Suburban Projects

[RegalTDP]

1 hour ago, thebeerqueer said:

Somehow I missed this but the first Warby Parker on the west side of the state opens this weekend. https://stores.warbyparker.com/mi/grand-rapids/1964-breton-rd.-se

Pretty impressive with how well Breton Village has been doing at attracting new trendy brands to GR, even while we talk about Rivertown's downhill slide.  I know it has the advantage of EGR being a more upscale part of town; but, Breton Village was a pretty sad place itself not too long ago, and now it's bringing stores to the area that GR otherwise wouldn't have.

[joeDowntown]

1 hour ago, RegalTDP said:

Pretty impressive with how well Breton Village has been doing at attracting new trendy brands to GR, even while we talk about Rivertown's downhill slide.  I know it has the advantage of EGR being a more upscale part of town; but, Breton Village was a pretty sad place itself not too long ago, and now it's bringing stores to the area that GR otherwise wouldn't have.

It is impressive! Still hands down the worst parking / entrance exits. I always feel like I'm white knuckling it when I turn in (no curb cuts) and it stops traffic on Breton or Burton.

[GR_Urbanist]

4 hours ago, RegalTDP said:

Pretty impressive with how well Breton Village has been doing at attracting new trendy brands to GR, even while we talk about Rivertown's downhill slide.  I know it has the advantage of EGR being a more upscale part of town; but, Breton Village was a pretty sad place itself not too long ago, and now it's bringing stores to the area that GR otherwise wouldn't have.

Back when Pooh's Corner was a thing, I would have sworn the place was going to be demolished by 2010. It was the most boring stuffy place one could consider to be a mall. But darn if they didnt preform something amazing, although a lot of the land around it on the backside could stand a lot more work.

[Pattmost20]

16 hours ago, RegalTDP said:

Pretty impressive with how well Breton Village has been doing at attracting new trendy brands to GR, even while we talk about Rivertown's downhill slide.  I know it has the advantage of EGR being a more upscale part of town; but, Breton Village was a pretty sad place itself not too long ago, and now it's bringing stores to the area that GR otherwise wouldn't have.

I was just there yesterday going to Boyne Country Sports. It is a very impressive collection of shops. 

[joeDowntown]

Looks like Walker is going into full NIMBY mode:

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/real-estate/walker-to-consider-a-moratorium-on-permits-for-high-density-residential-projects/

Joe

[joeDowntown]

Franklin partners received $17.5M to help get a 237 acre site at the 96/Lowell exit build ready for an industrial park. I always thought  this plot of land was ideal for growth once built, will help push development on the eastern edge of Grand Rapids. 

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/economic-development/23-8m-to-prepare-large-west-michigan-properties-for-redevelopment/

Joe

[joeDowntown]

The hotel project in downtown Rockford is kicking off this spring. I’d imagine it’ll do well with so few options in the surrounding area:

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/real-estate/developer-targets-2025-opening-for-long-delayed-rockford-hotel-project/

[Zads]

On 2/7/2024 at 9:00 PM, joeDowntown said:

The hotel project in downtown Rockford is kicking off this spring. I’d imagine it’ll do well with so few options in the surrounding area:

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/real-estate/developer-targets-2025-opening-for-long-delayed-rockford-hotel-project/

This is so necessary in Rockford. They're spot on with the reason why, as well. There's no hotels in the city whatsoever and it's a growing area. I imagine we'll see more hotels popping up near US 131 in the coming years.

[walker]

It was just a matter of time I suppose but the deer and the turkeys will have to find their way to the nature preserve just east of Wing Ave. 

Allen Edwin Homes  "is planning a mix of multifamily condominiums and single-family homes on more than 66 acres of previously undeveloped land in Kentwood." 

