Area 4/Area 5 Development

[CK1]

What's to stop making a Meijer's store the ground level anchor on this development, and moving up the theater one level? There's no reason at all for Meijer's to have a 200,000 sqft downtown presense. You could drop or trim back a few departments (lawn and garden, hardware, clothing, etc.) - who really needs to chose from 10 different brands of apple juice or 40 kinds of white bread? Take the best sellers and stock them, especially when space is at a premium. A very convenient and well-stocked meijer's could fit into a much smaller footprint than what is currently built in suburbia. There's no reason to reinvent the wheel, either - they should have no shame in stealing layouts that work for other urban big box retailers - shoot, all those companies originally stole the Meijer's concept anyways.

I have found, as I spend more and more time downtown for lunch and also at night, that even when parking is tight due to time of day or major events going on at Devos and/or Van Andel, that I always make due. Worrying about having enough parking for a worst-case scenario that every living soul in West Michigan will converge on the same spot at the same time needs to stop - when people want to go somewhere, they'll get there, regardless if they can park 5 feet or 500 feet from the front door.

Also, "meijers" not a good name for a new type of store?? I propose they start a new higher-class concept - "Fred's"

[tamias6]

Also, "meijers" not a good name for a new type of store?? I propose they start a new higher-class concept - "Fred's"

[Allison Slater]

Keep in mind that stores with close proximity to a highway naturally grab larger radius (likely more oddly shaped radii as well.)

I'm sure many Byron Center and East Wyoming residents frequent the 54th St. Meijer, Eastern Gaines with the M-6 Meijer, East Grand Rapids with Cascade and/or Knapp's Corner.

A Meijer at the Area 4/5 lot has proximity to 2 highways, likely stealing traffic from 54th St. (especially due to Bus Route 1), 28th, Knapp's Corner, and Alpine. Question is, can any of those afford that hit? I'd imagine most could, especially considering 54th draws people from as far south as Hopkins. I'd imagine the market is there for it to be successful.

Can the feasible parking space and floor space of the store meet the traffic demands the store's location will generate? It's near the intersection of 2 highways, so it will have a large radius to pull from.

And lastly the biggest question, will the cost of building a vertical store be efficient enough to pull a profit?

[GRDadof3]

And lastly the biggest question, will the cost of building a vertical store be efficient enough to pull a profit?

[AlexPKeaton]

Why not go up a few more floors and make it the new Meijer headquarters as well? If you're already building downtown, you might as well maximize your land use. Also, despite being downtown, we this thing will need parking. But, rather than a typical ramp which requires a bunch of loops to climb, why not have some sort of automated parking system. Put your car in, get out, and it's wisked away to some spot in the sky. When you come out with your groceries your car is brought to you in seconds. Such a system might even become a tourist attraction!

-nb

[Allison Slater]

Such a system could also cost nearly as much as the entire rest of the project, or more xD

[GRDadof3]

Hope you don't mind if I post this tamias6. I also just noticed that you brought in some of the design elements of the new Meijer store look, like the windowed atrium at the entrance with the pitched roof shooting forward, without making it look like a big box suburban Meijer. Clever. I thought it might also be cool to put the entrances to the different retail bays at the typical Meijer stores (Flagstar Bank branches, Great Clips, deli) out to the street as well, as opposed to balconies like you have shown.

[snoogit]

Also, "meijers" not a good name for a new type of store?? I propose they start a new higher-class concept - "Fred's"

[gvsusean]

could go old school kitsch with "thrifty acres"

[tamias6]

Hope you don't mind if I post this tamias6. I also just noticed that you brought in some of the design elements of the new Meijer store look, like the windowed atrium at the entrance with the pitched roof shooting forward, without making it look like a big box suburban Meijer. Clever. I thought it might also be cool to put the entrances to the different retail bays at the typical Meijer stores (Flagstar Bank branches, Great Clips, deli) out to the street as well, as opposed to balconies like you have shown.

[twoshort]

I'm sure I could go back 10000 posts and find this info, but Tamias, are you an architect or architectural student or something?

[tamias6]

GRdad, your idea to pump up the street level even more worked out really well. So heres a revised version of my urban Meijer.

The innermost tenents would be the standard Meijer fair like those found in the suberban stores but, as in the first version of this file, they face out towards the street. But the outer most tenents would be higher draw places that would want architectual free reign for their store fronts which really pumps some life to the street frontage. These higher draw places would be sit down resturants, eateries, and boutique shops or service oreiented shops like UPS store, Kinkos, etc. Also for last minute transactions I'm throwing in a bank. Got to have cash to buy a hotdog at the Griffins game.

-----

Twoshort, I am a Kendall student majoring in Digital Media. I also have a BFA in Illustration aquired back in 2000. But I'm really addicted to Sketchup. What a fun app. Seriously I'm hoping to put it to use in coming up with atleast some conceptual ideas for 3-D projects I would do in Lightwave 3-D. As for the Architects behind the new Meijer, they are the Rockwell Group, a New York City based architectual and design firm.

Website

The graphics program inside new and recently renovated Mejier stores made me an instant fan of this firm.

[gvsusean]

GRdad, your idea to pump up the street level even more worked out really well. So heres a revised version of my urban Meijer.

The innermost tenents would be the standard Meijer fair like those found in the suberban stores but, as in the first version of this file, they face out towards the street. But the outer most tenents would be higher draw places that would want architectual free reign for their store fronts which really pumps some life to the street frontage. These higher draw places would be sit down resturants, eateries, and boutique shops or service oreiented shops like UPS store, Kinkos, etc. Also for last minute transactions I'm throwing in a bank. Got to have cash to buy a hotdog at the Griffins game.

