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RFP - 201 Market

walker

By walker
in Grand Rapids

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GRDadof3
GRDadof3

Just the scale of Faust's project compared to Plaza Towers and the AGP always cracked me up.

GRDadof3
GRDadof3

News coming relatively soon on this. I will TRY and break some news here first, if possible.  

GRDadof3
GRDadof3

Ummmm, guys...       http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2017/12/see_the_201_market_proposal.html

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Pattmost20 Hamlet

Pattmost20

Posted
Posted
3 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

I would guess soccer stadium. I don't really know anyone active in the soccer community, and haven't heard anything about this site, so that's why this "worst kept secret" may be news to me. 

You should come check out a GRFC game if you haven't already. It is a good time.

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joeDowntown Metropolis

joeDowntown

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4 hours ago, Pattmost20 said:

You should come check out a GRFC game if you haven't already. It is a good time.

I would have to imagine that if a soccer stadium were involved (which I'd love as a big GRFC fan), the ownership of GRFC would need to change. Or a major investor would need to be added. Interesting thing about higher division soccer leagues, the stadium can't have football (or any other markings), so I don't think it would be a multi-sport facility. I'd love to see them get some of the colleges involved, but while GVSU women's soccer is a perennial champion, they don't even have a men's team. 

Will be interesting to see what they'd do with a stadium the rest of the time (not THAT many soccer games in a given season). Hopefully an outdoor music venue that compliments Van Andel (I know Grand Action wanted to build an amphitheater to get more summer concerts, but the Van seems to do well without). 

We really need some leakers right about now. :):) 

Joe

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Pattmost20 Hamlet

Pattmost20

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24 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

I would have to imagine that if a soccer stadium were involved (which I'd love as a big GRFC fan), the ownership of GRFC would need to change. Or a major investor would need to be added. Interesting thing about higher division soccer leagues, the stadium can't have football (or any other markings), so I don't think it would be a multi-sport facility. I'd love to see them get some of the colleges involved, but while GVSU women's soccer is a perennial champion, they don't even have a men's team. 

Will be interesting to see what they'd do with a stadium the rest of the time (not THAT many soccer games in a given season). Hopefully an outdoor music venue that compliments Van Andel (I know Grand Action wanted to build an amphitheater to get more summer concerts, but the Van seems to do well without). 

We really need some leakers right about now. :):) 

Joe

I'm really hoping the proposal comes out soon. So many details I wish I could share. 

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

Posted
Posted
17 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

I would have to imagine that if a soccer stadium were involved (which I'd love as a big GRFC fan), the ownership of GRFC would need to change. Or a major investor would need to be added. Interesting thing about higher division soccer leagues, the stadium can't have football (or any other markings), so I don't think it would be a multi-sport facility. I'd love to see them get some of the colleges involved, but while GVSU women's soccer is a perennial champion, they don't even have a men's team. 

Will be interesting to see what they'd do with a stadium the rest of the time (not THAT many soccer games in a given season). Hopefully an outdoor music venue that compliments Van Andel (I know Grand Action wanted to build an amphitheater to get more summer concerts, but the Van seems to do well without). 

We really need some leakers right about now. :):) 

Joe

Yeah, would a single use like a professional soccer field be prohibitive for the city's efforts to make this project "all inclusive" for the city residents? I'm not saying it will or won't, but don't forget, there's a highly paid consultancy that will be involved in the approval process.

Someone did a scale drawing of a soccer field on this parcel didn't they? Seems like it was a relatively small portion?

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GR_Urbanist Burg

GR_Urbanist

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While the GRFC has a great culture and fan-base, this is not the best space to give a minor-league team (or any sport) a permanent venue that will likely eat up most of the site (because parking), be unused 98% of the year, and on top of that it will be exposed to the elements. Honestly, I think a better place for them would be Rumsey Park, right off of Market Ave, although it might be a little too far removed.

 

No need to get fancy about this site. Just build it out like it was a normal part of the existing DT. The most important thing is to establish a real urban extension, with everyday services, that will just get people down there.

