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920 Cherry, ICCF/Blodgett Home and Fairmount Square

joeDowntown

By joeDowntown
in Grand Rapids

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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I discussed this in another forum, but I spent the first 10 years of my life in East Hills (on Paddock). The house I lived in looked pretty bad the last time I saw it (in 2006). The ceiling of the porch was in partial collapse. Many of the other homes around there either need some major renovations/fix-ups or perhaps could be removed completely and the property redeveloped for housing more appealing to a more diverse group of residents. I've been told many of the homes (which, if I recall, are either single family or apartments, one on each floor) are rented out (to students?) and owned by absentee owners. I commented that, while I noticed many people at the restaurants or wandering around in and between the shops, it seemed most had driven in from some place else. In other words, for whatever reasons, the patrons of the retail/restaurants don't seem to live in East Hills. I figure partly that may be due to the state of most of the housing around there.

But I'm willing to listen to other perspectives, particularly since I visit once or twice a year and only see small portions of what is going on in East Hills.

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joeDowntown Metropolis

joeDowntown

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I agree. If I were a speculator, I'd buy in this area over several other "hot" areas of town (Belknapp, Cherry Hill). Hopefully though, it will be filled with a lot of owner occupied homes and not absentee landlords.

If anyone asked me what was the most up-and-coming area in Grand Rapids, I'd throw a dart right at the center of Cherry/Lake/Diamond and say anywhere within 2 - 3 block radius from there. It may even be too late to get a good deal in that area as it is getting pretty hot. Even much hotter than most of the surrounding suburbs.
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mgreven Hamlet

mgreven

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If anyone asked me what was the most up-and-coming area in Grand Rapids, I'd throw a dart right at the center of Cherry/Lake/Diamond and say anywhere within 2 - 3 block radius from there. It may even be too late to get a good deal in that area as it is getting pretty hot. Even much hotter than most of the surrounding suburbs.
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PRCH Whistle-Stop

PRCH

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"as the recently christened Cherry Hill Historic District has made that area more desirable."

Recent in geological terms maybe. Cherry Hill was granted interim Historic status in 1992 and designated in 1993.

There is really not a huge difference in architecture (maybe scale) as you move East from Heritage Hill. Cherry Hill homes were built predominantly around the turn of the 19th century, Fairmount Square into the teens and Eastown in the teens and into twenties. It's all just a bunch of street car suburbs -but what wonderful houses !

Explorer55 - when you come to town, TALK to people. There is much more to a neighborhood than a drive through reveals............

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Explorer55 Whistle-Stop

Explorer55

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Recent in geological terms maybe. Cherry Hill was granted interim Historic status in 1992 and designated in 1993.

There is really not a huge difference in architecture (maybe scale) as you move East from Heritage Hill. Cherry Hill homes were built predominantly around the turn of the 19th century, Fairmount Square into the teens and Eastown in the teens and into twenties. It's all just a bunch of street car suburbs -but what wonderful houses !

Explorer55 - when you come to town, TALK to people. There is much more to a neighborhood than a drive through reveals............

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Recent in geological terms maybe. Cherry Hill was granted interim Historic status in 1992 and designated in 1993.

There is really not a huge difference in architecture (maybe scale) as you move East from Heritage Hill. Cherry Hill homes were built predominantly around the turn of the 19th century, Fairmount Square into the teens and Eastown in the teens and into twenties. It's all just a bunch of street car suburbs -but what wonderful houses !

Explorer55 - when you come to town, TALK to people. There is much more to a neighborhood than a drive through reveals............

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jwazzz Whistle-Stop

jwazzz

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I bought a house in East Hills last August - there are only 4 houses on my block - 2 owner occupied (one 30+ years and myself), one neglegent absentee landlord and one house that is connected to Project Rehab in some way. I bought here for that old real estate maxim - location, location, location. The ICCF project is only going to help the area - I'm hoping they cast their eyes on some of the properties that are right in their neighborhood now. My place is still a work in progress but just give me a couple years - it's got tons of potential. I believe we are building one of the great walkable neighborhoods in GR - great eating, great shopping - a small grocery store nearby would make it just about perfect.

