Heritage Hill / Cherry Hill / Wealthy Street Updates

[joeDowntown]

I can't believe we don't already have a thread dedicated to the three historic neighborhoods near downtown. Have at it!

Joe

[GVSUChris]

So this is the store I've referenced in a few forums on here over the last year. We just opened (soft phase) a few weeks ago and it has been amazing. The Grand opening is October 1 but we are already getting a quick sense for what does and doesn't work and are excited to grow with the city! A while back I said I would post pictures but thankfully MLive/GRPress did a decent job with photos even though the layout and amount of merchandise will change a lot before 10/1. 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2016/09/local_business_owners_open_fir.html#incart_river_home

[GRDadof3]

4 hours ago, GVSUChris said:

So this is the store I've referenced in a few forums on here over the last year. We just opened (soft phase) a few weeks ago and it has been amazing. The Grand opening is October 1 but we are already getting a quick sense for what does and doesn't work and are excited to grow with the city! A while back I said I would post pictures but thankfully MLive/GRPress did a decent job with photos even though the layout and amount of merchandise will change a lot before 10/1. 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2016/09/local_business_owners_open_fir.html#incart_river_home

My (Junior in High School) daughter is really excited to check out your store, she's a big reader of real books. She's been pretty busy with school though, hopefully this weekend. 

[GRDadof3]

The owners of Wealthy Street Bakery are seeing permission to tear down the house on the corner between them and Rowster, saying that it's a structural mess and a danger to the public (paraphrasing). They plan to just grade and plant grass for the time being. 

https://www.google.com/maps/@42.9556688,-85.6535082,3a,75y,156.13h,78.94t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1s3Z6NnhNTUfNbeFd6TLY3LA!2e0!7i13312!8i6656!6m1!1e1

(nice jeeps  

 

Also, GRGridGirl put out a FB post saying that possibly the billboard on the side of the Meanwhile has run out of lease? (It's permanently gone).

[joeDowntown]

Getting rid of the billboard would be great! I'd be surprised if they were given permission to knock down the house. I've seen worse and I think it could be salvaged. I think it could be "upgraded" and make a really nice retail storefront / cafe.

Joe

[GRDadof3]

9 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

Getting rid of the billboard would be great! I'd be surprised if they were given permission to knock down the house. I've seen worse and I think it could be salvaged. I think it could be "upgraded" and make a really nice retail storefront / cafe.

Joe

You don't understand, it's GONE.

[joeDowntown]

Wow. Nice! Now if they could get rid of the other one on this stretch. 

[GR_Urbanist]

1 hour ago, joeDowntown said:

Getting rid of the billboard would be great! I'd be surprised if they were given permission to knock down the house. I've seen worse and I think it could be salvaged. I think it could be "upgraded" and make a really nice retail storefront / cafe.

Joe

If they make the space, until they get around to anything, into a respectable pocket park, where people can sit or eat, then it should be ok for a little while.

 

They still have that building across the street that they really need to move on, and really should not be taking on any more projects or expansions until they clean up their mess.

[GRDadof3]

The garden level space in the Oakwood Manner that went up for lease recently, now has a restaurant operator (owner of SpeakEZ) looking at opening a restaurant there. 

 

[mpchicago]

Orion's Heritage Place apartment project is underway on College Ave.  Ground was broken yesterday.  Should open in summer of 2018,  Not the most original name.

[wingbert]

41 minutes ago, mpchicago said:

Orion's Heritage Place apartment project is underway on College Ave.  Ground was broken yesterday.  Should open in summer of 2018,  Not the most original name.

[Pattmost20]

On 6/17/2017 at 2:16 PM, GRDadof3 said:

The garden level space in the Oakwood Manner that went up for lease recently, now has a restaurant operator (owner of SpeakEZ) looking at opening a restaurant there. 

 

I believe this one has stalled, I think they were asking too much for rent.

[x99]

Landed in my email box and haven't gotten to posting it here.  Campaign is being led by the city to get Wood TV studios and a bunch of other modernish buildings in Heritage Hill listed as contributing historic structures... Basically almost everything before 1970 becomes untouchable.  Dumb.

[GRDadof3]

This project at the corner of Cherry and Eastern is back before the HPC today. As you may recall, this is the same developer as 601 Lake Michigan Drive (at Seward).

Addition of two new buildings, retaining the existing home on the corner, and renovation of the existing building at 200 Eastern. 

 

 

 

 

[mpchicago]

It appears that they made some minor changes from the last renderings presented in 2015, see below.  This is still one of the best infill projects in town, and in general still like the design of both buildings.  Did they change from red brick to grey on the Eastern building?  Hmm....

[GRDadof3]

23 minutes ago, mpchicago said:

It appears that they made some minor changes from the last renderings presented in 2015, see below.  This is still one of the best infill projects in town, and in general still like the design of both buildings.  Did they change from red brick to grey on the Eastern building?  Hmm....

Looks like it. Grays are all the rage right now, but red brick is classic I'm sure it will make a comeback. 

