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Massive Riverfront Project

GRDadof3

By GRDadof3
in Grand Rapids

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BigPlayJ Unincorporated Area

BigPlayJ

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I hate to keep on this, but the possibility of it being true is absolutely incredible.

As I posted earlier, Larry Page, one of Google's founders, went to UofM. Not only that, but his father Carl is an adjunct professor of computer science at Michigan State. Larry was born and raised in Michigan.

The ties are too close to simply dismiss this idea completely........

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PBJ Burg

PBJ

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Could the deal be a new super hospital for Spectrum? Richard C. Breon their CEO has been going on for about a year now how they are going to compete with the Mayo Clinic. This could be the opportunity he was talking about.

Although a good thought, wouldn't this be in the works for more than a year... And with the recent additions to the current hospital I would think that it would be a little... "off" I guess to then go and announce a whole new location away from the "medical" district.. Just my $0.02

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Yankee Fan Hamlet

Yankee Fan

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Without giving away the ending... you need to start thinking taller, larger, and more complex in nature. Comparing this to the development in Oklahoma City would be a mistake. This conversation needs to start exploring more exciting possibilities, if you know what I mean. Yeah, maybe you don't. But you will be hard pressed to guess this before an announcement. Pretty exciting!

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PBJ Burg

PBJ

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Without giving away the ending... you need to start thinking taller, larger, and more complex in nature. Comparing this to the development in Oklahoma City would be a mistake. This conversation needs to start exploring more exciting possibilities, if you know what I mean. Yeah, maybe you don't. But you will be hard pressed to guess this before an announcement. Pretty exciting!

Very :ph34r: of you....

I like the technology aspect of the whole google idea. I think this area is a good fit (anywhere in Michigan actually) because we're a pretty "stable" region as far as natural disasters and such, making us a good candidate for data centers, research centers and such. I would really hate to lose the river frontage to an "office park" type thing though. Residential/Retail/Food stuff along the river (with a walkable boardwalk thingy), retail on the west side of market, and tech park to the east.. that's my vision....

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Prankster Burg

Prankster

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Without giving away the ending... you need to start thinking taller, larger, and more complex in nature. Comparing this to the development in Oklahoma City would be a mistake. This conversation needs to start exploring more exciting possibilities, if you know what I mean. Yeah, maybe you don't. But you will be hard pressed to guess this before an announcement. Pretty exciting!

Great, there goes my heart rate again. :P

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GaryP Burg

GaryP

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Without giving away the ending... you need to start thinking taller, larger, and more complex in nature. Comparing this to the development in Oklahoma City would be a mistake. This conversation needs to start exploring more exciting possibilities, if you know what I mean. Yeah, maybe you don't. But you will be hard pressed to guess this before an announcement. Pretty exciting!

We're talking a massive google office or a new mayo clinic and we're still not thinking big enough? What do you mean by exciting? Is this going to be Disney Land Grand Rapids or something?

BTW Yankee Fan, you just reached 'who is this guy' status.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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We're talking a massive google office or a new mayo clinic and we're still not thinking big enough? What do you mean by exciting? Is this going to be Disney Land Grand Rapids or something?

BTW Yankee Fan, you just reached 'who is this guy' status.

I feel like this forum is Disneyland Grand Rapids right now :shok::sick:

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PBJ Burg

PBJ

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When you guys are throwing around the 10+ years to completion numbers.. that baffles me. I know whatever it is is a big undertaking but really that long? I know there's planning/approval/tax credits blah blah blah that have to be worked out, but that seems like a long time. The Big Dig project in Boston took 20 years from planning to completion and that involved federal funding, presidential vetos, and congressional miracles. Construction on that, the largest and most expensive highway project of that time only took somewhere between 10 and 15 years to bury a whole highway under a fully developed city... :blink:

Maybe I'm just bummed I'll be nearly 40 (i'll be GRDad by that time, He'll be GRGramps) when it completes.. :P

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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When you guys are throwing around the 10+ years to completion numbers.. that baffles me. I know whatever it is is a big undertaking but really that long? I know there's planning/approval/tax credits blah blah blah that have to be worked out, but that seems like a long time. The Big Dig project in Boston took 20 years from planning to completion and that involved federal funding, presidential vetos, and congressional miracles. Construction on that, the largest and most expensive highway project of that time only took 10 years to bury a whole highway under a fully developed city... :blink:

