GRAND RAPIDS | Development Thread

[Austinlee]

This building is so cool! I like it better than the pyramid in downtown Memphis, TN which I happened to see in person a couple weeks ago.

[Docta_Love]

^ I agree, until recently i wasn't very familiar with the former steelcase hq at all but i've started to take a shine to it. Bummer its not in a more centralized location tho.

Grand Rapids ranked No. 1 in U.S. for job growth
Mlive
July 10, 2017



Grand Rapids' workforce grew 4.4 percent last year, according to Headlight, which used U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics to reach its conclusions. Total employment in the four-county region grew from 516,394 in 2015 to 539,152 in 2016, Headlight said.

More recently, the workforce for the region stood at 575,600, according to state figures released on June 22. Unemployment in West Michigan stood at 2.8 percent in May, slightly up from April, when the jobless rate stood at 2.4 percent.

Headlight, which tracks employment growth for the nation's 53 largest metro areas with more than 1 million residents, released its results on Wednesday, July 5. The Grand Rapids region includes Kent, Ottawa, Barry and Montcalm counties.

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-m...o_1_in_us.html

[deja vu]

This project is just so bizarre to me, and I still can't believe it is happening. Despite all of the questions and doubts, the developer is marching towards an opening date for October 2017, which I don't see happening. It reminds me of so much North Korean or Soviet-era concrete mid-rise architecture. I do not think it will age well, and I will be shocked if the 500+ rental units fill up fast. Many more photos on the article link:

The Grand Castle builders pushing to hit their opening date
By Jim Harger | MLive
August 07, 2017

GRANDVILLE, MI - The Grand Castle apartment complex has raised questions for more than a year as the gray castle-shaped monolith rises out of the ground near the intersection of Int. 196 and 28th Street SW. The most-asked question? "When is it going to be done?" said developer Roger Lucas during a hardhat tour of the site this week. After originally setting the opening date as this summer, Lucas has now slid the date back to October...

Images Source: MLive | Cory Morse

[animatedmartian]

It would have been a very cool idea if their goal was for a huge haunted house of horrors theme park.

[The North One]

What the hell? Why would the city ever approve that?

[mhays]

Worker without hardhat? That's pretty bizarre.

[deja vu]

As you look closer at the details, you start to really notice the cheapness of it all: there's just so much wrong with this photo below - the windows are rectangular awnings that pivot in, due to the fake concrete arch forms. I don't even think the 'brick' is thin-face veneer, it actually looks like it's just stamped and stained concrete that is already fading. The labor was imported from Florida, apparently because this method of construction (cheap?) is more popular there. It all just looks so terrible.


Images Source: MLive | Cory Morse

[The ATX]

Originally Posted by mhays

Worker without hardhat? That's pretty bizarre.

Everything about this project is pretty bizarre.

[LMich]

Didn't see this one, but The Warner Building began construction late last month.



The first phase is the 15-story, 291,549 square-foot building which includes office space above a 7-story parking garage with ground floor retail. They've already landed the anchor tenants. The next phase, which will began construction as soon as they can stop using the neighboring site as a staging area for the tower, will be the 12-story, 114,312 square-foot, 160-room Hyatt Place Grand Rapids. It will be directly connected to and share the parking garage in the office building. Both are scheduled for a 2019 completion.

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by LMich

Didn't see this one, but The Warner Building began construction late last month.

I mentioned it back in post #233. I'll try to take some progress photos some day, when it's further along. In other news -

Partners share plan for $40M urban development
By Ehren Wynder | Grand Rapids Business Journal
August 31, 2017

The group of partners planning a $40-million neighborhood development in Grand Rapids have revealed their plan for the site...The plan is designed to enhance health, housing, education and economic opportunities for the Roosevelt Park neighborhood. The plan includes a new Grand Rapids Public Schools high school, a 5,000-square foot expansion of Mercy Health Saint Mary’s Clinica Santa Maria, expanded arts and cultural programming through Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities, new pre-school classrooms and communal gathering spaces. The project will also involve about 45 affordable rental units and about 19 affordable single and multi-family homes.

...

The official website conveys a collaborative and open process for the planned developments.


Image Source:


Image Source: Plaza Roosevelt

[deja vu]

'The Venue', the 94-unit apartment tower across from Van Andel Arena, is complete. It is apparently 70% pre-leased. there's a short news clip from Wood TV8:

Downtown GR apartment building construction complete

[deja vu]

Grand Rapids is throwing its name into the ring of potential contenders for Amazon's second US HQ. Certainly a long shot, but Right Place Inc. - a local economic development group - is taking an active lead in coordinating with local and state officials to pursue the opportunity. Grand Rapids has a metro area of greater than 1,000,000, and it therefore qualifies for Amazon's RFP along with 40-some other cities. But among those other cities, Grand Rapids has to be near the bottom of the list. I admire the effort, but I don't see it happening.

