East Beltline Developments

[Veloise]

PF Changs has been running this ad for a couple of weeks:

Restaurant Manager/Hospitality Manager (just search on it)

[GRDadof3]

The horses have been erected on the PF Chang site. Remind me again why everyone is so enamored with this place?

[gvsusean]

The horses have been erected on the PF Chang site. Remind me again why everyone is so enamored with this place?

becuase its the first crappy, $5 all-you-can-eat chinese restaurant with the audacity to charge $70 for 2 people.... i figure people are generally dumb and are willing to go just because they look fancy and will say its good just because its expensive..

[GRDadof3]

becuase its the first crappy, $5 all-you-can-eat chinese restaurant with the audacity to charge $70 for 2 people.... i figure people are generally dumb and are willing to go just because they look fancy and will say its good just because its expensive..

LOL, I wonder how that will go over in frugal Grand Rapids.

[dbrock1046]

All you can eat? You obviously have the wrong place. There are no all you can eat options available there at all. Though I am not a huge fan of chains, I will say that the food is good there.

Additionally, lots of people are looking forward to this opening up and I think it will be a big draw for that area.

[RegalTDP]

(deleted)

Edited September 26, 2011 by RegalTDP

[GRDadof3]

Draw for the area? That area does not need any more "draw."

For those looking forward to it, PF Chang is known for.... ? It has really good ..... because they..... like no one else. (fill in the blanks)

[RegalTDP]

The horses have been erected on the PF Chang site. Remind me again why everyone is so enamored with this place?

I'll admit it, for me it's an ego thing. I hate other cities having stuff we don't. It's petty, but it still bothers me.

Yes, given the choice, I would prefer to eat somewhere downtown or uptown. But I think it's a good thing if the GR market is vibrant enough to support national chains.

[Jippy]

I'll admit it, for me it's an ego thing. I hate other cities having stuff we don't. It's petty, but it still bothers me. Yes, given the choice, I would prefer to eat somewhere downtown or uptown. But I think it's a good thing if the GR market is vibrant enough to support national chains.

Dearest Regal, resist the urge! Seattle, Portland, Chicago, New York, San Fran are not world renowned cities because they contain chain restaurants. Truly successful cities are in the business of shuttering chains because no one goes there anymore. These chains just perpetuate sodium-filled sprawl. No outsider is ever going to give us cred because "we got our PFs too". That respect comes from bustling urban corridors and unique culture, amenities and businesses.

[RegalTDP]

No outsider is ever going to give us cred because "we got our PFs too".

Edited September 27, 2011 by RegalTDP

[dbrock1046]

I don't think I could have said it better!

[GRDadof3]

That's not exactly true. Outsiders do notice these things. The ones I talk to, anyway. Maybe that's why it bothers me more (I kinda sorta admitted it wasn't rational ) I'm not trying to start another "Chains vs. Local" back-and-forth again, because it's not an either-or. I want bustling urban corridors and unique culture, amenities and businesses too! My point was that, when a profitable national chain (especially one that doesn't franchise, like P.F. Chang) is willing to set up shop in our area, that reflects well on our market's viability. It's a good thing. It may be a sprawly restaurant in a lame development, but it's still an investment on their part. And that goes for all retail, not just restaurants. So GR's trying to market itself to a younger, more urban demographic? That's great, but how do you know if the efforts are working? I'm not a statistician, so I wouldn't know scientifically. But I will say that when labels like Anthropologie are willing to come into our town, build from the ground up, and open a new store, that's a positive sign that we're getting somewhere.

[joeDowntown]

I agree. The fact that certain chains see Grand Rapids as viable is indicative of our market viability. I'm sure I'll still probably eat at favorite local chinese restaurants 99% of the time, but I'm glad to see them here.

I think the same thing goes for Whole Foods or Trader Joe's. We have some really nice grocery chains in GR (heck, where GR is their hometown) but everyone gets worked up in a later about getting one in GR. It has a certain status symbol that says "other people find us important". We, more than anyone have beaten the Whole Foods and Trader Joe's topic to death (myself included), so I'm fine with PF Changs. I hope more stores follow suit. I don't think it would hurt think these chains will have an impact on downtown or Uptown restaurants...

