Bicycle Factory Project

[torgo]

Wait wait wait, what the crap are you guys talking about?

[GRDadof3]

Wait wait wait, what the crap are you guys talking about?

I edited out roberto's message about a possible land swap/sale in that area. The publicly disclosed land swap deal is that the city is going to sell ROW property near Winter Ave and Fulton to GVSU, in exchange for GVSU selling a chunk of their parking lot near the Bicycle Factory for parking for its residents.

Hope that helps Andy.

[Veloise]

I edited out roberto's message about a possible land swap/sale in that area. The publicly disclosed land swap deal is that the city is going to sell ROW property near Winter Ave and Fulton to GVSU, in exchange for GVSU selling a chunk of their parking lot near the Bicycle Factory for parking for its residents.

Hope that helps Andy.

The heck with parking. I wanna see the decor!

[rode by the other night]

[GRDadof3]

The heck with parking. I wanna see the decor!

[rode by the other night]

Me too. I would play off the bicycle theme and have antique bicycles sticking out of the exterior walls and hanging in the lobby:

[eagle]

Sorry for the dumb question. I've asked this before but didn't get an answer. What, exactly, does right of way mean?

I've heard posters mention buying row for transit, I've seen intersections with a highway row sign and now this is being referred to as ROW property.

Thanks.

[GRDadof3]

Sorry for the dumb question. I've asked this before but didn't get an answer. What, exactly, does right of way mean?

I've heard posters mention buying row for transit, I've seen intersections with a highway row sign and now this is being referred to as ROW property.

Thanks.

Here's my 10 second "educated guess without having a civil engineering degree" answer:

As I understand it, a Right of Way (used most often) is property that is deemed important to a municipality when they construct roads or other infrastructure. It is owned by the municipality, and it allows them a wider birth for future expansions, changes in the system, or to just control what happens to property near the infrastructure. ROW's are everywhere, including every intersection in town.

This Right of Way was purchased a while ago to allow for the continuation of Seward to Watson, so as to create a better North/South thoroughfare on the West Side. Here is an image of the planned expansion.

http://static.flickr.com/55/142941833_012c5566a5_o.jpg

According to the City's agenda, Areas 4, 5, 6, 7 are going to be sold to GVSU for parking to allow GVSU to sell their land near the Bicycle Factory. Areas 1, 2 and 3 are Adobe owned (I believe). Fulton is the street at the top. The city then relinquishes the right to develop those 4 areas in the future. They probably purchased them to allow for flexibility when they laid out Seward in the future.

When it comes to streetcars or BRT, ROW's (either in the street median or a section to the side of the street) would have to be purchased from the city and transferred to the transit agency. It's a long and arduous process from what I understand. If you're familiar with Rail-to-trail conversions, the longest and toughest part is working on railroad ROW's, especially on abandoned sections where property owners have literally "taken over" the railroad ROW.

Hope that helps, and don't be surprised if someone add/corrects my explanation.

[DwntwnGeo]

Sorry for the dumb question. I've asked this before but didn't get an answer. What, exactly, does right of way mean?

I've heard posters mention buying row for transit, I've seen intersections with a highway row sign and now this is being referred to as ROW property.

Thanks.

There are never any dumb questions

GRDad made some good points and related them to common language. Below is the quoted definition from an online dictionary:

right of way

n 1: the privilege of someone to pass over land belonging to

someone else

2: the right of one vehicle or vessel to take precedence over

another

3: the passage consisting of a path or strip of land over which

someone has the legal right to pass

Below is a Legal Encyclopedia definition from the Answers.com website:

Right of Way

An easement, a privilege to pass over the land of another, whereby the holder of the easement acquires only a reasonable and usual enjoyment of the property, and the owner of the land retains the benefits and privileges of ownership consistent with the easement.

Right of way is also used to describe that strip of land upon which railroad companies construct their roadbed; in this context, the term refers to the land itself, not the right of passage over it.

The term right of way also refers to a preference of one of two vehicles or vessels, or between a motor vehicle and a pedestrian, asserting the right of passage at the same place and time. It is not an absolute right, however, since the possessor of the right of way is not relieved from the duty of exercising due care for her own safety and that of others.

My teachings are done for the day I hope this helps out.

[eagle]

You guys are incredible. Thanks. I've always wondered about that.

So basically, I can own a piece of property but sell to a railroad company the right to use my land or sell to a utility company the right to pass wires over my property. I still own it but they have the right to use it.