CRAINS: developer plans 256 units of housing on totally undeveloped land in Kentwood 

 

[WMrapids]

Corewell is planning a 300,000 square foot service center at the old GM location on 36th Street. There’s a market going in across the street too.

https://www.woodtv.com/news/kent-county/corewell-health-plans-service-center-for-wyoming/amp/

[cstonesparty]

On 2/24/2024 at 6:17 AM, WMrapids said:

Corewell is planning a 300,000 square foot service center at the old GM location on 36th Street. There’s a market going in across the street too.

https://www.woodtv.com/news/kent-county/corewell-health-plans-service-center-for-wyoming/amp/

That's fairly underwhelming for that site, based on the potential it has.  But since it's been marketed for--what, a decade?--quite some time without success, it was inevitable that something underwhelming would go in there.  At least it's not another strip mall with dispensary and payday cash...

[Zads]

New housing began construction on 60th near Kalamazoo.

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/real-estate/construction-starts-on-274-unit-townhomes-project-south-of-grand-rapids/

[GR_Urbanist]

One of those stories with lots of hopeful talk, but the reality seems to show that Rivertown as it is now may be heading in the direction of Roger's Plaza.  But with lots of disrepair, and a "trampoline park" looking to take over space from an anchor store, you are not a mall that is on the upswing. 

A pity for Grandville because they copied a large part of the same mistakes Wyoming made with Roger's Plaza with building a "retail corridor" around a single shopping mall, and not thinking that it could ever decline.

Not that Rivertown Pky. is nearly in the same position 28th street in Wyoming was, but a failing mall far bigger than Roger's Plaza is not going to be a good look. Personally, I dont think it is worth saving, and should be demolished before the sunk cost, trying to rehab it, just makes it look even more slipshod and sad. With the major tenants being a Secretary of State or a Dollar General.

But hey, Woodland did what people thought was the impossible. So who knows!

Edited March 20 by GR_Urbanist

[GRJohn]

11 hours ago, GR_Urbanist said:

One of those stories with lots of hopeful talk, but the reality seems to show that Rivertown as it is now may be heading in the direction of Roger's Plaza.  But with lots of disrepair, and a "trampoline park" looking to take over space from an anchor store, you are not a mall that is on the upswing. 

A pity for Grandville because they copied a large part of the same mistakes Wyoming made with Roger's Plaza with building a "retail corridor" around a single shopping mall, and not thinking that it could ever decline.

Not that Rivertown Pky. is nearly in the same position 28th street in Wyoming was, but a failing mall far bigger than Roger's Plaza is not going to be a good look. Personally, I dont think it is worth saving, and should be demolished before the sunk cost, trying to rehab it, just makes it look even more slipshod and sad. With the major tenants being a Secretary of State or a Dollar General.

But hey, Woodland did what people thought was the impossible. So who knows!

I wonder if they could do what East Brook Mall (Center Point) did and de-mall themselves.  That seemed to work well for them.

[Pattmost20]

1 hour ago, GRJohn said:

I wonder if they could do what East Brook Mall (Center Point) did and de-mall themselves.  That seemed to work well for them.

All you have to do is look down the street at the Bucktown plaza, all of the shops in there are slammed. That is definitely the type of retail that works well in Grandville. 

[mgreven]

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.

[cstonesparty]

2 hours ago, GRJohn said:

I wonder if they could do what East Brook Mall (Center Point) did and de-mall themselves.  That seemed to work well for them.

I have to wonder if they kept the indoor structure and changed business model to make it the suburban entertainment district for people who don't like downtown, want to park near the restaurant, bar, etc.  Add indoor minigolf, gokarts, fowling, etc.  That would seem like a pivot that could be successful if combined with some ongoing niche retail and some housing conversion of part of the structure...  South and west suburbs are rich opportunity for non-downtown people.

[gvsusean]

Could do what they do in Asia, add an apartment tower on top of the mall… instant customers.

