Baker College Culinary Arts to build Downtown Muskegon

[drinsema-sybenga]

Exerpt from Chronicle article

Preliminary plans for the downtown facility include a casual fine dining restaurant that will be open to the public, said Amidon. The restaurant will also serve as a "hands-on" classroom where students will sharpen their cooking techniques and table service skills.

A bakery and retail outlet where the public can purchase baked goods and gourmet meals to heat and serve at home will also be housed in the new building, said Amidon. Plans also call for a a special pastry lab, a temperature- and humidity-controlled lab for specialty chocolate and sugar designs, three hot food labs and a state-of-the-art demonstration classroom.

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[Eridony]

This is one of the best announcements to date! Not only will it bring college students back downtown, but it will come with built in retail!

I don't suppose there is a render yet?

[drinsema-sybenga]

Nope. I would guess a rendering will be ready within a month.

This is one of the best announcements to date! Not only will it bring college students back downtown, but it will come with built in retail!

I don't suppose there is a render yet?

[Eridony]

I figured they didn't have one yet, but I was hoping.

Well I hope you will be so kind as to post the render here when it is released

[Eridony]

So has anyone (Dan?) seen a rendering for this building yet?

The forums been pretty quiet lately, I'm just trying to generate more discussion.

[Eridony]

I read that this project has been put off until 2008 What's up with that?

[Larry Spataro]

I read that this project has been put off until 2008 What's up with that?

[seagull4]

Baker College has announed that is is building a 11 million dollar culinary school in downtown Muskegon. Construction will start in the Spring.

http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2007/09/ba..._million_d.html

[Eridony]

Baker College has announed that is is building a 11 million dollar culinary school in downtown Muskegon. Construction will start in the Spring.

http://blog.mlive.com/chronicle/2007/09/ba..._million_d.html

[GRDadof3]

I merged the two topics. That's a nice looking school. I can't believe all the development that is picking up in Muskegon!

[Eridony]

I've heard that not only will this include a restaurant and bakery, but also a candy shop to sell candy they make on site. This project should really be a draw for other neighboring developments because you know the culinary arts school will be there to stay. There won't be the risk of them relocating to the suburbs like a normal business could, so this should make other businesses more secure about taking the plunge into downtown.

[Larry Spataro]

Well, we approved the site plan at the Planning Commission today. The final plan looks very similar to the rendering above. Baker intends to break ground in April and have it open by September 2009. It will have a public restaurant, banquet space, bakery, and confectionary. I think Bosma has come up with a very good design.

[drinsema-sybenga]

Ground breaking is scheduled for mid-April. I was the P.C. meeting and sat beside a lady who lives at 297 Clay, the condos across the street. As the architect was describing the pastry/chocolate retail space that will be visible from Clay Avenue the lady turned to me and said,

[Eridony]

Thanks for posting that rendering! This is going to be one fine looking building.

[Eridony]

So the ground-breaking is supposed to be this month. Does anyone know a date yet?

[Larry Spataro]

So the ground-breaking is supposed to be this month. Does anyone know a date yet?

[drinsema-sybenga]

Baker sure isn't wasting any time. They have the curbs for the parking lot in, the footings started, and now they are putting the forms up for the foundation walls.

[Eridony]

These are a week out of date but I'm sure not much has changed since then.

[Eridony]

Photo update from Saturday:

The replaced the sidewalk where one of the old parking lot entrances was:

[Eridony]

From Sunday:

Alley entrance:

[Eridony]

A lot of progress since I last visited:

Starting the facade work:

The front is coming together:

[Eridony]

The finished product:

Inside:

[andrew.w]

Pretty decent looking building. I saw it in person back in January when I was in the area for a few days. I have to say that the plaza looks like an awful lot of wasted space unless it gets some benches and plantings. Looks like a missed opportunity to me.

[Eridony]

Pretty decent looking building. I saw it in person back in January when I was in the area for a few days. I have to say that the plaza looks like an awful lot of wasted space unless it gets some benches and plantings. Looks like a missed opportunity to me.