I have a question... how do cars get to the top? do they have to go up endless congested ramps?.. why not underground parking? granted it costs more but it seems more logical to me.

[JimInGR]

Ok, I pumped about this idea. Who's ready to grab tamias6's sketch-up and pitch this to Meijer?

[jwazzz]

How come I'm the only member on this site with "Warn: 0%" followed by five little boxes at the bottom of my name/site history section? Did I do something wrong and if so, I'd appreciate knowing what it was so as not to repeat. I love this site - when I found it, I was like "finally, others with my same passion for GR architecture/development." Would someone please explain; my feelings are hurt and I think I'm going to cry - too late, I am crying.

[andrew.w]

How come I'm the only member on this site with "Warn: 0%" followed by five little boxes at the bottom of my name/site history section?

[snoogit]

How come I'm the only member on this site with "Warn: 0%" followed by five little boxes at the bottom of my name/site history section? Did I do something wrong and if so, I'd appreciate knowing what it was so as not to repeat. I love this site - when I found it, I was like "finally, others with my same passion for GR architecture/development." Would someone please explain; my feelings are hurt and I think I'm going to cry - too late, I am crying.

[GRDadof3]

How come I'm the only member on this site with "Warn: 0%" followed by five little boxes at the bottom of my name/site history section? Did I do something wrong and if so, I'd appreciate knowing what it was so as not to repeat. I love this site - when I found it, I was like "finally, others with my same passion for GR architecture/development." Would someone please explain; my feelings are hurt and I think I'm going to cry - too late, I am crying.

[tamias6]

Now that you've brought them up. I believe its Progresive that is doing the renovation on the Alpine Meijer.Judging from the renderings, the pace of work, and the cleanliness of the worksite, it seems they have their heads on their shoulders. Speaking of which are they also involved with the new Marriott being built DT? It seems like I've heard them mention on the project thread here on UP a few times.

As others have said, you've done absolutely nothing wrong. You are the only one who can see your own "warn" bar, and it's at 0%. If you had done something wrong, you would have gotten a message from me or one of the administrators here, and your warn bar would read 20% or something higher. No warries jwazzz. Welcome aboard!

On another note, in addition to the Rockwell Group, several local architecture firms work quite a bit with Meijer on designs and renovations. ProgressiveAE on the NE side being a big one.

These ideas should be given to the Gershenson Development team. I'm sure they're looking for other alternatives to the movie theater idea right now to keep this project moving. They would be able to work the numbers to see if it would be a smart decision for Meijer, and pitch the idea. Anyone got a contact name/#?

Who knows, maybe another developer around GR will see this and run with it to see if there is any validity. It would be nice if at least one UP idea was adopted by the development community.

gvsusean, the ORIGINAL THEATER PLAN shows a two-way circular ramp to serve the parking ramp. I too thought about congestion, but theaters have more peak times then Meijer, so I think it would be doable. And since the current lot is totally flat, a true underground parking garage would be ultra-expensive. It's unbelievably more than a standard ramp, which is unfortunate.

[jwazzz]

Thanks to all who responded - sorry for interjecting it in this forum. Back to the topic - the concept of their headquarters and a retail outlet would be a stroke of genius - more people working downtown and a huge asset for those who work/live down there now.

[egrguy]

Also, "meijers" not a good name for a new type of store?? I propose they start a new higher-class concept - "Fred's"

[tamias6]

How about "Meijer Urban" for the win.

Why the need for a name change? I think it would confuse too many people and Meijer loses several positives of having a DT location.

The signage exposure to 131 traffic, and the popularity of their brand name. Meijer while far from perfect doesnt suffer from image problems like Wal-Mart, and posesses a strong and recogizable brand.

I don't see what need/want there would be for changing the name, especially, since, I would assume with its prominent location Meijer could make it their flagship store. If anything, if they want it to sound a little bit more ritzy call it "Meijer Downtown" or something like that.

Sorry for the rant

[GRDadof3]

The only reason I can think of why people were thinking of a name change was maybe it would an "upscale" Meijer. I don't see that. Why make downtown the place only for the well-to-do?

Plus, people in the city limits still need lawnmowers, ladders and leaf-blowers.

[grcitydog]

Actually, I can see a downtown Meijer (or any large retail store) serving a more diverse socio-economic clientel than a suburban store.

[tamias6]

All the more reason why Meijer would hit paydirt with a DT store. The only thing that needs to happen is for the corporate heads to be able to see beyond any shadow of a doubt that there is indeed a market truly ripe for a DT location mainly because of the cost to build such a store. My guess is that it would cost Meijer about 30 to 60 million dollars to build somthing like what I've depicted in my Sketchup File vs. the 16 to 25 mill to build one of their standard suburban big boxes. That does not include the cost of aquiring the land.

Perhaps if the developer wanting to build on Area 4/5 would foot about half the cost of building a DT store or build the building to house the Meijer store and pay for all of the costs then lease the space to Meijer then Meijer Inc. might be tempted to do a DT location.

Remember. Meijer Inc. did the format change from what they had before to the Rockwell Group designed format they have now not only to get a much needed fresh look. They did this to reduce the cost of building and operating a store as much as possible to maximize profits. So the cost of building a DT store would need to be minimaized as well. Dispite all of this, I would not put it past Meijer to build a DT store. The company has a history of making very bold moves, the opening of the 28th St. and K'zoo store back in the sixties is a clear case in point. However Meijer does not take these risks blindly. So they will need to be confident that there is enough market to make a DT store profitible.

Actually, I can see a downtown Meijer (or any large retail store) serving a more diverse socio-economic clientel than a suburban store.