Alpine Ave Developments

[Yankee Fan]

GR Dad, two reasons why that is included:

1. Demographics (for marketing purposes). That was a big reason that Costco planted themselves over in Cascade.

2. A lot of companies/tenants require that information as well as city governments will require some of that information, too as part of their diversity oversight (aka are we developing in all parts of our community).

[numstead]

Alpine "Crossings"? What's being crossed?

[Raildudes dad]

Alpine "Crossings"? What's being crossed?

[Allison Slater]

I don't think any suburban development.. both residential and commercial.. has had a name with relevant meaning in the past 20 years.

(Correction: Chamber's Corners in Wayland refers to what Wayland was called before it became an incorporated city, and is now the sprawling mess greeting all visitors to Wayland coming in from the highway, which also took the biggest downtown retailer out of downtown.)

[tamias6]

This reminds me of cases where developers of subdivisions will go into --oh let's say-- an orange grove, rip out all the orange trees, flatten the field and build their subdivision on it and then calling it somthing like "Orange Grove Estates". What's the point? The original features are gone.

I don't think any suburban development.. both residential and commercial.. has had a name with relevant meaning in the past 20 years.

(Correction: Chamber's Corners in Wayland refers to what Wayland was called before it became an incorporated city, and is now the sprawling mess greeting all visitors to Wayland coming in from the highway, which also took the biggest downtown retailer out of downtown.)

[AlexPKeaton]

This reminds me of cases where developers of subdivisions will go into --oh let's say-- an orange grove, rip out all the orange trees, flatten the field and build their subdivision on it and then calling it somthing like "Orange Grove Estates". What's the point? The original features are gone.

[snoogit]

It's to insult the orange groves. It's sort of like trash talking. "What's up now, Orange Groves?! Huh? You wanna step to this? I'll rip you down and build houses. What do you think of that?"

-nb

[blueradon]

Reminds me of the Edgewood Apartments I lived in...there really was woods right on the edge, until they cleared it all out and slapped $399k condo's in.

[GRDadof3]

GR Dad, two reasons why that is included:

1. Demographics (for marketing purposes). That was a big reason that Costco planted themselves over in Cascade.

2. A lot of companies/tenants require that information as well as city governments will require some of that information, too as part of their diversity oversight (aka are we developing in all parts of our community).

[Velvet Costello]

It's just another strip mall acording to the site plan I've seen. "Crossings" - probably refering to the stream that is slowly disappearing into pipe

[snoogit]

Looks like Jade Pig might be putting some ice on it's black eye and is putting on a new facade to the Highpoint center.

If the new brick planters are an indication of whats to come, Its going to be an irregular brick almost fireplace-like brick with concrete tan pieces

[grandmabetty78]

[GRDadof3]

Sheesh, Culver's has been mentioned three times in this thread.

I also noticed the other day that one of the only office buildings on Alpine has been demolished. It was the white colonial building just North of 4 Mile on the West side of the road.

[tamias6]

I wouldn't mind a Culver's on Alpine. It and Arby's are the better tasting of the fast food joints anyway.

[snoogit]

I also noticed the other day that one of the only office buildings on Alpine has been demolished. It was the white colonial building just North of 4 Mile on the West side of the road.

[blueradon]

Passed by the new traffic light by menards...I actually was amazed for a split second that it actually had a timer on the side of the flashing hand (whatever you call those things)...that was cool. I actually had time to look at it because alpine was so bottlenecked it took us 10 minutes to get to linens n things

[GrSportsGuy]

Sheesh, Culver's has been mentioned three times in this thread.

I also noticed the other day that one of the only office buildings on Alpine has been demolished. It was the white colonial building just North of 4 Mile on the West side of the road.

[highwayguy]

Passed by the new traffic light by menards...I actually was amazed for a split second that it actually had a timer on the side of the flashing hand (whatever you call those things)...that was cool. I actually had time to look at it because alpine was so bottlenecked it took us 10 minutes to get to linens n things

[RustTown]

Those are really helpful. They have a few of them out at Michigan State (ones that also speak), and a few at intersections here in downtown Lansing at high volume intersections. The city is thinking of getting more if they see any worth in them.

[MJLO]

how many more stip malls with tiny obscure stores does Alpine need? I hate saying it, but it's quickly turning into plainfield. I fear it'll have a bunch of unkempt mom and pop joints in rundown stripmalls in 10years. While everything else moves to Walker Ave

[AlexPKeaton]

If they could fit all of Alpine's crap in the short span of 3 Mile to 4 Mile on Walker I'd be really surprised. More likely 4 Mile will become the next commercial strip.

[vexom]

Those are known as pedestrian countdown signals. The idea is to let pedestrians know how long they have to finish crossing the street. The only other places around the Grand Rapids area where I have seen them used so far are at Michigan St and Coit Ave (but only on the sidewalk that crosses Michigan St) and at 84th St and Byron Center Ave (the only traffic signal in Byron Center). They have been installed almost everywhere in Washington, DC over the past few years, and MDOT has tested them at several intersections throughout the state. You can expect to see many more of them in the coming years.

[tamias6]

Adding to the Alpine Ave. developments is a facelift being done to the strip mall located on the SW corner of Alpine and 4 Mile Rd. Its cheesy 80's "Robocop" futuristic look with the tacky pink neon lights and trim is being traded off for more up-to-date brick look.

[numstead]

Former Lear plant flying high as Avastar Park

Saturday, June 30, 2007By Chris KnapeThe Grand Rapids Press

WALKER -- It could have been an industrial albatross.

After all, it's a 750,000-square-foot factory on 41 acres built more than half a century ago to make glider parts and boat hulls for World War II.

It was closed more than a year ago as auto parts giant Lear Corp. scaled back, eliminating the manufacturing jobs that had supported thousands of families for decades.

...

[Continued on Mlive]

This is what the northwest portion of the building looked like...

And this is how it will appear in a few weeks with new entrances and metal panel facade...

[jbr12]

Nice... we drive past that place 3-4 times a week and Sarah always asks me what is going on there... Will definitely be an improvement!