Millennium Park Development Updates

[pcdoctor]

Also, I thought this was supposed to have been completed by 2012 altogether.

[GRDadof3]

Whatever happened to the plans of this park being bigger than New York's Central Park??

As DwntwnGeo mentioned, it will be. Central Park is about 843 acres, and Millennium Park will be about 1500 acres.

This link says 2014 is when they would like to have it all finished:

http://www.millennium-park.org/about/current.htm

[GRDadof3]

The 2008 development news is coming at us left and right already!

$9 Million donation planned for Millennium Park

Big announcement to come on Wednesday from Roger Morgan and Peter Secchia. The cost estimates for an amphitheater were $15 - $25 Million, so either this is a donation to get the ball rolling, or an announcement unveiling Phase II of the park (or something else entirely).

[GRDadof3]

Millennium Park to get 20 miles of new bike and hiking trails, Fred and Lena Meijer largest donors

Not what I was thinking, but still extraordinary. The 20 miles of trails will contain 12 foot wide paved trails, 6 foot wide unpaved hiking trails, expansion of Kent Trails near the park, 5 stone bridges and a tunnel under Maynard Avenue connecting the East and West portions of the park, and linkages to the new Standale trail to the North.

Work to begin this Spring.

[joeDowntown]

Anyone notice one of the donors:

Sid Jansma Jr., president of Wolverine Gas & Oil Corp.;

Is this the beginning of Oil philanthropy in GR? I hope so!

Joe

[GRDadof3]

Anyone notice one of the donors:

Sid Jansma Jr., president of Wolverine Gas & Oil Corp.;

Is this the beginning of Oil philanthropy in GR? I hope so!

Joe

Wow, I totally missed that. I'm wondering whether we'll start to see the Jackoboice family name on some of these fundraisers, seeing as how they just sold their business, Monarch Hydraulics, to Bucher Industries. No word on how much the sale was, but Monarch had steady annual sales of $71 Million and dominated the U.S. market in hydraulics. Even conservatively 2.5 times annual earnings would be almost $200 Million.

[CK1]

Wow, I totally missed that. I'm wondering whether we'll start to see the Jackoboice family name on some of these fundraisers, seeing as how they just sold their business, Monarch Hydraulics, to Bucher Industries. No word on how much the sale was, but Monarch had steady annual sales of $71 Million and dominated the U.S. market in hydraulics. Even conservatively 2.5 times annual earnings would be almost $200 Million.

I remember an article a year or two ago about how Wolverine had found a huge oil reserve out in Utah (?), and that the investors become millionaires many times over almost overnight, with Jansma being the primary investor in the company. I've heard here and there that he is a very generous, philanthropic-minded person, so it could be interesting to see what the future holds.

Also, I'm sure that the former Monarch owners made out just fine in the sale, but just to put things in a little more perspective, I would have to assume that $71 million in sales would lead to about $10 Million EBITDA (15% is a conservative number for an industrial company in a more technically-challenging type manufacturing industry). Most private companies that I deal with have been selling for ranges of 5-8 times EBITA, so sales price closer to $60Mil to $80Mil is more likely. Still a ton of money, don't get me wrong...but not as landscape-changing as a bank account that swells by $200mil.

[Rizzo]

I can't believe how fast this is coming along. All the times I've been there it seemed like there was something new or more dirt being moved around for the next phase. A big thank you to the donors of time and money.

[joeDowntown]

I'm excited to see what the stone bridges look like. It seems like they will be something nice as they continue to call them "stone bridges" instead of four bridges.

Joe

[Rizzo]

I've noticed some paths around the GR area went through these corrugated "tubes": Let us hope this isn't case.

[cheshireguy]

Right on Rizzo - Fred and Lena wouldn't put their names on that thing, would they ? ? ? ?

[DwntwnGeo]

New updates on Mlive.com

Millennium Park plan calls for 12,000-seat amphitheater

Sounds like plans are moving forward with the amphitheater in Millennium Park.

[GRDadof3]

New updates on Mlive.com

Millennium Park plan calls for 12,000-seat amphitheater

Sounds like plans are moving forward with the amphitheater in Millennium Park.

Awesome development! The things I liked the most about the proposal is that they kept the size at 12,000 and didn't scale it back, the huge festival plaza at the entry that will really make a bold introductory statement as you enter the grounds, and the pedestrian bridge to the large parking lot across the road. It's too bad that they feel they have to find an "international architect" to design it, but hopefully they can keep a local company like ProgressiveAE (that did the feasibility study) on as the local. Now the State has to make sure the $10 Million gets allocated. Write your congressperson!!

What do you guys thinks of the "barges up the Grand River from downtown" idea?

