Studio Park - $140 Million Celebration Cinema/mixed use project

[joeDowntown]

I would imagine that whatever is built on the Fulton/market lot will be much bigger. I can also imagine Acrisure has been approached about anchoring a large building there. It would probably be pretty enticing to anchor a 40-50 story building, taking 16-20 stories with option to grow/add floors in the future, and naming rights on the building. 

I have to believe that has been discussed/proposed. 

Joe

[MJLO]

2 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

I would imagine that whatever is built on the Fulton/market lot will be much bigger. I can also imagine Acrisure has been approached about anchoring a large building there. It would probably be pretty enticing to anchor a 40-50 story building, taking 16-20 stories with option to grow/add floors in the future, and naming rights on the building. 

I have to believe that has been discussed/proposed. 

Joe

It  also makes me wonder about the former Old Kent/Fifth third headquarters owned by CDW.   They've been quietly positioning that for a big overhaul the last few years.  The corner of Lyon and Ottawa is perfect for some kind of signature tower in lieu of that boring ass 1960's box that's currently in it's place.

[GRLaker]

16 minutes ago, MJLO said:

It  also makes me wonder about the former Old Kent/Fifth third headquarters owned by CDW.   They've been quietly positioning that for a big overhaul the last few years.  The corner of Lyon and Ottawa is perfect for some kind of signature tower in lieu of that boring ass 1960's box that's currently in it's place.

Remember this beauty?

[cstonesparty]

4 hours ago, MJLO said:

It  also makes me wonder about the former Old Kent/Fifth third headquarters owned by CDW.   They've been quietly positioning that for a big overhaul the last few years.  The corner of Lyon and Ottawa is perfect for some kind of signature tower in lieu of that boring ass 1960's box that's currently in it's place.

Does anyone realistically think that building will be purchased to replace it with something else?  Reskin, maybe...

[MJLO]

26 minutes ago, cstonesparty said:

Does anyone realistically think that building will be purchased to replace it with something else?  Reskin, maybe...

The re-skin they did to it's smaller sibling was actually pretty impressive.   A reskin with maybe a taller addition would be awesome.  Though they could implode it and build something new and I'd be just as happy lol. 

[Cookin_peacocks]

11 minutes ago, MJLO said:

The re-skin they did to it's smaller sibling was actually pretty impressive.   A reskin with maybe a taller addition would be awesome.  Though they could implode it and build something new and I'd be just as happy lol. 

I would not be upset at either. But I kinda like the building that it adds variation to the skyline. Now, I'd love to see it redone and maybe made taller, but as is, it's not my least favorite.

[Jonesey]

I do really like the reskin, but I wonder what the cost difference would have been between reskin and and demo and rebuild.   They took the building down to the steel.  I guess you don't have to do any ground/foundation work and there was the ramp underneath.  I know they are trying to lure a corporate headquarters into the 5/3 building, but I feel like it would be too small for Acrisure.  .  I wouldn't be mad if they demoed that whole stretch of urban renewal garbage along Ottawa.  It looks like Southfield.  

[Khorasaurus1]

2 hours ago, Jonesey said:

  I wouldn't be mad if they demoed that whole stretch of urban renewal garbage along Ottawa.  It looks like Southfield.  

At least Ottawa got the fronts of those buildings. Ionia was ruined so badly that we don't even talk about the old GRATA bus terminal as a development opportunity...

[MJLO]

9 hours ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

At least Ottawa got the fronts of those buildings. Ionia was ruined so badly that we don't even talk about the old GRATA bus terminal as a development opportunity...

That's a crazy thought!  How has nothing been built there yet??  I always forget that parking lot used to be the bus terminal.  

[whitemice]

10 hours ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

we don't even talk about the old GRATA bus terminal as a development opportunity...

Ugh.  Heart breaking.  Imagine having our transit center near an actual center of something rather than backed up into the crotch of a highway.

[Khorasaurus1]

28 minutes ago, whitemice said:

Ugh.  Heart breaking.  Imagine having our transit center near an actual center of something rather than backed up into the crotch of a highway.

The center of gravity has moved down closer to where Central Station is, though. Calder Plaza is now one of the least active/vibrant parts of downtown. Plus it's served by plenty of transit as is. 

But the gigantic parking lot where the old GRATA station was seems like a great opportunity for medical expansion, housing, etc. And yet no one ever talks about it as a possibility. 

[GR_Urbanist]

11 hours ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

At least Ottawa got the fronts of those buildings. Ionia was ruined so badly that we don't even talk about the old GRATA bus terminal as a development opportunity...

It's embarrassing how that street is pema-locked to 1974, complete with vintage deserted street life. 

[GRDadof3]

50 minutes ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

The center of gravity has moved down closer to where Central Station is, though. Calder Plaza is now one of the least active/vibrant parts of downtown. Plus it's served by plenty of transit as is. 

