Gaslight Village - East Grand Rapids

[GRDadof3]

On Wednesday evening I witnessed workers removing the old advertising for the Derby and putting up new signage with a fresh rendering of the condo tower... the new design has a base that is very reminiscent of Icon on Bond

It wasn't this one?

[GRDadof3]

"Bloggers" are taking the Gaslight Village owners to task for closing off the fountain, says the Press:

Please stay out of the water

And this statement is puzzling:

A ban on vehicles around the fountain "is just not in the cards because we're a retail destination. The parking is important to our retailers. Besides, you have to go through the plaza to get into the parking deck,

I think I count at least 4 other entrances into the parking ramp. I'll be there later this afternoon and do a photo shoot "Let us count the ways into the parking ramp".

[numstead]

It wasn't this one?

different view, probably the same design version though, its more of an aerial view with no surrounding context

[Veloise]

"Bloggers" are taking the Gaslight Village owners to task for closing off the fountain, says the Press:

Please stay out of the water...

UP really needs a story credit on this one. (We ain't "bloggers," GRPress, we are your Deep Throat! Um, Watergate reference.)

I like the quote from the EGR top cop: "...I don't think anyone envisioned that fountain being used that way," ...

[Eridony]

I like the quote from the EGR top cop: "...I don't think anyone envisioned that fountain being used that way," ...

I laughed at that line in the paper. Sure, no one envisioned the fountain being used that way, that's why it was designed with no barriers to keep people out of it.

[twoshort]

I think they expected kids to walk through it on their way by or spend a brief moment in it, not bring lawn chairs, coolers, swim suits, and towels and make day of it.

[GRDadof3]

I laughed at that line in the paper. Sure, no one envisioned the fountain being used that way, that's why it was designed with no barriers to keep people out of it.

Right, that's why there are little pianos sunk into the concrete that you can only see if you are STANDING RIGHT OVER THEM.

twoshort, have you witnessed people doing that? We're only there every couple of weeks or so.

Which brings up another good point. I would say that the runaway success of this fountain leads me to believe (and I have thought this for a while) that EGR needs a spray park and/or jungle gym park, somewhere near Gaslight Village (Collins Park maybe?).

[GRDadof3]

Checked it out while picking up my Reeds Lake Run packet at the high school gym. Even with hundreds of people descending on EGR to do the same, 90% of the upper deck of the parking ramp was empty.

Here's an aerial:

A lot of on-street parking in that area as well. Nothing a few well-placed wayfinding signs couldn't fix, to get people to the parking ramp.

[GRDadof3]

WZZM is on the story now too

[suydam]

I think they expected kids to walk through it on their way by or spend a brief moment in it, not bring lawn chairs, coolers, swim suits, and towels and make day of it.

Last summer... I saw this (minus the cooler) countless times.

Swimsuits galore, people with wagons full of sunscreen, towells, etc.

It was definitely functioning as a spash-park for kids.

I've also seen a bunch of near-misses with cars while dining outdoors at Olga's and getting my hair cut at Jude's.

[GRDadof3]

Last summer... I saw this (minus the cooler) countless times.

Swimsuits galore, people with wagons full of sunscreen, towells, etc.

It was definitely functioning as a spash-park for kids.

I've also seen a bunch of near-misses with cars while dining outdoors at Olga's and getting my hair cut at Jude's.

I'm definitely not saying that it's not unsafe. It's an accident waiting to happen. Many kids run through one side and out the other, which is right into a "street" basically.

It's just too bad that once again the cars take precedence over people, when there is such a lack of "public space" with activities in Gaslight Village. Collins Park is fine, if you like to just sit around and look at the lake.

[Par75]

Looks like another new restaurant will be opening at the spot formerly occupied by Voila and before that, Kabookies. A sign in the window says it'll be a deli that also offers catering. No indication as to when it will open. Hopefully this place will have some success. It's the 3rd restaurant to open in this location in the past 5 or so years.

[suydam]

I really really tried to like Voila. Never got there.

I don't think the location was to blame... It was the sub-par service and mediocre food.

the new place says something "Ramona's Table" I think.

Advertises fresh-gourmet food.

I'm optimistic.

Walking through Gaslight on Friday night, was I heartened that Olive's, Big Bob's, and the interior of Graydon's were all packed. Olga's never seems very busy. I assume Rose's was full too (since they're always full).

[Par75]

I really really tried to like Voila. Never got there.

I don't think the location was to blame... It was the sub-par service and mediocre food.

the new place says something "Ramona's Table" I think.

Advertises fresh-gourmet food.

I'm optimistic.

Walking through Gaslight on Friday night, was I heartened that Olive's, Big Bob's, and the interior of Graydon's were all packed. Olga's never seems very busy. I assume Rose's was full too (since they're always full).

Yes, I believe you're correct -- Ramona's Table. The name is probably a reference to the old Ramona Park on Reeds Lake.

