DwntwnGeo

MSU gets State approval to move Medical School to Grand Rapids "The legislature's joint capital outlay committee approved a $90 million funding package for relocating the MSU College of Human Medicine to Grand Rapids." Article from Wood TV8 site Money OKd for MSU Med School in GR

It will be interesting to see some street level drawings. I wonder if the BRT and Streetcar will be able to use the same plateform stops on Monroe Do we know where on the street the BRT and streetcars will run? Will they run along the outter road right of way along the curb or sidewalk or will they run in the middle of the street with crossings to the sidewalks.

Didn't the Rapid have an option on the southern corner of that intersection. It would connec with their current bus garage. If this buy this souther corner maybe this would be where staging/garage work can be done? It would keep mechanics and tools all in the same general area? edit: Also doesn't Bartlett also line up with the southern bus entrance/exit to the main terminal?

The 5 year State Transportation Plan is under Review. Your Comments are needed. This is a quote from Mlive.com "The state Department of Transportation will hold meetings beginning today to review its five-year transportation plan. Meetings are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. today at Big Rapids City Hall; 4 p.m. Thursday in Muskegon; and 4 p.m. Saturday at the MDOT Grand Rapids Transportation Service Center, 2660 Leonard St. NE. The plan for 2008-2012 covers everything from highway construction to rail and airport improvements. A look at the plan will be available beginning Saturday at michigan.gov/mdot5yearplan." I would like to attend but I will be out of town.

The 5 year State Transportation Plan is under Review. Your Comments are needed. This is a quote from Mlive.com "The state Department of Transportation will hold meetings beginning today to review its five-year transportation plan. Meetings are scheduled for 3:30 p.m. today at Big Rapids City Hall; 4 p.m. Thursday in Muskegon; and 4 p.m. Saturday at the MDOT Grand Rapids Transportation Service Center, 2660 Leonard St. NE. The plan for 2008-2012 covers everything from highway construction to rail and airport improvements. A look at the plan will be available beginning Saturday at michigan.gov/mdot5yearplan." I would like to attend but I will be out of town.

I drove by on my way home and there are three blue signs on Cherry. One or two say "parking" and the other says "Max daily $5.50 Event $6.00" There is another blue sign on Commerce which says "Parking Reserved" as shown in your earlier post. Too bad this "reserved" area on the ground floor couldn't have been a retail portion. It would have been next to Cooley and across the street from Douglas J.

GRDad, I think that is just for the ground floor section of the ramp. The main entrance is on the side street (Cherry St) which will give access to all floors. If you look at the City ramp on Louis and Ionia the entrance off of Louis is always reserved (I am guessing for Leo's resturant) and the main entrance is off of Ionia.

Yes they do. I was in there the week they opened and was able to have one with my meal.

An article in the Grand Rapids Business Journal Senate Interested In Downtown Retail "The state Senate is looking into making revisions to the 32-year-old law that gave birth to downtown development authorities, and a few of the potential changes are aimed at helping develop retail businesses in these districts. One change would let a DDA operate retail incubators in its district, while another would allow a board to establish a nearly tax-free retail Renaissance Zone in underdeveloped sections of its boundary. The hows and whens of these possible amendments to Public Act 197, which became law in 1975, remain cloudy, but the whys are clear: to bring retailers downtown."

Well.... I admit I voted more than once today

I have seen different busses on the freeway from time to time. I have always noticed that the sign says "GAR" so I am assuming that it is returning to the Garage for repair or shift change as mentioned above.

Just in from the "breaking news" section of Mlive "The Rapid transit board is expected today to approve spending nearly $360,000 for a consultant's study." "A preliminary plan shows streetcars resembling bullet trains on a 2.4-mile track through downtown, sharing the roads with cars. They would connect the Van Andel Arena, DeVos Place convention center, museums, bars, hotels and other attractions." The complete breif article can be read here: GR streetcar study ready to get green light I hope there will be an additional article with more information in tomorrow's press.

