Is something big coming?

[joeDowntown]

18 hours ago, numstead said:

mixed-use high rise

No, they weren't planning on moving the printing operation there as far as I can remember. I don't believe the images we were cooking up ever made it out publicly. I found a color test print in a folder I have stashed away, but can't find a digital file anywhere. 

It might be an interesting project for someone in the local AIA chapter to try to convince some of the other architects and developers in town to release images from old projects that are long dead just to show off some of the design talent that exists in this town. I'm sure there are some pretty unique ones out there. Maybe it could trigger some new ideas or foster some new connections.

Weird. I vividly remember a proposal to put the "new" printing press downtown, and that it needed to be vertical (They then pivoted to Walker). We need to bring Chris Knape's graveyard photos back.

Joe

[Guest]

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Edited August 30, 2022 by DAR LEAF

[Bukhara Aidarus]

20 minutes ago, Floyd_Z said:

There indeed is something big coming.... I can't say exactly what it is, but it has something to do with the westside parking lots, the thing people have mentioned would be the best use of the site.  $124 Million big.  It involves black and white pentagons and hexagons.  From what I've been told Jan 2023 groundbreaking, so it's pretty far along in the planning phase.  

My guess is a new arena or ballpark But whatever it is, I'm sure it will be a lot of fun! And in the meantime, we can all just keep guessing until it's finally revealed. 

[Guest]

On 8/26/2022 at 8:22 PM, Bukhara Aidarus said:

My guess is a new arena or ballpark But whatever it is, I'm sure it will be a lot of fun! And in the meantime, we can all just keep guessing until it's finally revealed. 

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Edited August 30, 2022 by DAR LEAF

[ChevalierNoir]

Maybe this sport? Black pentagons and white hexagons…

Edited August 27, 2022 by ChevalierNoir

[joeDowntown]

1 hour ago, Floyd_Z said:

There indeed is something big coming.... I can't say exactly what it is, but it has something to do with the westside parking lots, the thing people have mentioned would be the best use of the site.  $124 Million big.  It involves black and white pentagons and hexagons.  From what I've been told Jan 2023 groundbreaking, so it's pretty far along in the planning phase.  Lots of future development planned in the area as well.  

Hope what you are hearing is true. And hope it’s not just a soccer stadium, but a full development to compliment the area (mixed use, taller buildings, etc).

The only thing that gives me pause as to a development on those parking lots that is “far along” is that we came close to getting a Kum n Go gas station on the big boy site. Personally, I think if someone were putting together a big proposal for that piece of property, they would have locked down the Big Boy site. But we will see. 

Joe

[Guest]

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Edited August 30, 2022 by DAR LEAF

[Cookin_peacocks]

3 hours ago, Floyd_Z said:

There indeed is something big coming.... I can't say exactly what it is, but it has something to do with the westside parking lots, the thing people have mentioned would be the best use of the site.  $124 Million big.  It involves black and white pentagons and hexagons.  From what I've been told Jan 2023 groundbreaking, so it's pretty far along in the planning phase.  Lots of future development planned in the area as well.  

When will we get an announcement and renderings???

[Bukhara Aidarus]

2 hours ago, ChevalierNoir said:

Maybe this sport? Black pentagons and white hexagons…

 

2 hours ago, Floyd_Z said:

Neither of those... a different sport

My guess was an arena for an indoor soccer league/basketball/hockey. I'm not too familiar with Western Michigan so I didn't want to guess soccer was popular enough to sustain a minor league stadium

[Pattmost20]

Just talked to a friend who is deeply involved in the GR soccer community and he heard the same thing a couple days ago. Really hope this comes together. 

[GRDadof3]

10 hours ago, Floyd_Z said:

I thought the same but it's north of the big boy and north of the YMCA

 

Whoa. That looks like a professionally made site plan. I like the plaza going out to Pearl Street. And interestingly someone even added tennis or pickleball courts to the Y .

I'm guessing the light blue boxes are a pedestrian access to the far DASH 9 lots for YMCA users and soccer game attendees? 

[MJLO]

Would be ideal if it was interchangeable and GVSU could start playing football games out of it as well.   

[Winston1206]

29 minutes ago, MJLO said:

Would be ideal if it was interchangeable and GVSU could start playing football games out of it as well.   

What ever happened with the D1 move for GVSU? A new downtown stadium with a D1 college football team would be huge 

[Guest]

 

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Edited August 30, 2022 by DAR LEAF

[GRDadof3]

9 minutes ago, Floyd_Z said:

Here's a the bigger picture with all the planned future development.  Looks like they plan on utilizing the GVSU ramp for parking, so they must be involved somehow, but I'm not sure to what extent.

I find it interesting that it says "Future medical clinic" I wonder if that could be tied to GVSU as well?  Maybe sports medicine?

I noticed that too. Seems very specific. 

I like that they're looking at keeping the older buildings on Douglas, like my idea from 2021. 

 

[joeDowntown]

To me, a win/win scenario would be a D1 football/pro soccer stadium. Maybe they could lure GVSU as a tenant (or part owner). Talked to a coach from GVSU and he said moving to D1 is basically a done deal, and the worst kept secret around. 