Joe

That's not exactly true. Outsiders do notice these things. The ones I talk to, anyway. Maybe that's why it bothers me more (I kinda sorta admitted it wasn't rational ) I'm not trying to start another "Chains vs. Local" back-and-forth again, because it's not an either-or. I want bustling urban corridors and unique culture, amenities and businesses too! My point was that, when a profitable national chain (especially one that doesn't franchise, like P.F. Chang) is willing to set up shop in our area, that reflects well on our market's viability. It's a good thing. It may be a sprawly restaurant in a lame development, but it's still an investment on their part. And that goes for all retail, not just restaurants. So GR's trying to market itself to a younger, more urban demographic? That's great, but how do you know if the efforts are working? I'm not a statistician, so I wouldn't know scientifically. But I will say that when labels like Anthropologie are willing to come into our town, build from the ground up, and open a new store, that's a positive sign that we're getting somewhere.

[Gorath]

The defunct Village of Orchard Hills site @ Three Mile and E. Beltline will now be a Spectrum Health medical campus.

http://www.mlive.com/east-grand-rapids/index.ssf/2012/04/post_75.html

[fotoman311]

The defunct Village of Orchard Hills site @ Three Mile and E. Beltline will now be a Spectrum Health medical campus.

http://www.mlive.com...04/post_75.html

Wow, who is going to park in all those parking spaces? Are the buildings 5 stories tall?

[GRDadof3]

Wow, who is going to park in all those parking spaces? Are the buildings 5 stories tall?

I think the height limit in GR Township is only 4 stories. I was thinking the same thing though when I saw it.

[Gorath]

It's hard to make out, but I think the building at the intersection says "Pharmacy". It looks like it has a drive thru as well. I'm guessing Wallgreens or CVS. Remember that Wallgreens couldn't get their "driveways" at Knapp & Beltline. This site plans shows driveways for the "Pharmacy". There is a Wallgreens 3 miles north at E. Beltline & Plainfeild. About 5 minutes travel by car.

[Gorath]

The proposed health center will be similar to and offer basically the same services as the Spectrum South Pavilion, located on 68th Street and M-6, Spectrum Health officials said.

Here's a shot of the South Pavilion and all it's parking.

And here is the site plan for comparison.

Edited April 26, 2012 by Gorath

[joeDowntown]

Has anyone heard any rumors about Village at Knapp's Crossing? It's sad to see PF Changs and D&W in a sea of nothingness. Seems like this project would heat up again now that the economy is recovering, but I had heard it was up for sale. Anyone have any good news?

 

Joe

[wingbert]

The economy was a huge punch in the gut for sure, but sadly when I look at that corner I see pretty much what was predicted when everyone worried about the ability of a strip mall builder to actually step up and bring something more to fruition.

[joeDowntown]

Agreed. My hope is that Evergreen steps aside and lets someone (national developer?) take it to the next level. 

 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

Agreed. My hope is that Evergreen steps aside and lets someone (national developer?) take it to the next level. 

 

Joe

 

 

I spoke with Suzanne Schulz about 6 months ago and I think the approval is set to run out as well, and will need to be reviewed again before anything new is built. I saw something somewhere showing two new national restaurant chains had signed (like that area needs more eatery chains like a hole in the head), but can't recall where.

 

I think the whole property North of PF Changs should be turned into high-end apartments. There's a huge need for them in the Grand Rapids area. I hold out little hope that it will be anything other than like that silly village they're trying to piece together near Metro Health.

[joeDowntown]

I found this video (from March 28th, 2013) that appears to be a video looking for financing of a bridge loan. They mention Bravo! Italian Cuisine, Boyne Country Sports, Rusty Bucket Corner Tavern Design(?) Hair Salon and GNC. Wonder if they ever got the financing (I think since there is no dirt moving, the answer is no):

 

 

Joe

[Gorath]

I found this video (from March 28th, 2013) that appears to be a video looking for financing of a bridge loan. They mention Bravo! Italian Cuisine, Boyne Country Sports, Rusty Bucket Corner Tavern Design(?) Hair Salon and GNC. Wonder if they ever got the financing (I think since there is no dirt moving, the answer is no):

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZjoDIyCySU

 

Joe

 

Good find.  From that video a new site plan;

[Gorath]

Yep, looks like the front door will face Beltline. But it also looks like they're building a deck/outdoor patio facing the village street. I don't get what is going on with all the site work either.

Here's the last site plan I had:

 

Oh wait, it's not new.