Hey, what's that (and other miscellanea)?

[Zads]

I'm not sure where this goes,  if it goes here at all. I figured the news of a demolition of a historic school in the city would garner some sort of thread somewhere.

This irritates me. Why not sell it to a developer for apartments? For the amount of housing we need in the city, this is the wrong move, especially tearing down a historic building.

https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/recommendation-made-to-grps-to-tear-down-the-kensington-building/69-455179ef-08c6-4824-94bc-380eba6fa86b

"The School District had three different bids on the project which included a carpet recycling warehouse, an apartment building with a community center and a non-profit transitional housing building."

[walker]

4 hours ago, Zads said:

I'm not sure where this goes,  if it goes here at all. I figured the news of a demolition of a historic school in the city would garner some sort of thread somewhere.

This irritates me. Why not sell it to a developer for apartments? For the amount of housing we need in the city, this is the wrong move, especially tearing down a historic building.

https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/recommendation-made-to-grps-to-tear-down-the-kensington-building/69-455179ef-08c6-4824-94bc-380eba6fa86b

"The School District had three different bids on the project which included a carpet recycling warehouse, an apartment building with a community center and a non-profit transitional housing building."

I have no inside information or really much of an opinion on this.  The Mlive link below is a little more detailed.  According to the article the Board of Education spent a lot of time studying the issue.  The article doesn't explain what their reasoning was for rejecting the bids but I suspect they probably don't think any of the proposals are viable considering the cost they estimate it would take just to get the building up to code.  Personally I can't see anybody spending seven million dollars to bring the building up to code so that it can be used as a carpet recycling warehouse.

   MLIVE: grand-rapids-school-board-reconsidering-demolition-of-old-vacant-high-school-building

It looks like at one time it was a very nice looking school.  Just because it is old though doesn't mean it is historic and must be saved.

EDIT: Here is a link to an earlier article giving a summary of each bid:

MLIVE: bids

Edited May 2, 2023 by walker
added link to additional information

[Khorasaurus1]

Generally. school districts don't like to sell buildings, for fear they will end up in the hands of a charter school or private school. Demoing them and building new construction housing is usually the preferred route for the district, because more housing units = more kids. But they prioritize the demolition while they still have control.

For instance, compare 2020 vs 2016 in this spot in the Detroit area: https://goo.gl/maps/KVFSszvLvX5GNrsHA 

It stinks when the buildings are historic, though. 

Edited May 3, 2023 by Khorasaurus1

[joeDowntown]

I could see the neighborhood having issues with two of the proposals, but surprised the Copperock proposal is being rejected. They’ve done a lot of residential, and it seems like that would be a good fit (and something the city would want as well). 

Joe

[Cookin_peacocks]

I believe one of the proposals was by Eenhoorn. Having been very familiar with Eenhoorn, they always seem to have big plans and never move on them. So I'm happy to see them not get this based on their history alone.

Edited May 3, 2023 by Cookin_peacocks

[Jonesey]

https://www.mlive.com/news/2023/05/detroit-development-lands-21m-in-egle-brownfield-incentives.html

This is very cool for Detroit (Midtown) a 16 story tower and Target is going to be the main Tennant.  I couldn't help but think how well this would work in GR.  I would think downtown and the surrounding area could definitely support a Target.  This company has some cool projects across the midwest, I wonder if they have considered GR yet?

[rancenc]

Recent aerial view of downtown Grand Rapids!

 

[Pattmost20]

On 4/25/2023 at 9:04 AM, RiversideGR said:

Has there been any update on that soccer stadium stuff? Maybe I am being greedy, but I feel like we are overdue for some kind of big announcement. It sure would make this week of crappy weather more bearable. 

Not 100% sure this has anything to do with the soccer stadium, but you never know. 

[joeDowntown]

Doubt it. Midwest United is a kids travel soccer program. The only reason GRFC and Midwest had such a tight affiliation is because the owner was part of Midwest (a youth coach) and GRFC always used coaches from Midwest. 
 

I can’t imagine anyone other than DeVos (DP Fox) having the money/organization in place for a USL2 team. They require ownership to have deep pockets. 

Joe

[Pattmost20]

6 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

Doubt it. Midwest United is a kids travel soccer program. The only reason GRFC and Midwest had such a tight affiliation is because the owner was part of Midwest (a youth coach) and GRFC always used coaches from Midwest. 
 

I can’t imagine anyone other than DeVos (DP Fox) having the money/organization in place for a USL2 team. They require ownership to have deep pockets. 

