Orchard Park Development

[torgo]

The Planning Commission approved the preliminary site plan

[localtalent]

The Planning Commission approved the preliminary site plan

Expect announcements on anchor tenants in the near future.

Some good, new-to-the-market National names.

[blueradon]

I'm tickled!! I just don't want a cabela's...go put that in rockford or something...

[snoogit]

I'm tickled!! I just don't want a cabela's...go put that in rockford or something...

or Newaygo would be a good spot too.

My guess is if Cabella's comes it will be near Whitehall.

Expect announcements on anchor tenants in the near future.

Some good, new-to-the-market National names.

How near?

[GRDadof3]

Expect announcements on anchor tenants in the near future.

Some good, new-to-the-market National names.

Don't be so modest. I hear it's more than just "some" new-to-the-market nationals.

Cabela's would be great for the whole metro area.

Did they make any changes to the site plan torgo?

[Rizzo]

To have this kind of development in an inner-ring suburb is fantastic... especially if a tenant that can drive 4,000,000 visitors to the place.

[Grand Rapidian]

To have this kind of development in an inner-ring suburb is fantastic... especially if a tenant that can drive 4,000,000 visitors to the place.

This part of the "inner-ring" is still sort of outer-ring when you think about it. Tons of feilds, farms, orchards and nothing beyond that but more fields farms and orchards.

I would imagine its similar to the area around where rivertown crossings went in before it was built.

[snoogit]

This part of the "inner-ring" is still sort of outer-ring when you think about it. Tons of feilds, farms, orchards and nothing beyond that but more fields farms and orchards.

I would imagine its similar to the area around where rivertown crossings went in before it was built.

Don't forget Kenowa Hills State Penitentiary. (Not one of Beta's better designs IMPO. Sorry, golscorer)

[Rizzo]

This part of the "inner-ring" is still sort of outer-ring when you think about it. Tons of feilds, farms, orchards and nothing beyond that but more fields farms and orchards.

I would imagine its similar to the area around where rivertown crossings went in before it was built.

I was assuming inner-ring ment the cities surrounding Grand Rapids...

[walker]

I'm confused by the enthusiasm for this project. Perhaps it might be designed a little better than most but isn't this just classic urban sprawl. Barring some mystery super rapid growth in population and incomes isn't this just going to cause displacement sort of like what Rivertown Crossing did to 28th street SW and Alpine did to Plainfield.

As far as Cabellas body count, is it other than men wearing plaid shirts any different than any other big box?

[Rizzo]

I'm confused by the enthusiasm for this project. Perhaps it might be designed a little better than most but isn't this just classic urban sprawl. Barring some mystery super rapid growth in population and incomes isn't this just going to cause displacement sort of like what Rivertown Crossing did to 28th street SW and Alpine did to Plainfield.

As far as Cabellas body count, is it other than men wearing plaid shirts any different than any other big box?

I was enthusiastic that Cabellas might be a tenant. I'm understanding that this type of store is a destination point for an entire region... People come from long distances and decided to stay here spend more money, etc...

[torgo]

Don't be so modest. I hear it's more than just "some" new-to-the-market nationals.

Cabela's would be great for the whole metro area.

Did they make any changes to the site plan torgo?

I have no idea. I wasn't involved with it, I just heard it on the news.

[GRDadof3]

I'm confused by the enthusiasm for this project. Perhaps it might be designed a little better than most but isn't this just classic urban sprawl. Barring some mystery super rapid growth in population and incomes isn't this just going to cause displacement sort of like what Rivertown Crossing did to 28th street SW and Alpine did to Plainfield.

As far as Cabellas body count, is it other than men wearing plaid shirts any different than any other big box?

I have to agree with Rizzo that it's more of a regional tourist draw, especially combined with retailers that one can only find right now in Detroit and Chicago. I think that we need developments and retail offerings like this to continue to draw people to the metro area and increase exposure of our area, which we need since our metro growth has slowed way down. Will it lead to more traffic and increase development in that area of Walker? Most definitely. Would it have been nice to have this somewhere closer to downtown? Definitely but highly unlikely (where would a 230 acre development go?).

I made some disparaging remarks about what I thought Cabela's clientele was, and I was quickly corrected.

[grcitydog]

I don't care who the retailer is, how many people it brings to the area or houw much money it makes; sprawl is sprawl. If this project goes thought it won't matter how good economically it is if the design is no better than anything else. Unfortunatly, most big retailers only know one kind of design and it makes everywhere look like everywhere else. I am not anti-development, quite the opposite, but I am anti-sprawling development and this project looks like it will just be more of the same.

[AlexPKeaton]

Would it have been nice to have this somewhere closer to downtown? Definitely but highly unlikely (where would a 230 acre development go?).

I hear the city is looking to sell 16 acres or so downtown. 16 acres * 15 floors = 230 acres!

-nb

[CK1]

I don't care who the retailer is, how many people it brings to the area or houw much money it makes; sprawl is sprawl. If this project goes thought it won't matter how good economically it is if the design is no better than anything else. Unfortunatly, most big retailers only know one kind of design and it makes everywhere look like everywhere else. I am not anti-development, quite the opposite, but I am anti-sprawling development and this project looks like it will just be more of the same.