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grcitydog Whistle-Stop

grcitydog

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We have lived in East Hills for about 8 years and still love it. We have walked to all the stores/restaurants many times (wish there was a real grocery store within walking distance) and look forward to the new ones opening up. Housing is a mixed bag. We own and so does the neighbor next door. The other houses in the immediate area are rentals, some in worse shape than others. The good news is that I don't think it would require too much to fix them up if they were sold to someone who would owner-occupy. We stay not only for what there is, but for what we can see there will be. I can only see things getting better, with the 920 Cherry project and the associated new housing. It is also real close to downtown and will directly benefit from any new things happening there. Prices here are not yet out of control, but if you want in, sooner is better.

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Explorer55 Whistle-Stop

Explorer55

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We have lived in East Hills for about 8 years and still love it. We have walked to all the stores/restaurants many times (wish there was a real grocery store within walking distance) and look forward to the new ones opening up. Housing is a mixed bag. We own and so does the neighbor next door. The other houses in the immediate area are rentals, some in worse shape than others. The good news is that I don't think it would require too much to fix them up if they were sold to someone who would owner-occupy. We stay not only for what there is, but for what we can see there will be. I can only see things getting better, with the 920 Cherry project and the associated new housing. It is also real close to downtown and will directly benefit from any new things happening there. Prices here are not yet out of control, but if you want in, sooner is better.
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Avocado Whistle-Stop

Avocado

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The sign out front indicates that the eastern portion of the commercial project has been leased, but the overview of the garden shows a restaurant patio on the west side.

I'm just trying to figure out which stalls will house the new pub. Can anyone help me with this?

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Nitro Burg

Nitro

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The sign out front indicates that the eastern portion of the commercial project has been leased, but the overview of the garden shows a restaurant patio on the west side.

I'm just trying to figure out which stalls will house the new pub. Can anyone help me with this?

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  • 2 weeks later...
ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

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Vinyl windows shown the door

I do not think I need to comment at all about this one. This quote says it all, from today's Press:

When West Michigan's largest home-building company drew up plans to build town house-style condominiums in one of the city's historic neighborhoods, preservationists were quick to let them know: You're not in Kentwood anymore.

Preservationists said they are horrified by the vinyl windows and siding and fiberglass doors shown on blueprints for the 37 town houses Eastbrook Development Co. plans to build in the Fairmount Square Historic Preservation District.

"They may not want to hear this, but it looks like it's trying to be a classic gay '90's theme park," said local preservationist Rebecca Smith Hoffman. "I don't think new construction should pretend to be what it's not."

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Rhino6885 Hamlet

Rhino6885

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When West Michigan's largest home-building company drew up plans to build town house-style condominiums in one of the city's historic neighborhoods, preservationists were quick to let them know: You're not in Kentwood anymore.

Preservationists said they are horrified by the vinyl windows and siding and fiberglass doors shown on blueprints for the 37 town houses Eastbrook Development Co. plans to build in the Fairmount Square Historic Preservation District.

"They may not want to hear this, but it looks like it's trying to be a classic gay '90's theme park," said local preservationist Rebecca Smith Hoffman. "I don't think new construction should pretend to be what it's not."

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twoshort Town

twoshort

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I was worried Eastbrook would struggle with this and they did EXACTLY what I thought they would. I've never had any experience with them, so I'm not saying they're a bad company, just they have no experience in this type of construction. I'm glad the HPC did what they did. I loved this quote:

"When I opened this packet, I thought it was a mistake," said Historic Preservation Commission member Wesley Beck.

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gvsusean Burg

gvsusean

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I was worried Eastbrook would struggle with this and they did EXACTLY what I thought they would. I've never had any experience with them, so I'm not saying they're a bad company, just they have no experience in this type of construction. I'm glad the HPC did what they did. I loved this quote:

"When I opened this packet, I thought it was a mistake," said Historic Preservation Commission member Wesley Beck.

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