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Gallery on Fulton


civitas

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im a little confused.... where is that cool building with the plaza going and where is the UICA theatre going??
The cool building that GRDad posted is a development in K-Zoo. The article in the Press today said that the UICA is proposing to go in the Gallery on Fulton project here.

The rendering does look a little dark, but I think it's just from the lighting scheme in the picture.

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Anyone see the story on the UICA possibly moving to Gallery on Fulton? This caught me off guard...rendering is in the Press.

I just read the story too...a little surprising. So Is UICA just going to keep moving or what? I sort of don't see the point of them moving a mere block over into a building that will likely cost a large percentage more than where they are. I remember when they were over on Race Street and were called "the Race Street Gallery" and have supported them and attended events at all their locations.

For an arts non-profit it doesn't seems to make any sense to keep jumping buildings. Their current building was supposed to be the end-all be-all location for them. The article quotes their exec. director saying, "The fact that much of West Michigan doesn't know that we exist is an issue." Seeking a geographic cure for what ails? Hmmm...seems like there would be numerous less costly endeavors to pursue. Just my $.02.

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I just read the story too...a little surprising. So Is UICA just going to keep moving or what? I sort of don't see the point of them moving a mere block over into a building that will likely cost a large percentage more than where they are. I remember when they were over on Race Street and were called "the Race Street Gallery" and have supported them and attended events at all their locations.

For an arts non-profit it doesn't seems to make any sense to keep jumping buildings. Their current building was supposed to be the end-all be-all location for them. The article quotes their exec. director saying, "The fact that much of West Michigan doesn't know that we exist is an issue." Seeking a geographic cure for what ails? Hmmm...seems like there would be numerous less costly endeavors to pursue. Just my $.02.

Even though it would only be a block away from where they currently are, the exposure would be much much greater. Somewhere I read that some 40,000 cars/people drive by that intersection each and every day. That is a lot of people and might generate more revenue than the current street location. If they can make the money work out in their favor, I would say go for it :thumbsup:

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The UICA probably got an offer too good to pass up. This is pure speculation. But what if the developer is offering to lease the space to the UICA at a discounted rate just to get them in there? The gravity of the UICA draws people into the development and thus their money and profits for the developer while the UICA basks in the huge exposure that high profile corner gives them. Its a win/win for the developer and the UICA.

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Now if UICA does move into that corner, and with the renovation of the Civic Theatre, then that would be even a stronger push to make the Keeler Building into my idea for a "Creative Arts/Technology Center", bringing in Kendall College, Calvin's Art Program, local companies with big design departments like Herman Miller, Haworth, and Steelcase, and a number of other high tech graphic design/arts tenants.

Make every other floor "residential loft" space to make it a 24 hour "art-plex", and put young college students and interns to work in a classic "skunk-works" environment creating the next wave of products for the lucky few tenants. Then it creates an unbroken corridor of arts-related development on Division Ave, all the way from Wealthy to Lyon. Anchor it on the North end with the Van Andel Institute and MSU's med school, and you've got something to really sink teeth into, and a great economic driver as well.

Ha, just imagine Division Avenue being THE center of the city again.

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It looks like those squares were indeed windows, building look a lot better in that rendering.

Also, I'm very excited about the UICA being there. Despite it being a busy intersection for road traffic, there isn't much life going on there. Sure there's the park, but it just doesn't feel nearly alive as it would if the UICA were located there.

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Now if UICA does move into that corner, and with the renovation of the Civic Theatre, then that would be even a stronger push to make the Keeler Building into my idea for a "Creative Arts/Technology Center", bringing in Kendall College, Calvin's Art Program, local companies with big design departments like Herman Miller, Haworth, and Steelcase, and a number of other high tech graphic design/arts tenants.

Ha, just imagine Division Avenue being THE center of the city again.

Nice sentiment but probably WAY too much competition betwixt and between all of the

entities mentioned there, Dad. Not feasible to expect competing companies to have

design staff in close proximity to 'the other guy'. Also, not likely public and private

learning institutions can live together - again, too much competition for those

tuition dollars. And, don't forget, Kendall has the current art museum building and

not enough bucks to renovate that which explains in part why they have let go of

their reputation for quality and let anyone in who knows which end of a pencil to use,

or how to turn on a computer. This city, and the art departments of local colleges

doesn't need to turn out more art graduates, they need to turn out more quality.

Housing. Maybe housing.

