GVSU Downtown Development

[ted124b]

This seems a little ridiculous. They are going to be pampered just because they are smart.

Honors College Living Center

Cost: $33 million. This is more expensive than anything else they have done. Anybody know why they would do this?

What: 40,800-square-foot Honors College located between two housing buildings. Includes two classrooms, a computer lab, a science lab, 16 offices. Also is supposed to contain a movie theatre for the honors students and a grill.

Update: Construction began at the end of April.

Move-in: August 2008

Sounds like a cool project. Does seem a little excessive, but it would be a great recruiting tool for GVSU to attract some of Michigan/Midwest's brightest. The University of Michigan has a well-established Honors Program and so does MSU with the Lyman Briggs and James Madison programs. I think it is great GVSU will look to attract strong academic students, however hopefully not at the expense of entirety of the student body. U of M has some nice Honors facilities but they are also open to the general student public as well (Perlman Honors Commons, http://www.lsa.umich.edu/honors/resources/perlman.htm I would think GVSU should do the same and have this new facility open for all their students to enjoy.

Edited May 16, 2007 by ted124b

[Explorer55]

Sounds like a cool project. Does seem a little excessive, but it would be a great recruiting tool for GVSU to attract some of Michigan/Midwest's brightest. The University of Michigan has a well-established Honors Program and so does MSU with the Lyman Briggs and James Madison programs. I think it is great GVSU will look to attract strong academic students, however hopefully not at the expense of entirety of the student body. U of M has some nice Honors facilities but they are also open to the general student public as well (Perlman Honors Commons, http://www.lsa.umich.edu/honors/resources/perlman.htm I would think GVSU should do the same and have this new facility open for all their students to enjoy.

Just a comment on MSU's Honors College - to my knowledge, the Honors College is a separate entity from Lyman Briggs and James Madison. Those were, and I think still are, residential colleges within MSU. That is, they are located in a particular dorm where students of that "college" live, eat, and take many classes together. The Honors College has it's own building (one of the oldest buildings on campus, at least when went there) and other designated activities/programs/courses for its students, but it's not a residential college, per se.

Anyone want to correct or update me on that?

But I sure would have appreciated having a fancy building with its own grill and other amenities to enjoy. Actually, at U of M, when I was a grad student, I really liked "escaping" to Rackham to study, take a nap or listen to someone play the piano in one of the "libraries", except when I was trying to take that nap.

[Rhino6885]

This seems a little ridiculous. They are going to be pampered just because they are smart.

Honors College Living Center

Cost: $33 million. This is more expensive than anything else they have done. Anybody know why they would do this?

What: 40,800-square-foot Honors College located between two housing buildings. Includes two classrooms, a computer lab, a science lab, 16 offices. Also is supposed to contain a movie theatre for the honors students and a grill.

Update: Construction began at the end of April.

Move-in: August 2008

I just graduated from the Honor's College at GVSU. I always lived off campus, but the Honor's living facitities (Neimeyer) was a big selling point on getting me to attend. People who live in the Honor's living center can attend classes in the living center in their pajamas. It's not just a dorm building, but a mini community within GVSU.

[PBJ]

People who live in the Honor's living center can attend classes in the living center in their pajamas.

I wasn't a honor student but I (along with many others) did that at a lot of my classes..

Just sayin'

Edited May 16, 2007 by PBJ

[AlexPKeaton]

Anyone want to correct or update me on that?

I think you're right. My brother just graduated from James Madison and now works for the IRS.

I was accepted to the honors program at GVSU but passed when I saw the classes I would have to take. I probably would have gotten myself kicked out with a low GPA anyway.

[Rhino6885]

I was accepted to the honors program at GVSU but passed when I saw the classes I would have to take. I probably would have gotten myself kicked out with a low GPA anyway.

Haha...lost my scholarships after my first year due to the grades I got in the classes. Took me awhile to get my GPA up again.

[jbr12]

The 1900 unit student "village" was paired down to 1400, and won planning commission approval in Allendale. Wonder where the other 500 units could go?

Student village plan gets early OK

I was just curious if anyone has seen the submittal for this project. I'm amazed with the size of this project, no one was really said much about it. Just wanted to hear people's thought since I've been working on this thing for the last couple of months

[ted124b]

Just a comment on MSU's Honors College - to my knowledge, the Honors College is a separate entity from Lyman Briggs and James Madison. Those were, and I think still are, residential colleges within MSU. That is, they are located in a particular dorm where students of that "college" live, eat, and take many classes together. The Honors College has it's own building (one of the oldest buildings on campus, at least when went there) and other designated activities/programs/courses for its students, but it's not a residential college, per se.

Anyone want to correct or update me on that?

But I sure would have appreciated having a fancy building with its own grill and other amenities to enjoy. Actually, at U of M, when I was a grad student, I really liked "escaping" to Rackham to study, take a nap or listen to someone play the piano in one of the "libraries", except when I was trying to take that nap.

