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Riverfront Project

GRDadof3

By GRDadof3
in Grand Rapids

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PBJ Burg

PBJ

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Boy I wonder what would be in the grounds that would penetrate piping... I wonder?

At one point wasn't there a lot of "Plating" companies over that way. With all the chemicals they used to use to plate metals, I'm sure there's plenty of not so yummy things around there.

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mjak68 Unincorporated Area

mjak68

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Boy I wonder what would be in the grounds that would penetrate piping... I wonder?

That's disgusting. Think of what we are sending down river into Ottawa county and Lake Michigan. Getting a big, regional development there would definitely benefit the whole region, economically, and environmentally.

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gvsusean Burg

gvsusean

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i think an urban mall will fail. :( there is just way too many shopping areas already on the outskirts. the market is just saturated. I am definitely all for mixed use buildings but a mall that is too much.

what gr needs are things that make a central city important i.e. the things you cant get from the other cities around. museums, zoo's, entertainment, eventually shopping (when alot of people live downtown). How about an aquarium there, or try to get a stadium. i dont know, but i just think a mall wont work.

by the way .... I do like the canal idea!

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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When we say mall, I think you're thinking of another Rivertown Crossings (which I don't see this being). It would have to feature specialty retailers that we don't have already, maybe an indoor/outdoor market or Whole Foods at the South end, and maybe even an aquarium, theatre or special attractions as you mentioned. I think a stadium is a bad idea (any stadium on waterfront is a bad idea IMO). It would virtually wall of the river and waste a precious opportunity.

Keep coming with the objections though so this will be the right kind of development proposal.

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PBJ Burg

PBJ

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That's disgusting. Think of what we are sending down river into Ottawa county and Lake Michigan. Getting a big, regional development there would definitely benefit the whole region, economically, and environmentally.

I think i remember someone saying that's why they could never remove any of the dams currently lining the river, b/c it would kick up WAY to much contaminated silt from the river bed and have catostrophic enviromental effects all the way to the lake.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Why not have a Meijers. This would be a big bold statment from the company.

Come on Rizzo, if you're not going to be serious :P No really, a Meijer would destroy that site. The back of it would face the river, so at least the truck drivers would enjoy it. As for working along the riverbank, we have a precedent in that area: the work on the S-Curve bridge:

17-3-3.jpg

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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I like the idea of an aquarium. And some green space on that side of 131 would not hurt, either.

If the land does sell for $37 - $40 million, I don't think there's going to be much room in the budget for green space (for any developer). Maybe some roof-top green space :)

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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does the river curve that much?

No, the picture is a little misleading. You would be sitting more to the right, but you should be able to see Plaza Towers, Marriott and the Amway on the East bank, as well as the whole West bank. The North tower would be aligned with Front Street on the West bank, and the South tower would be aligned with 131. Based on this aerial:

85309063_b2c9172909_o.jpg

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snoogit Town

snoogit

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the more I look at this lot the better it seems!!! A good project will "extend" the downtown quite a bit, so that as you drive through you wont miss downtown if you blink! j/k :P

Unfortunately your kind of right... I mean, when your going down 131, if you blink you just almost miss downtown. from north of Michigan to south of Division its not much of a downtown feel outside of those borders. just my HO.

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john_denver Hamlet

john_denver

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I am glad to be here. I have enjoyed reading the posts for a while now.

A few weeks ago I saw a John Denver special on WGVU, so his name came to mind. Yes, I would say I am a fan of JD.

All of the blight we have on our river has always bothered me. I can understand that decades ago it was logical to put industry on a river but times have changed. Just look directly on the other side of the river...the city has a parking lot of rotting vehicles and there is a giant scrap-yard. It's the scrap yard just south of GVSU and next to residential homes! I hope this east side river development happens and is done well, so as to drive a clean up on the west side just south of GVSU.

I was in Dresden, Germany two years ago and their river front is amazing!!! Bike paths, open green areas, beer houses, restaurants, small homes, etc. Even considering they went through 40 years of Communism, their city looks amazing!! I have been to many other river cities in Europe; Prague, many in France and all were very nice. You can tell development happened with a "people" focus.

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GaryP Burg

GaryP

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You're crazy Gary :w00t: No, I see where you're going. It has its merits. Do you think a casino would be able to sustain riverfront cafe's and a boardwalk, I wonder? I was also thinking having residential/hotel would be important. I don't know if people would want to live over a casino? Maybe. It certainly would negate the "gentlemen's club" objection. Is the site large enough to have a casino and other entertainment/retail. Sort of like Trapper's Alley/Greektown.

I think we still could have a riverfront cafes and a boardwalk yes. The 18,000 people/day alone could support that I would think. I guess the way I would structure the site would be to put the casino south of the CSX line and then stack a tall hotel/condo hotel over it. Chances are it would be another 20+ story tower. Then I would mix the entertainment, retail and condos in the remaining portion of the project. I think that would leave close to 5 acres just for a casino floor. I'm no expert, but I think thats enough.

Another advantage to the casino plan is that I don't think there would be a problem in meeting the $37M demands of the city.

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