Edited by mejane
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Nice sentiment but probably WAY too much competition betwixt and between all of the

entities mentioned there, Dad. Not feasible to expect competing companies to have

design staff in close proximity to 'the other guy'. Also, not likely public and private

learning institutions can live together - again, too much competition for those

tuition dollars. And, don't forget, Kendall has the current art museum building and

not enough bucks to renovate that which explains in part why they have let go of

their reputation for quality and let anyone in who knows which end of a pencil to use,

or how to turn on a computer. This city, and the art departments of local colleges

doesn't need to turn out more art graduates, they need to turn out more quality.

Housing. Maybe housing.

Ouch mejane! Yes, perhaps too ambitious of an idea to work, even if the companies leased separate private spaces.

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Maybe I don't know enough about the UICA, but I just can't see them working well as a tenant in the City Centre development. I see the UICA as unapolegetically avant garde -- sometimes provocative, sometimes odd, sometimes rowdy, always adventurous. It seems they would be best suited for a space where they could freely spill paint on the floor, play loud music, light things on fire, or, if need be, punch a few holes in the wall. The UCIA is undoubtedly cool, but does it make sense for this type of organization to be a tenant imediately next door to 70 residential condos in a brand-new building?

In other words, can an expensive, brand-new building, shared with many other tenants, really allow the UICA the freedom and flexibilty to fuction as they'd like to?

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  • 1 month later...

There was a slight blurb about this project the GRBJ, apparently its still going as planned. Stated that the developers are currently performing due diligence (how long does this take, it seems like its been several months already) and the city granted them a lease on the property until Jan '07 to qualify for tax breaks.

Not much new news to speak off but perhaps a deadline to whether or not this project will happen or not.

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There was a slight blurb about this project the GRBJ, apparently its still going as planned. Stated that the developers are currently performing due diligence (how long does this take, it seems like its been several months already) and the city granted them a lease on the property until Jan '07 to qualify for tax breaks.

Not much new news to speak off but perhaps a deadline to whether or not this project will happen or not.

Does anyone else think it's strange that they don't want to close yet on this property despite having over a year to work on it?

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There was a slight blurb about this project the GRBJ, apparently its still going as planned. Stated that the developers are currently performing due diligence (how long does this take, it seems like its been several months already) ...

Depends on what it is and how capable/efficient the consulting firm is.

My corp has a contract with an environmental firm that takes more than 6 months for a Phase I and NEPA. Other firms can turn this around in 6 weeks.

HTH

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Does anyone else think it's strange that they don't want to close yet on this property despite having over a year to work on it?

You mean having reservations on this project? Of all the larger projects, this is the only one I can think of that disappears for months without anything more to report on.

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I would have given this project up for dead a long time ago if not for the people behind it. If the current proposal falls through does this site go back to stage 1 or do they revisit the prior bids they passed up on the first time?

I would guess they would go back to stage 1. The previous development teams may not want it, or may propose a different plan, or may want it for a lower price, or someone who was not interested before might want a crack at it. I'm actually hoping to see a design a little more aesthetically interesting if that happens. I heard that the chances of UICA being able to find the funds to move are slim to none.

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Heard the same thing. Hard to believe that an organization that had to reduce the number of hours open to not go in the red would have the resources to make a big move like this. Granted, it sounds very cool to me, but a little unfeasible unless someone with deep pockets came swooping in. And most of the deep pockets in GR seem much to conservative for the UICA.

Joe

I would guess they would go back to stage 1. The previous development teams may not want it, or may propose a different plan, or may want it for a lower price, or someone who was not interested before might want a crack at it. I'm actually hoping to see a design a little more aesthetically interesting if that happens. I heard that the chances of UICA being able to find the funds to move are slim to none.
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It would be a disappointment for Division and Fulton to go back to stage 1. That would mean a prime piece of land would sit idle for at least another year or two. What would be cool though is the building on the south east corner of the intersection be ripped out and the intersection of Division and Fulton be turned into a grand European style round about with some kind of monument and gardens in the center. That would really mark the center of the city.

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It would be a disappointment for Division and Fulton to go back to stage 1. That would mean a prime piece of land would sit idle for at least another year or two. What would be cool though is the building on the south east corner of the intersection be ripped out and the intersection of Division and Fulton be turned into a grand European style round about with some kind of monument and gardens in the center. That would really mark the center of the city.

That building should go anyways, but unfortunately the HPS is putting up such a fight over it.

Edited by JimInGR
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