6th Street and Seward area developments

[Veloise]

...

Anyone want to own an entire block of storefronts on Bridge St? What's up with that?

Mentioned in the minutes from the May BZA meeting. Owner is trying to market them as one piece, and the P-word ** is a concern.

**two syllables, has to do with stationary cars, pavement

ETA: From the minutes, the Louie's/Rocket Lounge appeal

It was mentioned that the parcels across the street are only vacant because they are for sale as a block. Before the foreclosure the owner had attempted to rent all of the storefronts. There was a tattoo business in one space and there were users that moved in and out of a couple of other spaces but there was never any concrete retail establishment that stayed there. Mr. Roskam stated that it is his hope that that property sells and is improved as a block and that it adds vitality to the area regardless of its use.

[GRDadof3]

They've started work on the Dreuke now. No pictures, but with this and the Enterprise Metal building across the street underway, there's a lot of activity in this area again. I hear a certain deli owner is looking at moving into the ground floor of Enterprise.

[GRDadof3]

Chris has the scoop on the deli:

http://blog.mlive.com/knapescorner/

[GRDadof3]

Sounds like Bob Israels has been assembling land, including the old Oliver Products building, for a vision of 400 new housing units for the Seward/6th area:

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michiga...de_measure.html

[GRDadof3]

According to Street Talk in the Biz Journal, Bob Israels is set to make a development announcement within the month, which includes the block long stretch of vacant buildings on Bridge St between Seward and Stocking. I think he also is looking at or owns the manufacturing buildings to the North (behind those buildings).

[suydam]

According to Street Talk in the Biz Journal, Bob Israels is set to make a development announcement within the month, which includes the block long stretch of vacant buildings on Bridge St between Seward and Stocking. I think he also is looking at or owns the manufacturing buildings to the North (behind those buildings).

Go Bob!

I'm excited to see what he does.

[simonkitty]

Does anyone have a pic that would show the Seward ave streetscape from 4th street to the back of the Drueke building about 4-8 weeks ago? Before the mural?

[RegalTDP]

City cracks down on fence with ArtPrize mural surrounding Israels' property on West Side (MLive)

West Side developers Bob and David Israels believe they did after having a European garden scene painted on an old steel retaining wall as part of the art competition and exhibition.

The once-blighted fence now depicts the European-inspired "TrompeI-Oeil" three-dimensional garden scene designed and applied by a crew headed by Belmont mural artist Tammy Lynch...

But city planners say the 10-foot wall is too high and violates the city's zoning ordinance. They are telling the Israelses the fence must come down.

The city's Board of Zoning Appeals will decide whether they can keep their fence at a meeting Thursday.

IMHO, bad move, City of GR. To city planners, Art Prize should be viewed as an opportunity to beautify these industrial zones with zero effort needed by them. The neighborhood looks nicer now; let it be.

[blueradon]

-cries- LEAVE THE FENCE ALOOOOOONE

[OneSweetWorld]

It is sad to see such a piece of art, which has helped liven up a street, get torn down. But I need to point out some simple ideas:

1. It's only a painting. Knowing Michigan weather, it will be cracked and faded within a few years, and in 10 or 20 years it'll probably be trash. What then? It'll look like crap, but it'll be too late for the city to enforce the zoning ordinance if they give Israels the variance this time around.

2. No matter how unlikely or how far into the future it may be, an eventual change of ownership is imminent. Israels may be passionate about the neighborhood, but what if this project doesn't work out and someone like Azzar comes in and sits on the property for a couple decades? It may be five years from now, it may be 40. But if someone comes in and ignores the deteriorating mural, or decides it needs to go, what's the city going to do then? The fence will be just like it was two months ago: ugly and ugly, and the city will have no control over it.

