East Beltline Developments

[ABC]

On the flipside, I hope it gets developed properly and doesn't end up a mish-mash of development like Celebration Village.

Agreed! I don't think anyone really enjoy's finding a parking spot in there on a Friday night.

[Ted]

Agreed! I don't think anyone really enjoy's finding a parking spot in there on a Friday night.

Yep, it sucks cause of the parking...

[fotoman311]

Yep, it sucks cause of the parking...

I never have trouble finding a spot. There are 3 giant lots full of them.

Now, finding a place to park my bicycle...maybe that's what he was talking about? Whenever we ride there, all zero bike parking spaces are taken! I usually lockup on a sign.

Edited May 25, 2010 by fotoman311

[suydam]

I never have trouble finding a spot. There are 3 giant lots full of them.

Now, finding a place to park my bicycle...maybe that's what he was talking about? Whenever we ride there, all zero bike parking spaces are taken! I usually lockup on a sign.

I'm a little surprised the bike shop hasn't put up a bike rack at Celebration. That always surprises me when I go there (and it's a nice bike shop, so I actually visit from time to time).

Edited May 25, 2010 by suydam

[GRDadof3]

Yep, it sucks cause of the parking...

[Veloise]

Pics from last week.

The D&W is very tall and big.

Walgreens site.

Main Street.

The decorative urns on the pedestal sign will be planted up.

Landscaping was going in fast (taken Sunday evening 5-16). I like seeing how construction is staged and how it goes in.

City limits (southeast corner)

Nice detail on the back side (this faces the residential uses to the east)

The D&W's bike rack is on the south side, recessed between the southwest entrance and a parking lot. I prefer this location, with plenty of visibility. (This not only helps protect the bikes and their accessories, it also raises awareness. "Hey, I could ride my bike here, too.")

Rockstar bike parking; not tucked away or hidden.

Speaking of which, some of the Celebration uses might fall under the more recent iterations of the zoning ordinance, which requires bicycle parking.

Edited May 25, 2010 by Veloise

[egrguy]

Developer seeks approval for P.F. Chang's Chinese restaurant in Grand Rapids

Maybe D&W will finally have some company.

[nurfle!]

PF Chang's seems to be full speed ahead...providing Evergreen quits blaming preexisting circumstance and fixes a storm water problem on site.

On a side note, I want the job of the person who prepares PF's documents. I browsed the E-Packet earlier, and I don't understand how such a well-reputed company allows their letterhead to be associated with such sloppy writing. "Proposed use is going to be?" "Utilizes the use of?" "As well as a couple banks?" .

[wingbert]

On a side note, what is the big deal about PF Changs? I've eaten there on several occasions and have never been all that impressed. Sure, the "atmosphere" is tailored more to the hipster set, but I fail to see where the food is any better than what our local Chinese restaurants serve.

[nurfle!]

On a side note, what is the big deal about PF Changs? I've eaten there on several occasions and have never been all that impressed. Sure, the "atmosphere" is tailored more to the hipster set, but I fail to see where the food is any better than what our local Chinese restaurants serve.

For my part (and I may be speaking for a few people here), two things:

1) A large company is bringing new investment and jobs (granted, not exactly $40k/yr ones) to the GR area. Way too many companies of this caliber are not even taking a first look these days.

2) I want this development as a whole to move forward, and it ain't gonna happen with just a supermarket there. Sure, I'm not thrilled about the continued sprawl thing, but having vibrant business on that corner is better to me than the mud field that currently flanks D&W.

Personally I'm curious about Chang's as a restaurant coming to my area (I live about a mile from this intersection), but their non-locality and their storied caloric largesse have put me off from being all that excited. I think I'd be just as on top of things as I am now if this were a Nordstrom store or something.

All that said, what I'd really like to see is a big company announcing a presence downtown, but you take what you get.

[Veloise]

...On a side note, I want the job of the person who prepares PF's documents. I browsed the E-Packet earlier, and I don't understand how such a well-reputed company allows their letterhead to be associated with such sloppy writing. "Proposed use is going to be?" "Utilizes the use of?" "As well as a couple banks?" .

