GVSU Downtown Development

[gvstudent]

This is what happens when you only get out to Allendale every two years or so. Yowzers! New housing everywhere! I think some of these, like 48 West, was even originally proposed to be bigger. Imagine all these college students within walking distance of downtown GR.

I have some more photos I'll add later of other development I noticed in Allendale.

GVSU announced that they will be adding two new LEED facilities for 2010, a living center and a Learning Dining Center. Both will be built on the south end of campus and will be built to LEED Silver.

[GRDadof3]

...wow! i really like the look of this "village-like" development.

I don't know. That statue of the guy getting ready to do a face plant, and the graphics of gleeful kids dancing, just doesn't do it for me. Too iCarly and Zack & Cody, not enough grungy college kid, IMO.

Plus, I didn't see a lot of greenspace or park areas (?) Anyone see the master plan for this big daddy?

[ironyisadeadscene]

yeah that statue looks terrible. i laughed when i saw it.

[Allison Slater]

The amount of cheesy "main street architecture" is astounding. Welcome to Disney World! Actually, Disney World does a better job at making a Main Street than that. The only buildings that don't appear to have a fake facade slapped on front look like mobile homes sitting atop brick columns.

[GRDadof3]

The amount of cheesy "main street architecture" is astounding. Welcome to Disney World! Actually, Disney World does a better job at making a Main Street than that. The only buildings that don't appear to have a fake facade slapped on front look like mobile homes sitting atop brick columns.

Maybe this is what SWAN is afraid of, and why they keep fighting student housing on the West Side.

Actually, I liked Lott3Metz's proposal (before Ted comes on and slaps me ).

[Ted]

This is what happens when you only get out to Allendale every two years or so. Yowzers! New housing everywhere! I think some of these, like 48 West, was even originally proposed to be bigger. Imagine all these college students within walking distance of downtown GR.

I have some more photos I'll add later of other development I noticed in Allendale.

What a depressing joke...

[nurfle!]

Is this owned by Main St Pub in Kzoo?

...

And of course, there's a corner in Standale, so we need one of these (Walgreen's, looks like):

1) yup.

2) Did you notice how that Walgreen's is being built kitty-corner from (wait for it...) a WALGREEN'S?

Allendale is a little bit scary in how much of a new-prefab-ghost town it seems to be. The amount of new development implies some anticipation of heavy traffic or something when even the more inhabited complexes are eerily empty at all hours of the school day.

Kirkhof campus itself is pretty badly sprawled-out and very insular. Off-campus types don't seem to wander far from the central Zumberge-Kirkhof/Padnos-Manitou-Mackinac areas unless they have to (hence Kirkhof and Fuel/Fresh being packed to the gills all of the time). Beyond that, there's nothing but desolation. Those students who have cars don't seem to use them that much to go into Allendale proper--with the exception of the Main St. pub and the strip mall area around Burger King, I've been the sole (at least student) patron in any given restaurant (even Taco Bob's, which is relatively close to campus) more times than I can count. All this with students constantly complaining about how crappy and laughably expensive food is on-campus.

What all of these developers are planning for is beyond me. Everything seems way too spread-out to become anything lucrative or community-like.

[Ted]

OK, starting from the West end of Allendale (actually, I know there are a few new residential developments West of here, but I digress).

Enjoy!

I should cop to the fact that the new LMCU on that strip is ours. Judge for yourself...

Maybe this is what SWAN is afraid of, and why they keep fighting student housing on the West Side.

Actually, I liked Lott3Metz's proposal (before Ted comes on and slaps me ).

This is what we're ALL afraid of...

[GRDadof3]

1) yup.

2) Did you notice how that Walgreen's is being built kitty-corner from (wait for it...) a WALGREEN'S?

Allendale is a little bit scary in how much of a new-prefab-ghost town it seems to be. The amount of new development implies some anticipation of heavy traffic or something when even the more inhabited complexes are eerily empty at all hours of the school day.

Kirkhof campus itself is pretty badly sprawled-out and very insular. Off-campus types don't seem to wander far from the central Zumberge-Kirkhof/Padnos-Manitou-Mackinac areas unless they have to (hence Kirkhof and Fuel/Fresh being packed to the gills all of the time). Beyond that, there's nothing but desolation. Those students who have cars don't seem to use them that much to go into Allendale proper--with the exception of the Main St. pub and the strip mall area around Burger King, I've been the sole (at least student) patron in any given restaurant (even Taco Bob's, which is relatively close to campus) more times than I can count. All this with students constantly complaining about how crappy and laughably expensive food is on-campus.

What all of these developers are planning for is beyond me. Everything seems way too spread-out to become anything lucrative or community-like.

I won't be surprised if they have a hard time keeping retail tenants in some of those village developments.

It is depressing seeing all of this student housing isolated out in Allendale. None of it was even really connected to campus. 48th Ave is a death corridor for walking across, I would imagine (speed limit 45 or 55).

And thanks gvstudent. I think I saw that area fenced off (but difficult to photograph anything worthwhile).

[nurfle!]

I won't be surprised if they have a hard time keeping retail tenants in some of those village developments.

It is depressing seeing all of this student housing isolated out in Allendale. None of it was even really connected to campus. 48th Ave is a death corridor for walking across, I would imagine (speed limit 45 or 55).

And thanks gvstudent. I think I saw that area fenced off (but difficult to photograph anything worthwhile).