 

Edited by GR_Urbanist
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Pattmost20 Hamlet

Pattmost20

Posted
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2 hours ago, GR_Urbanist said:

While the GRFC has a great culture and fan-base, this is not the best space to give a minor-league team (or any sport) a permanent venue that will likely eat up most of the site (because parking), be unused 98% of the year, and on top of that it will be exposed to the elements. Honestly, I think a better place for them would be Rumsey Park, right off of Market Ave, although it might be a little too far removed.

 

No need to get fancy about this site. Just build it out like it was a normal part of the existing DT. The most important thing is to establish a real urban extension, with everyday services, that will just get people down there.

 

A stadium could have a lot of use outside of just soccer. I think you'd be surprised at how much space is left after a stadium is figured in to it.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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22 minutes ago, GRLaker said:

Imagine a stadium with apartments/condos behind each side of seating overlooking the field. It would give soccer fans a great place to rent/buy and it would do a great job of trapping sound and making it a loud venue for the home team.

Sure, the Lansing Lugnuts are building apartments that overlook the baseball stadium. 

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Quercus Whistle-Stop

Quercus

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35 minutes ago, GRLaker said:

Imagine a stadium with apartments/condos behind each side of seating overlooking the field. It would give soccer fans a great place to rent/buy and it would do a great job of trapping sound and making it a loud venue for the home team.

There's also a big difference between venues that lock their gates outside of game days and those that are made accessible. Playing fields that double as park space are often focal points for the surrounding neighborhood(s). People jogging up and down stadium seating, for instance, or playing a pickup game of frisbee on a high school or college field.

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scottythe1nonly Whistle-Stop

scottythe1nonly

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a 10k seat stadium would provide 15k seats or more for concerts.   And if it's properly designed it would be much easier for large entertainment tours to get in and out of.  The Van is a pain in the ass with only a couple of docks for loading.  It would attract more of the larger concert tours than we get today.

imagine if the winter beer festival was downtown at such a venue.  

a pro soccer team would play approx 15 (reg season) home matches per year.  if we had a pro women's team they'd play another 12 matches.  A new stadium would also attract other events.  For instance, Women's national team matches, College matches, high school regional/state matches.  It would be very easy to reconfigure for football as well.

 

Edited by scottythe1nonly
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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

Posted
Posted
1 hour ago, scottythe1nonly said:

a 10k seat stadium would provide 15k seats or more for concerts.   And if it's properly designed it would be much easier for large entertainment tours to get in and out of.  The Van is a pain in the ass with only a couple of docks for loading.  It would attract more of the larger concert tours than we get today.

imagine if the winter beer festival was downtown at such a venue.  

a pro soccer team would play approx 15 (reg season) home matches per year.  if we had a pro women's team they'd play another 12 matches.  A new stadium would also attract other events.  For instance, Women's national team matches, College matches, high school regional/state matches.  It would be very easy to reconfigure for football as well.

 

Well if you remember the big Grand Action plan that came out last December, it was more like a $40 Million 8000 seat stadium that was envisioned (somewhere). But 8000, 10,000, not much difference. 

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/local/professional-soccer-stadium-and-convention-center-expansion-proposed-for-gr/363460699

Sort of like San Antonio's?

http://www.mysanantonio.com/sports/scorpions/article/Scorpions-finally-have-their-8-000-seat-field-of-4429684.php

59adede01c80e_201soccerfield.thumb.jpg.ef7e0ac252966e5af84ec6e165cbd4ef.jpg

A stadium like Toyota Field would take up a big chunk of this site.

 

 

 

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Pattmost20 Hamlet

Pattmost20

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25 minutes ago, gvsusean said:

I remember not long ago I said this would be a good idea and I got lambasted (I said a baseball stadium on one and a football/soccer stadium on the Ionia lot). I hope this is it, so people can eat some crow muhahahahahaha (I doubt it will be a stadium though...)

You doubt the proposal will be a stadium or that a stadium will actually get built at that site?

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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12 hours ago, gvsusean said:

I remember not long ago I said this would be a good idea and I got lambasted (I said a baseball stadium on one and a football/soccer stadium on the Ionia lot). I hope this is it, so people can eat some crow muhahahahahaha (I doubt it will be a stadium though...)

I think I was one of the critics :) and I still don't like large stadiums on riverfronts. But if it's something that can be used by the public when there aren't games going on, I'm down with it. As long as "public use" doesn't include a homeless camp...

*I self destructed my last comment. Guess we'll all just have to be patient...

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