In my utopian world....

[Yankee Fan]

I would honestly love to see a historical museum focused entirely on Native Americans- the various nations, the borders of their territories, their culture- I think that it could be done right and could be a spectacular acknowledgement of those that walked these lands before us.

[6th Gen local]

Well, Ill give this thread a try. Just a few simple ideas.

1.) Development at the SW corner of Fulton and market

2.) Development along the West bank of the river, South of Fulton.

3.) A reuse of the old Butterworth dump

4.) Millenium Park completed.

5.) The Grand River fishery kept intact and not disturbed by marinas and statues in the river.

6.) The City and County buildings and VanDenberg plaza reworked

7.) Put retail shops across Monroe from DeVos place instead of "the wall".

8.) Do something with the East side of DeVos place along Monroe.I think Monroe street is basically dead from Lyon to Michigan for locals. Possibly give up some of the display space in DeVos place and put retail and restaurants in that area.

[torgo]

Torgo, is there any architecture you DO like?

Of course there is! I like the JW tower, I really like GVSU Devos Center, I liked that one Heartside project, I sorta like Riverhouse, I liked the design for Lyon & Ottawa, etc etc. I just don't like big, obnoxious designs and blank walls/parking where there should be windows.

But for some reason, there are a bunch of those on the docket around here.

[Greedo]

It's more of the ideas that the Hearst building invites (although I do like it, but it's probably not ready for primetime in GR).

I'm most interested in the surface lot behind McKay, building up from there, but integrating it into McKay. The metal frame on the McKay penthouse would make a great winter garden and a really cool effect underneath the gaze of the taller structure.

I really love Koolhaas and this would be something different in his oeuvre, not to mention something completely different from the traditional glass block.

[NorthCoast]

Most of this stuff has already been said but it would've been on my list too. I did try to inject some originality and come up with a few of my own things.

-A major renewable energy factory located in the industrial area south of Project X

-At least one iconic office tower

-Moving of local corporations HQ dowtown (Alticor, Meijer, Spartan and the rest of the usual suspects)

-A major, iconic dowtown cinema capable of featuring movie premiers(a la Polar Express)

-A Performing Arts Center so Broadway Theatre Guild doesn't get the short end of the stick

-Local clubs including jazz, rock, and dance (Studio 54 GR )

-Grand River Walk (see San Antonio)

-A market on Market

-A Grand Rapids metropolitan green belt established

-Metropolitan light rail system and CBD street cars

-A large (and not ugly) sculpture in the middle of the Grand River around the museum area

-Relocation of the Post Office and GR Press in order to destroy those bldgs. and build over them properly

-Calder Plaza renovation to make it more pedestrian friendly and not the highlight of cold urban renewal

-Renovate and re-open Olds Manor in some shape or form

-Build on 5/3 parking ramp site and destroy 'the wall'

-Improve GR Public Schools

-Historic preservation and renovation of entire city

-Using infill on all ground level parking lots and greatly expand street parking

-Bury I-196 and US-131 through CBD and downtown area

-Massive expansion of John Ball Zoo

-Require quality architecture over that which is functional or for the sake of the designer's ego

-Revitilization of the West Side with GVSU being the anchor

-A downtown grocery store headed by either Meijer and/or Spartan-D&W

-The return of famous department stores downtown

-A major mall downtown (see Circle Center Indianapolis)

-Unify all local governments into a metro council with some power to do something

-Establish PFA's for the entire metro area, help to reinvest in already existing built suburban cores

-Expand Van Andel to make it a major venue

-Reconstruct both City Hall and the Courthouse in the image of their former glory

Thats a good start I think

[grcitydog]

Wow! Lots of things I agree with. One thing I haven't seen, I think that one of the biggest eyesores downtown is the I-196 bridge over the Grand River. I will be a realist and say that the highway won't be torn down or that billions will be spent making it a giant tunnel. But why have it be a concrete and steel MDOT blue painted boring thing? Look at a city like Portland OR, while on a much larger scale, they have beautiful bridges. My suggestion is to replace the current I-196 bridge with something that is not only functional, but will become a city landmark. The price will be expensive, yes, but it need not be out of control. This could really improve the perception of downtown and literally tie things together.

[blueradon]

What I do not understand about the whole 131/196 crossing is that it looks so complicated...I mean obviously because it sits close to the river that it's hard to maneuver, and you do get the hang of it when ur driving down it all the time, but sometimes I feel like I'm looking in 3 directions trying to see what is or isn't coming at me...I just wish they could make that whole interchange a little more simplified, and maybe not so elevated...wasn't I reading something somewhere where they would like to lower the elevation of 131 through that area?

[Greedo]

My suggestion is to replace the current I-196 bridge with something that is not only functional, but will become a city landmark.

Harumph Harumph Harumph!!

[Yankee Fan]

That is actually a really good idea. There are multiple ways that they could do this, too. For instance, much like the Brooklyn Bridge in NY City, they could layer the bridge so that its footprint would be smaller in width. Another idea is to build it with an open floor like the Mackinac Bridge.

None-the-less this is a great idea.

[torgo]

That is actually a really good idea. There are multiple ways that they could do this, too. For instance, much like the Brooklyn Bridge in NY City, they could layer the bridge so that its footprint would be smaller in width. Another idea is to build it with an open floor like the Mackinac Bridge.

None-the-less this is a great idea.

Well the Mackinac only has a the grate on the floor floor so the bridge doesn't blow apart. But I agree...that bridge (how many are there, anyways?) could be dramatically improved.

And Blueradon, the City's Master PLan talks about making 131 north of 196 an "at grade urban boulevard". I think they were just dreamin' with that one though. But boy, that would be pretty cool!

[Greedo]

at grade urban boulevard

I read that in the master plan too. Does that mean something akin to Lakeshore Drive Chicago? Aesthetically, it's more pleasing to the neighborhoods, but if the goal is to reduce a disconnect between E and W sides of town, I don't think it really accomplishes that.

[GR8scott]

I read that in the master plan too. Does that mean something akin to Lakeshore Drive Chicago? Aesthetically, it's more pleasing to the neighborhoods, but if the goal is to reduce a disconnect between E and W sides of town, I don't think it really accomplishes that.

yeah I think the river is much more of a devider, I personally like the elevated freeways because you can see the city. 196 is kind of lowered to the east but you can still see things because there are no walls

It was nice to see the s-curve bridge at least have some detail but I hope the could do do some thing else like a fake suspension that illuminates and get different lighting than the standard street lights

I like how the westbound 196 bridge is high but, it is ugly and narrow, I would like to see a landmark bridge built or maybe a double decker one with at least 4 lanes in each direction over the bridge

another thing that needs to happen is improve 131 south of DT to interstate standards redo the exits and widen to 4 lanes, and hopefully with the completion tro the south 131 can become an interstate soon