Suburban Projects

[GRDadof3]

22 hours ago, organsnyder said:

Nobody works downtown anymore. It's too crowded.

I don't know that the "net" number of new people working downtown is much more than the 500 at Spectrum in 25 Ottawa. Anyone know for sure? 

[GRLaker]

I've said it before and I will say it again. GR needs more than Spectrum's bloat. That bubble will eventually burst, as their current acquisition and retention practices are unsustainable. The Right Place would be wise to court large companies to set up shop downtown rather than out in the burbs. Even one would be huge for this city.  

[GRDadof3]

23 hours ago, GRLaker said:

I've said it before and I will say it again. GR needs more than Spectrum's bloat. That bubble will eventually burst, as their current acquisition and retention practices are unsustainable. The Right Place would be wise to court large companies to set up shop downtown rather than out in the burbs. Even one would be huge for this city.  

The Right Place has specifically told me in the past that promoting downtown as a place to do business is not in their job description. Most of their clients are out in the burbs.

[GRLaker]

7 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

The Right Place has specifically told me in the past that promoting downtown as a place to do business is not in their job description. Most of their clients are out in the burbs.

That is very interesting. I had no idea. 

[joeDowntown]

5 hours ago, GRLaker said:

That is very interesting. I had no idea. 

They're a regional economic development agency. To favor one city in their "territory" over another would be wrong. 

But everywhere else is fair game. So let's find a company that wants to expand/relocate to a cool Midwest downtown [crickets?].

Joe

[GRLaker]

I see how they should remain impartial to not favor one city over another. I would just think that there is something to be said for strengthening the central hub of a large metro area with more than just apartments.  As much as I believe suburbs should be somewhat self sustaining, I think they should be more of a supplement to a regional economy rather than the primary engine of it. But hey...What do I know?

[GRDadof3]

10 hours ago, GRLaker said:

I see how they should remain impartial to not favor one city over another. I would just think that there is something to be said for strengthening the central hub of a large metro area with more than just apartments.  As much as I believe suburbs should be somewhat self sustaining, I think they should be more of a supplement to a regional economy rather than the primary engine of it. But hey...What do I know?

They will tell you that there are several organizations/departments at the city whose job it is to promote downtown as a great place to do business, and they don't want to "step on toes." I believe the Chamber also takes the same stance, in that they don't promote downtown. 

[Raildude's dad]

I think the Right Place's goal is to find businesses that fit wherever the best location is. Finding the right size square hole for the square peg. I think they have done a good job. I'm sure they present downtown as a possibility but if the company has no interest for real or perceived reasons, they find a location the company desires.

[GRDadof3]

5 minutes ago, Raildude's dad said:

I think the Right Place's goal is to find businesses that fit wherever the best location is. Finding the right size square hole for the square peg. I think they have done a good job. I'm sure they present downtown as a possibility but if the company has no interest for real or perceived reasons, they find a location the company desires.

Absolutely I think they do a good job. 

[WMrapids]

Took a ride yesterday.

 

28 West street is done, they're starting to add decorative elements.

The Wyoming Village Mall is being updated after they tore some of it down.

Also, RIP to the old GM stampers plant bridge.

Marriott in Grandville is making progress. 

Edited May 14, 2017 by WMrapids

[thebeerqueer]

https://mibiz.com/item/24791-outdoor-goods-retailers-eye-west-michigan-shopping-centers

[WMrapids]

38 minutes ago, thebeerqueer said:

https://mibiz.com/item/24791-outdoor-goods-retailers-eye-west-michigan-shopping-centers

Where would that Duluth Trading Co building be? It says south of RiverTown Mall so I'm thinking that open lot on the southwest corner? Everything else south of there is Wyoming (Best Buy, etc.).

[GRLaker]

15 hours ago, WMrapids said:

Where would that Duluth Trading Co building be? It says south of RiverTown Mall so I'm thinking that open lot on the southwest corner? Everything else south of there is Wyoming (Best Buy, etc.).

The empty MC Sports would be my guess if it holds true to the size of the example store in the article. 

[GRDadof3]

You know downtown development news is slow when this is all I have to update.  A fleeting glimpse of the apartments going up behind Knapp's Corner Meijer.

 

 

[WMrapids]

15 minutes ago, GRLaker said:

The empty MC Sports would be my guess if it holds true to the size of the example store in the article. 

