Greenville Development

[blueradon]

In spite of all the Electrolux business...Greenville is starting to make its recorvery quite nicely so far with new developments.

I actually myself live in a new development that is built behind Meijer and the plans are for a major housing development, with some of it done, but not all...

It's owned by Hathaway Properties who pretty much owns the whole west side of Greenville. The whole development altogether is expected to cost around 100 million dollars.

On the same road a little bit north of town they are building Forest View which is a 45 million dollar development...the article can be found here:

http://www.thedailynews.cc/articles/2004/1...news/news01.txt

Here's some links to pictures of the hathaway projects

+article about development

http://www.thedailynews.cc/articles/2004/0...news/news02.txt

+Townhomes/Condo

http://www.hathawayproperties.com/TownHomeFeatures.html

http://www.hathawayproperties.com/hawthornesiteplan.html

+site plan renderings, watercolors

http://www.hathawayproperties.com/hathawaygreen.html

+their map of all their properties...if you hover over some of the places they'll give you snapshot pics

http://www.hathawayproperties.com/map/index.html

I was just wondering on everyone's thoughts about greenville, and the possibility of soon becoming a GR suburb...

Speaking of which, here is an interesting article about Greenville, Belding and Grand Rapids and the possibility of becoming a GR suburb.

http://www.thedailynews.cc/articles/2004/0...orials/edit.txt

And finally, Greenville is finally getting a hotel

http://www.thedailynews.cc/articles/2005/1...news/news02.txt

I'll come back with more pictures that I took of Greenville

[Rizzo]

Thank you kindly for the share Blueradon! Interesting to see articles by suburban communities about their own developments and Grand Rapids connections.

[blueradon]

Thank you kindly for the share Blueradon! Interesting to see articles by suburban communities about their own developments and Grand Rapids connections.

I think if it was allowed...Greenville would definitely want to be annexed into Kent County

We're getting totally prepared to be a hostspot suburb lol

[Rizzo]

I consider basicly all the cities and towships outside GR as suburbs if they reside within the federal bouderies of Metro GR.

[GRDadof3]

When I used to work for a supplier to Frigidaire years ago, our sales rep that called on them used to call Greenville "The land of the wooden bumpers". I didn't know quite what he meant until I took a trip up there with him and saw all the old Cutlasses and Delta 88's with the rusted off bumper "replacements" People would actually carve their names and other symbols in them. Oh man!! I think Greenville has come quite a ways since then though, and I had read about the big TND project behind Meijer.

[GRGridGirl]

After looking at the site plan and the renderings, I am no fan of this project. This is not a great example of TND design. Do I prefer TND over current bad surburbia design? Yes, but why in West Michigan does it always have to be a somewhat good start with a very bad finish.

Developments like these make people think that this is what TND/New Urbanism is, but it's not.

[blueradon]

After looking at the site plan and the renderings, I am no fan of this project. This is not a great example of TND design. Do I prefer TND over current bad surburbia design? Yes, but why in West Michigan does it always have to be a somewhat good start with a very bad finish.

Developments like these make people think that this is what TND/New Urbanism is, but it's not.

I can sort of agree with you because everything is so sectioned off...

and what kind of gets me is why don't they have some commercial smack dab in the middle of all this...like little coffee shops, or home based businesses to give it a real "neighborhood feel"...

right now our whole backyard is just plain open land but they started cutting some of the trees down to start laying out the roads for the "Central Park" area. I haven't been able to find any renderings or sketches of the "Forest View" development (the other one I mentioned) it seems like they are being quite hush hush about the project. They have a slab of the condos up already, and condo homes are being built...it's a much better vibe in that spot because of the tall pine trees you feel like you're right in the woods.

Either way, its nice for Greenville to start getting some development. I could tell you lots more of what is going on as far as new downtown buildings being remade into lofts with commercial use, new shopping center coming soon, taco bell is opening in january, and we're waiting for lowe's to stop beating around the bush.

I remember reading somewhere also that MDOT is studying M57 from greenville to 131 to implement a "beltline style" divided highway in the next 10-15 years...we really need it, that road is so congested and so many accidents happening.

[Rizzo]

^Just remember that building new beltlines might not solve the problem.

[rstravis]

I consider basicly all the cities and towships outside GR as suburbs if they reside within the federal bouderies of Metro GR.

Rizzo, Greenville id not within the federal boundaries. It is in Montcalm County, and while Newaygo and Ionia counties are part of the GR MSA, Montcalm is not.

That said, I'm from Belding and my folks live in Greenville, so I know the area fairly well. I am quite surprised to see how well the community is doing despite troubles with employers. That is definitely an indication that Greenville is taking on a more suburban (read: "bedroom community") nature, if a huge employer closing does not cause the town much more hardship than that. I remember when Gibson moved out of Belding to Anderson, SC, back in the 80s -- the town was devastated. It did recover, but there was a definite lull. I've seen no evidence of a lull in Greenville. They continue developing as if nothing happened.

