Suburban Projects

[wingbert]

On 2/18/2018 at 6:27 PM, GRDadof3 said:

BDR has a big fancy office building going up at Crahen/Forest Hills Ave and Fulton now, it appears (they have a sign on the property). This would be on that new parcel created/split when Crahen was moved East to intersect with Forest Hills Ave. 

Nice.  Move the road to alleviate some of the issues then turn loose the development to exacerbate the issues once again.  It will be interesting to see what else develops at that intersection.  There are curb cuts on the east side of the new stretch of road leading to that parcel they cleared between Crahen, Fulton and the railroad tracks (but no right turn lane.  Can't wait for the  increase in rear-end collisions when people race north across that intersection then someone slams on their brakes to turn right.

[GRDadof3]

1 hour ago, wingbert said:

Nice.  Move the road to alleviate some of the issues then turn loose the development to exacerbate the issues once again.  It will be interesting to see what else develops at that intersection.  There are curb cuts on the east side of the new stretch of road leading to that parcel they cleared between Crahen, Fulton and the railroad tracks (but no right turn lane.  Can't wait for the  increase in rear-end collisions when people race north across that intersection then someone slams on their brakes to turn right.

That's where the sign is for the new office building, on the East side of the new road. 

[Raildude's dad]

6 hours ago, wingbert said:

Nice.  Move the road to alleviate some of the issues then turn loose the development to exacerbate the issues once again.  It will be interesting to see what else develops at that intersection.  There are curb cuts on the east side of the new stretch of road leading to that parcel they cleared between Crahen, Fulton and the railroad tracks (but no right turn lane.  Can't wait for the  increase in rear-end collisions when people race north across that intersection then someone slams on their brakes to turn right.

And where would you suggest the driveway(s) be located? Most people don't slam on their brakes to make a right turn, turn signals? It's not like you won't see the building because it's hidden by trees.

[Guest]

All the trees have been cleared at 1040 Spaulding.  Anyone know what's going in there?  I would guess housing or offices.

[wingbert]

59 minutes ago, Raildude's dad said:

And where would you suggest the driveway(s) be located? Most people don't slam on their brakes to make a right turn, turn signals? It's not like you won't see the building because it's hidden by trees.

I would suggest they should've planned ahead and put a turn lane in for the curb cut.  Clearly you've never driven north on East Paris across 28th street only to have chuckleheads need to turn into the Speedway or La Cantina or Baker Book House.  

6 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

That's where the sign is for the new office building, on the East side of the new road. 

I saw that today.  When you said the parcel that was created, I thought you meant the  space to the west that was "created" when they moved the road east and where they are also clearing some vegetation.  Sorry about the confusion.

[Raildude's dad]

16 minutes ago, wingbert said:

I would suggest they should've planned ahead and put a turn lane in for the curb cut.  Clearly you've never driven north on East Paris across 28th street only to have chuckleheads need to turn into the Speedway or La Cantina or Baker Book House.  

I saw that today.  When you said the parcel that was created, I thought you meant the  space to the west that was "created" when they moved the road east and where they are also clearing some vegetation.  Sorry about the confusion.

The traffic count on Crahen is 9100 vehicles/ day, East Paris north of 28th 19,000/ day. Plus, they have not applied for a permit to complete the drive. An intensive car traffic use could change what's required

 

50 minutes ago, Floyd_Z said:

All the trees have been cleared at 1040 Spaulding.  Anyone know what's going in there?  I would guess housing or offices.

Multi-family PUD

[GRDadof3]

13 hours ago, Raildude's dad said:

The traffic count on Crahen is 9100 vehicles/ day, East Paris north of 28th 19,000/ day. Plus, they have not applied for a permit to complete the drive. An intensive car traffic use could change what's required

 

Multi-family PUD

74 townhomes to be exact. Johnathan Wheeler is the developer although it doesn't appear to be under the Orion name. 

[wingbert]

23 hours ago, Raildude's dad said:

The traffic count on Crahen is 9100 vehicles/ day, East Paris north of 28th 19,000/ day. Plus, they have not applied for a permit to complete the drive. An intensive car traffic use could change what's required

Kinda like how they said traffic counts didn't indicate a left turn light was needed onto Fulton even though people who drive through there every day were crying to the news media about it right from the get-go?  They changed their tune pretty quickly on that one after further investigation and installed the left turn arrow.

[GRDadof3]

53 minutes ago, wingbert said:

Kinda like how they said traffic counts didn't indicate a left turn light was needed onto Fulton even though people who drive through there every day were crying to the news media about it right from the get-go?  They changed their tune pretty quickly on that one after further investigation and installed the left turn arrow.

I drove by there again today and the curb-cut to the BDR property/development site is quite a ways off of Fulton. It's actually almost to the bridge over the railroad tracks. It's nothing like the gas station and La Cantina you were talking about. 

[wingbert]

15 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

I drove by there again today and the curb-cut to the BDR property/development site is quite a ways off of Fulton. It's actually almost to the bridge over the railroad tracks. It's nothing like the gas station and La Cantina you were talking about. 

Yeeessssss, but drive it every day.  People are just starting to get up to speed at that point.  But hey, I hope you're right and it's nothing.   Maybe the drivers of west michigan will suddenly all become more courteous, careful and aware of their surroundings and all will be right with the world.   It's all good, forget I said anything.

[GRDadof3]

It's weird, the new Licari's out in Hudsonville seems to be a stand-alone building, like an Applebees. Way out at Baldwin and 36th. Head scratcher for sure. 

Across the street at the same intersection, CopperRock Construction is staring work on a new retail development. I'm seeing their signs all over the Hudsonville area lately.

