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cstonesparty

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Posts posted by cstonesparty

  1. West Michigan/Grand Rapids Economy

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    10 hours ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

    No, this is new. Ottawa County has always been Republican, obviously. But the problem with these people isn't that they're Republicans. It's that they clearly have no interest in running the County effectively and they're just going to do outlandish things that will get them attention nationally on cable news and social media. That's a stark contrast to the "small but effective" government that has long been the County's guiding philosophy.

    It's particularly troubling given the County's water table and housing issues - two problems that are making each other worse. I doubt Ottawa Impact even cares.

    Ottawa County is actually less Republican than it used to be. Rick Snyder won the county by 60 points (!!) Tudor Dixon only won it by 18. 

    This.  Exactly.  I grew up out there.  This is not the same as the reliably republican county of my childhood...

    • Like 1

  2. New projects on the West Side

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    1 hour ago, Zads said:

    This just hits the edge of the city. I don't know what part of the intersection, but great news for more housing in the area.

    https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2022/12/240-unit-apartment-development-coming-to-grand-rapids.html?utm_campaign=mlivenews_sf&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter

    Behind Lincoln Square senior living community on the last piece of the old MSU ag station property that's not been developed yet.

  4. The "Affordable Housing" Discussion in GR

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    On 12/3/2022 at 2:13 PM, whitemice said:

    Even right now, with the upcoming Master Plan redraft, they are going around saying how they've already made building ADUs by-right.  It is infuriating,  our current Planning staff is dishonest.  Argh.

    I seem to recall that one of the regulars on here built an ADU...  was that you, WhiteMice?

  5. Suburban Projects

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    29 minutes ago, GR8scott said:

    ...along with extending Fulton St all way out from the east

    in one of these threads, we've had some conversation about the old gypsum mines, and I found an old map I posted there... Fulton would cross those mines, and the sinkholes that exist in that area.  I suspect a thoroughfare of the kind you're suggesting would be problematic.  

    19 hours ago, Jonesey said:

    I would think development would continue to spread south from LMD down Wilson.  Maybe this will be one of the first major developments in the area.  Wilson can be somewhat of a nightmare during peak hours and bumper to bumper during peak times.  The area is really going to need another route over the river in the future.

    I live in the Shawmut Hills area and we go through LMD/Wilson and down Wilson frequently.  It's quickly becoming a major traffic headache, and lots of people on this side of town are finding ways to avoid both.  MDOT and GVMC need to take a real close look at long range plans for this area.  

    • Like 2

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

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    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.

    • Like 1

  7. Creston Neighborhood

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    9 hours ago, droonus2000 said:

    Locally, Burger King seems to be killing itself off. 20 years ago there were probably a dozen or more, now I can think of four, none of which have had much investment in the last decade.  Granted not my top destination, but it seems odd how fast they disappeared. So your wish my become reality sooner or later. 

    I enjoy a whopper, but it seems universally service levels at BK has dropped off.  

  8. DeVos Family Headquarters (Old 5/3 building)

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    On 10/28/2022 at 9:44 AM, Khorasaurus1 said:

    ...there might be some opportunities to pull storefronts to the curb adjacent to the private office buildings, like the RDV HQ building did. 

    This seems like the best odds of this whole discussion.  I think the city would work hard to accommodate this kind of thing if developers came to them with it.  Doing anything with the rest of the public buildings in that corridor?  Can't imagine them doing a thing to entertain that...

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

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    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...

  13. Sligh Furniture Block Redevelopment

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    9 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

    The only thing Iresd wasi “blah, blah, waffle, delay, blah,, waffle, delay….”   I get that construction costs are high, but make it work or move on. Sick of these 12,24,36 month delays developers discuss wholst dangling a carrot at the salivating city planners, yet they are still trying to figure out which tax credits they’ll apply for?! Do it, or move on. :)

    Joe

    this is the new normal

    • Like 1

  14. Corewell Health - Monroe North Campus

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    2 hours ago, whitemice said:

    Self storage is lucrative, so the building will likely be very well maintained, which is not the case today.

    One of the original titans of self-storage, who died a billionaire from that business, said “I saw a method of holding prime land with income" about that business model.  Hopefully the MySpace Storage folks are seeing this as a real estate play and when a deal makes sense that building will see a better use.

    • Like 1

  16. West Michigan/Grand Rapids Economy

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    On 9/25/2022 at 9:27 PM, joeDowntown said:

    However, the dollars strength against other currencies helps with cost of imports, which lowers inflation. I always say that macro economics is like playing 5d chess and can’t be boiled down in a single headline (which both sides try to do). I just hope prices stabilize so we can build more stuff. :)

    Joe

    I'm wondering when the cost of borrowing becomes an impediment to building more stuff.  Thoughts?

  19. RFP - 201 Market

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    15 hours ago, Pattmost20 said:

    Found this in an article from Detroit Free Press about Dan Gilbert's large scale redevelopment of downtown Detroit. It also mentioned the current plans for 201 Market later in the article. 

     

    "Winning approval for the subsidies hasn't been easy for developers. One of the rejected Transformational Brownfield proposals was for a large mixed-use development on the Grand Rapids riverfront with a hotel, nearly 700 housing units, a grocery store and other commercial space. But state development officials quietly turned down the nearly $270 million plan during the pre-application process, saying it wouldn't be transformative enough, according to the developer and media reports. And without the transformational subsidies, the vision, known by its address 201 Market Ave., wasn't financially feasible. “I can’t remember the exact specifics, but the biggest thing was a jobs creation component — we weren’t creating enough jobs," Brian Prince, vice president of development for the developer, Indianapolis-based Flaherty & Collins Properties, said in a phone interview."

    this part was interesting:  The current plan calls for a 12,000-seat amphitheater on the site, with as many as 1,500 to 1,700 housing units spread over nearby land, according to Jeremiah Gracia, the city's economic development director.

  21. Suburban Projects

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    On 7/24/2022 at 8:59 AM, Khorasaurus1 said:

    This is what Walker's Master Plan shows for the area west of Meijer. 

    spacer.png

    I've been listening to the zoning/city commission work session with JAG & Cherette on this project, which occurred in August.  Really interesting.  The mixed use aspect along M45 is lost on the developers, and TOD as a concept is a nonstarter for them too.  Seems like that SilverLine stop at Ferndale is a gift to a developer, but these folks don't get it.  Gonna be a long slog for the Walker team having to negotiate this through... 

    • Like 1

  24. Is something big coming?

    in Grand Rapids

    Posted

    2 hours ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

    Or, of a stadium is in the cards, a baseball stadium, because LMCU field is dated and baseball draws better. 

    This comes up a couple times a year…. LMCU is privately owned and a cash cow.  Until Chamberlain and Baxter decide to retire and sell the club to DP Fox, the ballpark ain’t moving.  (and probably not then either)

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