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Massive Riverfront Project

GRDadof3

By GRDadof3
in Grand Rapids

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mejane Whistle-Stop

mejane

Posted
Posted

Odd that I'm taking shots at being a fashion snark (to which there are folks that make a living doing that kind of thing... Come on, you KNOW you love watching Joan Rivers on the red carpet) but no response to a feeling that y'all might be getting taken for a ride as to the scope of this development. Please remember, justified or not we all are evaluated on our business appearance. Especially if we're going to accept a television appearence on a "billion" dollar development that "will" change the face of a community.

My bad... deepest apologies to the Dress Barn crowd.

Does anybody here feel as if they are being taken for a ride as to the scope of this

development as profferred by Ms. Shurlow, the article in the GRBJ, or by any other

reports? Something to think about, for sure. I think they have been too vague as to

be overtly misleading. If it turns out this development deal is no where near the 2-3

billion tossed out there, or the thousands of jobs created falls far short of that mention,

then we can feel cheated. However, the ideas brought up here as to what this might all

be, if taken seriously by anyone reading, would be even more misleading, if not

confusing! But that's the nature of this guessing game - we tend to up the ante

with our dreaming and speculation, built upon the few hints we have from the players

as well as from the sleuthing going on by our own brilliant minds here on the UP. It's

been a lot of fun to read everyone's ideas, the grand and the practical, and I look

forward to it being revealed soon. We should hand prizes out to the forumer who

comes closest to being right!

PS Who is Joan Rivers and what is a dress barn? In other words, let's get back on track.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Does anybody here feel as if they are being taken for a ride as to the scope of this

development as profferred by Ms. Shurlow, the article in the GRBJ, or by any other

reports? Something to think about, for sure. I think they have been too vague as to

be overly misleading. If it turns out this development deal is no where near the 2-3

billion tossed out there, or the thousands of jobs created falls far short of that mention,

then we can feel cheated. However, the ideas brought up here as to what this might all

be, if taken seriously by anyone reading, would be even more misleading, if not

confusing! But that's the nature of this guessing game - we tend to up the ante

with our dreaming and speculation, built upon the few hints we have from the players

as well as from the sleuthing going on by our own brilliant minds here on the UP. It's

been a lot of fun to read everyone's ideas, the grand and the practical, and I look

forward to it being revealed soon. We should hand prizes out to the forumer who

comes closest to being right!

PS Who is Joan Rivers and what is a dress barn? In other words, let's get back on track.

My wife and I talked about the possibility of this being all hype, but thought that there is no way Grubb & Ellis Corporate would allow one of its principles and top agents to conduct themselves this way. Their credibility would be in the tank, they would be driven out of town, and probably blackballed around the entire commerical realty world, IMO.

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mejane Whistle-Stop

mejane

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GRDad, LOVE the hidden pictures angle! Just like an artist to add hidden

messages, whether anyone picks up on them or not. Sometimes we

include things like this just for ourselves, sometimes at another's request.

Coincidence or not, it is an interesting discovery, keep them coming if you

see any more.

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BigPlayJ Unincorporated Area

BigPlayJ

Posted
Posted

OK, new theory.....

Tom Benson, through secret negotiations, is planning to move the Saints out of New Orleans to Grand Rapids. A stadium will be constructed wtih a retractable roof, of which there is currently only one in the nation (Reliant Stadium in Houston). There are others in the works (Indianapolis, Dallas, Arizona), but currently Reliant is the only one.

By way of example, here is the Colts new proposed stadium with a proposed retractable roof. It will be built on 12 acres.

newaerial.jpg

The GR plan will include the stadium and another 15 acres of mixed use. It will regionalize the area by drawing from the West Michigan fan base, as well as residents in northern Indiana.

Crazy, but anything is possible at this point......! :yahoo:

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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I have to tell you guys, even if I am wrong in which direction I am heading with this, I am at least SHOCKED by all the current movements and Federal government funding for fuel cells, ultracapacitors, and hybrid engines. Here's ANOTHER fairly new consortium:

Hybrid Consortium

Things are really heating up in the hybrid/fuel cell world. And Toyota is the #1 user of fuel cells and maker of hybrid vehicles in the world. I think we'll see totally plug-in vehicles in the next decade.

Even if this topic has nothing to do with this project and GR. :P

In addition to Johnson Controls, there is a company called Maxwell Technologies that is on the forefront of this technology:

http://www.maxwell.com/

Your stadium idea and New Orleans is a good one BigPlayJ :)

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Papabaar Unincorporated Area

Papabaar

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I feel like we're watching a game of Sim City.

