Developers now control 50+ properties in Belknap Lookout neighborhood

[GRDadof3]

Medical development sparks land speculation

"We felt strongly about it four years ago. We feel even stronger about it today," said Horlings, who is affiliated with the Artesian Group LLC.

Horlings said the Artesian Group and a coalition of other investors have bought nearly 50 homes in the neighborhood. He declined to name the other investors.

....Aside from housing, some of their plans could include bringing retail shopping back to the neighborhood, he said. The area has lacked access to a grocery store since Int. 196 slashed through the neighborhood in the mid-1960s.

"We really have only one real opportunity for this neighborhood to realize the potential it has," he said. "We don't want to ruin it."

Ruin the opportunity, or ruin the neighborhood? tamias6's proposed development over the freeway would preserve the character of the neighborhood, and could offer neighborhood commercial amenities:

Based on Columbus, OH's "Cap" development:

[blueradon]

hmm I've never seen that rendering - but hey I'm all for that...seems like you could do a number of things capping the freeway like that...and possibly that could also cap any future expansion of i196 even when they go to 3 lanes per side

[egrguy]

Medical development sparks land speculation

"We felt strongly about it four years ago. We feel even stronger about it today," said Horlings, who is affiliated with the Artesian Group LLC.

Horlings said the Artesian Group and a coalition of other investors have bought nearly 50 homes in the neighborhood. He declined to name the other investors.

Ruin the opportunity, or ruin the neighborhood? tamias6's proposed development over the freeway would preserve the character of the neighborhood, and could offer neighborhood commercial amenities:

[AlexPKeaton]

That's not all that surprising with all the developments going on up there right now. I know that's where I'd be looking for investment property right now.

I did get a notice on my door a few months back that a real estate investment group was looking to buy houses in my neighborhood. I'm in the Fulton Heights neighborhood, and one of the reasons i chose to live here was because of the proximity to downtown. I hope speculators are interested in my area because that means I'm not the only one who thinks it's a good place and land values will hopefully go up.

[dtown]

Something to cap over the freeway would be really cool.

[Veloise]

My rent checks go to The Artesian Group. If the lackadaisical "investor" who owns my building is indicative of their "investment group," no other land speculator, or n'hood assn, has anything to worry about.

edit for clarity...y'all didn't get to see what I originally called this...person

[ModSquad]

My rent checks go to The Artesian Group. If the lackadaisical "investor" who owns my building is indicative of their "investment group," no other land speculator, or n'hood assn, has anything to worry about.

edit for clarity...y'all didn't get to see what I originally called this...person

[Veloise]

I am hoping Steve Faber (from the article referred to in this post, and also a Urban Planet GR member) posts some comments here as well. From everything that I have heard and seen regarding the Artesian Group, your experience is the norm. In fact I have heard them called much much worse than a lackadaisical investor!

[bwindi25]

Ruin the opportunity, or ruin the neighborhood? tamias6's proposed development over the freeway would preserve the character of the neighborhood, and could offer neighborhood commercial amenities:

Based on Columbus, OH's "Cap" development:

[dtown]

Wow, from looking at the pic on the website of that overpass now, that would be a huge improvment, and i hope it happens. When is 196 going to be widened?

[bwindi25]

Wow, from looking at the pic on the website of that overpass now, that would be a huge improvment, and i hope it happens. When is 196 going to be widened?

[dtown]

Ohh, so has MDOT agreed to do the overpass like that?

[wolverine]

I remember buying a soda from a store that sat on top of the highway cap in Columbus. It's really quite nice. Driving down High Street, you don't even know the freeway is there.

[bwindi25]

Ohh, so has MDOT agreed to do the overpass like that?

[dtown]

Well, i sure hope it gets done. Judging from those pictures, that area doesnt look too pedestrian friendly.

[LA Dave]

Ohh, so has MDOT agreed to do the overpass like that?

[Veloise]

I don't know that a capped freeway would be a good idea. You are just starting to head downhill, into the interchange with US-131, and suddenly everything goes black.

If anyone has driven the transition between the Kennedy and the Dan Ryan in Chicago, just west of the Loop, where they have that long tunnel, knows what I am talking about.

[dtown]

I just noticed something today. Most overpasses have that big chain link fence on the rails to keep people from jumping over the edge. Is MDOT going to be able to get away with little decorative rails like in the drawing?

[concretepoem]

That's not all that surprising with all the developments going on up there right now. I know that's where I'd be looking for investment property right now.

I did get a notice on my door a few months back that a real estate investment group was looking to buy houses in my neighborhood. I'm in the Fulton Heights neighborhood, and one of the reasons i chose to live here was because of the proximity to downtown. I hope speculators are interested in my area because that means I'm not the only one who thinks it's a good place and land values will hopefully go up.

[wolverine]

If anyone has driven the transition between the Kennedy and the Dan Ryan in Chicago, just west of the Loop, where they have that long tunnel, knows what I am talking about.

[Nitro]

I don't understand why "freeway capping" is done more. It seemed to work pretty well on I-696

[GRDadof3]

Actually......no. I used to work for the firm that planned the 696 corridor east of the Lodge to 75. The planning studies were all done in the late 60's.

The reason that the freeway is capped on 696 was that when it was planned the freeway was going to divide a community that had a large population of orthodox Jews (if I remember properly). According to their religion they needed to walk to their temple. The freeway was going to make this impossible.

After much political wrangling and negotiation it was agreed that these green spaces capping the freeway would be built to allow them walking access. A massive amount of time and money went into the negotiation, design, and construction of these green spaces.

Approximately a year after the green spaces were installed over the freeway the temple closed up rendering them obsolete.

[Nitro]

Just because the temple closed doesn't make the green spaces obsolete. They're still greenspaces that keep the neighborhood connected vs. 8 lanes of freeway.

[mpchicago]

I just noticed something today. Most overpasses have that big chain link fence on the rails to keep people from jumping over the edge. Is MDOT going to be able to get away with little decorative rails like in the drawing?

[snoogit]

It would appear that those decorative rails are at least 6 feet tall.