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Future Development Opportunities

GRDadof3

By GRDadof3
in Grand Rapids

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Maybe they can sell the headquarters too and move downtown into a new tower. A guy can dream, can't he? It does make more sense now, though.

That's a great idea! It's too bad that they are going to do away with the Steelcase University. ProgressiveAE did a great job of transforming a 1970's era factory into office space:

steelcase_university.jpg

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civitas Burg

civitas

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It looks like the 108 acre Steelcase manufacturing campus is going to be sold.

http://www.mlive.com/business/grpress/inde...5640.xml&coll=6

Watch for a "New Urbanism" concept to pop up for this area.

I sat with a couple of guys at Founders Brewing Company a few months ago and sketched "great " ideas for a mixed-use development on that land. The greatness of our ideas was in direct proportion to the number of beers we consumed and we apparantly forgot how good our ideas had been in the morning.

This could be a very nice project and is an ideal site for a new urbanist development.

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DwntwnGeo Hamlet

DwntwnGeo

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GRDad,

I think this building and the one on the corner of 44th and Eastern will remain per the article.

"The headquarters and learning center are the only buildings Steelcase intends to keep operating at the site." from news article you mentioned above.

That's a great idea! It's too bad that they are going to do away with the Steelcase University. ProgressiveAE did a great job of transforming a 1970's era factory into office space:

steelcase_university.jpg

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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GRDad,

I think this building and the one on the corner of 44th and Eastern will remain per the article.

"The headquarters and learning center are the only buildings Steelcase intends to keep operating at the site." from news article you mentioned above.

I guess I should have read the whole thing :blush:

Fire up the Sketchup:

120729161_35ee59fe30_o.jpg

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PBJ Burg

PBJ

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For some ideas of what can be done, here are a couple of PDF's from the famous DPZ. For those of you who aren't familiar with DPZ they are recognized as the leader in TND developments.

106 Acre Amelia Park

http://www.dpz.com/pdf/9215-Project%20Description.pdf

125 Acre Bradburn Village

http://www.dpz.com/pdf/9915-Project%20Description.pdf

140 Acre Mashpee Commons (awesome)

http://www.dpz.com/pdf/8633-Project%20Description.pdf

Just some ideas...

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Follow that railroad track north and you'll end up at the secret project. How high would densities need to be at both ends to justify light rail from here to downtown?

Nice! Here's another piece of property I've thought about that the city has talked about selling, that would make for a great TND concept. Full rail to downtown (all "rail" roads lead to DT). :D

120761910_9024755fc5_o.jpg

And it would help re-ignite a stagnant section of 28th Street.

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localtalent Hamlet

localtalent

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Nice! Here's another piece of property I've thought about that the city has talked about selling, that would make for a great TND concept. Full rail to downtown (all "rail" roads lead to DT). :D

120761910_9024755fc5_o.jpg

And it would help re-ignite a stagnant section of 28th Street.

This piece will be "swapped" in the near future.

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localtalent Hamlet

localtalent

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Follow that railroad track north and you'll end up at the secret project. How high would densities need to be at both ends to justify light rail from here to downtown?

I don't know about densities, but if you run from around 28th St to Project X, you're looking at a $250 million project.

"Swapped".. what does that mean?

It means someone will take it over with the intent to develop it, and the city will receive something in-kind to compensate.

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GaryP Burg

GaryP

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It means someone will take it over with the intent to develop it, and the city will receive something in-kind to compensate.

Other than money do you mean? Why? And maybe the city should keep some of this land and move the existing facilities at the 'island' here.

Aren't most of the public golf courses in serious trouble right now? I think the city should get out of this business anyway.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Net effect is the same as your initial thought. The land will be developed.

Yes, but it would be nice to be compensated for my ideas. :lol:

No, I'm ecstatic at the thought.

You're throwing a lot of "numbers" and "concepts" around localtalent. When you say 28th to Project X, are you saying $250 million would be the cost to redevelop into rail stations/LRT?

It's a golf course Nitro, and a decreasingly used one at that.. I would hope they would keep green spaces in whatever was planned.

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localtalent Hamlet

localtalent

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Yes, but it would be nice to be compensated for my ideas. :lol:

No, I'm ecstatic at the thought.

You're throwing a lot of "numbers" and "concepts" around localtalent. When you say 28th to Project X, are you saying $250 million would be the cost to redevelop into rail stations/LRT?

Roughly, yes.

I'm glad the city is interested in "swapping" away whats left of our green spaces. :angry:

Is that really a functional "green space"? Does it integrate with the community well?

Suffice to say that if the arrangement I've heard happens, the city comes out ahead in terms of green space.

It would be a win-win in my opinion.

I have no idea what the timing on it is, nor can I disclose the other piece of the "swap".

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grrwymg Hamlet

grrwymg

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Roughly, yes.

Is that really a functional "green space"? Does it integrate with the community well?

Suffice to say that if the arrangement I've heard happens, the city comes out ahead in terms of green space.

It would be a win-win in my opinion.

I have no idea what the timing on it is, nor can I disclose the other piece of the "swap".

Man oh man - too many juicy tidbits to keep me reading...

Thanks for your input localtalent and everyone else on this board - I have become quite a bit less productive since I've been reading the board. :) Keep up the good work.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Yes, I'm so glad to see UrbanPlanet swing back to the forum I had gotten used to, that has been a little absent as of late. With growth comes growing pains I guess.

I wonder if this might become home to the Salvation Army, amongst other users? Time will tell I guess.

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Nitro Burg

Nitro

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It's a golf course Nitro, and a decreasingly used one at that.. I would hope they would keep green spaces in whatever was planned.

I know what it is. It's the only vestage of nature left on a commercial corridor that has had unchecked growth on it for years.

I don't care what you develop on it, it isn't going to have as much open space as it does now. When the golf course fails make it into a park.

We can't continue to develop ever single piece of available land. We need to preserve open space not let it slip through our fingers and become a detention pond on yet another crappy retail development or snore inducing office complex.

Development is a good thing.....but not at the cost of all of our open space.

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