Medical Mile/Michigan Street Developments

[HavingAhoot]

6 hours ago, whitemice said:

This!  
There is a pedestrian & transit oriented road diet planned for Michigan east of College.  We'll have to see how ambitious that is.

Any idea when this diet will happen tho? I feel like this diet is happening about like mine is. I know you're in the know when it comes to road/transit.

[Guest]

I thought the road diet was Michigan east of College.  Weren't they going to change it to one lane each directions with a center turn lane and parking on each side?  I would think all they would need to do is some re-striping.....

[GRDadof3]

Michigan Street from Monroe to College (?) is officially going to be commemorated as "Medical Mile." Not sure what all signs there will be for this. 

[54equalsunity]

I thought the road diet was Michigan east of College.  Weren't they going to change it to one lane each directions with a center turn lane and parking on each side?  I would think all they would need to do is some re-striping.....

"Modifications include changing the striping configuration to create one travel lane in either direction and a center left-turn lane, plus a parking lane on the south side of the road."

As someone who has crossed Michigan at Grand many times, this diet will be very welcome to all in the area. Drivers are constantly flying through there and weaving around others turning left. The article states that the diet was planned for "this spring" (2019), so I don't know what the holdup is...

https://mibiz.com/sections/real-estate-development/gr-planners-to-implement-road-diet-along-michigan

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[jonrapley]

Looks like they just painted a crosswalk at the Michigan and Grand intersection, hopefully this is a sign that the road diet is starting soon.

[MJLO]

6 hours ago, 54equalsunity said:

"Modifications include changing the striping configuration to create one travel lane in either direction and a center left-turn lane, plus a parking lane on the south side of the road."

As someone who has crossed Michigan at Grand many times, this diet will be very welcome to all in the area. Drivers are constantly flying through there and weaving around others turning left. The article states that the diet was planned for "this spring" (2019), so I don't know what the holdup is...

https://mibiz.com/sections/real-estate-development/gr-planners-to-implement-road-diet-along-michigan

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Probably delayed due to freeway construction would be my guess.  Closing the freeway, and then simultaneously tearing up a portion of it's primary detour artery would be Pure Michigan though.

[whitemice]

'Traffic' improvements for Michigan St planned in Fall 2020 & Spring 2021.
https://on.wmmi.net/2k84YyY

 

[Allison Slater]

Why are they converting that intersection from concrete to asphalt? That seems unnecessary and.. backwards?

[whitemice]

14 hours ago, tSlater said:

Why are they converting that intersection from concrete to asphalt? That seems unnecessary and.. backwards?

That is the new direction; that was stated at the last MobileGR meeting.

If there is development or other work expected the intersection might as well be asphalt for when it gets torn up.

I do not believe anyone expects this to be a "permanent" reconfiguration as it is not really compliant with either the Michigan St. Corridor plan or the Vital Streets overlay.  It is an interim/incremental improvement.

[GRDadof3]

Michigan Street is now totally re-striped from Fuller to Lafayette. It catches you by surprise that Eastbound Michigan as you approach College is now two left turn lanes (finally) and the far right lane ONLY goes straight. 

Seems to make more sense now though. 

[GRDadof3]

Noticed they're adding an interesting "louvred" look on the side of the new GVSU parking ramp along 196. The renderings show it looking a little different.

[joeDowntown]

Speaking of parking ramp screening. I saw the coolest parking ever down on Chicago (Fulton Market area) a few weeks ago. It’s a kinetic wall, so it serves its purpose of covering the parking ramp and is a piece of artwork. This video does a decent job showing it in action but it’s really interesting in person when you can see multiple sides of the building react to the wind. 
 

BTW, it isn’t loud, I think the sound you hear in the video is construction on a tower going up next door. 

Joe

[mpchicago]

^^^Saw that the other day.^^^   Fulton Market is on fire.   Herman Miller in fact is moving their showroom out of Merchandise Mart to Fulton Market.  Bold move, since pretty much everyone in contract furniture is at the mart.   Now back to Medical Mile....