Joe

Midwest United has a USL league 2 team. Wouldn't be a huge stretch to see them make the jump with investment. 

[joeDowntown]

15 hours ago, Pattmost20 said:

Midwest United has a USL league 2 team. Wouldn't be a huge stretch to see them make the jump with investment. 

It's kind of shocking. I like soccer / follow soccer and didn't even know Midwest United (or Grand Rapids in general) had a USL 2 team [shrug]. That's pretty terrible marketing / outreach. Makes me hope they don't go for a higher level as it doesn't seem like they have the business side locked down. 

@Pattmost20, you truly stumped/perplexed me with this information. LOL.

Joe

[Pattmost20]

34 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

It's kind of shocking. I like soccer / follow soccer and didn't even know Midwest United (or Grand Rapids in general) had a USL 2 team [shrug]. That's pretty terrible marketing / outreach. Makes me hope they don't go for a higher level as it doesn't seem like they have the business side locked down. 

@Pattmost20, you truly stumped/perplexed me with this information. LOL.

Joe

Yeah they have not tried to market at all. After GRFC shut down, they basically took over immediately. I'm in agreement that I hope they are not the ones to bring a pro team.

Also, I talked with someone involved with Midwest, sounds like the announcement has to do with partnering with an existing pro team for a youth pipeline. 

Edited May 14, 2023 by Pattmost20

[joeDowntown]

Here's an interesting one. Maybe the super sleuths here can figure it out. 

Cornerstone Investment Group (based out of Chicago, which had purchased Bradford Station from Bazzani in 2022, Gallery on Fulton in 2021 and 820 Monroe in late 2022, early 2023) is asking for an increase in height restrictions near the Grand River. They are working the Progressive AE. Doesn't state any plans, or why they want additional height and setbacks, but sounds intriguing. 

Quote

"The DH2a Overlay District already allows 16 stories with bonuses, which means 16 stories is a permitted height within the district. To allow 20 stories would not render existing buildings nonconforming. While the new stepback requirements for buildings may produce nonconforming buildings that lack said stepbacks, these discrepancies could be remedied via redevelopment 3.B.c Packet Pg. 7 Attachment: RESPONSE TO STANDARDS (Zoning Ordinance Text Amendments - Height in CC, TCC & Grand River Overlay District) Progressive AE | 1811 4 Mile Road NE | Grand Rapids, MI 49525 | 616.361.2664 | progressiveae.com over time."

Here the Planning Commission Agenda. Anyone able to unravel what exactly they are looking for? Could be riverfront, or near west side as far as I can tell:

http://grandrapidscitymi.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=5264&Inline=True

Maybe a 16-20 story building on the surface lot of 820 Monroe?

Joe

[RiversideGR]

3 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

Here's an interesting one. Maybe the super sleuths here can figure it out. 

Cornerstone Investment Group (based out of Chicago, which had purchased Bradford Station from Bazzani in 2022, Gallery on Fulton in 2021 and 820 Monroe in late 2022, early 2023) is asking for an increase in height restrictions near the Grand River. They are working the Progressive AE. Doesn't state any plans, or why they want additional height and setbacks, but sounds intriguing. 

Here the Planning Commission Agenda. Anyone able to unravel what exactly they are looking for? Could be riverfront, or near west side as far as I can tell:

http://grandrapidscitymi.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=5264&Inline=True

Maybe a 16-20 story building on the surface lot of 820 Monroe?

Joe

You could be on to something…

“With (Corewell Health’s) development to the south and the direction of that neighborhood, the buyer has plans at some point in the future to sort of reimagine how those surface lots are utilized that were part of sale,”

https://mibiz.com/sections/real-estate-development/mixed-use-building-adjacent-properties-in-gr-s-monroe-north-district-sell-for-22-6m

[Cookin_peacocks]

So the empty plot of land next to the structure seems perfect for a tower of sorts

 

 

[joeDowntown]

My only other thought is they specifically mention property on the river. Could they make a play for the lots that Devries owns on Monroe and 6th, or just north of that? The lot @Cookin_peacocksmentioned above seems like the best bet, but some of the references to the River makes me wonder if something else is up. 

Mystery Project 6.0  LOL

Joe

[walker]

On 5/2/2023 at 8:02 AM, Zads said:

I'm not sure where this goes,  if it goes here at all. I figured the news of a demolition of a historic school in the city would garner some sort of thread somewhere.

This irritates me. Why not sell it to a developer for apartments? For the amount of housing we need in the city, this is the wrong move, especially tearing down a historic building.

https://www.wzzm13.com/article/news/local/recommendation-made-to-grps-to-tear-down-the-kensington-building/69-455179ef-08c6-4824-94bc-380eba6fa86b

"The School District had three different bids on the project which included a carpet recycling warehouse, an apartment building with a community center and a non-profit transitional housing building."

Just a follow-up to the earlier discussion about the Kensington School demolition issue.  The school board voted unanimously to tear down the building.  The news articles gave little new information about their reasoning. for turning down the proposals.

WOODTV: grand-rapids/grps-board-approves-demolition-of-kensington-school

MLIVE: grand-rapids-board-of-education-votes-to-demolish-vacant-school

Edited May 16, 2023 by walker

[joeDowntown]

17 minutes ago, walker said:

Just a follow-up to the earlier discussion about the Kensington School demolition issue.  The school board voted unanimously to tear down the building.  The news articles gave little new information about their reasoning. for turning down the proposals.

WOODTV: grand-rapids/grps-board-approves-demolition-of-kensington-school

MLIVE: grand-rapids-board-of-education-votes-to-demolish-vacant-school

Seems very short sighted. Demolishing a building vs repurposing. Adding more housing vs an empty lot. I don’t quite understand it. 

[RiversideGR]

American Seating to move headquarters to a different location in GR. Location has not yet been announced…

 

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/real-estate/american-seating-co-leaving-legacy-headquarters-for-new-site-in-grand-rapids/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&utm_term=grand+rapids+business+journal&utm_content=53f18324-407e-44fa-8c32-40ea1dc72927

[joeDowntown]

1 hour ago, RiversideGR said:

American Seating to move headquarters to a different location in GR. Location has not yet been announced…

 

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/real-estate/american-seating-co-leaving-legacy-headquarters-for-new-site-in-grand-rapids/?utm_medium=social&utm_source=linkedin&utm_term=grand+rapids+business+journal&utm_content=53f18324-407e-44fa-8c32-40ea1dc72927

Hoping they stay on the west side. 

[cstonesparty]

13 minutes ago, joeDowntown said:

Hoping they stay on the west side. 

Do they stay in the city?  Or Walker/Kentwood/Gaines Township manufacturing areas?

 

EDIT: missed this in the article.  "...we’re proud not only to be staying in Grand Rapids..."

Edited May 18, 2023 by cstonesparty
update

[Chester Cheeto]

Just a wild guess here, but I'd say somewhere around 1040 40th Street...  

Edited May 19, 2023 by NoDustBusterNoMore

[cstonesparty]

2 hours ago, NoDustBusterNoMore said:

Just a wild guess here, but I'd say somewhere around 1040 40th Street...  

Isn't that Wyoming and not G.R.?

[Zads]

1 hour ago, cstonesparty said:

Isn't that Wyoming and not G.R.?

Just did a quick search on Google and it's a Wyoming address but it's within city limits of Grand Rapids, oddly enough.

[Zads]

On 5/15/2023 at 5:30 PM, joeDowntown said:

Here's an interesting one. Maybe the super sleuths here can figure it out. 

Cornerstone Investment Group (based out of Chicago, which had purchased Bradford Station from Bazzani in 2022, Gallery on Fulton in 2021 and 820 Monroe in late 2022, early 2023) is asking for an increase in height restrictions near the Grand River. They are working the Progressive AE. Doesn't state any plans, or why they want additional height and setbacks, but sounds intriguing. 

Here the Planning Commission Agenda. Anyone able to unravel what exactly they are looking for? Could be riverfront, or near west side as far as I can tell:

http://grandrapidscitymi.iqm2.com/Citizens/FileOpen.aspx?Type=1&ID=5264&Inline=True

Maybe a 16-20 story building on the surface lot of 820 Monroe?

Joe

Story today from Crain's Grand Rapids:

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/real-estate/zoning-change-would-permit-taller-buildings-in-downtown-grand-rapids/

"When an ordinance allows a use “by right,” that particular part of a site plan does not need to go through the planning commission’s public approval process, and can be considered administratively by city staff. Under the city’s current height bonus tool, developers are able to “earn” the right to build past the 10-story building maximum in the larger Downtown Height Overlay District (DH2a) up to 16 stories if they incorporate mixed-income housing, green elements and public art into their site plan. "