Your post got my attention (I'm not just a city planner, I'm also a wordsmith). It's not that bad; typical special land use-type wording. I'd have punched it up with less verbosity and redundancy, maybe some bullet points to avoid those pesky grammars and slangs.

The proposed use is going to be a ...restaurant refers to the land use (noun, not a verb).

(once edited a supervisor's report into legible English)

[wingbert]

For my part (and I may be speaking for a few people here), two things:

1) A large company is bringing new investment and jobs (granted, not exactly $40k/yr ones) to the GR area. Way too many companies of this caliber are not even taking a first look these days.

2) I want this development as a whole to move forward, and it ain't gonna happen with just a supermarket there. Sure, I'm not thrilled about the continued sprawl thing, but having vibrant business on that corner is better to me than the mud field that currently flanks D&W.

Personally I'm curious about Chang's as a restaurant coming to my area (I live about a mile from this intersection), but their non-locality and their storied caloric largesse have put me off from being all that excited. I think I'd be just as on top of things as I am now if this were a Nordstrom store or something.

All that said, what I'd really like to see is a big company announcing a presence downtown, but you take what you get.

Oh yes, agreed on all points. My comment was obviously more specifically focused on the menu and not the overall economic impact of a new business at Knapp's Corners.

[walker]

Oh yes, agreed on all points. My comment was obviously more specifically focused on the menu and not the overall economic impact of a new business at Knapp's Corners.

Not saying we shouldn't have new restaurants but they should stand on their own merits rather than because of economic impact. Other than the initial construction jobs, I can't see that there is any positive economic benefit, just displacement. So if you go out to eat some night to PF Chang's it means you went there instead of some fine perhaps locally owned existing restaurant. (Although I expect most of their business will come from Olive Garden, Applebee's, etc. demographic so it will be a wash.) I guess if you spend your money there some night instead of spending the same dollars ordering something on the Internet then there might be some positive impact.

Edited July 9, 2010 by walker

[GRDadof3]

For my part (and I may be speaking for a few people here), two things:

1) A large company is bringing new investment and jobs (granted, not exactly $40k/yr ones) to the GR area. Way too many companies of this caliber are not even taking a first look these days.

2) I want this development as a whole to move forward, and it ain't gonna happen with just a supermarket there. Sure, I'm not thrilled about the continued sprawl thing, but having vibrant business on that corner is better to me than the mud field that currently flanks D&W.

Personally I'm curious about Chang's as a restaurant coming to my area (I live about a mile from this intersection), but their non-locality and their storied caloric largesse have put me off from being all that excited. I think I'd be just as on top of things as I am now if this were a Nordstrom store or something.

All that said, what I'd really like to see is a big company announcing a presence downtown, but you take what you get.

Several large local companies are adding a presence downtown. Didn't you hear about the GRID70 project (70 Ionia)? Wasn't that talked about on here?

Sorry for the off-topic. I can't believe they've had more drainage/runoff/wall collapse problems. I watched last Fall as a RIVER of water and mud ran off the site right out into the East Beltline during a rainfall.

[GR_Urbanist]

We just paid our first visit to the D&W today.

Loved the historical photos of the area on the walls. The store also really felt very swanky and upscale. Really liked the watching the lights in the freezer section start to glow when we started to walk down it.

We were not blown away enough to abandon Meijer though because their prices were a bit higher and we sometimes need to shop for more than just groceries. We did 1/2 our shopping there and the rest at Meijer.

The whole time I was really wishing that they had placed this on Michigan and Fuller. It would have been a total hit. There it would have been a destination. Where it is now, it just seems to be just too far out of the way.

[jwazzz]

We just paid our first visit to the D&W today.

Loved the historical photos of the area on the walls. The store also really felt very swanky and upscale. Really liked the watching the lights in the freezer section start to glow when we started to walk down it.

We were not blown away enough to abandon Meijer though because their prices were a bit higher and we sometimes need to shop for more than just groceries. We did 1/2 our shopping there and the rest at Meijer.

The whole time I was really wishing that they had placed this on Michigan and Fuller. It would have been a total hit. There it would have been a destination. Where it is now, it just seems to be just too far out of the way.

