Especially at night, in the winter, with not a restaurant, bar, candy shop, coffee shop, etc. in sight. 

As far as the City and County buildings, used to hate them. Now I like them. I know some people thing they are an eyesore, but be careful what you wish for. A replacement could end up looking worse then what we have now (it has a style, some may not agree, but I'd take this style over some of the boxy metal buildings we've been watching go up). 

The other question is who pays for it? I thought the city just recently did a lot of updating to the building (elevators, windows, etc). 

We don't have Jack Buchanan playing a shell game with dollars this time (no cost to anyone!*). Might be a hard sell.

Joe

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Pull into an underground bunker fortress of a garage, take two elevators to where you gotta go, leave.  No walking to, around or in a building, just halls and corridors. Not very many people to make contact with very sterile. Twenty foot wall along the front block, no outside way to get to street level, elevated walkway across the street "gone". Riding elevators to get to where you have to go with signs on the main floor elevator lobby reading to conserve energy use the revolving door. Few people walk across the plaza to get to the buildings, no need. With the Internet, phones, mail is there really much of a reason the public to go to City Hall? City employees and departments, and commission meetings yes are there but it is a small amount of people. Compare that to the Courthouse and City Hall is dwarfed. Imagine if non governmental buildings were build on top of raised parking garages? There would be absolutely no foot traffic just like City-County plaza. Don't forget to get your parking ramp ticket stamped. I do like the architecture of the buildings just not the application.

 

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20 hours ago, mpchicago said:

 

I don't blame the station manager, we all know it's an absolutely miserable place...right now.  However, if CWD can pull off their master plan for the 5/3 buildings (with bars, restaurants) possible 500 room hotel on/near plaza, and if access point are added to plaza from Monroe, Lyon, and I argue at Michigan/Monroe (access to Bridge and North Monroe) it could be a pretty good central gathering spot. Fixing up plaza may only matter if these other things fall into place.  

Agreed, if all of that stuff comes together, the plaza won't matter. It will be like the front porch for all of that development, like Rosa Parks Circle in the summer. 

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  • 1 year later...

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