I agree, it is sprawl, but unfortunately there really isn't anything in place in West Michigan to prevent this (i.e. WE NEED A GREENBELT TAX!!).

Fortunately, a project of this magnitude should help the entire area, as people coming to this new development, that maybe have never been through GR before, are going to have to drive by downtown Grand Rapids on the way. Chances are, all the tall buildings, the arena, and the convention center will pique interests in the city center, and thus more people will come back to check out downtown GR.

Will there be any type of transit link between the new development and downtown? It'd be nice if there was a very direct bus route from downtown up to northern Walker (seeing how a rail system isn't coming in any time soon )

[GRDadof3]

It's a conundrum for sure. I know that people looking to relocate to this area (and almost always from larger markets) do make a judgement about the area based on the retail offerings. It's sad but true. I've even heard people say "You guys don't have a Nordstrom? pfft!" I don't know that Nordstrom will set up shop at Orchard Park, but I was just using that as an example.

If the metro starts to lose population, we're all in trouble. That's all I'm saying.

There is bus service up to Alpine and 4 Mile that could probably be extended.

[FilmMaker]

I'm tickled!! I just don't want a cabela's...go put that in rockford or something...

Sorry, Rockford already has an outfitter in its downtown core. It recently opened and offers an appropriate river and fishing sports focus given its location.

Given its impact elsewhere, a Cabela's would drive such a huge pile of adjacent growth that it really can't go anywhere but in a wide open space. Sprawl? Yep. Am I liking the idea of sprawl? No. But the near NW side seems the least of the evils unless someone can find space near Rivertown. It does seem to make sense in Walker given its placement along one of the longest standing and most used routes to Newaygo/Baldwin/etc. It also is a pretty convenient location on a major thoroughfare to the lakeshore. If this is what is going to happen in Walker, hopefully it will be executed in a manner superior to Celebration Village or some others.

Light rail connecting it to the core? Not a bad idea. It could serve as a park-and-ride location for commuters as well!!! And appropriately located where it could eventually, decades from now, be a longer run to the lakeshore. Hmmmmm.....

[walker]

...I made some disparaging remarks about what I thought Cabela's clientele was, and I was quickly corrected.

I often wear plaid so the plaid remark wasn

[Veloise]

This part of the "inner-ring" is still sort of outer-ring when you think about it. Tons of feilds, farms, orchards and nothing beyond that but more fields farms and orchards.

I would imagine its similar to the area around where rivertown crossings went in before it was built.

Link to an aerial of Sprawlville, formerly the village of Dundee:

http://maps.google.com/maps?q=Dundee,+MI&a...mp;t=k&om=1

Cabela's is the huge fan-shaped use on the NW corner.

[AlexPKeaton]

I've seen Celebration Village derided a number of times around here. While it is a bit of sprawl, bit seems denser than most. Why does everybody have such a negative attitude towards it?

I can't wait for a downtown theater though. If that gets built it'll instantly be my theater of choice.

-nb

[dbrok]

I've seen Celebration Village derided a number of times around here. While it is a bit of sprawl, bit seems denser than most. Why does everybody have such a negative attitude towards it?

Because basically it's a collection of buildings rather than a well-designed plan that gives you the impression or feeling of a city center. It's a very disjointed complex with some strange architecture that I'm not sure will be attractive 20-30 years down the road. That bank located next to the Panera with the giant blue wall jutting out is just odd and too trendy. I think in about 2031 people will be ready for an extreme renovation.

[AlexPKeaton]

Isn't a city just a collection of buildings? The well-designed plans are often too homogenous and sterile looking precisely because they were planned rather than an organic growth. I'm not saying Celebration Village looks great, it is a little tacky, but it's not awful.

-nb

[GR8scott]

Isn't a city just a collection of buildings? The well-designed plans are often too homogenous and sterile looking precisely because they were planned rather than an organic growth. I'm not saying Celebration Village looks great, it is a little tacky, but it's not awful.

-nb

yeah I'm with you on this one, there is a lot of negative associated with celebration village and the Orchard park. I don;t really understand because it is a collection of buildings versus a bunch of individual buildings with a real disconnection like 28th street. I'll take celebration over 28th street. And whats with the NIMBYism twards celebration and Orchard park, They are both inside city limits, near major arteries, and near a lot of people, OK so its not downtown but these deelopments are the next best thing IMO

[dbrok]

yeah I'm with you on this one, there is a lot of negative associated with celebration village and the Orchard park. I don;t really understand because it is a collection of buildings versus a bunch of individual buildings with a real disconnection like 28th street. I'll take celebration over 28th street. And whats with the NIMBYism twards celebration and Orchard park, They are both inside city limits, near major arteries, and near a lot of people, OK so its not downtown but these deelopments are the next best thing IMO

I'm not against Celebration and it's great that it's there. I just think the whole complex is kind of disjointed with certain driveways that don't connect like IHOP's and the office building that seems out of proportion and parking that is too spread out. Plus I don't think the styling is going to stand the test of time.