Maybe I'm just bummed I'll be nearly 40 (i'll be GRDad by that time, He'll be GRGramps) when it completes.. :P

It really depends. I just mentioned 10 years because in researching similar-sized projects around the country, it took 8 - 10 years to complete. That may have been in phases though. Who knows how this will come together. If someone has enough money, they can get 30 acres developed in 2 - 3 years (or less)

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PBJ Burg

PBJ

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It really depends. I just mentioned 10 years because in researching similar-sized projects around the country, it took 8 - 10 years to complete. That may have been in phases though. Who knows how this will come together. If someone has enough money, they can get 30 acres developed in 2 - 3 years (or less)

Ah ok.. so when I win the lotto, I can get it done in a few years. Good deal...

Either way, exciting times for grand rapids, I just hope they don't announce the worlds largest parking ramp. :rofl: .. I can't believe the upswing in lurkers around here since this thread went live.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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I just wonder how quickly the City will move if a deal is struck?

I can see them taking a long time trying to decide where and how to locate the existing departments on the island. Obviously the Dept. of IT would not be an easy move.

I can't see the city slowing this down one bit. Here are some other "observations" I have:

Whoever this "big-player" main anchor is (and I'm not referring to the developer), they are a "Green" company or initiative. That is why the City Commission has been so gung-ho about ordering more "hybrid busses", purchasing the new parking enforcement vehicles, screaming for light-rail funding, and creating a "Sustainability Policy" regarding all new renovations and construction that they are part of.

Whatever this is, no matter whether it happens or not, we are going to go live PRIMETIME when this is announced. I am going to bet every major paper in the country will cover it. Just my hunch. :whistling:

And no, I don't know who the tenant is (yet).

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john_denver Hamlet

john_denver

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I can't see the city slowing this down one bit. Here are some other "observations" I have:

Whoever this "big-player" main anchor is (and I'm not referring to the developer), they are a "Green" company or initiative. That is why the City Commission has been so gung-ho about ordering more "hybrid busses", purchasing the new parking enforcement vehicles, screaming for light-rail funding, and creating a "Sustainability Policy" regarding all new renovations and construction that they are part of.

Whatever this is, no matter whether it happens or not, we are going to go live PRIMETIME when this is announced. I am going to bet every major paper in the country will cover it. Just my hunch. :whistling:

And no, I don't know who the tenant is (yet).

I hope you are right. Actually you do bring up some good points about how the city is really becoming progressive in terms of being "Green".

If this happens, I can see it pushing the other side of the river to be cleaned up and better utilized. I am speaking of the river front property south of GVSU...including the metal scrapyard.

I have also admired the city planning of Curitiba, Brazil

Curitiba

They are very well respected in terms of Urban development.

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john_denver Hamlet

john_denver

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I'm going to have to agree with this. If this is as big as everyone says it is the city isn't going to hold it up. They might be stubborn sometimes, but they're not stupid.

Maybe Grand Rapids is at the dawn of a new age, in terms of local government.

Will Grand Rapids be a new model for a progressive and efficient local government?

I like to be positive and think so. I like what I see so far...

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PBJ Burg

PBJ

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Without giving away the ending... you need to start thinking taller, larger, and more complex in nature. Comparing this to the development in Oklahoma City would be a mistake. This conversation needs to start exploring more exciting possibilities, if you know what I mean. Yeah, maybe you don't. But you will be hard pressed to guess this before an announcement. Pretty exciting!

Ok. i'm no way involved with Development work, or anything of this nature, I only know about stuff through this site. BUT i do have an engineering background, and I"m pretty good at figuring things out. So here's my Sherlock moment reading threads, and being a member here for a while... Here's my latest theory..

I was thinking, since edit... And then national developer, major development... The fact it's along the river, and Trump has done work like this many times.. I dunno, it was just a little thought I just had... Wasn't going to post my uneducated speculation in the thread to get people worked up but what the hell everyone else is doing it....

Is that big enough for you? Huge Trump Development like along the Hudson River? Considering it was a 70 acre 1.8 BILLION dollar deal?.. Hey I'm just a computer engineer nerd boy, but that's what I'm placing my bets on..

Here's more about it

Article 1

Trump Place Pics

Trump Place Website

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