Marriott developer eyes nearby parking ramp

[Allan]

Marriott developer eyes nearby parking ramp

Saturday, November 13, 2004

By Chris Knape

The Grand Rapids Press

GRAND RAPIDS -- Alticor Inc. might expand the footprint of the Marriott hotel development it expects to build downtown next year.

The company is negotiating with the owners of a parking lot in front of the Riverfront Plaza Building and the Oldtown Riverfront Building to buy the property for a new parking ramp.

The move could lead to some expansion of one or both of the Riverfront buildings.

The ramp, which could include 650 or more spaces, would serve the Marriott and the surrounding office buildings.

"By spreading it out a little, it keeps more openness and green space and it allows us to keep traffic moving to the south," said Bert Crandell, Alticor's project manager.

The ramp is one of two alternatives Alticor is considering for new parking for the hotel, Crandell said. The other, less desirable option would be to incorporate a parking ramp into the hotel tower, he said.

The new 300-plus room hotel, to go up across from the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel, likely will be more than 23 stories tall.

Alticor plans to unveil the hotel's final footprint in December, with a scale model and rendering of the tower expected to be shown in February.

Alticor has asked the city to extend a Brownfield designation already awarded to it for the parking lot and Israels Designs for Living building to include the adjacent parking lot.

A public hearing on the extension is expected to be set for Dec. 14.