And the possibility of these 10,000 employees putting their children in GRPS, that's a huge help right there.

I'm crossing my fingers on the large office relocation.

Unfortunately with the available housing in GR the GRPS would not see much of this. Forest Hills, Rockford, Kentwood, Walker, etc. would see the housing boom and the increases in school population. I'm a suburbanite and not familiar with the downtown condos. Are they geared towards families or couples without kids?

Of course anything this massive will affect the entire metropolitan area and GR will see a big source of income, give or take whatever tax breaks they will want (Is that area a renaissance zone?).

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torgo Town

torgo

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I think its gonna be a knock-your-socks-off retail/entertainment/office development. Maybe with a big hotel or something. It won't receive national attention in the sense that it appears on the front page of every major newspaper, but it will make waves nationally in the urban development and retail estate industries, simply because it will be bigger than most others that have ever been done.

I also guess that the big announcement will come sooner rather than later, just because the chances of a leak are getting too great, and the developer will want his annoucement to be a big deal.

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d59 Whistle-Stop

d59

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If the people involved in this project have done so well in keeping it quiet for a couple of years, why has enough about this project "slipped out" all of a sudden. If there is to be no formal media introduction until this summer, what is the point of this "tease" at this time? Maybe I missed something.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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If the people involved in this project have done so well in keeping it quiet for a couple of years, why has enough about this project "slipped out" all of a sudden. If there is to be no formal media introduction until this summer, what is the point of this "tease" at this time? Maybe I missed something.

This was no tease. This all came about because of the possible sale of the city-owned land led a certain reporter in that direction, and to start asking neighboring property owners about the possible RFP process. That's when he found out about the "options".

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JDrew Unincorporated Area

JDrew

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Google spokeswoman Sonya Boralv's reponse to an inquiry was brief: "We're continually exploring opportunities to expand our operations but have nothing to announce at this time.

If Google weren't coming here, wouldn't they just say," No, we have not plans to locate to Grand Rapids although we hear it is a great city."?

If they "have nothing to announce at this time", are they planning on making an announcement in the near future?

I've been looking into this theory about Google and the possibility of them coming to GR. and the one question that has not been asked or answered is if they came here, what would they do? Certainly it would have to be something different, something "out of the box" that they are not currently doing. So i thought about this for a while and did some research. There are a number of sources out there that are saying that Google has been working on buying large amounts of unused "dark fiber". Some speculation has been that they want to start their own version of the internet. Keep in mind that WoodTV made some comment about there only being one other like it in existence, or something to that effect. Well, there is only one internet. Could it be that Google would come to GR and this would be the center of a new HUGE nationwide IT network? Certainly this would cost big dollars and create a large number of jobs, not to mention nationwide and even worldwide significance.

Just one of my crazy theories, but I'm curious if anyone has heard anything about this and what your thoughts are?

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MiGuyz Whistle-Stop

MiGuyz

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Follow these seemingly coincidental connections:

Grand Rapids Mayor Hartwell in 2004 pledged to make Grand Rapids a sustainable city reducing reliance on nonrenewable resource power by 20% by 2008. He goes on to say GR is home to 11% of all LEED certified buildings in the nation(!) and that he wants this to be a regional mission.

http://www.ci.grand-rapids.mi.us/index.pl?binobjid=1446.

Hartwell is from Aquinas College where there is this unique degree program:

"Sustainable Business practices restore environmental quality, promote stable and healthy communities, and increase long-term profitability. The Aquinas Sustainable Business Degree program fosters ecological and social intelligence in all business decisions and is the only undergraduate program of its kind in Michigan and possibly the United States."

http://www.aquinas.edu/sb/

William McDonough is quoted on the Aquinas College website and has also worked with Steelcase (per jayblogger) and is mentioned in the Ford recycled car article from Huffington Post.

Aquinas has the Center for Sustainability funded by Steelcase (and a website seach powered by Google)

http://www.centerforsustainability.org/search.php

Steelcase is linked with Bush's recent West Michigan visit

Bush has said we are on the brink of unexpected developments in alternative energy

Is it possible we are going to see a US Green Building Council LEED development possibly for energy or other development? A company that likes to be involved in LEED projects is Toyota. https://www.usgbc.org/FileHandling/show_gen...DocumentID=1320

All of the corporate names we've been throwing around have an interest in green living as does our mayor who took office a few months before the Grand Rapids Development Corporation was formed and began making options on the land now in question.

If none of this is related to the project, it sure is an unusual coincidence. And yes, this would be very exciting for Grand Rapids and the country. Any thoughts?