Speed limit's 55. And there are ditches. To get there from N/S campus Dr (the road along the main academic buildings) it's 0.7 Miles past The Meadows and Meijer-sized parking lots, along a 45-MPH, mostly sidewalk-free stretch of W. Campus Dr. This on a campus where I regularly see students hopping the 50 bus just to avoid walking the 1500 ft from Mackinac Hall to Kirkhof Center. At that point it's Taco Bob's or that cookie-cutter looking cafe I never seem to get around to trying.

There's a reason I spend most of my study time downtown even though most of my classes are in Allendale. Kirkhof campus is just too big around the edges to really connect to anything. Maybe if they sold/moved The Meadows...nah, it'd never happen. Jocks have too much sway around those parts (*ducks and runs away*).

EDIT:Ted, any word on when that "future home of LMCU" will BE an LMCU? maybe off-topic, sorry.

Edited June 4, 2009 by nurfle!

[ghostwriter13]

1) yup.

2) Did you notice how that Walgreen's is being built kitty-corner from (wait for it...) a WALGREEN'S?

I believe that the old Walgreen's on the SW corner will be torn down after the new Walgreen's is built. My fiance works for the company... Apparently the old design didn't fit well enough into the new cookie cutter design, also, it was too small.

Not trying to stray off the GVSU topic, but in other Lake Michigan Drive news, the Speedway at Collindale (where I work) will probably be torn down and rebuilt this fall. Think four times bigger and maybe even a car wash.

[Veloise]

...

...

Oh the irony. No "meadows" and no "crossing."

Yep, it would be nice to have all the students, for which these projects have been developed, downtown, where all the lights are bright.

(got a degree in urban planning from a sprawling land-grant univ)

[ironyisadeadscene]

I believe that the old Walgreen's on the SW corner will be torn down after the new Walgreen's is built. My fiance works for the company... Apparently the old design didn't fit well enough into the new cookie cutter design, also, it was too small.

Not trying to stray off the GVSU topic, but in other Lake Michigan Drive news, the Speedway at Collindale (where I work) will probably be torn down and rebuilt this fall. Think four times bigger and maybe even a car wash.

i always go to that speedway. always.

[d8alterego]

All of that development happened within a 4 year period. I left in 06 and almost none of that was there. GRDad, did you get any pics of the new Mackinaw Hall and dorms?

[GRDadof3]

All of that development happened within a 4 year period. I left in 06 and almost none of that was there. GRDad, did you get any pics of the new Mackinaw Hall and dorms?

I may have last Fall (earlier in this thread). Where are they located on campus?

Looking at this intersection, you almost feel like you'd have to run across the street when you get a walk signal (RUN OR DIE!)

Here it is via bird-eye view. Yeah, that's ludicrous that they don't have sidewalks going down Campus Drive. I actually saw some pedestrians out walking, on the road.

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&...1&encType=1

Looking back in this thread, 48 West was supposed to be 1900 units, and was brought down to 1400.

[Ted]

Speed limit's 55. And there are ditches.

EDIT:Ted, any word on when that "future home of LMCU" will BE an LMCU? maybe off-topic, sorry.

It should be done later this year.

[d8alterego]

Allendale supposedly altered their "master plan" to make the GVSU area more walkable. That picture is proof of their success so far. 48th street is a horrible street for walkers and joggers.

Looking at this intersection, you almost feel like you'd have to run across the street when you get a walk signal (RUN OR DIE!)

[GRDadof3]

Allendale supposedly altered their "master plan" to make the GVSU area more walkable. That picture is proof of their success so far. 48th street is a horrible street for walkers and joggers.

Well hey, at least they have fancy lampposts all along LMD. BTW, I'm not picking on just Allendale. A lot of townships are in the same mixed up boat. They went to one conference on new urbanism, and rewrote all their master plans (without having any idea what they were doing).

[nurfle!]

I may have last Fall (earlier in this thread). Where are they located on campus?

Mackinac is #40 on this PDF map (gvsu.edu), it's that massive gunmetal grey panel-topped building across the main road (N/S Campus Drive) from the Fieldhouse. The new parts are very nice (LEED features like waterless urinals, new trappings from Steelcase, some really great places to study, etc.) but the new A-B-C-D wing floorplan takes some serious navigational skills.

Haven't seen the dorms, but they're the big cluster of buildings along the bottom right of the campus map above (46,47, etc.)

Edited June 4, 2009 by nurfle!

[GRDadof3]

Looks like GVSU is getting ready to add even more housing (funky looking at that):

http://v3.rapidgrowthmedia.com/devnews/gvsubed0709.aspx

[Phizzy]

Allendale supposedly altered their "master plan" to make the GVSU area more walkable. That picture is proof of their success so far. 48th street is a horrible street for walkers and joggers.

The problem is, the Allendale planners can only enforce the new rules on new developments. Note that all of the new businesses, housing developments, apartment complexes, etc. do have sidewalks.

[fotoman311]

Looks like GVSU is getting ready to add even more housing (funky looking at that):

http://v3.rapidgrowthmedia.com/devnews/gvsubed0709.aspx

I was at the meeting last week about the ambitious Bike Share project that some local backers are trying to get started in time for ArtPrize. For the Bike Share program, they want to use a new bike rack product that Design+ has made and is just starting to sell as part of a Petal Outdoor Furnishings product line. They said so far they had sold 4 of them to GVSU and one to 48 West. I bet those racks are going to go into this development.

They are pretty cool, but quite expensive still as they are not producing many of them yet. They are being manufactured in Holland, and it is their intent to try and sell them to customers all around the world.

[GRJunkie4Life]

Rumor has it that there will be a big announcement soon...

[joeDowntown]

Allendale or downtown.

Rumor has it that there will be a big announcement soon...

[GRJunkie4Life]

Allendale or downtown.

KIAS