[GRDadof3]

Rizzo, Greenville id not within the federal boundaries. It is in Montcalm County, and while Newaygo and Ionia counties are part of the GR MSA, Montcalm is not.

That said, I'm from Belding and my folks live in Greenville, so I know the area fairly well. I am quite surprised to see how well the community is doing despite troubles with employers. That is definitely an indication that Greenville is taking on a more suburban (read: "bedroom community") nature, if a huge employer closing does not cause the town much more hardship than that. I remember when Gibson moved out of Belding to Anderson, SC, back in the 80s -- the town was devastated. It did recover, but there was a definite lull. I've seen no evidence of a lull in Greenville. They continue developing as if nothing happened.

You have to realize that Electrolux just recently started their shift to Mexico, so the ramifications of 2300 layoffs have not been fully realized. However, Greenville and Cedar Springs are becoming the new "Rockford", that is, the new hot bedroom communities on the North side. Land is still inexpensive and aplenty, and the schools are not overcrowded like Rockford's. Way too far out for my tastes, but that's me.

[blueradon]

Rizzo, Greenville id not within the federal boundaries. It is in Montcalm County, and while Newaygo and Ionia counties are part of the GR MSA, Montcalm is not.

That said, I'm from Belding and my folks live in Greenville, so I know the area fairly well. I am quite surprised to see how well the community is doing despite troubles with employers. That is definitely an indication that Greenville is taking on a more suburban (read: "bedroom community") nature, if a huge employer closing does not cause the town much more hardship than that. I remember when Gibson moved out of Belding to Anderson, SC, back in the 80s -- the town was devastated. It did recover, but there was a definite lull. I've seen no evidence of a lull in Greenville. They continue developing as if nothing happened.

I actually lived in belding for a good 15 years and Belding has its pros and cons, but I just find it that Belding is always going to be "second best" compared to Greenville. It seems like business can never last in that town, we have that ridiculous "mall" engulfing the whole downtown district and the downtown atmosphere feels dead.

However, they are coming out with some improvements with the little shopping district, or its going to be called "The Commons," and they said a sit-down restaurant will be implemented. And the trails are a start, and I do have to admit Belding has better parks. Housing development seems to be going around town too.

I see all the old pictures from the early 1900's of Belding, and it was such a booming town back then with the silk factories, the hotel, the depot, the downtown looked very civilized...it's sad that it isn't the same way today. I think eventually Belding will recover though. They have lots of room to expand.

[blueradon]

You have to realize that Electrolux just recently started their shift to Mexico, so the ramifications of 2300 layoffs have not been fully realized. However, Greenville and Cedar Springs are becoming the new "Rockford", that is, the new hot bedroom communities on the North side. Land is still inexpensive and aplenty, and the schools are not overcrowded like Rockford's. Way too far out for my tastes, but that's me.

Well for me to get to Grand Rapids from Greenville takes me a quick half hour - if you live in Belding it seems to take a little bit longer.

Once they stretch and expressway over here, we're talkin 10-15 lol

[torgo]

and what kind of gets me is why don't they have some commercial smack dab in the middle of all this...like little coffee shops, or home based businesses to give it a real "neighborhood feel"...

Going back a ways....

They don't put commercial/retail the middle because it wouldn't survive. Most TND/New Urban projects that include retail will stick it by a major highway/arterial street so the retail areas get some visibility and traffic.

[Prankster]

Going back a ways....

They don't put commercial/retail the middle because it wouldn't survive. Most TND/New Urban projects that include retail will stick it by a major highway/arterial street so the retail areas get some visibility and traffic.

As a side not to this, has any retail ever been added to the Bailey's Grove development in Kentwood? This has been held up as a model for new urbanism, and big plans were made for the commercial portion of it, but it seems that has fallen by the wayside.

[GRDadof3]

As a side not to this, has any retail ever been added to the Bailey's Grove development in Kentwood? This has been held up as a model for new urbanism, and big plans were made for the commercial portion of it, but it seems that has fallen by the wayside.

No

[Rizzo]

^In my architectural design education I had to do a report on Baileys Grove. My teacher was enthused about the project, he kept calling it a "fantabulous" development.

[joeDowntown]

I think Greenville is a great little town. Plenty of nice architecture, old houses, a nice main street. The only problem is you basically have to cut over to Rockford and then down 131 to get downtown. It is a long haul. And since it took 40 years to build the South Beltline, I think a North Beltline will happen in about 2050 and will circle north of Howard City, connecting the suburbs of Big Rapids to the GR metro area.

Joe

[Nitro]

^In my architectural design education I had to do a report on Baileys Grove. My teacher was enthused about the project, he kept calling it a "fantabulous" development.

Some of my profs used this term as well. Must be an archy thing.

Nitro

[ZachariahDaMan]

Sorry to dig up old threads, I didn't want to make a new one instead of just using this.

http://www.thedailynews.cc/Main.asp?Sectio...ArticleID=18183

I noticed in the article it says they are trying to establish a historic district on Lafeyette between Benton and Montcalm. Does anyone have photos of downtown Greenville?

[blueradon]

These aren't the best pictures - but it's all I have for now: