mgreven

Thank you! I couldn't figure out what this expansion was. The renderings kind of look like it looks now. This makes so much more sense. Eager to see it done! My sister (who grew up in GR) flew in last March and was shocked and how much more "big city" the airport looks now. (Granted, she lives in a small southern town but I'm glad she was impressed!)

Dang. Crain's hooked me on all those free articles - goodbye money! They do a great job!

I was there a couple weeks ago for the first time in a while. I didn't think it was as bad as people make it out to be. The biggest thing besides a couple vacant department stores was the upkeep. Broken elevators, escalators, filthy parking garage, etc. I feel like if they could find some cool mixed use stuff to fill the dept store space and invest in some basic upkeep, it would still be a nice mall. There are still a lot of nice national chain/regular mall stores there. I love the indoor malls in Michigan...we were killing time not far from Tanger Outlet and wanted to shop but we drove out to Rivertown as it was freezing and windy out and we didn't want to wander outside.

I've been meaning to post this for a while...everytime I walk on Monroe by the Amway Grand, I see "The Bull's Head". It's been vacant for so long. It seems like such prime real estate - does anyone know the story there? Their website and FB pages are still active and have a COVID closure notice. I remember there was some art in there for Artprize a year or two ago (I think) but that's the only time I've seen it used. I can never figure out how it helps someone to hold a vacant building like that. Do something with it or sell it...

Glad to see something going in the El Sombrero (it isn't great that it's been sitting vacant) but I was hoping for something new that's urban too. On a strange personal note, I shared in the West Side thread that my wife sold her office building across from El Sombrero on Bridge where the new Adobe is going. The other new Adobe on Lake Michigan Drive in the article is two businesses west of where she is moving. What are the odds? She would have had Adobe in either office location. Ha!

Almost 10 years ago, I was posting here about actually developing something (instead of just reading about it on UP!) when my wife bought an old pawn shop on the mostly vacant Bridge Street. It was a lot of fun to bring the Clarity Realty offices there and what a ride it has been! We never would have imagined the changes would come as fast as they did and a grocery store across the street sure came as a surprise - I literally dropped my phone the day I read that Meijer was building a place across the street! It was a lot of fun and we had such great memories there but knew someone would buy it someday. We moved her company out this week (they are moving to a spot on Lake Michigan Drive - not quite as urban but it will still be nice!) and said good bye to our little development project. I don't know the timeframe and probably shouldn't share details (not like I know that many) but there will be a new restaurant in that space in the future. (so this is partial restaurant rumor too) Glad we can still visit the building someday and have dinner.

I feel like I saw an expansion of the GVSU ramp with a skywalk to the Y somewhere...

Yep. That's what I was thinking...will look nice next to the big tower they build too. (speculating...)

Acrisure Amphitheater? Hopefully it's something decent...whether you love the Amway/DeVos/VanAndel crew or not, we don't need the Amway or DeVos/VanAndel Amphitheater. It looks like they are they only people in town sometimes. Seems like a quick groundbreaking...how fast can they have a new facility for everything there?

This is looking great...this will be a cool project. Kind of feeling like a Millenium Park in Chicago vibe in a way. Now when will they announce something on the lots by the old Charlie's Crab? That's got to be coming.

I sent this to a friend that lives there and it sounds it’s been built out for a bit but just sitting there?

Is this supposed to start sometime this spring?

When I see this topic that says "West Side" I keep wondering why no one has proposed a hotel on Bridge Street. Seems like a pretty great place to stay just outside of the core with shuttles right to the convention center. I know Rockford owns a lot of stuff...seems like fire station land would be perfect or something smaller on the Chase Bank vacant building/land. It would be a pretty cool addition to that street.

Enjoying all the activity this thread brings! I’m sitting here reading my GR Magazine and it mentions this, too.

I just keep thinking that $7.3 million is a lot for Amway Hotel Corp to move a sewer line if they don't have some big plans. They do invest in our city, but that's not a "we'll spend millions moving city sewer lines out of the kindness of our heart" type thing. There has to be something major coming more than just the amphitheater there. Hoping that's the case....having that lot developed would be great for downtown.

I must have missed your post. Sorry for ignoring you. =) Strange name indeed. I'm seen people post about it due to the strange name...I saw they have 400 locations. Sounds like a pretty decent gas station though.

I'm surprised no one posted this...I saw a "Gas Station Liquor Sales" on the Planning Commission the other day. Pretty boring stuff but the address got me curious - 407 Pearl NW. I wondered where there's a gas station on Pearl. It turns out that the Big Boy is becoming a "Kum and Go" gas station. Is the Big Boy still open? It's been there for years. A gas station with food and a market might be kind of nice there. Is that the first one in the area?

I know. Such a tease. I just hope this is good for downtown - a step forward, not back.

Not Grand Rapids, but Lakeshore. Have you all seen the “Google Search 2021” ad? There’s a clip of a worker at Norm’s Ice Cream in Fruitport in the ad. So random and cool. Here’s the whole ad…

I’ve never tried to predict anything in this thread over the years, but I always enjoyed reading them. Just bumping this is in case anyone wants to give it a go.

https://mibiz.com/sections/real-estate-development/gilmore-collection-confirms-the-b-o-b-closing-glc-live-at-20-monroe-will-remain-as-venue?fbclid=IwAR0G_bnl-bOzvcB4wEFuTHqMCLVKdxNcCkZmoU39-Qt9WlwInsojmIagdnM A tiny bit more information…this is the quote that was interesting…I wondered if there was room in that “beer garden” area for more building. Afterall, there’s a tower proposed on that tiny lot up the street. He added that the future owners have a “huge opportunity with the space they have out front in the plaza area because it’s so visible and connects to 20 Monroe. It is also essentially across the street from the arena. To the extent they can enhance that area, they have a huge opportunity there.”

That would make for a great entertainment place. Can you fit a bowling alley, comedy club, arcade and some bars/restaurants in there? Even already has a theater.

Yeah…it should stay primarily a music venue. This could be a great chance for someone to develop a really cool club just for comedy.

https://mibiz.com/sections/real-estate-development/comedy-club-dr-grins-set-to-close-amid-pending-sale-of-the-b-o-b?fbclid=IwAR2j5-DQkw7OG5jzSyxJjJBKT_jvCPodmXRnLgt4jLUCfO6hFODA9mcfJtw Hope Dr. Grins find a new location. Maybe a better one. We need a cool comedy club in GR. I always enjoyed (most) of the comedians we saw there. (Usually knew what to expect with the headliner but the opening acts were sometimes…interesting) So interested to hear the plans…

I hope so...seems like such a silly waste when there are so many places and lots to build a hotel. Maybe this is going to be part of something huge and exciting in that whole area. I guess I'll just think positively. =)