Ah, my appologies I thought James Madison and Lyman Briggs were the Honors program, just for their respective majors. But now that makes sence, I think that programs like this at GVSU and Residential programs like James Madison and Lyman Briggs add a good element to a school. They also provide a place for students who might not thrive in the regular college enviroment and can give a 'big school' some small school ammenities. I am glad to see GVSU pursuing this.

on a sidenote i am currently a student at U of M and Rackham is a great place to escape to!

[rjohara]

I think that programs like this at GVSU and Residential programs like James Madison and Lyman Briggs add a good element to a school. They also provide a place for students who might not thrive in the regular college enviroment and can give a 'big school' some small school ammenities. I am glad to see GVSU pursuing this.

Folks interested in the residential college idea might be interested in The Collegiate Way: Residential Colleges and the Renewal of University Life (collegiateway.org). This is an international trend. Students of planning and community design may find much of interest in it. (Though I'm not an advocate for specialized subject-based groupings such as "arts halls" or "science halls" -- search the Collegiate Way website for "theme halls" for more on that criticism.)

Bob O'Hara

[GVLaker06]

Just a comment on MSU's Honors College - to my knowledge, the Honors College is a separate entity from Lyman Briggs and James Madison. Those were, and I think still are, residential colleges within MSU. That is, they are located in a particular dorm where students of that "college" live, eat, and take many classes together. The Honors College has it's own building (one of the oldest buildings on campus, at least when went there) and other designated activities/programs/courses for its students, but it's not a residential college, per se.

Anyone want to correct or update me on that?

But I sure would have appreciated having a fancy building with its own grill and other amenities to enjoy. Actually, at U of M, when I was a grad student, I really liked "escaping" to Rackham to study, take a nap or listen to someone play the piano in one of the "libraries", except when I was trying to take that nap.

This is going to be the same way. The students will Live, eat and attend class all in this structure. They probably wont take all of their classes in this building, but the lifestyle and learning structure is going to be much different then the normal college.

[jbr12]

The honors college is going to be a very nice structure when it is done. I definitely looking forward to watching this one take shape! The interiors are going to be great!

[numstead]

can we get some images?

[blindside]

Grand Valley doesn't put out many renderings. I've never seen any for Lake Ontario Hall, the new Mackinaw Hall addition, or the Honors college. You have to know people to see some of the designs I think. Drawings of the Kirkoff Center addition are up in the lobby, but it's a pretty boring and plain addition.

[jbr12]

I don't think anything has ever been released for the Honors college...

[numstead]

I don't think anything has ever been released for the Honors college...

C'mon GVSU, throw us a frickin' bone here.

[jbr12]

The 1900 unit student "village" was paired down to 1400, and won planning commission approval in Allendale. Wonder where the other 500 units could go?

Student village plan gets early OK

Looks like they got approval, for Phase 1 at least. Expect to see this thing flying through construction. Does anyone know if Allendale Township puts stuff from their meetings online? As anyone at the meeting to see the buildings?

http://www.mlive.com/grandrapids/stories/i....xml&coll=6

Township Supervisor Jim Beelen on Monday called the cooperation between the community and the Grand Haven-based developer of a housing plan "unprecedented."

The Township Board unanimously approved the first phase of a plan by Investment Property Associates Inc. that eventually could house 1,368 students.

[GVSUChris]

I'm new to this site, but I thought I'd throw these in in case no one has seen them. They are REALLY small but it gives you some idea of what's going in on campus at GVSU in Allendale.

http://www.gvsu.edu/facilitiesplanning/ind...42A9DA48B1BA8BD

Edited June 13, 2007 by GVSUChris

[DwntwnGeo]

I'm new to this site, but I thought I'd throw these in in case no one has seen them. They are REALLY small but it gives you some idea of what's going in on campus at GVSU in Allendale.

http://www.gvsu.edu/facilitiesplanning/ind...42A9DA48B1BA8BD

Welcome Chris!

Thanks for the site. It helps to have a picture

[GRDadof3]

Looks like they got approval, for Phase 1 at least. Expect to see this thing flying through construction. Does anyone know if Allendale Township puts stuff from their meetings online? As anyone at the meeting to see the buildings?

http://www.mlive.com/grandrapids/stories/i....xml&coll=6

I did find this on the cover of an old GVSU paper:

Thanks for the links GVSUChris!

[jbr12]

That would be the development GRDad. I just finished up the construction documents for the Village Center buildings shown in this perspective (Left and Right). It was definitely a task.

[blindside]

Thanks Chris, I didn't know GVSU had a website for that stuff. Mackinac Hall will be huge when that's done.

[GRDadof3]

The engineering expansion downtown is just about wrapped up, and I like it!

Here you can really see the difference transparent glass makes over reflective glass.

[joeDowntown]

Wow, I like it. It's kind of in a niche you never see while downtown so I didn't watch the progress much. Looks great!

Joe

[Allison Slater]

Now THAT cantilever I like.

[joeDowntown]

It's basically the same thing as 275 Fulton on a smaller scale. How could you like one without the other? Other than a drastically different design of the building, I think they look pretty much the same.

Joe

Now THAT cantilever I like.