GVSU Downtown Development

[GRLaker]

1 hour ago, demhem said:

According to the GVSU 2020 Capital Outlay that was submitted to the state for funding, the "Computer Information Systems Classroom Building" is being proposed for the Allendale campus: https://www.gvsu.edu/cms4/asset/83D77566-0FCE-1482-0E85CB93ACE30B91/capital_outlay_project_request_2020.pdf

I would assume this would house their computer information systems and computer science programs, but I could be wrong.

Interesting....I do know it is the goal of GVSU to essentially encapsulate Campus Drive, having buildings line the road on both the west and east side. 

[HavingAhoot]

I was curious and tried doing some searching to find out how many students of the 25k that go to grand valley take their classes downtown. To my knowledge they have schools of engineering, business and medical DT but does anyone know the current numbers?   

[GRLaker]

1 hour ago, HavingAhoot said:

I was curious and tried doing some searching to find out how many students of the 25k that go to grand valley take their classes downtown. To my knowledge they have schools of engineering, business and medical DT but does anyone know the current numbers?   

Education and Public/Nonprofit/Health Administration is also downtown. Plus, the DeVos building is really a hodgepodge of quite a few classes spanning many degrees. 

[JoeSchmo]

1 hour ago, HavingAhoot said:

I was curious and tried doing some searching to find out how many students of the 25k that go to grand valley take their classes downtown. To my knowledge they have schools of engineering, business and medical DT but does anyone know the current numbers?   

There was an info-graphic that ~7k students commute per day from Allendale to downtown.  Lots of students spend time on both campuses or more time downtown as they become upperclassmen.

Its speculation, maybe a few thousand more than 7k?

[discgrab21]

I saw a third tower crane being erected this morning at the new interprofessional health building on medical.  Surprised that building needs two on its own 

[GRDadof3]

Saw that too! Crazy!

[GRDadof3]

They're taking down one of the cranes. Booooo. 

[GVSUChris]

I love this:

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2020/02/grand-rapids-street-to-be-removed-transformed-by-grand-valley-state.html

Edited February 12, 2020 by GVSUChris

[GR_Urbanist]

Quote

GRAND RAPIDS, MI -- A stretch of downtown Grand Rapids roadway will soon be transformed into a non-motorized trail easement with tables, benches and green space by Grand Valley State University.

Sandwiched in by 2 large parking lots, and the highway. Sounds like an awesome place to meet-up, I guess.

[mpchicago]

1 hour ago, GR_Urbanist said:

Sandwiched in by 2 large parking lots, and the highway. Sounds like an awesome place to meet-up, I guess.

Yes, too many parking lots, but this is needed green space/improvement for the area.  Hopefully as time goes on those parking lots are filled with more buildings and more green space.  Looks like the old gas station corner is set aside for a future building....Wonder what that could be?

[GRDadof3]

On 2/12/2020 at 1:03 PM, GVSUChris said:

I love this:

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2020/02/grand-rapids-street-to-be-removed-transformed-by-grand-valley-state.html

That's awesome. Ever since the gas station was torn down that corner has been a mishmash of broken brick streets and concrete barriers. 

On 2/12/2020 at 3:01 PM, mpchicago said:

Yes, too many parking lots, but this is needed green space/improvement for the area.  Hopefully as time goes on those parking lots are filled with more buildings and more green space.  Looks like the old gas station corner is set aside for a future building....Wonder what that could be?

It's not very big. I wonder if they would do something like The Connection out at the Allendale campus? 

[joeDowntown]

GVSU got approval to close another street. This one in Belknap:

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2020/02/grand-rapids-to-close-another-street-for-gvsu-expansion.html

Joe

[Guest]

So are they just going to start a new building every single year?  Why can't they use a little foresight and build denser to anticipate future needs?

Also, (yeah I know it's mlive) wouldn't it be "vacating" not "vacationing?" or am I crazy?

