Downtown Flint construction,projects & Photo post

[Pachuco]

Encouraged by the Grand Blanc topic and my effort to make the Mid Michigan Forum more busy I created this topic to discuss downtown projects and to keep people interested in downtown flint which is waking from it's long thought to be eternal sleep.

P.S please post recent,great pics of downtown flint

Edited February 14, 2005 by Pachuco

[dnast]

Funny you posted this. I was going to take a few pics yesterday, but I left my memory card at home

Anyway, I lost most of my more recent pics that weren't uploaded to a web site, but I'll show a few of my more recent pics that are posted at www.emporis.com

Northbank Center

Citizens Bank

Riverfront Character Inn

Mott Foundation Building

Also, Allan did a great 3 part tour of downtown last year.

Sunny day in Flint, MI (Part I)

Sunny day in Flint, MI (Part II)

Sunny day in Flint, MI (Part III)

[Allan]

Nice photos, dnast! I haven't been to downtown Flint to take photos since I took those photos last winter. I did go downtown to snap a photo of the Halo Burger for my design class, but other than that, I've just been too busy! Maybe in three weeks....

[Pachuco]

Any news or pics about U of M student housing ?

[tropolis]

you would think by now the architect would have drawn the plans for residence halls.

[Pachuco]

Have any of you noticed lights going on and off at the genesee towers and trucks being parked in the middle of the building ?

[dnast]

I might have missed something, but I don't think they've even chosen a developer yet. But I wouldn't be surprised if some of the propsed plans are shown in the school's publication in the near future.

[Pachuco]

At the UM flint site it tells in the news and events section ot says interviews with potential developers will begin this month.

[dnast]

Good. There's only a year and a half left for them to meet the target completion date.

[Pachuco]

Any recent news on the indian casino ? If they choose the bucik city site in flint alot of financial,employment,attraction,and economical problems would be solved with city of flint and genesee county.

Edited February 14, 2005 by Pachuco

[tropolis]

I like how a casino brings lots of money to the city, but i do not like the increase in crime that they bring. I hope they build up the police before this casino is built.

[Pachuco]

I like how a casino brings lots of money to the city, but i do not like the increase in crime that they bring. I hope they build up the police before this casino is built.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yeah the havn't had a raise in yrs.,but maybe the casino money ,if built can bring money into the police dept.

[dnast]

The townhouses being built in Carriage Town are getting wood panel siding on the second floors. That's great, considering when they said they couldn't afford do all brick I thought they were going to just slap on some vinyl or aluminum siding.

Also, a similar project on the north side is coming along nicely. The first two floors are built on one row of buildings and they are topping it out now. There's no brick or siding yet, but they just started in December.

[Pachuco]

Coney Island Coming To Downtown Flint

Flint

The Flint Journal First Edition

Thursday, February 17, 2005

by James Miller

Flint - For the first time in yrs. a coney island restaurant will be serving customers in downtown. George and Rocky Dedivanaj owners of Mega Coney Island in Fenton, plan to open a second eatery in the former McDonald's restaurant at King and First avenues.

George Dedivanaj said their father Zef, started the father started the family buisiness in Detroit about 10 yrs. ago.

There's a strong dispute among aficinados of the sauce-covered hot dog, but Dedivanaj said they don't take sides."We specialize in 2 different styles- The Original Flint Style and the Detroit style," he said.

In addition to offering both kinds of dressed-up hotdogs, the restaurant will offer grilled chicken, stacked sandwhiches, and a full breakfest menu, including omelets.

He said the restaurant, Which is in the final stages of renovations will have 20 to 25 full and part-time employees.

Dedivanaj said he has been looking for several locations for several yrs.

The building is less than 10 yrs. old. It wa built for McDonald's, Which opened in August 1995 and closed in April 2003.

Uptown Reinvestment Corp. bought the building as a defensive move.

Tim Herman, head of URC, said board members and other stakeholders downtown were concerned the building might become a liquor store.

"We're happy that we could secure that site and see a quality operator downtown," Herman said. "Another restaurant downtown is a good thing.

Dedivanaj said his family is working on something to bring back to downtown and added "We're looking toward the future."

Downtown once boosted several coney islands. In1965, four were in the short 2 blocks of Saginaw st. south of the river.

Edited February 18, 2005 by Pachuco

[VeeFan]

There was also another small article in tonight's paper that said a new company has bought out the old Kmart on Pierson Road, and is going to begin moving in this summer. It's not exactly downtown news, but it's definitely a good sign when North Flint/Mt. Morris is able to begin revitalizing itself.

[Allan]

It's good that they will be turning that old McDonald's into something. I'm assuming this will be open 24 hours? You never can have enough 24-hour restaurants. There's nothing I hate more than having to make my own food at 3:00 AM. Haha.

[dnast]

It would be a pity if they weren't open 24 hours. They'd be one of only a handful of coney islands that aren't open 24/7. They should also do great for the nightclub crowd if/when the downtown area gets more. Most 24-hour coney places are packed starting around 2:30 AM.

And that's great news about the K-Mart. It's been sitting vacant for too long. Last year I almost got stuck in the snow after going to the H&R Block over there to do my taxes, lol.

[dnast]

UM-Flint dorm plan at 'critical' stage now

FLINT

THE FLINT JOURNAL FIRST EDITION

Thursday, February 17, 2005

By Christofer Machniak

[email protected]

Edited February 18, 2005 by dnast

[Allan]

It's good to hear an update on this. It's unfortunate that it might be delayed though. They've been trying to get this project done for quite a while now.

[Pachuco]

This off topic, but in the Journal it predicted Flint would lose 13.?? of it population by 2030, another let down for Flint.

[VeeFan]

Does anyone know anything more about whether Marion Hall is going to go ahead still with the lights for the mural, and 1920s (or was it 1930s) styled awnings?

[dnast]

I haven't heard anything at all. And I was just thinking about that a few days ago. But you know how long everything takes here

[dnast]

I don't know if any of you ever visit the mlive.com forums (I haven't been the in months), but I saw an interesting thread today about downtown Flint.

As negative as that forum usually is, it's refreshing to see this. A quick recap is that they felt downtown should fix up the Durant hotel, clean up the riverfront, turn on the fountains, etc. at Riverfront park; turn on the fountains at Character Inn, get variety of development downtown, and put Carriage Town and the nearby Universities into the mix.

It's just good that the non-fanatics (and even cynics) have similar visions to what I've seen here. There may just be hope.

[Allan]

Well, it looks like everyone seems to have the same sort of vision for downtown Flint. Now the real challenge begins...actually getting these plans to happen.

[VeeFan]

More specially, finding the means to finance the plans. If only The Don would get his act (and his mentality) together and use his business success to help the city's economy turn around.