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38 Commerce Development

mgreven

By mgreven
in Grand Rapids

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andrew.w Hamlet

andrew.w

Posted
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The facade appears to be made of light yellow brick. I'm a little disappointed there -- the renderings had me expecting masonry or at least some sort of imitation of it. Also, the brick seems to have obvious seams between each floor, making it look like it's just large brick panels -- even though I know it isn't as I've watched them lay the brick piece by piece. Hopefully this will be covered up somehow, otherwise it looks like poor craftsmanship almost like Monroe Center & Ionia.

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John E Burg

John E

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It is true. The ramp will open this evening with the gates open for fee parking until Saturday morning the 23rd of January.

Here is the email response I received from Kimberly Miller of the Parking Services:

The much anticipated opening of the Weston Commerce Parking Ramp is upon us. This joint effort between public and private interests, which resulted in an interior parking structure owned by the city and residential/commercial liner buildings on the street at 38 Commerce Ave SW, has become a model for future collaboration.

On Friday evening January 15th this newest City of Grand Rapids Parking Services Department facility will be open for parking. Located at 16 Weston Street SW this 364 space ramp, with 8 additional handicap spaces, is accessed on the south side of Weston just west of Division St.

Parking services is planning a “soft” opening in which the gates will be up and parking will be free for the first week of operation, ending Saturday morning, January 23, 2010. On Saturday, 1/23/2010, access to this automated facility will be by monthly access card or ticket dispenser with a “Pay In Lane” option to exit. Payment options at the exit lane will be cash or credit.

Further information can be found at the Parking Services web site or by calling the Parking Services front office at 456-3290.

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John E Burg

John E

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Wingbert,

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the new ramp. Hopefully they will reinburse you give you a free pass for your next outing to downtown.

Thanks for the reality check. I plan on getting up there this (long) weekend. Some nice views on the 7th floor deck. 8th floor wasn't plowed just before 5 PM yesterday and was squashy and wet to walk on. Real nice view of the new building part of Vern Barry Place on Division Ave.

Weston Street is still blocked off at the entrance to the ramp and Commerce is blocked off on the South side of Fulton. That area is hard to get around. I still people driving to the intersection of Commerce and Weston with nowhere to go but back to Ionia Street. People are really sick of the steets being blocked off. They will look totally awesome when done but many say it can't happen soon enough.

~John

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MJLO City

MJLO

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I cringe when parking for an evening downtown comes out to $8 or $9. Especially for only 2 hours. I also HATE those automated garages where you have to pay for your parking at a kiosk somewhere in the ramp, and not at the booth on the way out (JW Marriott and the Commerce/Cherry ramp for instance). Especially when it's sub-20 degrees out. Who designs this stuff?

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andrew.w Hamlet

andrew.w

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Apparently. I don't even understand the logic: "People are used to paying for parking at the booth when they leave a ramp, but let's shake things up and make things inconvenient, and 1) force people to remember to take their parking tickets with them, 2) make them remember to stop at the kiosk when walking back to their car, and 3) make them stand out in the cold while the machine takes forever to process the transaction," That will really enhance the user experience. Genius.

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wingbert Burg

wingbert

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Posted

Wingbert,

Sorry to hear about your bad experience with the new ramp. Hopefully they will reinburse you give you a free pass for your next outing to downtown.

Thanks for the reality check. I plan on getting up there this (long) weekend. Some nice views on the 7th floor deck. 8th floor wasn't plowed just before 5 PM yesterday and was squashy and wet to walk on. Real nice view of the new building part of Vern Barry Place on Division Ave.

Weston Street is still blocked off at the entrance to the ramp and Commerce is blocked off on the South side of Fulton. That area is hard to get around. I still people driving to the intersection of Commerce and Weston with nowhere to go but back to Ionia Street. People are really sick of the steets being blocked off. They will look totally awesome when done but many say it can't happen soon enough.

~John

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