THE Downtown Market updates

[GRDadof3]

I'm picking up more and more people saying that they don't think this is a good location. Thoughts?

[MJLO]

i think it's because they have no vision, they see an ugly white window-less building. Most minds will change once they see it in its final stages. I'm sure they thought putting an arena around a bunch of boared up broken down buildings was a crap Idea too.

[GRDadof3]

i think it's because they have no vision, they see an ugly white window-less building. Most minds will change once they see it in its final stages. I'm sure they thought putting an arena around a bunch of boared up broken down buildings was a crap Idea too.

Actually, it was more because of how far it is from downtown and how much work the surrounding area needs, or that it should have been on the riverfront.

[Allison Slater]

I do feel somewhere on Market would have been a better idea. Something somewhat near the hotels and activity to capture visitors, too, but still in an area that needs help. All this is really close to is a bar district. At least Heartside does have some residential, which could be a redeeming quality of the location.

They will definitely need to clean up the passage of Ionia under Wealthy, though. That's a pretty strong barrier there, and it's absolutely filthy.

[gvsusean]

Im not the biggest fan of the location but, considering the space needed to pull this off I cant think of too many better options... The silver lining, maybe they didnt want to use market and fulton because they have bigger plans for that... How would people feel about north monroe for the market? I like the lots up there...

[Veloise]

By leapfrogging ahead of the districts that are "done," this project will give a jump-start to infill those remaining gaps. And given the use (trucks moving in product, customers needing vehicles), it makes sense to site it on the edge of downtown, by the highway with an exit, and on a major arterial.

I'm sure that the traffic patterns will be worked on; it's not like we've never re-aligned a street or added a traffic light.

Edited April 8, 2010 by Veloise

[walker]

I suppose it must have been cleaned a long time ago or else this wouldn't be proposed but I'm sure the northern part of this property, the part with the metal building that's being torn down, had a serious ground contamination problem. The source of the contamination was pesticides and/or herbicides from the business that used to be there in that corner for decades called Grand Rapids Growers.

I have no opinion as to the appropriateness of the site logistically or from a marketing perspective. But even if it has been cleaned up, I think it would be an ironic location from which to buy your healthy organic fruits and vegetables.

[JoeSchmo]

I think this is an interesting place. People have never seemed to be fond of investing south of fulton. I think thats why its even a bigger deal when people decide to. The construction of it will expand the walkable areas of Grand Rapids and I am always for that. A riverfront location would have been interesting, but the property would have been more valuable and therefore expensive. People will go to the market because whats there. How many more people would you get to go there if you placed it on the river?

I am not keen on the location, but I think I will be more keen on the location after its built. I think there has been a lot of growing interest to build south of Fulton, but in the past Heartside has not necessarily been tied to a good feeling reputation. I expect the market will only help to change this and expand the borders of 'downtown'.

[GRGridGirl]

We're working on planning a pre-development lunch-n-learn on this proposed project. I hope to have more details in the next couple of weeks.

As far as the site location, this is a catalyst project. Building the market at this site will have a profound impact on development within the SOW-NOF corridor.

In other news... We're in the planning stages for three major lunch-n-learn events to be held over the next four months.

If you build it, we will come!

Cheers, TripleG

[AlexPKeaton]

I like the idea of pushing this a little out of downtown. Both because it can act as a catalyst around downtown's edges, and also because it's not a particularly dense project, and probably not appropriate for the middle of downtown. Also, a project like this would be a serious waste of riverfront property.

Still, being immediately adjacent to the highway doesn't seem that appealing to me. The NoMo area might be better, though if visibility is important, then I can see why this location was chosen.

[Allison Slater]

I hope pedestrian connectivity will be improved around Wealthy. It's actually quite close to the bus station, which is nice, but walking between the two is not as easy as one would think.

[GRDadof3]

It seems like there are a lot of islands of "catalyst projects," but nothing really tying them all together and making a continuous urban fabric. The whole West Side/Seward projects are great, but with huge chasms between them and downtown. Same with Monroe North. Same with the area around Founders and the ITP station. Same with Michigan Street. I could go on.

You drop a project like this with with a lot of energy into an area already filled with energy, and you create something pretty remarkable.

[egrguy]

I like the location. I can't wait to support the project any way possible. Let's up this moves forward at an expeditious pace.

[joeDowntown]

Agreed. I think this will be a catalyst for development, but I'd rather see it in an area already flourshing. One of the surface lots along Ionia would be fabulous.

I love everything about it, but agree that it could have been put in an area that would have magnified the positive affect on the surrounding neighborhood.

Joe

It seems like there are a lot of islands of "catalyst projects," but nothing really tying them all together and making a continuous urban fabric. The whole West Side/Seward projects are great, but with huge chasms between them and downtown. Same with Monroe North. Same with the area around Founders and the ITP station. Same with Michigan Street. I could go on.

You drop a project like this with with a lot of energy into an area already filled with energy, and you create something pretty remarkable.

[John E]

Birds eye view from the roof of 44 Ionia.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johne777/4521964390/sizes/l/

More in the April 2010 set:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/johne777/sets/72157623761385796/

~John

Get US out of the U.N.

End the Fed

Restore Our American Republic - ROAR

[GRDadof3]

A few pictures from today.

This garage portion is almost completely gone now. It's wild being able to see the entire Klingman's warehouse from 131 now.

[RegalTDP]

This garage portion is almost completely gone now. It's wild being able to see the entire Klingman's warehouse from 131 now.

Were they going to tear down this building anyway?

[Prankster]

Were they going to tear down this building anyway?

Yes, it was slated to become a parking lot for the "Go Bus", "Gus Bus", or whatever it's called this week. That was until Grand Action came in with their plan for the market.

[Veloise]

At a conference in Lansing, and I'll be sure to shoot some of their new market building and area.

[GRDadof3]

At a conference in Lansing, and I'll be sure to shoot some of their new market building and area.

I've seen it, it looks like a big metal pole barn. Yuk.

[elcelc]

We're working on planning a pre-development lunch-n-learn on this proposed project. I hope to have more details in the next couple of weeks.

As far as the site location, this is a catalyst project. Building the market at this site will have a profound impact on development within the SOW-NOF corridor.

In other news... We're in the planning stages for three major lunch-n-learn events to be held over the next four months.

If you build it, we will come!

Cheers, TripleG

Is this L'n'L still in the works? I was by Eastern Market in Detroit last weekend and got to thinking about this one.

[Veloise]

But it's a really nice big metal pole barn.

These are from the ped bridge between the Lansing Center and the hotel (shown above).

Edited May 13, 2010 by Veloise

[GRDadof3]

Uhhh, it looks like a Horrocks. I hope the grunginess of ours is carried through in the final product.

[Veloise]

And nearby.

Edited May 13, 2010 by Veloise

[gvsusean]

Ya, Lansing's looks terrible! I would be very disappointed if ours ends up like that