Jump to content

New parking ramp at 230 Ionia NW


GRDadof3

Recommended Posts

This in Thursday's Planning Commission agenda:

post-2672-1153882366_thumb.jpg

post-2672-1153882387_thumb.jpg

I believe this addition was proposed in Ferris/Kendall's Master Plan when they take over the Federal Building where the Art Museum is currently housed.

"Applicant requests waivers of the following:

minimum setbacks

pedestrian access

bicycle parking

and maximum wall height"

Are they building a bomb shelter??

post-2672-1153882366_thumb.jpg

post-2672-1153882387_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 25
  • Created
  • Last Reply

This is seriously getting ridiculous. First, Do we really need yet another parking ramp? You cant turn your head in DT GR without looking at parking garages. And with the exception of the one that houses Leo's, all of them have nothing going on a ground level but blank walls. They kill the street almost as bad as a parking lot! And surprise, surprise FSU/Kendall wants all of the things that would make this thing palatable to be waived so they don't have to cater to those non car driving folks who just don't matter all that much anyway. Oh yeah, it's access from Division only, that basically means huge blank wall along Ionia.

Is this supposed to be a downtown or a advance lifestyle center/office park?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oh yeah, it's access from Division only, that basically means huge blank wall along Ionia.

As I understand it there will be access from Division for the top deck and access from Ionia for the bottom deck.

I agree that more parking decks is not what GR needs... :stop: I had always thought of that spot as a great place for a new high-rise...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

As I understand it there will be access from Division for the top deck and access from Ionia for the bottom deck.

I agree that more parking decks is not what GR needs... :stop: I had always thought of that spot as a great place for a new high-rise...

It would be perfect for a new government building, making Ionia Ave. "Government Row"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This in Thursday's Planning Commission agenda:

post-2672-1153882366_thumb.jpg

post-2672-1153882387_thumb.jpg

I believe this addition was proposed in Ferris/Kendall's Master Plan when they take over the Federal Building where the Art Museum is currently housed.

"Applicant requests waivers of the following:

minimum setbacks

pedestrian access

bicycle parking

and maximum wall height"

Are they building a bomb shelter??

That does it. I'm going to spend tomorrow afternoon at 1120 enjoying being a planner again. (Last month one of the commissioners enjoyed my bicycle jewelry. I have entire outfits in that theme...surprise!)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hey, haven't posted in a very very long time.... anyway...

I park in that lot everyday for work. I would like to say that i have never seen it full. I would estimate that it averages about 60 to 70 percent full during the day. Additionally, many of these spaces are occupied by the crews that are renovating the 4th and 5th floors of the commerce building, and that will be done very soon.

So, i personally don't think adding a 2nd level is necassary. I would much rather see a ramp further down division across from the civic.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Apparently we do. If not, I am sure that they would not be building them.

I am guessing that they would like more spaces for the Ferris/Kendal students that they want staying working the Comerece Building. Doesn't Ferris already occupy the top two floors and are in the process of buying renting the rest of the building or everything above the second story? If this is the case, than the additional parking would be nice to have close by.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

hey, haven't posted in a very very long time.... anyway...

I park in that lot everyday for work. I would like to say that i have never seen it full. I would estimate that it averages about 60 to 70 percent full during the day. Additionally, many of these spaces are occupied by the crews that are renovating the 4th and 5th floors of the commerce building, and that will be done very soon.

So, i personally don't think adding a 2nd level is necassary. I would much rather see a ramp further down division across from the civic.

Might be worth stopping by the planning commission meeting today to let them know? :whistling:

That one's up at 3:40, i think the agenda said.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Sweet mother of God. I just have to shake my head at this thing. It would be great if it had 7 stories of mixed-use above it, but its........its just a ramp.

A lousy one at that....

It would be nicer as a building, but I will defend Ken Ellis as having some of the nicest of the downtown parking lots. He uses brick walls, wrought iron fences, decorative lights and nice landscaping. He also spends a lot on seasonal decorations through the year. His ramp behind the Waters Building was nicer than anyone else's when it was built and is still one of the nicest in town.

His one-story deck will look better than most, but the property still could have been much more.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Might be worth stopping by the planning commission meeting today to let them know? :whistling:

That one's up at 3:40, i think the agenda said.

Damn, we should have scheduled a sit and complain at this agenda :lol:

Anyone know what the commission voted?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

They approved it.

This may be a stupid question, but I thought I would ask anyways:

Does anyone know if they are adding any extra sctructual support to this ramp? Meaning that the current plan is to add just one level, but is it being built well enough to support additional floors if required or built? For example if in a few years the demand for parking increases enough that a second or third level would be needed are they going to be able to add to the existing structure or will they have to tear this one down to build a taller structure, or worse yet, find yet another lot to build another parking lot on :shok:

I know there is extra cost associated with making a struture that will support two floors verses six floors, but if a study shows there will be a need for more parking in this area over the next few years, it might be worth a little extra money now, verse a whole lot in the years to come.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This may be a stupid question, but I thought I would ask anyways:

Does anyone know if they are adding any extra sctructual support to this ramp? Meaning that the current plan is to add just one level, but is it being built well enough to support additional floors if required or built? For example if in a few years the demand for parking increases enough that a second or third level would be needed are they going to be able to add to the existing structure or will they have to tear this one down to build a taller structure, or worse yet, find yet another lot to build another parking lot on :shok:

I know there is extra cost associated with making a struture that will support two floors verses six floors, but if a study shows there will be a need for more parking in this area over the next few years, it might be worth a little extra money now, verse a whole lot in the years to come.

That issue actually came up at the meeting last night... Ellis said that he wasn't planning to build it any higher, so no, they're just building enough support structure for the one deck.

I talked to one of the city planners today about it, and he said that it may not go through anyway, because of several concerns MDOT has.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If it's not built for expansion, then maybe it'll get torn down sooner than later. :D While this is a terrible underuse of that lot, it's not any worse than what's there now. And if they aren't going crazy with the height it won't be as difficult to do something good with this land later.

-nb

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It would be nicer as a building, but I will defend Ken Ellis as having some of the nicest of the downtown parking lots. He uses brick walls, wrought iron fences, decorative lights and nice landscaping. He also spends a lot on seasonal decorations through the year. His ramp behind the Waters Building was nicer than anyone else's when it was built and is still one of the nicest in town.

Agreed. I can't believe how nice the parking decks look here (as compared with the concrete bunkers on the other side of the state).

But why bother putting in a one-story parking deck? Sortof like heating up the oven to cook a single quesadilla.

[does this forum need a Quote of the Month feature??]

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Why not just charge more to use the lot so this huge demand for space will go down? Just supply and demand people -- supply and demand. I'm guessing thoes three kids that skate board around the Courthouse will have something else to grind off of.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.