[EastownLeo]

7 hours ago, mpchicago said:

^^^Saw that the other day.^^^   Fulton Market is on fire.   Herman Miller in fact is moving their showroom out of Merchandise Mart to Fulton Market.  Bold move, since pretty much everyone in contract furniture is at the mart.   Now back to Medical Mile....

Knoll moved out of the Mart last year, its a trend.

[joeDowntown]

51 minutes ago, EastownLeo said:

Knoll moved out of the Mart last year, its a trend.

I think Knoll is in Fulton Market as well. Right by this building.

Joe

[Pattmost20]

Two James Spirits, based out of Detroit, is opening a tasting room at 740 Michigan St NE. Very excited for that, they make some great spirits. 

[HavingAhoot]

11 hours ago, Pattmost20 said:

Two James Spirits, based out of Detroit, is opening a tasting room at 740 Michigan St NE. Very excited for that, they make some great spirits. 

Talked to a person at 7 monks and they said it will be IN 7 monks. On that East wing of the building.  

[Pattmost20]

23 minutes ago, HavingAhoot said:

Talked to a person at 7 monks and they said it will be IN 7 monks. On that East wing of the building.  

That makes complete sense. I didn't think there were any vacancies in the building, and those businesses will complement each other.

[whitemice]

22 hours ago, HavingAhoot said:

IN 7 monks. On that East wing of the building.  

Makes sense, there is a kubby/nook on the east end of the building that must be a pain to service.  I wondered from the jump it was meant to partitioned as a conference room, etc...

This will be a nice new bit of variety in Midtown.

[HavingAhoot]

Does Two James "tasting room" that serves cocktails and has a bar confuse anyone else.? Is this going to be like the Grand Traverse tasting room in the DT market or more of a bar atmosphere? 

[Pattmost20]

4 hours ago, HavingAhoot said:

Does Two James "tasting room" that serves cocktails and has a bar confuse anyone else.? Is this going to be like the Grand Traverse tasting room in the DT market or more of a bar atmosphere? 

If it is anything like their Detroit location it'll have more of a bar feel.

[Winston1206]

Didn't get a chance to take a picture, but happened to notice a new sign on one of the new builds on Michigan (a little east of College). Looked like a new coffee shop and restaurant. It was called "Kaffeine Cafe + Food" or something like that. Can't find anything about it online. Anyone know anything about this?

It is this building I think:

[GRDadof3]

18 hours ago, Winston1206 said:

Didn't get a chance to take a picture, but happened to notice a new sign on one of the new builds on Michigan (a little east of College). Looked like a new coffee shop and restaurant. It was called "Kaffeine Cafe + Food" or something like that. Can't find anything about it online. Anyone know anything about this?

It is this building I think:

Shows the applicant is the building owner/developer. Can't find anything else about it, not even social media.

https://inspections.grcity.us/CitizenAccess/Cap/CapDetail.aspx?Module=Permits&TabName=Permits&capID1=19CAP&capID2=00000&capID3=01H5G&agencyCode=GRANDRAPIDS&IsToShowInspection=

[GR_Urbanist]

I'm seeing more places going up for sale between College and Diamond lately.

 

The car wash across the street from 7 Monks Brewery is the newest. Seems like a really nice establishment whenever I drove past compared to other places. Guess they are going to go for a big payday while the market is hot?

Not sure what could ever go there. The building is in really good shape, but the environmental cleanup cost, if any, might keep it sitting for a minute.

[getemngo]

On 2/22/2020 at 11:18 AM, GR_Urbanist said:

I'm seeing more places going up for sale between College and Diamond lately.

 

The car wash across the street from 7 Monks Brewery is the newest. Seems like a really nice establishment whenever I drove past compared to other places. Guess they are going to go for a big payday while the market is hot?

Not sure what could ever go there. The building is in really good shape, but the environmental cleanup cost, if any, might keep it sitting for a minute.

I noticed that, too. The car wash was built in fall 2013, so I can't see the building being replaced anytime soon.