That's what I thought too but that's Wyoming and Grandville was the one who approved it. So I'm thinking it's a new building somewhere, maybe here?

[GRLaker]

8 minutes ago, WMrapids said:

That's what I thought too but that's Wyoming and Grandville was the one who approved it. So I'm thinking it's a new building somewhere, maybe here?

That lot would definitely make sense. Is that Sears Auto Center still being used?

[GRDadof3]

They're doing a massive amount of earth moving on the new apartment project on the Beltline near 3 Mile/spectrum. There's a deep detention basin being built in the back portion and excavators are sitting on the edge of 40 - 50 foot drops it looks like. I'll see if I can get some pics. 

[wingbert]

On 2/14/2017 at 3:25 PM, wingbert said:

In other suburban news, at the old Forest Hills Inn there's earth moving equipment and lots of digging and such going on.

"NOCO Provisions" coming soon.  nocogr.com.

[WMrapids]

Well the old Rogers store may soon become a call center for Advantage Sales and Marketing, potentially 400-450 employed. A resolution for a Commercial Redevelopment Act (CRA) district passed as well, with the possibility of the district spanning both sides of 28th Street from Michael to Division. Vote for that is on June 19th.

http://www.wzzm13.com/mb/news/local/wyoming/vacant-wyoming-building-might-get-a-new-tenant/446123210

There are already two locations of Advantage in the area. Are they trying to move out to Wyoming?

http://www.advantagesolutions.net/who-we-are/locations-contact-us

[wingbert]

1 hour ago, WMrapids said:

Well the old Rogers store may soon become a call center for Advantage Sales and Marketing, potentially 400-450 employed. A resolution for a Commercial Redevelopment Act (CRA) district passed as well, with the possibility of the district spanning both sides of 28th Street from Michael to Division. Vote for that is on June 19th.

http://www.wzzm13.com/mb/news/local/wyoming/vacant-wyoming-building-might-get-a-new-tenant/446123210

There are already two locations of Advantage in the area. Are they trying to move out to Wyoming?

http://www.advantagesolutions.net/who-we-are/locations-contact-us

Well, they can't very well move that many people downtown because there's no place for them to par.........  

... oh never mind.   

 

Edited June 6, 2017 by wingbert

[GRDadof3]

This is interesting, CWD is going to demolish and redevelop a commercial area near Ramblewood Apartments in Wyoming. But they need Brownfield credits for this?

https://mibiz.com/item/24887-cwd-real-estate-proposes-commercial-redevelopment-near-ramblewood-apartments-in-wyoming

 

[walker]

2 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

This is interesting, CWD is going to demolish and redevelop a commercial area near Ramblewood Apartments in Wyoming. But they need Brownfield credits for this?

https://mibiz.com/item/24887-cwd-real-estate-proposes-commercial-redevelopment-near-ramblewood-apartments-in-wyoming

 

Didn't realize CWD had bought it.  They've been cutting down all the trees the last week or so.  Rather than the old name, Ramblewood Shopping Center, I guess they'll be calling it Clearcut Shopping Center. 

[WMrapids]

The Ramblewood area includes that strip mall and the "tower", right? I know that a dentist moved across 44th after they mentioned shady characters lurking in that tower. Skinny's always had good food in that strip mall as well.

On 28th, I noticed that there is some sort of scaffolding on the old Rogers department store. Any news about that?

[GRDadof3]

5 hours ago, WMrapids said:

The Ramblewood area includes that strip mall and the "tower", right? I know that a dentist moved across 44th after they mentioned shady characters lurking in that tower. Skinny's always had good food in that strip mall as well.

On 28th, I noticed that there is some sort of scaffolding on the old Rogers department store. Any news about that?

Advantage Solutions is taking it over, 450 employees:

https://mibiz.com/item/24780-advantage-solutions-plans-office-consolidation,-relocation-to-klingman’s-site-in-wyoming

[GRDadof3]

5 hours ago, WMrapids said:

The Ramblewood area includes that strip mall and the "tower", right? I know that a dentist moved across 44th after they mentioned shady characters lurking in that tower. Skinny's always had good food in that strip mall as well.

On 28th, I noticed that there is some sort of scaffolding on the old Rogers department store. Any news about that?

Wow, really? That little strip mall area has always seemed a bit shady, and not because of all the trees. And that weird club/restaurant? I've only been in there once.