New projects in East Hills

[GRLaker]

Is that a hotel?

[GRDadof3]

[x99]

1 hour ago, mpchicago said:

This looks like a suburban complex.  What happened here?!  I can't see this flying with HH.

Who knows. Supposedly there were a bunch of neighbor meetings and such (and where do these people live, in bunkers?)... But Orion and Concept Design both seem to be totally ignorant of what they should do here. Based on the other delightful design Concept has proposed in historic districts, is anyone surprised? [WHERE OH WHERE DID THE OUTFIT THAT DREW THE PEARL/OTTAWA TOWER GO?!?!  WHAT HAPPENED TO YOU PEOPLE?!?!?]  Their recent stock in trade is schlocky.  This looks like all the sh---y late 1960s infill they built in HH before it was designated.

New x99 deal of the week: There's this guy I know who will act as consultant to get anyone through HPC on the first pass with little or no major changes, or your money back. My His brilliant consulting services won't be cheap, but you will get repaid in full if it bombs.  Worth the time savings?  I think so..    Note:  Developer agrees to pay in advance for such towers, columns, friezes, cornices, turrets, lintels, sills, arches, gables, brackets, bays, and any other beautiful architectural features my genius buddy likes, within reason.  And my guy basically get to own your architect.  And you.  And you will not tell your architect that my guy thinks your architect is a historic district doofus.

I would try to fix this one, but it's beyond redemption..  OMG.

Edited October 12, 2016 by x99

[GRLaker]

Seriously, guys...It looks like a high end chain hotel.

[x99]

Okay.  Just in case anyone from Orion stumbles across this... Here goes.  Historic apartment buildings showoff... Courtesy of Google Images.   See how NOT hard this is to do? 

Enough of that.

Notice:  No crazy weird top story, and nothing so mind-numbingly boring.  I am getting so tired of BORING even when the design is "competent".  Every last one of these random buildings has something interesting to look at, here and there.  This boring schlock has NOTHING.  It's not like this is rocket science.  So why do some people find it so hard? 

I was uncharitable when I said you could not fix this.  You could.  Not the site plan, but you could fix the buildings and save them from BORING.  

 

 

 

 

[wingbert]

35 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

 

Ummm...  So they drove over to Lake Forest Apartments for inspiration but thought they'd add an extra floor or so to differentiate?

     

 

[x99]

No, no.  There is a difference.  They put lintels on top of the windows.  Which do not extend past the windows into the brick, and therefore look as if they should be SMASHING the windows.  "CAD Problem", I'm sure.   Oh.  And they got them dividers in them windows to make 'em look snazzy.  What relationship do top divided lite windows have to this style (whatever it is, other than modestly updated '60s pastiche)?  I don't know, and I'm sure they don't either.  Or care.  The completely identical and 100% lazy double cornices are a nice touch, too.  Barf.

 

[GRDadof3]

1 hour ago, GRLaker said:

Seriously, guys...It looks like a high end chain hotel.

I was going to say nursing home facility. 

Did the neighbors to the East not want to look out on a parking lot? Is that why they flipped the parking to college? 

[wingbert]

14 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

I was going to say nursing home facility. 

Did the neighbors to the East not want to look out on a parking lot? Is that why they flipped the parking to college? 

That's a pretty mean thing to say about nursing homes.  

[amylynne]

Looks to me like they are just leaving all the parking where it currently is and replacing the building with something that looks pretty similar to what's there now. A response to people not wanting changes in their neighborhood?

 

[GRLaker]

These developers should take a hint from GVSU. They know how to blend modern with historical better than anyone in the area. 

 

[jas49503]

When does this go before the HPC?  I imaging that there will be a horde of angry residents voicing their opinion there.  Living only a block from this, I'll be there if I can as the new design is an awful use of the space. At least there is parking but why they think putting it facing the street is a good idea is beyond me.  

 

If the the propsed development at cherry and eastern was shot down, I don't think this stands a chance. 

[x99]

Didn't this 50 College project go in front of HPC yesterday?  Anyone know what the results were? I assume there was a lot of head-shaking going on, but who knows.  

 

[Allison Slater]

It was discussed at yesterday's neighbours meeting.  I was not in attendance.

[Pattmost20]

On 10/12/2016 at 3:16 PM, Pattmost20 said:

They could literally turn it 90-180 degrees clockwise and it would be 100x better.

I see they took my advice, parking out front would have been a disaster.

1 hour ago, tSlater said:

It was discussed at yesterday's neighbours meeting.  I was not in attendance.

Still looking pretty ugly though.

[GRLaker]

Still looks like an expensive hotel. With that said, it's at least better looking than most of the cheap crap being built right now.

[GR_Urbanist]

Is it really that hard to build this thing at the sidewalk?

[mpchicago]

9 minutes ago, GR_Urbanist said:

Is it really that hard to build this thing at the sidewalk?

Can't wait to hear what the HH folks had to say.  The original plan included townhouse like structures fronting College.   

[x99]

14 minutes ago, mpchicago said:

Can't wait to hear what the HH folks had to say.  The original plan included townhouse like structures fronting College.   

I am not sure anyone is driving the bus over in HH anymore.  East Hills and the other neighborhoods have all done a fabulous job of opposing garbage like this in their neighborhoods via their neighborhood associations.  Heritage Hill, not so much.   The first design was so much better, and supposedly what happened was the neighborhood association or some group or neighbors pushed it in this direction, which is nothing but nasty.  Normally, I would be blaming Orion for foisting ugly designs, but not this time.  

[Allison Slater]

On 11/29/2016 at 10:20 AM, GR_Urbanist said:

Is it really that hard to build this thing at the sidewalk?

In HH, most of the older apartment buildings have a setback.  It's only those along a retail corridor that have been built at the sidewalk.  Therefore, I think the small setback here is okay.

[joeDowntown]

On 11/29/2016 at 9:34 AM, GRLaker said:

Still looks like an expensive hotel. With that said, it's at least better looking than most of the cheap crap being built right now.

Don't worry, as with a lot of developments we've seen lately, there is still a lot of time to make this look nothing like the renderings (which aren't great anyways in my opinion). 

Joe

[EastownLeo]

Very glad they moved that football field of parking away from the road and tucked it more behind the building.

[GR_Urbanist]

I'm seeing some chatter that something is about to happen with the old Gaia space.

Is anyone else hearing this or know something?

[SEsideguy]

SHAAAAD!!!!

[GVSUChris]

27 minutes ago, GR_Urbanist said:

I'm seeing some chatter that something is about to happen with the old Gaia space.

Is anyone else hearing this or know something?

I too heard yesterday something was in the works and close to announcing, though I did not press for details. I do know that it isn't likely to be the original plan (Georgina's Fussion Cafe)