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Plante & Moran Building


DwntwnGeo

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This is from Chris's blog this morning:

"The Christman Co. (best known around here for developing Michigan Hill with the DeVos family) is looking at putting up a new building near Front Street and Scribner Avenue NW. The three-story office building would house Christman's Grand Rapids offices along with Plante & Moran, which is currently at Bridgewater Place."

The project will hinge on tax credits (it seems like they all do these days). The Brownfield Authority is set to look at the project on Monday. Chris also asks this question at the end of his blog:

"Does it make sense to provide incentives to projects that add new space for companies moving out of another competing office building in the downtown area (assuming they could expand their operations as needed in the existing building)?"

What do you guys/gals think?

The complete blog entry can be read here on Mlive:

http://www.mlive.com/grpress/knapescorner/

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Right chere:

524779876_78795af99d.jpg

I believe I may have glanced at the plans for this building. :whistling:

In regard to Chris' comments about tax credits and offices just moving around, if they do not create the jobs that they estimate by a certain date, then yes the tax credits should be stripped away. I believe Grand Rapids and a lot of communities are already starting to do this (Steelcase and Dematic had to repay tax credits I believe).

They say this project will create 50 - 75 jobs, so both Christman and P&M are anticipating expanding.

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In regard to Chris' comments about tax credits and offices just moving around, if they do not create the jobs that they estimate by a certain date, then yes the tax credits should be stripped away. I believe Grand Rapids and a lot of communities are already starting to do this (Steelcase and Dematic had to repay tax credits I believe).

They say this project will create 50 - 75 jobs.

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Hopefully, this will enhance walking along the river from the Fish Ladder to Sixth street bridge. I've taken that and it's not too nice. Maybe this will help since it would be nice to have nice paths on both sides of the river.

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so oyu designed this building? if so thats pretty neat. Can you give us any cookies as to what to expect here? seeing as how you are on UP you surely meet the requirements of a building set by this (the UP) community ;)
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Parking for Riverview will be across the street entirely. That orange area on the west side of Front will be new parking. The new building is going to be on stilts above parking for its own occupants (approx 160 spaces).

As for the look of the building... well, I can tell you that it won't look anything like the Mercantile Bank building a few block to the north.

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Not to be a naysayer, but do we really want more business moving out of the core of downtown? I'm guessing cheap surface lot parking has something to do with this move. But as we've seen with Mercantile Bank, that has added nothing to expanding the urban downtown to this area. As it stands right now, the area is mostly a industrial park created in the urban renewal period. This will just take away from the density of the core even more.

Anyways, just my opinion. Hopefully I'm wrong.

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Not to be a naysayer, but do we really want more business moving out of the core of downtown? I'm guessing cheap surface lot parking has something to do with this move. But as we've seen with Mercantile Bank, that has added nothing to expanding the urban downtown to this area. As it stands right now, the area is mostly a industrial park created in the urban renewal period. This will just take away from the density of the core even more.

Anyways, just my opinion. Hopefully I'm wrong.

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You make a valid point which I agree with, but personally I don't view Bridgewater as being part of the urban core. I think the new buildingwill actually help the urban core by enhancing the riverwalk, even though its a small stretch.

They share a similar concept in that regard. The new building will be a bit more interactive with pedestrian though.

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I actually view this as a positive (instead of another development attracting tenants away) filling in space between the Bridgewater and the Riverview building, more activity around the fishladder and improvement of the Riverwalk will make this area more cohesive. I think its a plus especially if the architecture is cool. We'll have to trust golscorer on that one. :)

Joe

You make a valid point which I agree with, but personally I don't view Bridgewater as being part of the urban core. I think the new buildingwill actually help the urban core by enhancing the riverwalk, even though its a small stretch.

They share a similar concept in that regard. The new building will be a bit more interactive with pedestrian though.

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OK, as promised, pics of the area to mull over. Don't adjust your screens, the images were color-enhanced due to poor lighting conditions. :camera:

View from the fish ladder:

530318726_ba4989acb8.jpg

Just North of the fish ladder is the riverwalk sidewalk:

530318738_556f0c6319.jpg

Which dumps you into the parking lot in question along Front St (you'll notice the National Color bldg that would be demolished to the left):

530318682_37654f9482_b.jpg

My favorite part "Am I trespassing? Am I going to get backed into" Also, if I had a nickel for every picture of an engineering truck conducting due diligence, I'd be a nickel-aire.

530318748_b3bd7212e2.jpg

Follow that man!

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The view across the river:

530318830_062b856339_b.jpg

I really hope they don't wipe out the trees that sort of block the view to the Southeast, although the offices will be at least floors 2 - 4:

530324510_12d87cc237.jpg

I'm guessing Christman's main focus is this view of their first (and probably not last) downtown baby:

530324592_43a51ed276.jpg

Looking from the East bank:

530324574_b8b93a57ed.jpg

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