Downtown Muskegon progress

[GR8scott]

I hope Muskegon can pick it up. It is the largest lakeshore community and also has several older subburb community and the infrastucture of the city has a very old rundown urban feel. There are some very nice neighborhoods too, and Muskeagan lake is the largest inland lake off the great lakes. There is a lot of potential for the port city if it could just bring in some more jobs. I would like to see a couple more mid/high rise condos along to lakes like milwaukee.

[ericnmu]

Yah, what are those cantilevered sections anyway? At first I thought they were gas fireplace box-outs, but it looks like there is a window in them???

I can think of one utility benefit of those nasty cantilivered sections, they block the view from your neighbors deck 3 feet away (since we all want nothing to do with our neighbors).

[torgo]

I dont know about you all, but I just hate those stupid-ass perpendicular parking spaces in the "street". It makes the whole thing look like a big parking lot, like Celebration Village. Street parking should be parallel. Period.

And what's with the "Eastowne" banner? With that sign, they better leave room for roller coasters.

[Honolulublue]

Fellas I live near Muskegon, my dad is 70 years old and can recall when Muskegon was a much busier town. They had a minor league team and a woman's baseball team in town. They had the Milwaukee Clipper and other car ferries back then. He could even tell you about Highway 16. We voted for a casino in Muskegon. They have done nothing. They won't fill those lots up with anything cool. They had a casino developer come in a few years ago and had a real cool idea. Would have had minor league baseball, skywalks. They just sit on their hands and do nothing. They need to make Western Ave like it was in the 50's. With storefronts with bricks, and have facads. Have neon signs hanging. Brick streets would also look cool. They use to have a bowling alley downtown but that's gone. Also a big aquarium like they have in Tampa, and Atlanta would be cool.

If you are taking pictures of Muskegon, some good pics would be of the old Highway 16 car ferry now a PT boat.

The Silversides, as well as the old Milwaukee Clipper.

[Allison Slater]

Muskegon as far as from what I've always known has always been on a decline for a long time. It boomed once long ago, swallowing up my great grandpa's farm house into crowded residential districts around the 40's or so.. and then it just stopped, and last time I was there the whole city seemed like one giant ghetto. I understand it's slowly been getting back on its feet again, but it's going to take a lot to change its image.

[Allison Slater]

oops.

[Allison Slater]

ahhh it works again but oops now there's 3.

[TigerTown87]

Despite what you say, its not just "one big giant ghetto". That is a generalized statement and very wrong at that. Muskegon has ALL TYPES of neighborhoods.

[Allison Slater]

I understand that, but every time I was there, that's what it seemed like. I had family both in Southwestern Muskegon and North Muskegon. (That big smoke tower you see when coming into town from GR.. my grandpa did all the electrical work on that)

I have fond memories of the place, but during my later years there, it just came across to me as a dump, pretty much.

Do they still do Lasers on the Lake? I remember watching that as a kid... it was so awesome back then

[Rizzo]

I think Skeetown is reinventing itself as a destination for Michiganians. It has a growing metro area that might be set to take off. Muskegon just has a lot of perks that look great to people locating to smaller places.

[6th Gen local]

Muskegon should be a great destination. I think the Muskegon lake lakeshore needs to be opened up more for this to happen. Far too much privately owned lakeshore property. Marquette Beach and Muskegon State Park are huge and with a little retail near them could explode as a destination. They are both larger then the very busy Grand Haven area.

[drinsema-sybenga]

I think Skeetown is reinventing itself as a destination for Michiganians. It has a growing metro area that might be set to take off. Muskegon just has a lot of perks that look great to people locating to smaller places.

This is definitely true given last weeks AAA report that stated Muskegon was the third most popular driving desitination for the now upon us summer tourist season.

Mlive Story

And one of the perks has to be that it is a "great value", according to a housing developer I spoke with yesterday. Pretty much the best deals you can get on water (big lake as well as inland lakes) in the West Michigan area, along with the amenities of the largest urban area on the eastern shore of Lake Michigan.

[wolverine]

How dissapointing. There are so many way that this could be made into somethign wonderful, but it's just plain bad design.

It looks like a glorified housing project the way it's laid out with the parking and arrangement of buildings. It's nice they attempting to make the development mixed use with what appears to be ground floor retail. But what good is it, it's detached from the rest of the city! Scrap the parking, and put some wide streets cutting thorugh this, and have everyone park curbside. Additionally the facades don't look real, they look cheaply done and exaggerated. I'm surprised the illustrator chose to show the rooftops too so you could see how they hardly express individual facades. There's a lot more problems, but the cherry on top of it all is the "e" at the end of town. Yeah... like this is really old world character, give me a break.

This development shows architecture at its worse. Sorry Muskegon, this is not a good thing.

