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Lyon Square Plaza/Riverfront to get makeover


GRDadof3

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I just saw the original post a week or so ago when I was looking for something else. I think it may have been buried in a a larger thread (?)

Nice to see work starting on this, but what are those things that look like giant armchairs in the rendering?

Giant armchairs.

Joe, I'd like to see some string lights over Ionia Street. Imagine that on a nice summer evening, bouncing from GR Brewing to Hopcat to Mcfaddens.

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This just looks like another cruddy American attempt at creating public "gathering places".

There are no outdoor seating options other than 2 cartoonish concrete chairs? And the whole area is ringed by the back doors of the Amway and convention center, loading docks and skywalk.

Basically Calder Plaza with maybe some shade.

As far as eating lunch there, good luck with that. The reason people dont eat anything by the river is because of the massive water insect swarms and spider webs all over everything.

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Well said...I agree

This just looks like another cruddy American attempt at creating public "gathering places".

There are no outdoor seating options other than 2 cartoonish concrete chairs? And the whole area is ringed by the back doors of the Amway and convention center, loading docks and skywalk.

Basically Calder Plaza with maybe some shade.

As far as eating lunch there, good luck with that. The reason people dont eat anything by the river is because of the massive water insect swarms and spider webs all over everything.

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Agreed...doesn't feel like it's gonna do much to create new "gathering places". The best part that I can see that no one has mentioned is that AGP is adding outdoor seating for Bentham's there. That will liven things up in that space more than huge "concrete chairs".

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I also agree. There's not really anything in this plan to draw people there. It will make the area a little more pleasant.

Maybe some food truck stalls or something like that to give people something to do there. Even then, it doesn't seem like there's enough seating. Not sure there's enough people (employees, etc.) right nearby to make that viable, either.

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Gathering places occur organically, they can't necessarily be 'created.' The chairs seem really awkward, but the outdoor seating via Bentham's is going to be great. And I hope for the light strings. Would make Lyon at least a decent venue for some events.

If they really want a riverside gathering area, add some picnic tables and such to the Blue Bridge. (It's still blue, I hope?)

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Gathering places occur organically, they can't necessarily be 'created.' The chairs seem really awkward, but the outdoor seating via Bentham's is going to be great. And I hope for the light strings. Would make Lyon at least a decent venue for some events.

If they really want a riverside gathering area, add some picnic tables and such to the Blue Bridge. (It's still blue, I hope?)

But they can be discouraged. If no place is provided for people to gather (for example, to sit down), they definitely won't. That said, this could be the nicest plaza in the city and it would still go unused because nothing opens onto it. Maybe if the first floor of the Fine Arts Building was rearranged with retail (also connected to the Amway lobby) and more windows?

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  • 7 months later...

While running this morning, I ran through here (actually, it's pretty much my regular route) and thought, "They never "upgraded" the plaza." Anyone know why?

I was eager to see Bentham's add the outdoor seating.

I had lunch with someone who works at the AGP a couple of weeks ago and it sounded like there hasn't been any more word about redesigning Bentham's.

Not sure what happened to the plaza redesign. I thought it was supposed to start this past Summer. Maybe with the transition of Jay Fowler out and Kris Larson in has put it on hold for a bit?

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  • 3 years later...

Three years later and plans are moving forward (as well as a steering committee has been set up to redesign Calder Plaza)

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2015/12/makeover_plans_moving_ahead_fo.html

Here's one preliminary plan. Can't wait to see that ugly amphitheater done away with. 

23672738556_4b82e34aff_b.jpg

 

004585-000002.jpeg?fit=clip&w=678&h=425

 

Scott Bishop of Bishop Land Design has a portfolio of projects at his previous (?) firm Stoss. This Green Bay one looks similar to the Grand River:

http://www.stoss.net/projects/17/safe-zone/

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It was likely one of those "wishful thinking" projects from the early 80s that people thought would revitalize downtowns. I think the hotness in urban toys back then were the festival plaza, pedestrian mall (still), convention center, and the "urban" amphitheater.

And just like Monroe Mall and amphitheater, City Center, and the Grand Center, absolutely no one is shocked to has seen Grand Rapids do a poor job at the urban amphitheater concept too.

 

The last of that string of failures is finally to be undone.

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2 hours ago, wingbert said:

Did that amphitheater ever get used much for anything?  I recall some ArtPrize entries there but not much else.

"Can't wait for the next great event at that amphitheater by the river!" said nobody ever.

 

I call it the death amphitheater, because my kids would run up and down it when they were little and I swear they were going to trip and fall to their death. It was designed horribly. 

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  • 3 months later...

Some of you may have seen this while perusing the DDA agenda packet.  The DDA and community partners have entered into an agreement with design firm, BLD, to move forward with schematic drawings for Lyon Square.  This will allow the project to go out to bid, with construction hopefully commencing in fiscal 2017.   The latest plan seem to take the GR Forward concepts a few steps further.  Let's hope it comes to full reality, as it looks pretty sweet!

concept1.pdf

concept2.pdf

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5 minutes ago, mpchicago said:

Some of you may have seen this while perusing the DDA agenda packet.  The DDA and community partners have entered into an agreement with design firm, BLD, to move forward with schematic drawings for Lyon Square.  This will allow the project to go out to bid, with construction hopefully commencing in fiscal 2017.   The latest plan seem to take the GR Forward concepts a few steps further.  Let's hope it comes to full reality, as it looks pretty sweet!

concept1.pdf

concept2.pdf

Ughhh... I thought there was a specific forum topic for this but I couldn't find it, so I just posted almost the exact same thing in the GR River one. Oh well.

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17 minutes ago, mpchicago said:

Some of you may have seen this while perusing the DDA agenda packet.  The DDA and community partners have entered into an agreement with design firm, BLD, to move forward with schematic drawings for Lyon Square.  This will allow the project to go out to bid, with construction hopefully commencing in fiscal 2017.   The latest plan seem to take the GR Forward concepts a few steps further.  Let's hope it comes to full reality, as it looks pretty sweet!

concept1.pdf

concept2.pdf

For easier viewing. 

 

26407935595_accef1f834_b.jpg

 

 

25803088934_deab5fefd4_o.jpg

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  • 8 months later...
1 hour ago, SEsideguy said:

Current amphitheater, great for watching fireworks, or a choir.

Maybe it'd be great for looking at a choir. Not so much for hearing one (or singing in one). You'd need a shell of some sort to make acoustics at all workable. I've never seen that amphitheater in use; will not be sad to see it gone.

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