3. The fence's previous role was to keep burglars out of the scrap yard. That scrap yard will soon be a parking lot (or maybe it already is- I'm not sure), and the fence will only make it less safe for office workers trying to leave at 5 or 6 pm (remember--it will be dark out at 5 in a few months). Not to mention that someone driving out of the lot may not be able to see other cars, pedestrians, or cyclists on the road until it's too late. As Suzanne Schulz pointed out in the article, it's really not about the art; it's about the fence.

As much as it sucks to see a piece of art ripped down because of a seemingly nit-picky zoning ordinance, it really is for the best. A better option would be for Israels and the artist to work together on moving the painting somewhere else.

[Veloise]

According to my BZA packet (summarizing here), the wall was installed to hide the scrapyard, and there's some blast from the past decisions in there from decades past (1950s). Manifestly it's cheaper to buy a few gallons of paint than to remove it. And the site plan shows a proposed clock tower.

(front row seat for the discussion)

[RegalTDP]

A better option would be for Israels and the artist to work together on moving the painting somewhere else.

Actually, I think you're right, that would be a better option.

[Veloise]

Does anyone have a pic that would show the Seward ave streetscape from 4th street to the back of the Drueke building about 4-8 weeks ago? Before the mural?

Here's the live map, from Seward.

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&...8&encType=1

This view shows another wall along the west property line, adjacent to the residential uses.

>IDEA!!<

From 4th.

http://www.bing.com/maps/default.aspx?v=2&...8&encType=1

Streetview drive-by.

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source...,243.07,,0,8.28

[Veloise]

Site visit.

[GRDadof3]

A lot of work going on on the West Side:

Maggie's being dismantled (anyone remember what the story is?)

502 2nd St:

The new 4th St Deli (during a non lunch hour):

Little Mexico:

[InSecurity]

A lot of work going on on the West Side:

Maggie's being dismantled (anyone remember what the story is?)

Maggie's is a little further west and on the other side of the road.

[RegalTDP]

From MLive: Israels plans to move the 10 foot fence and mural down to his park next to Klingman's in Wyoming.

[GRDadof3]

A lot of work going on on the West Side:

Maggie's being dismantled (anyone remember what the story is?)

Maggie's is a little further west and on the other side of the road.

Ah thanks. I'm still trying to figure out what used to be here.

From MLive: Israels plans to move the 10 foot fence and mural down to his park next to Klingman's in Wyoming.

Nothing in that article about all the trees they illegally cut down along Seward that were "blocking" the view of the fence. Just a lot of Grand Rapids bashing/Wyoming is so great.

[GRDadof3]

OST Technologies is moving from the Brass Works bldg to the Drueke:

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2009/12/grand_rapids_tech_firm_ost_pla.html

Sounds like they'll have some pretty nice space.

[joeDowntown]

502 Second Street is looking good. Love the wood on the side:

Also, the True North sign is up on the building across from the Drueke building. Heard they will start soon. And the "fence" is gone from the Drueke building. It looks *MUCH* better without, regardless of the Art Prize mural. Much more pedestrian (and neighborhood) friendly.

Joe

[Veloise]

...And the "fence" is gone from the Drueke building. It looks *MUCH* better without, regardless of the Art Prize mural. Much more pedestrian (and neighborhood) friendly. ...

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/12/grand_rapids_board_lets_bob_is.html

A see-through (chainlink) is proposed. The BZA encouraged a wrought iron fence, one that looks as nice as the north side of 4th. Columns allowed to remain.

[joeDowntown]

Ugh. I spoke to soon. I hope they do something nicer than chain link. Hopefully now that OST has committed to the building, they'll make it a little nicer.

Joe

[wingbert]

Surprised nobody has talked about Israels closing The Other Store.

Israels Closes Other Store, restructures

[Eridony]

Surprised nobody has talked about Israels closing The Other Store.

Israels Closes Other Store, restructures

Sad news. It's nice no one is losing their job, but those jobs are moving to the suburbs.

[MJLO]

I think that was the plan all along. With the re-branding of Klingmans, the Other Store became redundant competition, canibalizing it's own sales. No real biggy here.