Division / Wealthy and ICCF

[MiGuyz]

Does anyone have an update regarding the ICCF land at Wealthy and Division? Nearby, a block further south on Division more buildings were bulldozed last week. What's going to happen at this Downtown gateway corner off US-131?

[PRCH]

http://www.wealthyjefferson.org/WealthyJefferson.htm

http://www.mlive.com..._federatio.html

I don't think there are any updates. The economy has probably hindered their advancement on the project.

The name Meijer has been mentioned.

[MiGuyz]

I'd like to see something happen there soon. At the very least, an annoucement of what is coming would be a good start. I know there have been people very recently buying up large numbers of rental property in the area. Seems to me like someone knows something.

[GRDadof3]

Maybe this will give this project a shot in the arm:

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2009/12/grand_rapids_seeks_201_million.html

[Veloise]

Attended a small discussion today, and this project was brought up. The word "soon" appeared in the same paragraphs.

[fotoman311]

Attended a small discussion today, and this project was brought up. The word "soon" appeared in the same paragraphs.

I heard a similar statement during my DDA Framing the Future session. I wonder if it was from the same person.

I hope that "soon" really means soon.

[civitas]

Coming VERY soon. Film at 11.......

[MiGuyz]

There are a million reasons I would expect a storefront/residential perimeter streetscape hiding a big box store inside the parcel. Will residents vote for the Silver Line to stop at this urban gateway?

[joeDowntown]

Exciting update. So what timeframe does VERY soon indicate? Weeks, months?

Joe

[uncus]

Coming VERY soon. Film at 11.......

Hmmm - my inside source says something is coming, but no "very soon" news. Am i missing something? ( i hope so).

[fotoman311]

New article by Chris Knape about the first phase of this moving forward using some of Obama's Stimulus dollars. Not sure how much of a threat to delay this the removal of the Brownfield Tax Credits would have. Perhaps they will get this deal done before they are discontinued, IF that discontinuation survives the legislature.

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2011/03/housing_retail_plan_on_south_e.html

[Veloise]

New article by Chris Knape about the first phase of this moving forward using some of Obama's Stimulus dollars. Not sure how much of a threat to delay this the removal of the Brownfield Tax Credits would have. Perhaps they will get this deal done before they are discontinued, IF that discontinuation survives the legislature.

As I understand the Brownfield credits, they would be phased out.

Work would need to get under way by June to qualify for federal loans the city earmarked for the long-awaited project. Eventually, 63 to 73 housing units are expected to occupy the block, with $15 million to $17 million being invested.

Jonathan Bradford, chief executive officer of the ICCF, said the combination of the grant deadlines and planned elimination of Brownfield tax credits changes means there’s a need to move quickly.

“It is a little dicey right now, with the governor’s Brownfield elimination plan, but we are very optimistic that the pieces are now coming together for a June 1 or earlier start,” Bradford said.

Edited March 4, 2011 by Veloise

[Veloise]

Renderings

[x99]

What else is going in here other than a bunch of housing units? This math doesn't make sense: $15 million for 63 units? That''s more than $230k per unit for presumably "low income" housing! Is there some commercial going in on the ground floor in addition to the housing? If not, this is pretty good evidence that the sooner these credits are dead and gone, the better.

As I understand the Brownfield credits, they would be phased out.

Work would need to get under way by June to qualify for federal loans the city earmarked for the long-awaited project. Eventually, 63 to 73 housing units are expected to occupy the block, with $15 million to $17 million being invested.

Jonathan Bradford, chief executive officer of the ICCF, said the combination of the grant deadlines and planned elimination of Brownfield tax credits changes means there’s a need to move quickly.

“It is a little dicey right now, with the governor’s Brownfield elimination plan, but we are very optimistic that the pieces are now coming together for a June 1 or earlier start,” Bradford said.

[andrew.w]

What else is going in here other than a bunch of housing units? This math doesn't make sense: $15 million for 63 units? That''s more than $230k per unit for presumably "low income" housing! Is there some commercial going in on the ground floor in addition to the housing? If not, this is pretty good evidence that the sooner these credits are dead and gone, the better.