Once again, I find myself in total agreement with you. Had D&W put this store @ Michigan and Fuller I think they would have had a huge hit on their hands. And while the new place @ Knapp and the East Beltline is nice enough, there is nothing that special about it to compel me to take the drive to shop there. The M/F location would have gotten 90% of my business - I would have gladly paid the higher prices for the convenience. Think they really missed the boat on this one.

[joeDowntown]

I think you guys are comparing Apple to Oranges here. I really wanted D&W on Michigan Street too but I don't think was an "alternative location". I had seen D&W signs on the Beltline for years. They had a coming soon sign at the corner of 3 mile and E. Beltline about 8-9 years ago. I don't think the Knapp location was a catalyst for the demise of the Michigan St. plans.

Joe

Once again, I find myself in total agreement with you. Had D&W put this store @ Michigan and Fuller I think they would have had a huge hit on their hands. And while the new place @ Knapp and the East Beltline is nice enough, there is nothing that special about it to compel me to take the drive to shop there. The M/F location would have gotten 90% of my business - I would have gladly paid the higher prices for the convenience. Think they really missed the boat on this one.

[suydam]

Once again, I find myself in total agreement with you. Had D&W put this store @ Michigan and Fuller I think they would have had a huge hit on their hands. And while the new place @ Knapp and the East Beltline is nice enough, there is nothing that special about it to compel me to take the drive to shop there. The M/F location would have gotten 90% of my business - I would have gladly paid the higher prices for the convenience. Think they really missed the boat on this one.

I'd love to have a store at Mich/Fuller too... but to say they missed the boat by putting their new store smack-dab in the middle of the most affluent shoppers in metro GR is probably stretching it.

They are going to make good money at that store and I'm fairly certain the buying power of people within 3 miles of that store trumps the buying power of people within 3 miles of the Mich/Fuller lot.

That said, I wish they'd honor their original plans and plant some city roots near pill hill.

[PopeXXIII]

Any update on the PF Chang's deal here? Sounds like the last update was in July. Did they fix the drainage retaining wall?

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2010/07/opening_of_pf_changs_in_grand.html

[joeDowntown]

I look every time and see no progress. Hopefully Evergreen gets their act together. I feel like it is about time for new development to return (especially something like PF Chang which doesn't have a local presence).

Joe

[egrguy]

My wife returned from a trip to the east side of the state where a meal for two at PF Changs ran $45 w/ tip (and no alcohol) Is there really a market in GR for that kind of pricing for Chinese food?

[PopeXXIII]

I don't think it's unreasonable to think that $45 for a dinner for two would sell in Grand Rapids. How long has The Melting Pot been across the street from this proposed PF Chang's site? Do they even have a dinner for two under $50?

[Coleco]

I don't think it's unreasonable to think that $45 for a dinner for two would sell in Grand Rapids. How long has The Melting Pot been across the street from this proposed PF Chang's site? Do they even have a dinner for two under $50?

PF Chang's is to Chinese food what the Olive Garden/Johnny Carino's is to Italian.

[AlexPKeaton]

I don't think it's unreasonable to think that $45 for a dinner for two would sell in Grand Rapids. How long has The Melting Pot been across the street from this proposed PF Chang's site? Do they even have a dinner for two under $50?

I'm surprised they're still in business. I went there once and I wouldn't go again. It was like $100 for two people and we had to cook our own mediocre food. I don't mind spending a lot of money if it's actually worth it.

PF Chang's is to Chinese food what the Olive Garden/Johnny Carino's is to Italian.

Hah, yes! I like PF Chang's for americanized Chinese food, and it's a step above most of the other americanized Chinese dives, but it's certainly not fine dining or authentic Chinese in the least.

[RegalTDP]

My wife returned from a trip to the east side of the state where a meal for two at PF Changs ran $45 w/ tip (and no alcohol) Is there really a market in GR for that kind of pricing for Chinese food?

Dear God, I sure hope so. If we can't support a PF Chang's, what new chain can we get? I'm sick of GR being the last town to get stuff.