Grand Rapids pursuing Amazon HQ, 50,000 jobs
Ken Kolker | Wood TV8

[deja vu]

MSU's new research facility in GR will officially open on September 22, thus increasing its presence even more in the western side of the state. The 6-story, $88 million facility took 2 years to build, and was mostly privately funded. Its opening brings 130 new jobs to West Michigan, and it is expected to support about 260 researchers. It was built on the site of the former Grand Rapids Press Building, which was itself one of the original structures of Grand Rapid's 'urban renewal' effort beginning in the 1950s / 60s.

OxBlue did a good timelapse of the entire project, including demolition of the Press Building. I don't know how to embed Vimeo videos so click the link to watch. Here's a link to Wood TV 8's coverage of the story. Some other coverage below:

New MSU research center opening in Grand Rapids
By Bryce Huffman | Michigan Radio
September 15, 2017

MSU opens $88.1M Grand Rapids Research Center
By Rachel Watson | GRBJ
September 15, 2017

Exterior View:

Image Source: Michigan Radio


Interior View:

Image Source: Wood TV 8

[deja vu]

Meijer Gardens breaks ground on $115M expansion
Rachel Watson | GRBJ
October 4, 2017

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has kicked off a $115-million expansion project. Meijer Gardens said today it broke ground on the project that includes three new buildings, upgraded facilities and gardens, and re-configured and additional parking capacity...New York-based Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects | Partners is collaborating with Grand Rapids-based Progressive AE as the architect and designer for the project. Owen-Ames-Kimball is the project’s contractor.

Concept renderings below from several local news sources:


Image Source: Wood TV8


Image Source: Wood TV8


Image Source: Wood TV8


Image Source: Wood TV8


Image Source: Wood TV8


Image Source: Fox17 Onlinehttp://fox17online.com/2017/03/23/me...ion-expansion/


Image Source: WZZM

[deja vu]

Phase 1 of the Gerald R. Ford Airport Expansion looks good! The main work of this phase involved creating a consolidated passenger security checkpoint. Phase 2 will include improvements to the airline ticketing, baggage screening, and baggage claim areas. Construction on Phase 2 is expected to begin in 2018.

Gerald R. Ford International Airport opens new expansion
David Keller | Fox17 Online
September 28, 2017

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich – Construction on the first phase of the Gerald R. Ford International Airport’s (GFIA) Gateway Transformation Project started in December 2015 and concluded Wednesday with a ribbon-cutting celebration with sponsors, tenants, airport staff, and dignitaries...

...Of the $45 million project, over $17 million was raised through sponsorships, with the remainder of the support coming from airport funds and passenger facility charges. Sponsorships included an $8 million donation from Amway as the title sponsor of the Gateway Transformation Project.

Images Source: Fox17 Online

[deja vu]

College breaks ground on $32M science wing
Rachel Watson | GRBJ
September 28, 2017

A local college has kicked off a $32-million expansion and renovation of its science hall. Aquinas College, a private Catholic school, began last week the construction project on the Albertus Magnus Hall of Science at its campus in Grand Rapids, at 1700 Fulton St. E. The project is being funded by Aquinas’s $58-million capital campaign underway since 2014...TowerPinkster, with offices in Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo, is handling the architecture and interior design. Grand Rapids-based Pioneer Construction is the project’s contractor...

North Rendering:


South Rendering:


Entrance Rendering:

Images Source: Aquinas College

[deja vu]

Developer constructing $14M apartment building in Heritage Hill
Ehren Wynder | GRBJ
September 27, 2017

A local developer has broken ground on a new $14-million apartment building in Grand Rapids’ Heritage Hill neighborhood. Grand Rapids-based Orion Construction said it officially started construction today on the four-story, 70,000-square-foot Heritage Place, at 50 College Ave. SE...The 86-unit project is expected to be complete in the summer of 2018. Heritage Place will be built on the former site of the Social Security Administration office building...

• ORES is the developer and will own the building once it’s completed.
• Orion Construction is the general contractor.
• Grand Rapids-based Concept Design is serving as the project’s architect.
• Project financing is being provided by First National Bank.

Image Source: Heritage Hill Association

[Docta_Love]

I'm really excited to see the Meijer Garden's expansion i've never been to it before figure it would be a good time to go.

[subterranean]

Whatever happened to the proposal on the triangular lot, which would be the new tallest?

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by Docta_Love

I'm really excited to see the Meijer Garden's expansion i've never been to it before figure it would be a good time to go.

I was there just once when I was much younger. I don't remember much of it, except for the giant horse statue - I've been thinking it would be good to go back.

Originally Posted by subterranean

Whatever happened to the proposal on the triangular lot, which would be the new tallest?

Good question - I looked into it about a month ago and could find no new public info. I will try and dig around some more.