[joeDowntown]

I agree. Great infill, and I can't wait to see the old Project Rehab buildings (both the house and the brick building) get restored. I hope this goes through.

Joe

[GR_Urbanist]

I am so glad to see this back up! They even put on a bit extra behind the building on Eastern and made it look less boring with the style changes and new color.

I will light candles and say prayers. Let's get some dirt turned!

[Morris]

Just what we need, more flat roof boxes! Of course, I count 16 parking spaces for 3 buildings.....but it's right on the bus line!

[joeDowntown]

3 hours ago, Morris said:

Just what we need, more flat roof boxes! Of course, I count 16 parking spaces for 3 buildings.....but it's right on the bus line!

If you have nothing to contribute other than jumping into a bunch of topics and posting snark, you can stop. There’s a perfect place for your comments: mlive.com. 

Thanks!

Joe

[thebeerqueer]

4 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

If you have nothing to contribute other than jumping into a bunch of topics and posting snark, you can stop. There’s a perfect place for your comments: mlive.com. 

Thanks!

Joe

Mic drop!

[Morris]

On 11/2/2017 at 7:22 AM, joeDowntown said:

If you have nothing to contribute other than jumping into a bunch of topics and posting snark, you can stop. There’s a perfect place for your comments: mlive.com. 

Thanks!

Joe

I am not anti-growth, I am for building quality housing, that blends with the surrounding neighborhood. Most of these rental projects tend to infill their property as much as possible, building up to the property lines, no green space, little parking, and have large buildings that look like sore thumbs in the surrounding area, with cheap looking outside designs, that make it look like  tenement housing. Do you think these infills with rental units help the neighborhoods? In my years of living with renters next door, they expect you to clean the joint driveway, clean around their cars with snow removal, clean their walk, too lazy to do anything, like picking up a piece of trash, and block your driveway, because there is no parking spots in front because of inadequate parking. I lived across the street from a flat roof older apartment house, was owned by a slumlord, with some of the tenants that were bad.  Did I mention about the rats and trash problems there?  I do not want this city peppered with apartment buildings that in 20 to 30 years, be like that building. I care what happens, and will crusade to build quality housing, that will stand up to time, with quality people that live there.  What do you think what will happen when there's another recession?  Some of these buildings will go back to the bank, and the new landlords that buy it in foreclosure , that could be worse. 

Now I will get back down from my soapbox, and let all your cheerleaders have this forum!    You don't see the big picture!

 

[joeDowntown]

I’m actually acutely aware of the housing situation down in Heritage Hill. And there are slumlords large and small all over the Hill. Some of them buy big beautiful houses and then charge $3500 per month. They turn a blind eye when 7-10 students move in.

But what does that have to do with new housing options? That’s a landlord problem. And a city enforcement problem.  So is your gripe with the type of dwelling or the enforcement of rules? I bet this development has more parking per resident than a lot of the beautiful houses (not built with the automobile in mind that have 2,3 or four apartments. 

Developers need to come to the table with smart plans, but you seem to be mad about something that can happen regardless of building type. 

Joe 

[Morris]

200 Madison up for auction December 4, 2018

https://bid.lastbidrealestate.com/properties/1341029#YXVjdGlvbltpZF09MzMxMiZhdWN0aW9uW2xvY2F0aW9uXT1hbGwmYXVjdGlvbltzdGF0dXNdPXVwY29taW5nJmF1Y3Rpb25bdHlwZV09YWxsJmZpbHRlcj1mb3ItYXVjdGlvbiZmaXJzdD10cnVlJmZvcm1hdD1ncmlkJmlkPTEzNDEwMjkmbGltaXQ9MzAmbG90W2NhdGVnb3J5XT1hbGwmbG90W2xvY2F0aW9uXT1hbGwmbG90W21pbGVfcmFkaXVzXT0yNSZtaWxlX3JhZGl1cz0yNSZvZmZzZXQ9MiZwYWdlPTE.

[GRDadof3]

7 hours ago, Morris said:

200 Madison up for auction December 4, 2018

https://bid.lastbidrealestate.com/properties/1341029#YXVjdGlvbltpZF09MzMxMiZhdWN0aW9uW2xvY2F0aW9uXT1hbGwmYXVjdGlvbltzdGF0dXNdPXVwY29taW5nJmF1Y3Rpb25bdHlwZV09YWxsJmZpbHRlcj1mb3ItYXVjdGlvbiZmaXJzdD10cnVlJmZvcm1hdD1ncmlkJmlkPTEzNDEwMjkmbGltaXQ9MzAmbG90W2NhdGVnb3J5XT1hbGwmbG90W2xvY2F0aW9uXT1hbGwmbG90W21pbGVfcmFkaXVzXT0yNSZtaWxlX3JhZGl1cz0yNSZvZmZzZXQ9MiZwYWdlPTE.

That church has been for sale for a couple of years I believe? Not too bad of a price but to turn it into something like residential would be pricey. 

https://mls.carwm.com/listing/30181466/200-Madison-Ave-SE-Grand-Rapids-MI-49503