Metro Health Village - University of Michigan Health Systems

[numstead]

I agree, the clocktower is slick, good proportions.

[francishsu]

Just read the Downtown Development Authority minutes from their most recent meeting, which basically confirms that the hotel is going to be a Hyatt brand.

[francishsu]

The streets for the retail village part are paved now.

Updated construction photos...

[Kayak1]

The new hotel will be a Hyatt Place Hotel. It looks like a little more than your run of the mill off the highway kind of hotel.

[francishsu]

The new hotel will be a Hyatt Place Hotel. It looks like a little more than your run of the mill off the highway kind of hotel.

I was hoping it would be a Hyatt Place. How did you come across this information?

Edited April 16, 2007 by francishsu

[Kayak1]

I have the drawings sitting here in front of me and I am putting a budget together for it. Right now it looks like 6 floors and 127 rooms.

[francishsu]

I have the drawings sitting here in front of me and I am putting a budget together for it. Right now it looks like 6 floors and 127 rooms.

Cool.. looks like you've added a floor and more rooms since the March Planning Commission meeting.

[GR8scott]

wow that sounds like a nice place, will there also be a demand for more hotels in that area? I could see maybe another more mid-line hotel like a comfort inn or courtyard ect. allthough I prefer new brands to the area like Drury or LaQuinta.

[francishsu]

wow that sounds like a nice place, will there also be a demand for more hotels in that area? I could see maybe another more mid-line hotel like a comfort inn or courtyard ect. allthough I prefer new brands to the area like Drury or LaQuinta.

It doesn't seem like there would be a demand for another hotel at M-6 and Byron Center. You have MHV and some businesses/industrial along Gezon to the east. That's about it for the area.

Maybe one will go up around M-6 and Wilson someday, depending on how things develop along Wilson Ave. Byron Township is trying to plan a village center around Wilson just south of M-6, and you're going to see office and/or commercial develop along Wilson north of the highway.

[Kayak1]

Just got revised drawings for the Hotel. 5 story, 113 rooms.

[francishsu]

Just got revised drawings for the Hotel. 5 story, 113 rooms.

That would be consistent with what was discussed at the March Planning Commission meeting.

As a general update, it looks like there's another building going up a ways in front of the hospital. I don't know what it is. And they've put in the street lamps for the streets in the center "village" area.

Edited April 20, 2007 by francishsu

[GaryP]

Is any of the retail portion of the project open yet?

[GR1]

It doesn't seem like there would be a demand for another hotel at M-6 and Byron Center. You have MHV and some businesses/industrial along Gezon to the east. That's about it for the area.

Maybe one will go up around M-6 and Wilson someday, depending on how things develop along Wilson Ave. Byron Township is trying to plan a village center around Wilson just south of M-6, and you're going to see office and/or commercial develop along Wilson north of the highway.

I agree - I work in the area and can't see the demand. Plus, there's a Hampton Inn at 54th and Clyde Park, which is about 2 miles from Metro Health.

[Kayak1]

Hyatt is looking at seeking LEED certification for all of their new hotels

[GRDadof3]

Had to be in Grandville today, and Rhino6885 told me about some new development in the area, so got some shots while in the neighborhood:

This intersection looks a lot different with the old church gone and the new pharmacy going in:

Looking West across Byron Center:

Two new outlot developments in front of the retail development on the West side of Byron Center:

Streetlights are in. Anyone coming yet?

Coming together:

Healthcare Row

No one parked in the 8 or so "Alternative Fuel Vehicles" parking spaces:

From the other side:

Where they can't decide which is the front or the back of the buildings (these all face the street, which we discussed a while back):

One new retail development in (doesn't look very village-ish):

St Mary's new facility on the other side of M-6:

[Nitro]

I did the final walk through today over at Metro for the green roof. I snapped a couple of pictures for everyone to see what the roof looks like. The Allium's were just starting to bloom.

[numstead]

I did the final walk through today over at Metro for the green roof. I snapped a couple of pictures for everyone to see what the roof looks like. The Allium's were just starting to bloom.

How come you didn't go with LiveRoof? You and Guy are in their marketing packet after all.

We have a tray from LiveRoof on our roof right now. Its been up there since last fall and is overflowing. Such a great product!

[Nitro]

How come you didn't go with LiveRoof? You and Guy are in their marketing packet after all.

We have a tray from LiveRoof on our roof right now. Its been up there since last fall and is overflowing. Such a great product!

The LiveRoof module was our first choice. The hospital loved it too, however their budget didn't love it so much. The difference was about $140K on this project. Right when the bidding and contracts were being let out on this roof the LiveRoof module was just coming to market. The pricing was still a bit of a moving target. Now Dave has figured out some ways to make the pricing a bit more competitive. It's still about 30% higher then the grow in place system like this one.

We did have some input on the development of the LiveRoof module. Guy and I are part of the "green roof development team" so we got our pictures in the marketing materials.

As far as green roof modules go, you can't beat Dave's LiveRoof.

[tamias6]

Nitro, I'm curious as to what is the difference is between a green roof and a live roof. Does a live roof have somekind of features not fond on a normal green roof.?

[numstead]

tamias, the difference is that its not "live roof" its a brand "LiveRoof" www.liveroof.net

Thanks for the explanation Nitro. I'm guessing Dave will continue to become more competitive, but I'm not surprised that there is a premium for his product as the difference between the green roof at Metro and his fully vegetated system is night and day. Good work on it though!

[torgo]

egad! What the hell is that?! That side doesn't actually face the street, does it?

Edited June 20, 2007 by torgo

[numstead]

egad! What the hell is that?! That side doesn't actually face the street, does it?

It faces Health Drive. The Master Plan for the Metro Health "Village" is awful. None of the building know whether they should face Health Drive, Gezon Parkway, or sideways into their sea of parking. How in the world can they consider it a sustainable campus when there is so much surface area coverred by parking. Its almost worse than the shopping malls.

[Nitro]

the difference between the green roof at Metro and his fully vegetated system is night and day. Good work on it though!

The difference is night and day. Using Ron Popiel's phrase, you set it and forget it. You can literally place the modules on the roof and walk away. They don't even need fertilizer. It's truly a green roof in a box.

Metro will have to wait a bit for their's to fill in. But in the end the results are the same.

[GRDadof3]

Metro will have to wait a bit for their's to fill in. But in the end the results are the same.

I don't know, it looks pretty good now. Nice work Nate! What is the skylight area in the middle there? Just natural lighting for the area underneath, or can people actually see the roof from in there?

[Nitro]

I don't know, it looks pretty good now. Nice work Nate! What is the skylight area in the middle there? Just natural lighting for the area underneath, or can people actually see the roof from in there?

Thank you. I was pretty shocked myself when I went up there yesterday. We just planted that roof on June 2nd and it already looks better in that short timeframe.

That skylight area is a raised section over the cafeteria. The cafeteria has great natural light. Can't see the roof from there, you have to go up in the tower to see it. It looks pretty cool from up above.