Traverse City

[dtown]

hows that bank coming along?

[dtown]

Well, this thread just went down the s**tter.

It was nice while it lasted.

[Ka3kab]

That's because my bank account went down the s#*#er. I'll be back soon.

[dtown]

Ahh, tough times man, i feel for you. Good luck with that.

LOL, Maybe i need to get a life, or a job.

[joeDowntown]

I have a question obout the Great Wolf Lodge. I remember reading that GWL was going to expand the waterpark to help compete against Avalanche Bay. Did this happen?

Joe

[Ka3kab]

Not yet, I think it is happening right now in time for next summer. I honestly don't know for sure though, the way the hotel is positioned, you can't really see anything from the road. I will be there on the 27th of this month though, I will let you know then.

[dtown]

Any idea on how far along the hospital is?

[Ka3kab]

Just drove by there a few days ago, and like the above post, unless your standing right in front of it its hard to see what is happening. No camera with me either, so no pics. There is a big crane there though and it looks like most of the skeleton is up.

[dtown]

Oh, yeah. its set back if i remember corrrectly. i saw the crane a while ago. How about the bank?

[Ka3kab]

Nothing new downtown either. The bank is still mostley just a hole with some steel beams in the basement area. I will try to get some pictures soon, if the sun ever comes out again.

[dtown]

Lol, i figured theyd be farther along than that since its been pretty mild this winter.

[dtown]

It looks like JS Hamburg is going to move in to that new federated building. http://www.record-eagle.com/2007/jan/17tenants.htm

[Ka3kab]

Yeah, I saw that. That will be cool. Have you ever gone there? Kinda good, kinda typical of a small diner.

Some news from around town.

The new bank at Union and State is coming along farther than I thought, not much further, but still. They've poured the concrete in the basment and have a few blocks up on the foundation.

Meijer lost their latest ruling and it was decided that the township commision does have some say in interpreting the master plan. So now, Meijer will stop construction, again, and appeal their case to the state Court of Appeals. What a mess, I'm glad I don't live in Acme Township.

[egrguy]

1. This bank has been going on and on... it seems like anyway to me, but is there a projected completion date?

2. This Acme Meijer issue has been dragging on a long time too, I had thought the issue had been resolved. What do you think the end result on this is gonna be?

[dtown]

They are still fighting that Meijer? Wow.

Yeah, ive been to JS Hamburg before. They got some good milkshakes, and the burgers are pretty good too.

The City Talks with fedarated about parking again

http://www.record-eagle.com/2007/jan/20parking.htm

BTW, Any renderings or anything of what the bank is going to look like??

[Ka3kab]

I don't really know anything about the bank other than it will be three stories and a bank.

I thought Meijer was a done deal also, but goes to show what I know. There's just a little sarcasm in that statement. Crap like this happens all the time around here. Meijer, the Hammond-Hartman bridge (going on about 15 years now), Incholee Woods and just about any other project that gets proposed has to be dragged on for a minimum of one to two years before any decision is made. I would hate to be a developer around here, and if I was, I would have tried one project and moved.

[egrguy]

Why is it so hard to develop in this area? I mean, it seems like it could be quite successful -- is it just a city resistant to change?

[dtown]

I think its just that the people think that they are still an isolated sleepy town in the woods of northern MI, which they arent any more. Times change, but the people still think its the 60's. I guess i can understand about the bridge, but i dont understand about the meijer. Why fight it? Really isnt acme just pretty much a suburb of TC? They dont have downtown or anything, so its not like its going to ruin any small family businesses.

[egrguy]

Isn't Turtle Creek already in Acme? I mean, if there's the sprawling casino, then what's wrong with a Meijer?

[dtown]

They are just NIMBY's. They fight developments of all kinds, but really seem to fight downtown projects the worst.

Like i said, i can understand abot not wanting a bridge cutting through the river valley, but i dont know why they would bother fighting this meijer for so long. Thye probobly all go to TC and shop at their meijer already anyway.

[suydam]

They are just NIMBY's. They fight developments of all kinds, but really seem to fight downtown projects the worst.

Like i said, i can understand abot not wanting a bridge cutting through the river valley, but i dont know why they would bother fighting this meijer for so long. Thye probobly all go to TC and shop at their meijer already anyway.

Are those 2 different thoughts or are you claiming that the Acme project is a "downtown" project?

It's a meijer in a sea of pavement. That's not a downtown project.

[dtown]

Its a different thought. I meant downtown TC development. To the best of my knowledge, Acme has no downtown whatsoever.

In other news, developer proposes new TC yahct club on M-22

Linky

[Ka3kab]

There is no downtown in Acme. The area where they want to build the Meijer store was going to be called the Acme Town Center. Starting with the Meijer, there would be other development built out from it, according to the actual master plan of the Township of Acme. The board that voted that plan in was kicked from office the following election cycle (I think it was 2002) and since then nothing has gotten done. But what is most confusing is that it seems only a small amount of people in Acme Township oppose the plan and the majority still want it, but the minority are also the same people who run the board now. It really is more confusing and not as simple a problem as it seems.

Also, jkdacz, the casino is actually in Whitewater Township. I know what's the difference and I also understand what you're saying, because it is just inside Whitewater Township only four or five miles from Acme (M-72 and US 31)

In other news, the Hospital will open its new Emergency Room at Munson Medical Center. The other expansion at the hospital is still about a year off of completion.

[dtown]

Thanks for the update. Thats odd about acme, it seems that they could just have a vote, nd residents would approve it if they wanted it. But, like you said , i guess its more complicated than it seems.

[egrguy]

There was a small snipet regarding the Acme Meijer in today's GR Press. It stated that their prediction was that Meijer will cut their losses and build it Acme's way. I didn't that there was an alternative option out there? You know of the difference ka3kab?