[6th Gen local]

How dissapointing. There are so many way that this could be made into somethign wonderful, but it's just plain bad design.

It looks like a glorified housing project the way it's laid out with the parking and arrangement of buildings. It's nice they attempting to make the development mixed use with what appears to be ground floor retail. But what good is it, it's detached from the rest of the city! Scrap the parking, and put some wide streets cutting thorugh this, and have everyone park curbside. Additionally the facades don't look real, they look cheaply done and exaggerated. I'm surprised the illustrator chose to show the rooftops too so you could see how they hardly express individual facades. There's a lot more problems, but the cherry on top of it all is the "e" at the end of town. Yeah... like this is really old world character, give me a break.

This development shows architecture at its worse. Sorry Muskegon, this is not a good thing.

Isn't that area actually Norton Shores and not Muskegon?

[TigerTown87]

Yup, that development is in Norton Shores, but the Muskegon area is so intertwined that it blends together. Most people around here consider everything "Muskegon". BTW, Pere Marquette beach is FAR superior to the beach in Grand Haven.

[Larry Spataro]

Here in the Muskegon, the leadership doesn't know what they want. All that waterfront land and they continue to waste it.

[Larry Spataro]

Yah, what are those cantilevered sections anyway? At first I thought they were gas fireplace box-outs, but it looks like there is a window in them???

On the fronts, there should be four large windows on the top floor where is now one, and on the first floor there should be at least two where they put one.

I work in real estate, and I just can't see anyone saying "Yes, I can see myself living here". Unless you can pick one up for $50K.

What is that across the street, more ugly cell blocks? The whole thing looks like housing for prison workers in the prison yard.

[GRDadof3]

Residential variety the key to a new downtown - Muskegon Chronicle

Everything from large, stately homes to modern lofts carved out of old factory buildings can be seen in and around the area. It's hard to believe that the Amazon Knitting Co., Muskegon Boiler Works and Shaw-Walker Co. were dark and empty just a few years ago. Yet to come are modern condominiums built on Muskegon Lake's shoreline.

[Larry Spataro]

Time for an update. Jefferson, Market, and parts of First and Second were paved today. The streets and public spaces are nearing completion.

The Sidock Building was approved in the Planning commission today, and Mr. Sidock indicated they would be starting construction within the next couple of weeks. They will be occupying the south-east corner of Third and Western. Also, The Planning Department received approval to authorize the ammendment of the Hines Building plans to allow a third floor without another public hearing. The Hines Building will be the new home of the Chamber of Commerce and located at the north-east corner of Third and Western.

Western Ave Properties is moving full speed ahead with the Russell Block and the Savings Bank buildings. If they do as good a job as they did with the Century Club, they should be outstanding.

Good things are happening!

[Eridony]

Thanks for the update, it really helps since I don't get to Muskegon enough to see the progress.

So what is this about the Hines building getting a 3rd floor? Does this mean it will be three stories, or will it be built as two with the possibility of adding another floor in the future? I really think the building would look alot better as a three story building. Also, I know the groundbreaking for the building already occured, do you have any idea when they will actually start construction?

[rightseat]

Thanks for the update, it really helps since I don't get to Muskegon enough to see the progress.

So what is this about the Hines building getting a 3rd floor? Does this mean it will be three stories, or will it be built as two with the possibility of adding another floor in the future? I really think the building would look alot better as a three story building. Also, I know the groundbreaking for the building already occured, do you have any idea when they will actually start construction?

[Larry Spataro]

Thanks for the update, it really helps since I don't get to Muskegon enough to see the progress.

So what is this about the Hines building getting a 3rd floor? Does this mean it will be three stories, or will it be built as two with the possibility of adding another floor in the future? I really think the building would look alot better as a three story building. Also, I know the groundbreaking for the building already occured, do you have any idea when they will actually start construction?

[Eridony]

That is awesome news! Three floors will make it look much better I think, on a highly visible corner like that I don't think there should be anything shorter than three stories. I can't wait to hear who this other tennant is.

[Eridony]

They have started working on the outside of the old bank building next to Heggs.

[Eridony]

Besides the big news today from Baker College another sign of progress downtown was reported today. Downtown's 'Federal Square' to soon take shape

Re-establishment of the historic Federal Square in front of the Muskegon Post Office began in earnest Tuesday with relocation of a James Clover sculpture along West Western Avenue.

An Erickson's crane plucked Clover's artwork from the center of the traffic circle at Terrace Point and moved it a few blocks to its new home in front of the Post Office. The hollow metal white sculpture is a gift from SPX Corp., which commissioned the Grand Valley State University art professor about 15 years ago to create the public art piece for the entrance to what was then the company's headquarters.