But the gigantic parking lot where the old GRATA station was seems like a great opportunity for medical expansion, housing, etc. And yet no one ever talks about it as a possibility. 

That whole area feels like "old downtown" to me.  The energy of downtown has definitely shifted South and West. 

I can't imagine in a million years Acrisure going into the 5/3 building. They're trying to position themselves as a "tech" company. 

[Cookin_peacocks]

1 hour ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

The center of gravity has moved down closer to where Central Station is, though. Calder Plaza is now one of the least active/vibrant parts of downtown. Plus it's served by plenty of transit as is. 

But the gigantic parking lot where the old GRATA station was seems like a great opportunity for medical expansion, housing, etc. And yet no one ever talks about it as a possibility. 

I'm guessing the lot of the old station is the Ellis Lot east of the courthouse off Ionia?

[MJLO]

30 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

That whole area feels like "old downtown" to me.  The energy of downtown has definitely shifted South and West. 

I can't imagine in a million years Acrisure going into the 5/3 building. They're trying to position themselves as a "tech" company. 

Responded to this over in the  "Devos family headquarters" thread.  Sorry everybodyI think this is a good discussion and I want to continue it.  I didn't intend to hijack this thread.  My apologies

[Khorasaurus1]

6 minutes ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

I'm guessing the lot of the old station is the Ellis Lot east of the courthouse off Ionia?

Yes, that's correct. Part of the idea that Calder Plaza was the "new downtown." Downtown came to a hard edge at Fulton (or even Louis) in those days. 

[walker]

Of no interest to anyone but me, that old bus station / Ellis lot used to be the site of a two story car dealership, Eberts Cadillac.  Right after WWII my grandfather worked there as a salesman and  my father as a mechanic (my father moved on to other things and retired from GM as a senior designer.)  After the dealership was sold and moved to 28th Street, the building continued as a parking garage for several years till it was replaced with the surface lot that's there now.    

[Jonesey]

16 hours ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

At least Ottawa got the fronts of those buildings. Ionia was ruined so badly that we don't even talk about the old GRATA bus terminal as a development opportunity...

Yes, that is an Ellis lot.  From what I've heard ownership will soon shift down a generation.  I really hope they start to sell off their surface lots, but they're pretty much cash cows right now.

[Zads]

On 10/27/2022 at 10:25 AM, GRLaker said:

Remember this beauty?

Oh man, I gotta know all about this

[GRLaker]

5 hours ago, Zads said:

Oh man, I gotta know all about this

It was a project proposal back around 2000 for the parking lot where the Warner Tower stands today. It was going to be the tallest building in the city at the time. Unfortunately, it was shelved. 

[whitemice]

On 10/28/2022 at 8:12 AM, Khorasaurus1 said:

But the gigantic parking lot where the old GRATA station was seems like a great opportunity for medical expansion, housing, etc. And yet no one ever talks about it as a possibility. 

It was talked about during the Calder Re-imagining.  "Lease the space for development" was an option on the Menti.  I voted for that option!  Myself, and as I recall ~three other people.  The status-quo of the Plaza area won in a landslide.
https://www.therapidian.org/placematters-downtown-wants-your-ideas-reimagining-calder-plaza  (2016-06-21)
A lot of people at the meeting had a strong attachment to The Calder and surrounding area.  As I recall the meeting was as typically representative - demographically - as all the city's outreach meetings are...

The plan for the Calder Plaza is already laid in, under the umbrella of GR Forward.
https://downtowngr.org/our-work/projects/reimagining-calder-plaza

Edited October 31, 2022 by whitemice

[Cookin_peacocks]

For you Cranes after dark perverts

 

 

[GRDadof3]

They were adding sections to the crane today. 

[cstonesparty]

On 10/26/2022 at 1:48 PM, Khorasaurus1 said:

Acrisure can make the corner of Ottawa and Oakes a "prominent location" simply by building there. Studio Park, Founders, Van Andel Arena, etc are already close by, as well as hotels, other major white collar employers (Miller Johnson, Meritage, etc), and a whole bunch of housing, restaurants, entertainment, etc.

They can make that area one of the economic cores of the City! Leave the riverfront for housing. 

I talked to someone with Acrisure recently who said the HQ building is pretty much full.  Also said they're very happy being part of that area of downtown and all that is developing in that area, with an eye towards further development in the area that will benefit their employees as well.  FWIW.

[Cookin_peacocks]

5 hours ago, cstonesparty said:

I talked to someone with Acrisure recently who said the HQ building is pretty much full.  Also said they're very happy being part of that area of downtown and all that is developing in that area, with an eye towards further development in the area that will benefit their employees as well.  FWIW.

I hope they build a skybridge between the two spaces