I know in pro soccer, the field cannot have football markings on the field, but I assume someone has come up with a way around that. 

of course I’m totally guessing. I actually think it would be better for campus life to keep the stadium on the Allendale campus, but would probably have a much bigger draw downtown.

Also, I love all of the labels marked housing   Gotta love the west side!

Joe

[GRDadof3]

2 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

To me, a win/win scenario would be a D1 football/pro soccer stadium. Maybe they could lure GVSU as a tenant (or part owner). Talked to a coach from GVSU and he said moving to D1 is basically a done deal, and the worst kept secret around. 

I know in pro soccer, the field cannot have football markings on the field, but I assume someone has come up with a way around that. 

of course I’m totally guessing. I actually think it would be better for campus life to keep the stadium on the Allendale campus, but would probably have a much bigger draw downtown.

Also, I love all of the labels marked housing   Gotta love the west side!

Joe

City officials are up in arms that developers are not even close to meeting the city's housing goals. But really, it's not the developers' fault. I think we're going to see some serious housing proposals downtown over the next 3-5 years, with the city opening up their arsenal of incentives to help make them happen.  I think it will greatly eclipse the downtown housing we've seen built over the last 10 years. 

[joeDowntown]

I definitely think the city needs to be more aggressive. Was downtown last night and thought of all of the missed opportunities for additional development. The venue tower, arena place, even the new studio park building. If the infrastructure is already there, I don’t understand how the city isn’t talking to them about “how do we help you make this bigger/add more units”. To me, that seems like the PRIME time. 

I can’t imagine with demand so high, and construction costs through the roof, that a Orion isn’t kicking themselves for not making Venue tower 17. The city should be figuring out how they can add more housing and grow (not letting them shrink) these developments. 

[Cookin_peacocks]

21 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

I definitely think the city needs to be more aggressive. Was downtown last night and thought of all of the missed opportunities for additional development. The venue tower, arena place, even the new studio park building. If the infrastructure is already there, I don’t understand how the city isn’t talking to them about “how do we help you make this bigger/add more units”. To me, that seems like the PRIME time. 

I can’t imagine with demand so high, and construction costs through the roof, that a Orion isn’t kicking themselves for not making Venue tower 17. The city should be figuring out how they can add more housing and grow (not letting them shrink) these developments. 

I think that's what's so frustrating. Venue tower had 8 floors chopped off. The Residence Inn, as perfect as that building is, had 27 floors chopped off. 

I also don't understand why they didn't just put the Hyatt Place on top of the office tower next door, leaving a small, but great plot of land for another project. 

I still think the Ellis lot on Ionia is prime for something huge, as is the Ellis lot next to the Woods.

 

Edited August 27, 2022 by Cookin_peacocks

[cstonesparty]

51 minutes ago, Floyd_Z said:

Here's a the bigger picture with all the planned future development.  Looks like they plan on utilizing the GVSU ramp for parking, so they must be involved somehow, but I'm not sure to what extent.

I find it interesting that it says "Future medical clinic" I wonder if that could be tied to GVSU as well?  Maybe sports medicine?

Where are they moving DASH parking?

[jonrapley]

3 hours ago, Floyd_Z said:

Here's a the bigger picture with all the planned future development.  Looks like they plan on utilizing the GVSU ramp for parking, so they must be involved somehow, but I'm not sure to what extent.

I find it interesting that it says "Future medical clinic" I wonder if that could be tied to GVSU as well?  Maybe sports medicine?

I like the development, I just hope the city plan ahead. They should look into turning summer ave and winter ave, just south of bridge st into pedestrian only streets. It would help with the flow of people from bridge street walking to the stadium and hopefully encourage more pedestrian friendly development in that area. 

[gvsusean]

42 minutes ago, jonrapley said:

I like the development, I just hope the city plan ahead. They should look into turning summer ave and winter ave, just south of bridge st into pedestrian only streets. It would help with the flow of people from bridge street walking to the stadium and hopefully encourage more pedestrian friendly development in that area. 

Will this stadium be large enough for MLS? Is that what we are getting????

[jonrapley]

More than likely USL Championship which is a step below MLS. I don't think Grand Rapids is big enough to sustain an MLS team, not to mention there are so many other cities on the radar before we are even considered. 

2 minutes ago, gvsusean said:

Will this stadium be large enough for MLS? Is that what we are getting????

 

[Guest]

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Edited August 30, 2022 by DAR LEAF

[jonrapley]

16 minutes ago, Floyd_Z said:

It's very frustrating.  Just a bunch of stubby little buildings.  Go big.  Set minimum height requirements in the core.  Allow for height outside the core like any other real city

I don't think so, just by looking at these cross sections.  I was a little underwhelmed.  It looks like the smallest MLS stadium is 18,000 capacity and I don't think this would add up to 18k.  Why not go bigger in hopes of moving up eventually?  Otherwise we'll be like the VanAndel.  Maybe it will be designed to be easily expandable in the future?  I think GR could support bigger, especially on a day like today with it being right downtown.  I'd go and I'm even a huge soccer fan.  Wasn't houseman nearly full for some games?

As someone who went to pretty much all the GRFC games, housmane was full for the first 2 season, by the end we were lucky to get more than 2k people. I think a big stadium for USL will be overkill and kill any sort of atmosphere. I'd rather we sell out every game than have 10k empty seats