 

[GRDadof3]

I didn't realize the Jamestown Meijer was so far along. It hadn't even broken ground when I was out there last. That area is set to be the next boomtown. 

 

[GRLaker]

45 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

I didn't realize the Jamestown Meijer was so far along. It hadn't even broken ground when I was out there last. That area is set to be the next boomtown. 

 

You're right. When it's all said and done, Hudsonville will likely overtake Rockford and Kentwood in school enrollment. The growth in northern Hudsonville is staying consistent and this - along with some other commercial and healthcare development - will lead to quite the increase in Jamestown. In my opinion, its proximity to the highway makes it more ideal than the developments in northern Georgetown Twp and Allendale.

Edited March 2, 2018 by GRLaker

[GRDadof3]

1 hour ago, GRLaker said:

You're right. When it's all said and done, Hudsonville will likely overtake Rockford and Kentwood in school enrollment. The growth in northern Hudsonville is staying consistent and this - along with some other commercial and healthcare development - will lead to quite the increase in Jamestown. In my opinion, its proximity to the highway makes it more ideal than the developments in northern Georgetown Twp and Allendale.

Yep, that whole wedge between I-196 and Byron Road from Jamestown to Zeeland can probably support 10's of thousands of people, if Hudsonville continues to extend water service to those areas. It's all open farmland, pretty easy to flip to housing developments.  With not a lot of trees and the rolling hills, the housing going in out there reminds me of the Denver (far) suburbs. 

[wingbert]

Now may be the time to start considering a West Beltline before everything becomes sprawl and right-of-ways become harder to acquire.

[GRLaker]

47 minutes ago, wingbert said:

Now may be the time to start considering a West Beltline before everything becomes sprawl and right-of-ways become harder to acquire.

Agreed. I would also like to see a connector over the Grand River that alleviates the traffic congestion on Cottonwood/Baldwin and Baldwin/Chicago Drive. As it stands now, that whole region is bottle-necked into that area to get to Grand Rapids and the traffic buildup reflects that.

[Raildudes dad]

On 2/21/2018 at 6:36 PM, wingbert said:

Kinda like how they said traffic counts didn't indicate a left turn light was needed onto Fulton even though people who drive through there every day were crying to the news media about it right from the get-go?  They changed their tune pretty quickly on that one after further investigation and installed the left turn arrow.

MDOT was the agency that didn't think there was a need for the left turn.They had to study it first

2 hours ago, GRLaker said:

Agreed. I would also like to see a connector over the Grand River that alleviates the traffic congestion on Cottonwood/Baldwin and Baldwin/Chicago Drive. As it stands now, that whole region is bottle-necked into that area to get to Grand Rapids and the traffic buildup reflects that.

 

2 hours ago, wingbert said:

Now may be the time to start considering a West Beltline before everything becomes sprawl and right-of-ways become harder to acquire.

Don't hold your breath. It took decades to extend 44th St west of Kenowa to Port Sheldon. The predecessor to GVMC was pushing it. It's the only project I can remember in 47 years that was allowed to use local Federal highway dollars to purchase ROW. There is no push for what you are suggesting, thus it not likely.

Edited March 2, 2018 by Raildudes dad

[GRDadof3]

10 hours ago, wingbert said:

Now may be the time to start considering a West Beltline before everything becomes sprawl and right-of-ways become harder to acquire.

48th would make the most sense. It already has an interchange at I-96 at the North end, and doesn't run right through downtown Hudsonville at the South end.  It's also a 4 lane boulevard near GVSU already too. 

[GRDadof3]

The "fowling" place is now open:

http://fox17online.com/2018/03/04/fowling-warehouse-grand-rapids-now-open/

And people were camped out overnight at the Chik-fil-a at 28th and the Beltline the other day to get free chicken for a year. 

 

[thebeerqueer]

On 3/2/2018 at 8:25 AM, GRDadof3 said:

I didn't realize the Jamestown Meijer was so far along. It hadn't even broken ground when I was out there last. That area is set to be the next boomtown. 

 

I could see the taller portions of the entrances from the highway on my commute yesterday. I guess I didn't realize it was that far along either. 

[RegalTDP]

6 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

The "fowling" place is now open:

http://fox17online.com/2018/03/04/fowling-warehouse-grand-rapids-now-open/

And people were camped out overnight at the Chik-fil-a at 28th and the Beltline the other day to get free chicken for a year. 

 

At least in Baseketball you get to psych people out.

[GRDadof3]

The failed Crooked Goose out in Standale is being replaced by "Stan Diego" which sounds like a cheesy name but I kinda like it. 

And the Tacqueria concept out there I think will do well:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/standiegogr/about/?ref=page_internal

I'm actually looking forward to checking it out, since I'm out that way several times a week. 

[ZAP!]

On 3/6/2018 at 9:00 AM, GRDadof3 said:

The "fowling" place is now open:

http://fox17online.com/2018/03/04/fowling-warehouse-grand-rapids-now-open/

Fowling sounds like the hottest new craze you'd see in some zany retrofuture.

[grandrollerz]

Grand Valley Dentistry in Allendale is building a new facility on Richard and LMD East near 60th. Haven't seen plans yet.

Selfishly this is great as this would explain how Spectrum Health can be considering an employee park and ride at this location (48th and LMD). Sure, I'd have to take the 37 Shuttle to the 50 at Kirkhoff, but it's almost perfect!

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk

[GRDadof3]

Bengston Center for Plastic Surgery is going to town on their new huge facility on East Paris near Burton, using a crane that seems to be WAYYYY too big for this project. You can see it from over a mile away. I would say this crane is surgically enhanced.