[walker]

I've noticed the last few months there's been a lot of dirt moved around and a big retaining wall built on property at Byron Center Road and 52nd Street.  And the other day I noticed the first building going up in a far corner of the property.  Couldn't find a good place to take a picture from the ground and I don't feel like buying a drone, so no breaking news photo.  I  don't think anyone has posted anything about this here.  I did find this old article about the development.  The landscape work they've done seems to match  the rendering in the article.  Anyway, 178 market rate apartments in fifteen buildings:

   MLIVE: 12-22-2022 - Byron Center Rd and 52nd Street

[joeDowntown]

Looks like the Hotel in downtown Rockford passed the final hurdle:

https://www.woodtv.com/news/kent-county/planned-downtown-rockford-hotel-secures-state-funding/

Joe

[GR8scott]

On 3/21/2024 at 8:46 AM, walker said:

I've noticed the last few months there's been a lot of dirt moved around and a big retaining wall built on property at Byron Center Road and 52nd Street.  And the other day I noticed the first building going up in a far corner of the property.  Couldn't find a good place to take a picture from the ground and I don't feel like buying a drone, so no breaking news photo.  I  don't think anyone has posted anything about this here.  I did find this old article about the development.  The landscape work they've done seems to match  the rendering in the article.  Anyway, 178 market rate apartments in fifteen buildings:

   MLIVE: 12-22-2022 - Byron Center Rd and 52nd Street

Definitely needed and good infill in that area but seems like a shortsighted waste of the corner section for what looks like a retention pond, could be located on the other side of the property and that area used for commercial like a convenience store 

[RegalTDP]

5 hours ago, GR8scott said:

Definitely needed and good infill in that area but seems like a shortsighted waste of the corner section for what looks like a retention pond, could be located on the other side of the property and that area used for commercial like a convenience store 

Question for the civil engineers in this forum:  Is there an infrastructural reason for putting retention ponds by the road?  Or is it an aesthetic landscaping choice?  Seems like a lot of large suburban developments do this.  Or maybe Wyoming's zoning won't allow for commercial developments there.  I agree with GR8Scott as I would think there's a lot of traffic at this intersection coming up from M-6. 

[Khorasaurus1]

4 hours ago, RegalTDP said:

Question for the civil engineers in this forum:  Is there an infrastructural reason for putting retention ponds by the road?  Or is it an aesthetic landscaping choice?  Seems like a lot of large suburban developments do this.  Or maybe Wyoming's zoning won't allow for commercial developments there.  I agree with GR8Scott as I would think there's a lot of traffic at this intersection coming up from M-6. 

Generally they default to the lowest spot on the property to avoid having to regrade. Which is frequently near the road.

[walker]

6 hours ago, RegalTDP said:

Question for the civil engineers in this forum:  Is there an infrastructural reason for putting retention ponds by the road?  Or is it an aesthetic landscaping choice?  Seems like a lot of large suburban developments do this.  Or maybe Wyoming's zoning won't allow for commercial developments there.  I agree with GR8Scott as I would think there's a lot of traffic at this intersection coming up from M-6. 

I am not a civil engineer and I could be wrong but I think there is likely an infrastructure reason.  So far the retention pond and the new retention wall behind it are not pretty.  I don't think it is an amenity that makes this  development more attractive.  It is not obvious from the birds eye view rendering but this property is entirely on a gentle slope with the lowest portion in the area where the retention pond is located.  They've laid and buried  a lot of large storm sewer pipe already on the property that I assume will feed into the retention pond.  My uneducated guess is that the current storm sewers on Byron Center Road and 52nd Street may not be adequate to handle the additional run-off from a storm from up the hill.  This looks like it should be a prime piece of property but its been up for sale and I think bought and sold at least a couple of times in the last twenty years, so I think there might be some not obvious problem with it.

Too busy right now to take a shot of the new retention pond and wall.  Instead here's what Google saw at the retention corner last time they drove by before the construction:

      

 

 

Edited March 27 by walker

[walker]

While I was writing my essay above, Khorasaurus was  writing a better and briefer answer than mine:

3 hours ago, Khorasaurus1 said:

Generally they default to the lowest spot on the property to avoid having to regrade. Which is frequently near the road.

 

Edited March 27 by walker