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Follow these seemingly coincidental connections:

Grand Rapids Mayor Hartwell in 2004 pledged to make Grand Rapids a sustainable city reducing reliance on nonrenewable resource power by 20% by 2008. He goes on to say GR is home to 11% of all LEED certified buildings in the nation(!) and that he wants this to be a regional mission.

http://www.ci.grand-rapids.mi.us/index.pl?binobjid=1446.

Hartwell is from Aquinas College where there is this unique degree program:

"Sustainable Business practices restore environmental quality, promote stable and healthy communities, and increase long-term profitability. The Aquinas Sustainable Business Degree program fosters ecological and social intelligence in all business decisions and is the only undergraduate program of its kind in Michigan and possibly the United States."

http://www.aquinas.edu/sb/

William McDonough is quoted on the Aquinas College website and has also worked with Steelcase (per jayblogger) and is mentioned in the Ford recycled car article from Huffington Post.

Aquinas has the Center for Sustainability funded by Steelcase (and a website seach powered by Google)

http://www.centerforsustainability.org/search.php

Steelcase is linked with Bush's recent West Michigan visit

Bush has said we are on the brink of unexpected developments in alternative energy

Is it possible we are going to see a US Green Building Council LEED development possibly for energy or other development? A company that likes to be involved in LEED projects is Toyota. https://www.usgbc.org/FileHandling/show_gen...DocumentID=1320

All of the corporate names we've been throwing around have an interest in green living as does our mayor who took office a few months before the Grand Rapids Development Corporation was formed and began making options on the land now in question.

If none of this is related to the project, it sure is an unusual coincidence. And yes, this would be very exciting for Grand Rapids and the country. Any thoughts?

There's a big developer in Chicago called Bovis Lend Lease, which is very active in sustainability and the US Green Building Council. This is a project being done out of their Australian office:

http://www.lendlease.com.au/llweb/llc/main...l/news_20030430

They also worked with Trump on Trump International in Chicago:

http://www.bovislendlease.com/llweb/bll/ma...all/gl_chicago1

Johnson Controls (which is big into sustainability, renewable energy, and hybrids) is somewhat connected with Greenberg Traurig through this guy:

http://72.14.207.104/search?q=cache:26VtLv...us&ct=clnk&cd=1

Greenberg Traurig was where David Minkin used to work for.

JCI is affiliated with Bovis Lend Lease through other LEED projects:

http://www.usgbc.org/Docs/LEED_tsac/TSAC%2...gust%202000.pdf

Google also is very involved in the hybrid revolution, giving credits to its employees to buy hybrid vehicles:

http://www.autoblog.com/2005/11/07/compani...efficient-cars/

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MiGuyz Whistle-Stop

MiGuyz

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Could we soon read a press release with all of the above players mentioned? :)

Grand Rapids builds LEED technology park and residential community focusing on alternative energies for city, home and automobile?

Steelcase, Johnson Controls, Ford, Toyota, Aquinas, Trump (?), US Green Council

Maybe all these players are coming together to develop, test and live the ideas which would make the US a leader in the next generation of green living.

Why GR? Aquinas degree program, location to several involved corporate players, 11% of national LEED certified buildings proves GR is a player, etc...

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Why Grand Rapids, you ask:

We are in the automotive capital of the world

We have a "work ethic" that is a bit different than our East side neighbors (hint, hint)

West Michigan has made great strides regarding LEED, renewable energy, sustainability (Muskegon GVSU facility), and waste to power at the plant on Market Ave, amongst other things.

We are strategically located to place Toyota right in the backyard of their NA rivals, while not having to play second fiddle to them in Detroit

What a perfect combination. Why wasn't this done before?

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cityslicker Whistle-Stop

cityslicker

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You know, every day we go out into the world after a quick mirror check and just hope

that nobody finds us offensive. I doubt that Ms. Shurlow is any less human than the rest

of us. This is a real person we're talking about here and these kinds of personal attacks

are unneccesary to our purposes of discussion. To put down someone's fashion style or

the way one chooses to present herself when discussing a business deal is so typically

directed to the female gender. Especially if that female is pretty. What should be

considered, here, instead of being criticized for her apparel, is that Ms. Shurlow gave

a solid, thoughtful interview, represented her company well, was professional, and

didn't spill the beans. In other words, she did her job. I can't imagine what kind of

pressure she is under daily, and what kind of pressure she was under in giving that

interview to 'get it right'. If she is ambitious, who cares? Good for her! I hope she is

wildly successful as a result of all of this. What she was wearing that day, or her

choice of haircolor, are irrelevant.

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