It was nice to see Gaslight really hopping on Friday evening. The EGR football game had a lot to do with that I'm sure. As I was walking to the game, a group from Kenowa Hills was walking behind me and marveling at the changes Gaslight has gone through over the past few years. Hopefully the stores and restaurants continue to have success.

[GRDadof3]

I really really tried to like Voila. Never got there.

I don't think the location was to blame... It was the sub-par service and mediocre food.

the new place says something "Ramona's Table" I think.

Advertises fresh-gourmet food.

I'm optimistic.

Walking through Gaslight on Friday night, was I heartened that Olive's, Big Bob's, and the interior of Graydon's were all packed. Olga's never seems very busy. I assume Rose's was full too (since they're always full).

We were at Rose's. It was full, but it didn't look like there was much of a wait.

[EGR-ARCHI]

Ramona Medical building is gone is a new parking lot to come? Or are they planning on putting a building on the site? Anyone know anything about it?

[GRnome]

Ramona Medical building is gone is a new parking lot to come? Or are they planning on putting a building on the site? Anyone know anything about it?

My guess is that it may be more cost effective to pay property taxes on vacant land than to pay them on a vacant office building? The second faze of that derby condo project is probably 5 years down the road anyway.

[RegalTDP]

Not exactly EGR, but close enough.

Anthropologie to open in Breton Village (MLive)

I like it when trendy boutiques come to GR... All the people who used to drive all the way to Troy to shop at Anthropologie will now come here. This is a good sign for GR upscale retail... Considering Village at Orchard Hills is stalling, maybe Breton Village will be stepping up to fill in.

They're going to build a new structure on a grass lot separate from the mall, which if I remember right, used to have an Arnie's.

[suydam]

Not exactly EGR, but close enough.

Anthropologie to open in Breton Village (MLive)

I like it when trendy boutiques come to GR... All the people who used to drive all the way to Troy to shop at Anthropologie will now come here. This is a good sign for GR upscale retail... Considering Village at Orchard Hills is stalling, maybe Breton Village will be stepping up to fill in.

They're going to build a new structure on a grass lot separate from the mall, which if I remember right, used to have an Arnie's.

Wow. Just "Wow" that anything would go to Breton Village. Having spent many a weekend afternoon in there with my kids running around the empty halls, and many a workday afternoon stopping by Jos Banks for a few sale items and parking in the very first spot by the door, I had assume this entire property was not long for this world.

I'm shocked there's actually some activity going on. Good for them!

[joeDowntown]

This is great news. Even better that it is very close to the core city and not in some greenfield development in Grandville or the like. Maybe Breton Village will come springing back to life!

Joe

[fotoman311]

This is great news. Even better that it is very close to the core city and not in some greenfield development in Grandville or the like. Maybe Breton Village will come springing back to life!

Joe

While it's not overcrowded, the D&W is always reasonably busy when we go by. And Chow Hound seems to do pretty well. It's where we usually buy our dog food because there isn't a pet store near Midtown (or all of Uptown, for that matter). The mall seriously lacks any connectedness though. If this store is going to be in a separate building, I don't see it jump starting the mall that much. But it certainly can't hurt!

[GRDadof3]

Anthropologie is going in the new outlot where Arnie's used to be, by the big retaining wall, and not connected to the mall. My prediction is that Breton Village will still have that post-apocalyptic feel to it for a while.

[RegalTDP]

Is Breton Village that bad? Yeah, walking through the atrium is depressing, but I'd say the stores they actually have there do pretty solid business. At the very least, it's no Rogers Plaza. I think what attracted Anthropologie to that spot was because Talbot's and Leigh's were successful enough to convince them that, yes, women do go there to shop. If that wasn't it, I have no idea.

And yeah, a Breton Village rebirth is a ways off, but I really do think if this store does well, it may attract other newcomers to that spot. Trendy labels tend to stick close to each other.

[GRDadof3]

Is Breton Village that bad? Yeah, walking through the atrium is depressing, but I'd say the stores they actually have there do pretty solid business. At the very least, it's no Rogers Plaza. I think what attracted Anthropologie to that spot was because Talbot's and Leigh's were successful enough to convince them that, yes, women do go there to shop. If that wasn't it, I have no idea.

And yeah, a Breton Village rebirth is a ways off, but I really do think if this store does well, it may attract other newcomers to that spot. Trendy labels tend to stick close to each other.

I haven't been to Rogers Plaza in a long time (10 years maybe). I was in Breton Village maybe a year ago, and it seemed to be OK. This latest time, the corner cafe was closed, several other storefronts seemed to be closed, and the upstairs was half-empty, so the main heart of the mall seemed pretty desolate. It might be due to the fact that you can enter most of the stores from the outside, and not even have to go into the mall.

[joeDowntown]

It seems to be kind of a pseudo-strip mall/lifestyle center with a large enclosed sidewalk. You're right, most of the big tenants have their own entrance and people can visit a single store w/out entering the mall.

Joe