Makes sense. Thanks.

[GRDadof3]

You guys are incredible. Thanks. I've always wondered about that.

So basically, I can own a piece of property but sell to a railroad company the right to use my land or sell to a utility company the right to pass wires over my property. I still own it but they have the right to use it.

Makes sense. Thanks.

Yes, and generally the city owns from the center of the street to about 20' into your front yard as a ROW (depending on your locale). That way they can widen the street if need be, add or renovate the sidewalks, plant trees, etc.. It's also why the utility companies can come through and rip up your front yard near the street and you have little say about it.

[DwntwnGeo]

Yes, and generally the city owns from the center of the street to about 20' into your front yard as a ROW (depending on your locale).

Most streets have a 66' ROW with 33' to each side of the centerline of the roadway. Just an FYI for you

[GRDadof3]

Most streets have a 66' ROW with 33' to each side of the centerline of the roadway. Just an FYI for you

Thanks Geo!

[Veloise]

You guys are incredible. Thanks. I've always wondered about that.

So basically, I can own a piece of property but sell to a railroad company the right to use my land or sell to a utility company the right to pass wires over my property. I still own it but they have the right to use it.

Makes sense. Thanks.

Not quite. If you retain ownership and are allowing access to someone else, it's set up as an easement. Utilities can just claim access, they don;t have to pay for it. Google up the guy who was without power for several days because he's in a dispute with the power company, and they decided to use the outage as bargaining leverage. (Happened earlier this year.)

RR ROW are...a nightmare. I had a cell site in Dearborn and it took Wayne County several hours to pull up the original deed...1887, hand-written in Spencerian script.

[DwntwnGeo]

Correct Veloise,

When someone (a utility for example) purchases an "easement" from you, they are purchasing the right to be on your property. You will still remain the owner of the said property. While with Rigth of Ways, you physically sell that strip or corner to the Uitlity or City In most cases you treat it like you own it (meaning, you can mow it, plant flowers etc).

Not quite. If you retain ownership and are allowing access to someone else, it's set up as an easement. Utilities can just claim access, they don;t have to pay for it. Google up the guy who was without power for several days because he's in a dispute with the power company, and they decided to use the outage as bargaining leverage. (Happened earlier this year.)

RR ROW are...a nightmare. I had a cell site in Dearborn and it took Wayne County several hours to pull up the original deed...1887, hand-written in Spencerian script.

[GRDadof3]

According to a Business Journal article (which many of you should be able to access now ), it sounds like the City is looking to put the other sections that they own near Adobe on the market soon, which I believe are shown as #1 and #2 on this (fronting Lexington and Fulton):

Business Journal Article

Go West Fulton! That would help with some much needed infill along Fulton in that area.

[Veloise]

Me too. I would play off the bicycle theme and have antique bicycles sticking out of the exterior walls and hanging in the lobby...

Just picked this up off a certain auction site. I'd like a unit that faces DT but not the $%%^-ugly cell tower building.

[joeDowntown]

If I'm not mistaken, DeVries owns the "$%%^-ugly cell tower building". I wouldn't call it out for the count yet. That building has a lot of history and probably would have been developed sooner if they hadn't turned the street into a Cul de Sac (from which DeVries was paid hansomely).

Joe

[twoshort]

UPDATE: http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/developmen...ikefac0622.aspx

[GRDadof3]

Step 1) Install a new sign

I'm really looking forward to seeing this converted. Wish we had some artists renderings.

[john_denver]

Hooray for this part of town! With this Bicycle Factory Renovation in mind, do you think the time has come for the scrap metal junkyard(s) ( I think there are two different ones) to move on?

With a junk yard existing in such a residential setting I would think the quality of life could be better in the immediate area, if they moved. Not to mention property values...

Do you think they are just waiting for a $$ offer?

Of course there would be cleanup costs but just imagine the west south of Fulton if all that dirty industry moved elsewhere.

[twoshort]

I'm really looking forward to seeing this converted. Wish we had some artists renderings.

In case anyone wondered, the email address on their site doens't work.

[Dedav]

[GRDadof3]

Great picture dedav!^^

I didn't think anything was going on with this project, until I spotted these guys working today.

You can see inside when the doors are open, and that place is way cool (dark but cool). They also had a demo dumpster that was hauled away as I drove by.

[gvsusean]

where is this place, is it by GVSU??

[twoshort]

where is this place, is it by GVSU??

[Veloise]

where is this place, is it by GVSU??