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240 Ionia - New Development

GRDadof3

By GRDadof3
in Grand Rapids

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Dutch Unincorporated Area

Dutch

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As of today that listing has been active for 13 days. That's kind of odd because about two weeks ago or so I received a new elevation of the condo building proposed for this site. I was also told that 240 Ionia (Condos) would be featured in the June edition of Grand Rapids Magazine, which releases May 28th or so. Heck, just so we're all on the same page I"ll post the text from the email I received (on 4/24) along with the elevation...

"

Hello and thank you for your patience awaiting the new design & floor plans for 240 Ionia. We have scaled the building back and went with a more "raw & urban" feel, very clean, simple & most important to you...affordable. Currently the design is based upon a 5 story building with parking in the basement and on the ground level. We anticipate having 44 total units, ranging in size from 670-1455 square feet. Targeting a price point starting from $125K! Attached is the new exterior elevation rendering. Please keep in mind that this is a preliminary rendering only & not a final drawing.

I promise to keep you posted as more pieces come together. This is going to be a tremendous project & definitely worth the wait. 240 Ionia will be featured in the upcoming June issue of Grand Rapids Magazine. Be sure to check it out!

"

2476780678_651c8f589f_o.jpg

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cheshireguy Whistle-Stop

cheshireguy

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Uuuuuuggggggggghhhhh. That design looks like four trailers stacked on top of each other. I understand that a budget is trying to be kept here, but for god's sake, add a little character. Maybe thye can design it to be added onto (going up) after the fact once the market makes it back... maybe its a giant Subway. Oh well, theres always Tall House! Right? :unsure:

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jbr12 Hamlet

jbr12

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This is sad... I was involved with another concept for this building and budget was always the driving factor. Looks like budget won out over anything else. I agree with everyone else that the project should just be scrapped if this is what they are going to end up with

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cheshireguy Whistle-Stop

cheshireguy

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[i]BTW cheshireguy, Tall House is officially dead. I think it died a few weeks ago.

Well, like they say, they go in threes - first River Grand, then Tall House, now 240 Ionia. Wait, 240 Ionia ISN'T dead? Oh, it just looks like it is. HA!

PS- I will be designing a new "budget-friendly" building for any developers out there are interested. Plans are based loosely on a train caboose and tinker toys. Plus, there will be a window. <_<

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egrguy Burg

egrguy

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Will people buy to live in a crappy looking building? Where would the price need to be to sacrafice look for value? I mean Icon as an example hasn't done well. I don't know if you can attribute it all to its fortress type look vs location, price, economy, etc. But I sure wouldn't pay to live in an ugly building. I don't see this "remodel" as anything actually viable.

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Dutch Unincorporated Area

Dutch

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Perhaps we should withhold judgments until a decent rendering is disseminated through the ranks of our fine urban planet. Every development walks the tight rope of profitability and feasibility. If we want affordable home ownership in the core (sub $250K range) of this city there are obvious compromises that need to be made. Look at the West Michigan housing market, factor in the price of dirt downtown and couple it with the ever-rising costs of new construction and I'm sure it's not an easy puzzle to piece together.

Condo projects are either failing to sell, scaling back or throwing in the towel. I'm not making excuses for the developers, but let's wait and see what the supposed forthcoming Grand Rapids Magazine article has to say, if anything at all, and hope that it includes something of more substance than what was shared with me!

Cheers-

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egrguy Burg

egrguy

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Perhaps we should withhold judgments until a decent rendering is disseminated through the ranks of our fine urban planet. Every development walks the tight rope of profitability and feasibility. If we want affordable home ownership in the core (sub $250K range) of this city there are obvious compromises that need to be made. Look at the West Michigan housing market, factor in the price of dirt downtown and couple it with the ever-rising costs of new construction and I'm sure it's not an easy puzzle to piece together.

Condo projects are either failing to sell, scaling back or throwing in the towel. I'm not making excuses for the developers, but let's wait and see what the supposed forthcoming Grand Rapids Magazine article has to say, if anything at all, and hope that it includes something of more substance than what was shared with me!

Cheers-

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Perhaps we should withhold judgments until a decent rendering is disseminated through the ranks of our fine urban planet. Every development walks the tight rope of profitability and feasibility. If we want affordable home ownership in the core (sub $250K range) of this city there are obvious compromises that need to be made. Look at the West Michigan housing market, factor in the price of dirt downtown and couple it with the ever-rising costs of new construction and I'm sure it's not an easy puzzle to piece together.

Condo projects are either failing to sell, scaling back or throwing in the towel. I'm not making excuses for the developers, but let's wait and see what the supposed forthcoming Grand Rapids Magazine article has to say, if anything at all, and hope that it includes something of more substance than what was shared with me!

Cheers-

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Eridony Hamlet

Eridony

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When Tall House announced their death. I was optimistic that enough of the people looking at that building would go downt the street to 240 and they would have enough for construction. So I thought "Hey, we lost one proposal, but hopefully it's sacrifice will lead to a nice new building at 240 Ionia now." Then that drawing was posted. The drawing is really simple, so I guess I can't be sure how the building would look, but when I saw that all I could think was "Do Not Want!"

At what point in cutting costs in a project actually lead to hurting the sales. Because I think this design crosses it. If I had a reservation down for 240 with the old design and then this came out I would call them and say "Thanks, but no thanks."

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andrew.w Hamlet

andrew.w

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I hear what you're saying Dutch, but to me it looks like the ground floor of this building is that big "split face" block (meant to look like large bricks), OK in limited use, and then the upper floors are some kind of EIFS (non masonry synthetic stucco), because it doesn't have any brick pattern to it. That to me spells disaster. And are those double hung Jeld Wen windows on the residential units? Like a house? Uggh.

I'll be surprised if the HPC approves this plan as shown. It doesn't even have a modern twinge to it, which might make it more acceptable.

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jbr12 Hamlet

jbr12

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It is all of those things you noticed that solidify in my mind that I can pass judgement from this one elevation. Any Architect (capital A) wouldn't release an elevation of this quality (or lack there of) to be used by marketing people.

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