$200 Million Development planned for South Haven

[OneSweetWorld]

From the Kalamazoo Gazette:

A $100 million project that developers are calling Great Lakes Resort would include two 18-story condominium towers and an indoor recreation area anchored by a 60,000-square-foot water park, which developers said would be one of the three largest in the country.

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Other Tidbits:

-The water park would be located on the south side of town on Aylworth, less than half a mile from Lake Michigan, where an abandoned manufacturing plant used to operate.

-Developers said the condominium units would be priced between $398,000 and $500,000, depending on their size and views of Lake Michigan.

-The resort would be marketed to people from the Chicago and Grand Rapids areas looking for a "home-away-from-home."

-South Haven is a city of 5,157 people about 50 miles southwest of Grand Rapids.

[GR8scott]

I heard something about an 18-floor condo a while ago but didnt know any details, IMO this large project would be huge for the city but may be what it needs to bring jobs and revenue there, could be relly cool

[GRDadof3]

I'll be really surprised if this gets approved. There isn't anything even close to this height along Lake Michigan on our side of the lake, and there is nothing even taller than 3 or 4 stories in South Haven. That area in South Haven has a lot of small cottage neighborhoods right along Lake Michigan. Anyone else think this will be scaled down considerably?

[mgman]

I'll be really surprised if this gets approved. There isn't anything even close to this height along Lake Michigan on our side of the lake, and there is nothing even taller than 3 or 4 stories in South Haven. That area in South Haven has a lot of small cottage neighborhoods right along Lake Michigan. Anyone else think this will be scaled down considerably?

[OneSweetWorld]

Like I said, it's supposed to be marketed towards people from the Chicago area, and I would think there would be at least mild interest in the waterpark. I'm not sure if two 18-story condos would fill in South Haven; maybe one 18-story hotel to go with the park? I'd expect it to be scaled down or maybe moved further north or south down the shoreline.

[numstead]

This project will either get approved by the city council as is or not happen at all. The height won't get scaled back because having views of the lake is critical in marketing for condo sales.

To say that the project shouldn't happen at all because there is nothing else in South Haven that compares in height is just wrong. The fact is once you get a few blocks away from the site, you won't be able to see the towers at all because of all the old trees in the surrounding neighborhoods.

Here is the rendering that was published in the South Haven paper last week...

Here is an aerial view of the proposed project. Lake Michigan is at the top and downtown South Haven is a mile to the right.

You should also notice that there is a water tower right next door. It happens to be roughly 60' shorter than the hotel towers and would also need a height variance to be built again.

Here is the view from one block to the west on Alyworth (the street bordering the site to the north)...

[GR8scott]

thats an odd site development. First, I would have thought they would be located closer to the water, and not in such an open, old industrialized space.

Also the second to last drawing with the water tower in it, the building looks like a public housing project with screened in sides

I think I like the top one the best

[RustTown]

I'm surprised at how cheap it looks.

BTW, I'm surprised with all of the lakefront in Michigan high-rise condos weren't more prevalent. And, I also don't buy the "it's too tall" statement, especially for a lakefront.

Who's the architect?

[numstead]

thats an odd site development. First, I would have thought they would be located closer to the water, and not in such an open, old industrialized space.

Also the second to last drawing with the water tower in it, the building looks like a public housing project with screened in sides

I think I like the top one the best

[GR8scott]

You can't get land closer to the water, and the people who live along the water are the ones fighting the project. It also doesn't make much sense to bulldoze a portion of a residential neighborhood either. The industrial site that this project is going on is no longer functional for industrial. The developer has owned the land for years, has has been trying to bring manufacturing back to South Haven there. Also, there is a large mixed-use project planned by another developer on that big open field to the northwest.

[numstead]

IMO, The first 2 designs look very nice and what you would expect from a project like this, while the last 2 designs do look cheap and outdated

[RustTown]

I guess I shouldn't ask you about the technical details, huh?

[mgman]

that field seems like it would be a better location for the codos because it is closer to the water

IMO, The first 2 designs look very nice and what you would expect from a project like this, while the last 2 designs do look cheap and outdated

I've thought this too, The only high rises I can think of visable but not even on the lake in MI, are 2 similar looking round red brick apartments from the 60s about 15 floors, one in St. Joe and one in Escanaba

compare this to all the lakeshore highrises in Illinois and Wisconson, I would have though that with all the Chicago summer tourists on SW lake MI, these would be in New Buffalo, St. Joe and South Haven, as well as permanant residents in Muskegon. Grand Haven and Holland seem like too much of local destinations but I could see them there too

[numstead]

I guess I shouldn't ask you about the technical details, huh?

[numstead]

If it were just the condos, I would think that the people of South Haven would not go for it. With the rest, maybe.

[RustTown]

Ha! I didn't have time to help you with your questions about that other project because I've been going almost non-stop on this one since the beginning of August.

FYI, 204' for this guy. The newspapers have been reporting the height at 214' I believe, but that only because of a mistke I made on a document that was submitted to the city.

[wolverine]

This is cool, but all I can say is that it would really suck to live right in that location. Views are great and all, but to have my neighborhood consisting of what appear to be light industry and warehouses is not my idea of being very liveable. That parking lot says it all too. Somehow I feel the view is the only thing that can be marketed here.

[numstead]

This is cool, but all I can say is that it would really suck to live right in that location. Views are great and all, but to have my neighborhood consisting of what appear to be light industry and warehouses is not my idea of being very liveable. That parking lot says it all too. Somehow I feel the view is the only thing that can be marketed here.

[mpchicago]

Unfortunately my first thought was public housing too. Sorry. There are some similar Condo buildings with the view-catching, side-slanting balconies here in Chicago. Most are north of Division all the way up the lake to Evanston. Not particularly a fan of this stuff as there isn't much you can do to make it look good.

[numstead]

Unfortunately my first thought was public housing too. Sorry. There are some similar Condo buildings with the view-catching, side-slanting balconies here in Chicago. Most are north of Division all the way up the lake to Evanston. Not particularly a fan of this stuff as there isn't much you can do to make it look good.

[GRDadof3]

Don't Chicagoans come to West Michigan to get AWAY from high-rises? You know, beaches, villages, dunes, camping, boating, etc..

[suydam]

Don't Chicagoans come to West Michigan to get AWAY from high-rises? You know, beaches, villages, dunes, camping, boating, etc..

[mgman]

So is there anything new on this project? I was reading that half of the Bohn site is going to get the go ahead right away but that it was for a three story condo building and that the other half of the site did not have a plan yet. Also that the city had until the end of the month to either keep the property or sell it. Anyways, there is going to be a special meeting on Monday night so maybe there will be more after that.

[mgman]

The city commission voted down the plan at the site. They felt that it was not the right place for the development.

[tracer1138]

The city commission voted down the plan at the site. They felt that it was not the right place for the development.