[DwntwnGeo]

I think the area in question would be here. This was the area of land that they just bought in 2007, right?

Here is the picture from the paper

Here is the area from maps.live.com

[sfloria]

What do you guys thinks of the "barges up the Grand River from downtown" idea?

I love that idea. Can you imagine how much that would liven up the riverfront in downtown to have small barges pulling up to certain points? Or maybe they can use those water taxis that go from driving on the road to floating down the river, like in Boston.

I'm excited to see what happens with this project. I like the layout proposed.

[DwntwnGeo]

What do you guys thinks of the "barges up the Grand River from downtown" idea?

It is an idea and a start. I am glad they mentioned they are really trying to tie in downtown and keep things together with everything going on down there. At this point I am not a huge fan of the "barges" but in the future I think it would be nice. We have to start somewhere. At this point there isn't much to see along that stretch (unless I am missing something). You have the water treatment/sewer plant on the south side of the river and the old dump on the north. In the future, if they make the dump into a park setting and the growth continues along both sides of the river front south of US 131, I think it would make a great alternative for people that are downtown to go to the Millennium Park with having to drive there.

There was talk about extending Wealthy Street to have access to US131. Looking at the pictures in my previous post, with the Market Street/I-196 interchange is right across the Grand from this site. Do you thing they will come up with some sort of bridge across the Grand to give people access to I-196?

[Sailor]

I like the idea of stretching things north into the old dump site. I've read about high-biomass plants (especially poplar trees) being used to help "scrub" contaminated soil. Perhaps planting a small arboretum on the dump site is an option, giving more scenery to passersby...

[houseofdon]

This would be amazing, but if the project hinges on GR getting $10 million from the state, I have to be skeptical. It sounds like Granholm already has her mind made up. She's stabbed us with her veto pen before (transit bill that Kooiman tried to get through, anyone?!?) and I doubt she'd think twice about doing it again. Sak and Dean don't have the kind of clout to get $10 mil, especially if the Detroit delegation decides they don't like it.

[Raildudes dad]

What do you guys thinks of the "barges up the Grand River from downtown" idea?

They are going to be some real shallow draft barges since the river can be less than knee deep in the summer. Half of the old Union Station train shed is laying in a field on Byron Commerce Park south of 84th St. (Salvaged from the Van Kuelen & Winchester hardwoods plant on 54th). Now that would make a unique and historic amphitheater cover

[suydam]

This would be amazing, but if the project hinges on GR getting $10 million from the state, I have to be skeptical. It sounds like Granholm already has her mind made up. She's stabbed us with her veto pen before (transit bill that Kooiman tried to get through, anyone?!?) and I doubt she'd think twice about doing it again. Sak and Dean don't have the kind of clout to get $10 mil, especially if the Detroit delegation decides they don't like it.

I have to agree. There's a perception on the other side of the state that spending taxpayer dollars on anything right now is a bad idea.

If we come along asking for $10M to fund an ampitheater (or EGR comes along asking for nearly $1M to fund the Gilmore waterfront park) I have to be skeptical as well.

[twoshort]

This would be amazing, but if the project hinges on GR getting $10 million from the state, I have to be skeptical.

As do I.. any politico types have anything to say to make me less skeptical? please??

[OneSweetWorld]

Have there been any feasibilty/market studies on an amphitheater here?

[twoshort]

Take a look at the first page of this thread, last post. It would be hard to believe they've gotten this far withOUT any studies.

[cheshireguy]

They are going to be some real shallow draft barges since the river can be less than knee deep in the summer. Half of the old Union Station train shed is laying in a field on Byron Commerce Park south of 84th St. (Salvaged from the Van Kuelen & Winchester hardwoods plant on 54th). Now that would make a unique and historic amphitheater cover

You are very right - It would take quite a dredging to make the Grand passable by any large passenger ferry anywhere near downtown - in July and August, you can wade across in many places without getting your shorts wet!!! I do like the idea though, but I am concerned about the feasability of such an undertaking.

[GRDadof3]

Take a look at the first page of this thread, last post. It would be hard to believe they've gotten this far withOUT any studies.

Right twoshort. That's what the announcement was today, that the feasibility study is complete and they are now seeking funding from the State, and that Grand Action, Frey and Devos have stepped up to help make it a reality. Dean and Sak did mention that the $10 Million has been set aside in the budget. It just has to make it past Granholm. They are also seeking money for the JB Zoo and several GR museums in the same package.

Instead of "barges", I could see semi-highspeed flat-bottom tour boats. They could dock near the GVSU lots off of Front Street where there is ample parking, and/or next to the Market & Fulton parking lot for a while.

http://www.mustbeart.com/kb5mu/travel/uk200006/Dscn0745.jpg