Some good news on the Amtrak's Pere Marquette line from GR to Chicago. "For the sixth consecutive year, ridership on Amtrak's Pere Marquette rail line is up." "It is the second year in a row the Pere Marquette has topped the 100,000-passenger mark." "MDOT reported a 4.6 percent increase in the number of boardings and deboardings at the Grand Rapids station, and a 2.3 percent increase at Holland." I hope this trend continues and more people start to notice that we should have alternate transportation options. The complete article can be read here on Mlive: Ridership up again on Amtrak's Pere Marquette

Rizzo, that is a great article Thanks for posting it. The end of November/beginning of December is just around the corner to hear results for Federal fundings. As mentioned in the article, I hope support from the State and local governments will give their support in order to get the dollars....

I hear that AT&T store will market to customers that would like to try/touch/feel product before they commit to buying/using it. I think it might be more inclined to the new "U-Verse" product (AT&T's video and fiber Internet product) that they are planning on rolling out in the GR area. And you might be able to pay your bill there too

From the rendering, it looks like they may at least paint it beige instead of leaving it gray. With it being City owned and several people can see it from the business 131 ramp and possibly even the s-curve, maybe a sign or banners can/will be displayed there

The Wood TV8 article mentioned that they were students at GRCC, enrolled in a photo class and taking night pictures of the GR skyline. They were returning to the ground, when they thought they were spotted by someone inside the building. Sounds like they quickened their pace before they were caught and one fell. After reading the article I don't know if I would say drinking was involved or not, but you never know. Eitherway, it is sad that someone had to die.

New posting from Chris yesterday 8-13-07. He was on a two week vacation to Texas. Should have more news about 275 Fulton, Riverhouse and Icon on Bond in the next week or so.

I think this is the second extension. Originally closing was to be this past January 2007. The first six month extension was given to the end of June time frame. Now a second six month extension was given bring the closing to January 2008.

Another request for delay. Construction would be pushed from January 2008 to January 2009. More information from Chris Knape's Corner on Mlive.com "Terms of the extension call for the developers to front another $15,000 in earnest money. Construction, which was to have begun by January 2008, would not need to begin until January 2009." Complete story here: http://www.mlive.com/grpress/knapescorner/

Just because a lot states "Event Parking" doesn't mean that you cannot park there for a couple hours and pay the hourly rate instead of the "event" rate. I have done this before when going downtown for dinner or something and lot wants $6 or $8 dolllars for event parking that night. I simply state that I am not going to the event and would like a regular ticket. A few hours later when I leave, I give my ticket to the person at the booth and pay my hourly rates. I do agree that this option is not really advertised very well and most people going to a parking garage/lot see the event charge and believe that is what they have to pay just to get a spot that night.

Welcome Chris! Thanks for the site. It helps to have a picture

Just an FYI, but I believe the water structure will be kept where it is today and maintained by the new building owners.

Some local News. It looks like The Rapid is buying some land this year. Early this spring or even last year it was announced that they were going to buy the parcel directly south of the current site. This would go under the Wealthy street overpass and include the City parking lot. It has been rumored that this area could be used to "store" street cars for the proposed Street Car route in downtown. In today's Rapid Growth article: "The Interurban Transit Partnership board approved the purchase of five vacant parcels from the city that will be used to expand The Rapid transit system

Some news from Chris on the River Bank Books: "Rockford Construction, which owns the space, and Fifth Third Bank, which made the loans to open the store, are close to a deal with someone to buy the business. If a deal doesn't happen soon -- really soon -- the space likely will be liquidated." It sounds like Rockford and 5/3 might have another book store in line to buy the building/books as it is today. Chris also makes some good points about visability of the store. "Despite being able to enter off Monroe Center, the storefront on Fountain Street did not lend itself to "discovery" by passersby. It also seemed far too big for the market. The empty old Two Choppers spot at the much higher profile corner of Monroe Center and Ottawa, lovingly restored by the DeVos family, seems like more manageable space for a bookstore that conventioneers, ice skaters, shoe shoppers and art museum patrons might be more likely to find -- or just stop in as they're out for lunch"The complete article can be read on his Mlive blog here: http://www.mlive.com/grpress/knapescorner/