[Chisox]

GVSU master plan (PDF)

I'm not sure if anyone shared this, but I found this PDF that spells out the next 10 years.

[walker]

53 minutes ago, Floyd_Z said:

Also, (yeah I know it's mlive) wouldn't it be "vacating" not "vacationing?" or am I crazy?

You may or may not be crazy but as weird as it might sound, vacation is correct:

wikipedia - street vacation

[demhem]

13 hours ago, Floyd_Z said:

So are they just going to start a new building every single year?  Why can't they use a little foresight and build denser to anticipate future needs?

Also, (yeah I know it's mlive) wouldn't it be "vacating" not "vacationing?" or am I crazy?

I assume that an incremental build-out is more financially palatable for their budget, planning, and Michigan capital outlay. Also, all of the state universities are dealing with a challenging enrollment environment. While GVSU has done well by comparison, other universities such as CMU and WMU have lost 20% or more of their student population in the last five or so years. You don't want to overbuild and have the bottom fall out.  They are also respecting the wishes of the Belknap neighborhood by not constructing buildings over a certain number of stories north of 196: https://www.belknaplookout.org/neighborhood-leadership/gvsu/

 

[GRDadof3]

37 minutes ago, demhem said:

I assume that an incremental build-out is more financially palatable for their budget, planning, and Michigan capital outlay. Also, all of the state universities are dealing with a challenging enrollment environment. While GVSU has done well by comparison, other universities such as CMU and WMU have lost 20% or more of their student population in the last five or so years. You don't want to overbuild and have the bottom fall out.  They are also respecting the wishes of the Belknap neighborhood by not constructing buildings over a certain number of stories north of 196: https://www.belknaplookout.org/neighborhood-leadership/gvsu/

 

That's cool I don't think I'd seen those images before. That's like a real campus!

 

[WMrapids]

It looks like they want to get rid of Winter Ave near the Pew Campus too.

[Raildudes dad]

I find it hard to believe they need 4 more academic buildings. Other schools have declining enrollment. Whats different about GVSU?  I would think increasing the utilization of the existing buildings would be a priority. I read a study someplace on the under utilization of campus buildings. The students and professors don't want 8 ams or 4 pms, no Fridays etc so the buildings are heated and cooled while vacant a majority of the time.

[demhem]

17 hours ago, Raildudes dad said:

I find it hard to believe they need 4 more academic buildings. Other schools have declining enrollment. Whats different about GVSU?  I would think increasing the utilization of the existing buildings would be a priority. I read a study someplace on the under utilization of campus buildings. The students and professors don't want 8 ams or 4 pms, no Fridays etc so the buildings are heated and cooled while vacant a majority of the time.

In the master plan they discuss square footage/utilization benchmarks (laboratory space is identified as a need). When I was in graduate school there, it was my understanding that certain programs were limiting expansion/enrollment increases due to space constraints. Until recently, GVSU had a several healthcare programs running out of leased space along Michigan Avenue. They still appear to be playing catch-up. 

Edited February 27, 2020 by demhem
rephrase

[joeDowntown]

Mt. Vernon near GVSU is being turned into a pedestrian mall. Starts this Spring. 

https://www.gvsu.edu/gvnext/2021/gvsu-to-develop-pedestrian-mall-on-pew-grand-rapids-campus.htm

 

 

[GRDadof3]

9 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

Mt. Vernon near GVSU is being turned into a pedestrian mall. Starts this Spring. 

https://www.gvsu.edu/gvnext/2021/gvsu-to-develop-pedestrian-mall-on-pew-grand-rapids-campus.htm

 

 

Finally. Only been asking for this for 20 years. lol.

[HavingAhoot]

Only 10 (ish) years ago

[Cookin_peacocks]

1 hour ago, HavingAhoot said:

Only 10 (ish) years ago

Oh man, I forgot about that gas station!

[joeDowntown]

38 minutes ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

Oh man, I forgot about that gas station!

I remember that the gas station was very tight, always felt like I was going to get in a fender bender.