Jump to content

Big project(s) coming for downtown?


GRDadof3

Recommended Posts

The Urban Land Institute Real Estate Forum is shouting rail transit. I wonder if we will hear an announcement that Grand Action will spearhead the downtown streetcar project. Portland even sent two speakers to talk about light rail and real estate.

Grand Action—Bold Revitalization of Grand Rapids

John Canepa, Dick DeVos and David Frey; Grand Action

Development-Oriented Transit: Using Streetcars to Intensify and

Sustain Urban Development

John Carroll, Carroll Investments, and Charles Hales, HDR

Update on Grand Rapids Transit Initiatives

Peter Varga, The Rapid

http://www.tcaup.umich.edu/umuliforum/schedule.html

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 129
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I would disagree only because they'd have more downtown GR families that could attend without driving all the way to Allendale. Also, the Rapid's route 50 could shuttle the students on game night for free. Although this idea is probably one of the last to become reality at this time. My money is on the relocation of a corporate hq, some sort of transit decision, or an urban grocery store.

I said it before here, but I think that moving GVSU's football stadium DT would be a big mistake, unless they moved the Allendale campus DT also. The attendance at football games would drop dramatically if the students couldn't walk or drive a mile to Lubbers like they can now. I realize that GVSU DT is growing, but removing the majority of the student body from the vicinity of the stadium would be a bad move (as much as I would love to see GVSU football DT) :)
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Okay. Let me take a crack at this.

GVSU has not made any indications of going Division 1 that I know of. So no big football stadium in DT.

As for the Corporate HQ bit, Amway seems a likely candidate to move DT esp. given the "large surface lot phasing out of the parking business". Amway owns the huge surface lot located at the SW corner of Market and Fulton. Plus I do remember seeing awesome renderings of a concept development study for that site last year from sources I'd rather not disclose. If I remember correctly it had two huge hi-rises both taller than RH.

How about a Perfomance Art Center? No. I believe that idea is relegated to pie in the sky right now due to the bad economy. But its not out of the question since Devos Hall is always fully booked.

There could be something happen on Health Hill, maybe some spin off health/life sciences related developments.

A transit related project could be revealed. Maybe all the eggs needed to build the street car line or the BRT route have been lined up and its time to start building on either of those projects.

Meijer to build an urban store? As much I'd love to see somthing like that happen. I'm doubting it now. The bad economy has shunted retail expansion. Plus Meijer shows little sign of thinking outside the suburban big box despite its chief competitors Walmart and Target have already built urban formated stores. Though store size has shrank down from 207,000 sq. ft. to a scant 156,000 sq. ft. As a result as little as 15-20 acres are needed to support a Meijer store. Their are a few sites close to the core that could accommodate a Meijer store.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My guesses:

1. DeVos and Secchia will put a lot of money behind the streetcar proposal, and in the process will ensure it'll go by their properties for some development. I don't think there's much doubt this has been in planning for some time. It's been a question of timing. When--not if--a development will be announced.

2. The corner of Division and Wealthy. I'm not sure how grand of development this might be, and it might seem to be a bit of a letdown in that it probably wouldn't include a highrise, but this one is pretty much a gimmie. Something will be done at that corner within the next couple years.

Outside shot: There will be some movement on the old Rowe Hotel.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Legislation is passed whereby place names must be treated literally:

- You may park directly outside the museum if your name is Rosa

- Wealthy St. will be given tax exempt status

- You may only speak French on Lyon

- It is only permitted to travel along Monroe if you are wearing a white flouncy dress, or accompanied by someone wearing one

Holland council considers following suit amid vehement objections from Felch Street residents...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Giant Religious-themed amusement park, chock-full of rides, attractions, actors, and programs. A certain denomination moves its headquarters from Kalamazoo Ave/28th St. to a building inside the theme park, and the hundreds of churches of that denomination in West Michigan consolidate into one giant mega-church. All of this on a few hundred acres in the Hudsonville/Zeeland area.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

A big ol' pie in the sky, which will bring gawkers from far and wide who will spend their nickels and dimes in the countless trinket shops that will engulf Monroe Center and the two blocks of every off-shoot street of M.C. Think pie keychains, pie bumperstickers, oddly-colored sweatershirts screenprinted with "I Love Pie!", pie Christmas ornaments, National Pie Day Festival starrinig the Pie Queen. Just when the ideas for Chinese-made crap seem to dwindle, countless new ideas spring up from all of the different variations of pie that could be celebrated.

Seriously, though...I think that the area movers and shakers who have been interviewed the last few months are right on when they say that any new significant developments in Michigan are very likely to come from the people and companies already based in Michigan. Hopefully if something is announced and it actually has the chance to succeed, people will put aside their differences and NIMBY ways and throw their support behind the project.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Giant Religious-themed amusement park, chock-full of rides, attractions, actors, and programs. A certain denomination moves its headquarters from Kalamazoo Ave/28th St. to a building inside the theme park, and the hundreds of churches of that denomination in West Michigan consolidate into one giant mega-church. All of this on a few hundred acres in the Hudsonville/Zeeland area.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Giant Religious-themed amusement park, chock-full of rides, attractions, actors, and programs. A certain denomination moves its headquarters from Kalamazoo Ave/28th St. to a building inside the theme park, and the hundreds of churches of that denomination in West Michigan consolidate into one giant mega-church. All of this on a few hundred acres in the Hudsonville/Zeeland area.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Legislation is passed whereby place names must be treated literally:

- You may park directly outside the museum if your name is Rosa

- Wealthy St. will be given tax exempt status

- You may only speak French on Lyon

- It is only permitted to travel along Monroe if you are wearing a white flouncy dress, or accompanied by someone wearing one

Holland council considers following suit amid vehement objections from Felch Street residents...

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.