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New Performing Arts Center Rumors


GRDadof3

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It looks like the Broadway Theatre Guild is laying out the groundwork, via Jack Lane and Harvey Gainey, for a new Performing Arts Center:

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grpress...ll=6&thispage=1

They're making the case that they get last priority when booking Devos Performance Hall after the Symphony, GR Ballet and Opera Companies, preventing them from getting long-running shows.

"It doesn't seem right to us, and we are going to fight," said Gainey, owner of Gainey Transportation. "We may just have to build a Gainey Center for the Performing Arts."

Harvey Gainey, Gainey Transportation :)

(last page, last paragraph)

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  • 5 months later...

Regardless of what becomes of the Moch's proposal for the riverfront property, it looks like Chris Knape (of the Grand Rapids Press) spoke with Grand Action Co-Chair David Frey about a new performing arts multi-theater center, and it appears that "plans" may be getting ready to heat up next year, at a possible cost of $65 - $90 Million:

http://www.mlive.com/grpress/knapescorner/..._06.html#157027

The momentum is now! (Did I mention that already?)

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I still say:

build a bigger better Arena, and convert VAA into a PAC/concert venue.

I think that would be way too complicated, and the Arena currently only has one venue. They want to the new Performing Arts Center to have multiple venues for different sized shows, probably similar to Wharton Center at MSU.

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Wow that's awsome where would it go? any Ideas, I don't want them to take up land that could be perfect for a high rise. Although, If you put a performing arts center, across Louis from the Gram, we could have a small civic. center that would look awsome. A not quite as grand, Grand Circus Park.

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Wow that's awsome where would it go? any Ideas, I don't want them to take up land that could be perfect for a high rise. Although, If you put a performing arts center, across Louis from the Gram, we could have a small civic. center that would look awsome. A not quite as grand, Grand Circus Park.

The rumor has always been the Amway land on the SW corner of Fulton and Monroe. But that rumor has been circulating forever, so who knows for sure.

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Wow that's awsome where would it go? any Ideas, I don't want them to take up land that could be perfect for a high rise. Although, If you put a performing arts center, across Louis from the Gram, we could have a small civic. center that would look awsome. A not quite as grand, Grand Circus Park.

A very well designed Performing Arts Building deserves as choice a piece of real estate as a high rise. (with Yoda wisdom) a high rise does not make a city great. Great buildings make a city great. No one would argue that the historic center of Rome (Italy) is a thriving successful city and yet not a single high rise to be seen. Would you tear down the Art Institute in Chicago or Penn Station in NYC to put up a high rise?

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A very well designed Performing Arts Building deserves as choice a piece of real estate as a high rise. (with Yoda wisdom) a high rise does not make a city great. Great buildings make a city great. No one would argue that the historic center of Rome (Italy) is a thriving successful city and yet not a single high rise to be seen. Would you tear down the Art Institute in Chicago or Penn Station in NYC to put up a high rise?

While I agree with you, I think that alot of prime real estate, in this city has been taken up by overwhelmingly mediocre, albeit awful structures. This city, has alot of beautiful monumental buildings, and I surely don't think that high rises make a city great. But noone can compare GR to Rome, and given how new cities work, High rise structures are what makes a city recognizeable. Every city needs Iconic structures. But if they are going to do something like the post office or GR press building, I'd rather have nothing at all. Don't fully discount highrises, if what goes in their place is a boring ass four story structure.

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I would probably be ok with such a center occupying a prime site if the building was absolutely awesome. All I ask is please no more concrete fortresses with no windows! But I also agree with MJLO that GR could use some more "iconic" structures that are taller than 12 stories.

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I'm sorry, but this argument is silly. There are so many places that a potential high-rise could go, that I don't think we should be worried where they put a Performing Arts Center so that it takes up a "high-rise spot". You guys need to walk around downtown some more and see the potential, or have someone show you how much room there really is around downtown, the West side and GVSU area, Monroe North, and Heartside. In fact, the Market/Fulton lot is so large in comparision to most urban lots, that you could probably fit a high rise and a PAC.

The bigger concern and attention should be applied to where a PAC is placed, and how it interacts with its neighbors, how it invigorates an area, that people don't just get to it via a skywalk, that even though most theaters can't have windows on the exterior does not mean they have to look like bunkers on the outside, and a whole host of things that should be considered that were secondary thoughts on the Marriott Conference Center and Art Museum. <_<

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I would probably be ok with such a center occupying a prime site if the building was absolutely awesome. All I ask is please no more concrete fortresses with no windows! But I also agree with MJLO that GR could use some more "iconic" structures that are taller than 12 stories.

Wasn't the "Iconic" on Bond originally going to be 20 stories. (Sorry, I could not resist the temptation to do that play on words)

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While I agree with you, I think that alot of prime real estate, in this city has been taken up by overwhelmingly mediocre, albeit awful structures. This city, has alot of beautiful monumental buildings, and I surely don't think that high rises make a city great. But noone can compare GR to Rome, and given how new cities work, High rise structures are what makes a city recognizeable. Every city needs Iconic structures. But if they are going to do something like the post office or GR press building, I'd rather have nothing at all. Don't fully discount highrises, if what goes in their place is a boring ass four story structure.

You are correct in that GR is no Rome and to get the kind of signature high rise that you are speaking of we would have to be Rome or NYC. What we are actually talking about is a mid rise and mid rises have become very common place. You don't have to look far to find a quality (non high rise building) and a generic mid rise. I would trade 10 Plaza Towers for one Van Andel Institute. The Van Andel Institute is already an "icon" and it isn't even complete. It is visable from many vantage points in the city and helps to make the city recognizable. High rise structures are not what makes a city recognizeable, I could hold up a image of 20 Midsize American Cities and most people couldn't distinguish Boise from Akron because of the generic backdrop midrise skyline. Again my point is quality not quantity or in this case height. Columbus Indiana and Seaside Florida are two good examples of American Cities that are on the map and recognized for quality architecture without the need to blot out the sky with vanilla mid-rises.

Anyway this particular project sounds very promising for a quality building

Edited by EGR-ARCHI
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  • 2 months later...

Now that Grand Action has closed the books successfully on the Civic Theater, weren't they supposed to turn their energies to this new Performing Arts Center? It bugs me to no end that we miss out on some great shows because there's no room at Devos Hall, yet the Wharton Center and Miller Auditorium in much smaller markets get these shows.

Here's an old Street Talk about the potential, and the three sites they were rumored to be looking at (the current county building, Market & Fulton, and the Olds Manor site).

Here's a look at the three venues and the difference in shows:

Miller Auditorium - WMU campus

Wharton Center - MSU campus

Which gives me an idea that Grand Action should partner up with GVSU on this...

Devos Hall

I see an awful lot of listings for Broadway Theater Guild and the GR Symphony, but not much else. Not to disparage the two, but it would be nice to get some more national and international long-running shows.

Anyone know any more details on this initiative?

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What would happen to Devos Hall if GR built a new PAC? Would it continue to host its current show line ups or would it be demolished to may way for somthing eles?

Devos Hall would become the exclusive host to the GR symphony I'd imagine. It won't be demolished unless the convention center needs to expand into it.

Edited by snoogit
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What would happen to Devos Hall if GR built a new PAC? Would it continue to host its current show line ups or would it be demolished to may way for somthing eles?

A quote from GRDad's link:

"Giving the orchestra
[GR Symphony]
its own primary location would thereby free up dates at DeVos Performance Hall for the area
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