We need a site plan to tell exactly what they are planning, but the renderings from Veloise definitely show commercial on the first floor of two of those buildings (probably along Division). In fact the third building down looks more like an office building on the second and third floors than residential.

[GRDadof3]

What else is going in here other than a bunch of housing units? This math doesn't make sense: $15 million for 63 units? That''s more than $230k per unit for presumably "low income" housing! Is there some commercial going in on the ground floor in addition to the housing? If not, this is pretty good evidence that the sooner these credits are dead and gone, the better.

Slow down there x99. Not sure what the price has to do with the value of the credits.

Yes, it includes mixed use residential and retail. And they're not necessarily all "low income." Did you read the article? Some will be low income, some will be market rate townhomes.

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2011/03/housing_retail_plan_on_south_e.html

[RegalTDP]

From the article linked:

http://www.mlive.com...on_south_e.html

Is this map correct? Is this going to be two city blocks, with Sheldon Ave bisecting the middle?

If so, do they really need that much surface parking?

Edited March 7, 2011 by RegalTDP

[GRDadof3]

From the article linked:

Is this map correct? Is this going to be two city blocks, with Sheldon Ave bisecting the middle?

If so, do they really need that much surface parking?

Here are the site plans, from the city's Brownfield agenda. I think they're trying to land a major anchor (retail perhaps) for the Division/Wealthy corner, so they may need all that parking. First phase though is the Eastern half of the project, and the first two buildings sound like they will be the ones along Wealthy across the street from the Dioceses's parking ramp.

edit: sorry, this first site plan shows Phase 1:

And some cleaner versions of the elevations. The first two mixed-use buildings would apparently be the first two built.

[GRDadof3]

The style of the first mixed use building reminded me of something I had seen in Chicago once, and indeed I found it:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&source=s_q&hl=en&geocode=&q=west+chicago+avenue,+chicago,+il&aq=&sll=37.0625,-95.677068&sspn=32.527387,79.013672&ie=UTF8&hq=&hnear=W+Chicago+Ave,+Chicago,+Illinois&ll=41.895537,-87.639935&spn=0.007459,0.01929&z=16&layer=c&cbll=41.895524,-87.640034&panoid=nqyOqUL7ottOJfTisp9hsg&cbp=12,309.36,,0,-5.49

edit: I should add that it's mainly the box style bay windows. The Wealthy Jefferson version will have ground floor retail, and appears to be built out to the street (not fronted by little fenced in gardens).

[Allison Slater]

I like what I see of the 4th elevation. Simple, but rarely used anymore detailing that really shouldn't cost much to be cost engineered out.

[RegalTDP]

Thanks for posting the site plan, the parking situation certainly looks more reasonable than the crude Press diagram. Those blocks take up less space than I envisioned.

Just gotta point out though, a lot of urban grocery stores build rooftop parking these days...

[x99]

Then that could actually be quite nice if they're going to do a mixed use. The announcement didn't say anything about it, and some of the renderings did not look like they included commercial use, which is why I questioned it. All of the renderings look quite nice except for that one with the goofy front porches. The design with the gambrel roof is interesting, too, albeit somewhat unconventional.

We need a site plan to tell exactly what they are planning, but the renderings from Veloise definitely show commercial on the first floor of two of those buildings (probably along Division). In fact the third building down looks more like an office building on the second and third floors than residential.

[GRDadof3]

Then that could actually be quite nice if they're going to do a mixed use. The announcement didn't say anything about it, and some of the renderings did not look like they included commercial use, which is why I questioned it. All of the renderings look quite nice except for that one with the goofy front porches. The design with the gambrel roof is interesting, too, albeit somewhat unconventional.

I think they're trying to match the style of the houses in that area (South of there, since there aren't any houses left in the development zone) which all have porches like that.

Here's a duplex just South of there that I actually think ICCF built:

[jas49503]

the third from the bottom looks remarkably like this carriage house from the louis campau house

My link

[GRDadof3]

the third from the bottom looks remarkably like this carriage house from the louis campau house

My link

Good call jas. It has a Martha's Vineyard/Nantucket feel to it.

http://www.wickedlocal.com/capecod/breaking/x1598947930/Nantucket-Island-has-15-homes-for-sale-at-over-10-million#axzz1G0z7UaDs