Stryker HQ, from today. Steel erection continues through the bitter cold, with two separate staging / lay-down areas:

https://teicpq-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://skicpq-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://tuicpq-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://s0icpq-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://qeicpq-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://quicpq-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://sehtvw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

And plenty more steel to go:
https://suhtvw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

It's been a somewhat dull week for development news. I am expecting to see an announcement soon from WMU about who was awarded the design contract for their new dorm plans along Stadium Drive. Also hoping that the BRA will eventually reveal some more information about several parcels in Rivers Edge District that they have been trying to get redeveloped. Until then (or until something else unexpected comes along), most of the news is related to some big box and strip mall developments...

1. Ace Hardware has been announced as one of the first confirmed tenants for the 'Midtown Marketplace' redevelopment, located on the north side of Howard Street, between S. Westnedge Ave. and S. Park St. They are expected to open in May, in a 12,000 SF space. We also know that there will be a 28,000 SF grocery store to anchor the development. The Shina Group, out of Detroit, bought the former Harding's Market property in mid-2015. Other possible (but unconfirmed) tenants include a coffee shop, dry cleaners, fitness center, and / or restaurant. All in all, this is good news for the neighborhood.

2. HomeGoods Inc. has a 'Coming Soon' sign up along Westnedge, in Portage. They will probably be open within a month's time.

My photo, from December:
https://ghumvg-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

3. It has been announced that the former Menards building, near Crossroads Mall, will become a Blain's Farm & Fleet store. This company is based out of Wisconsin, where it opertes 38 stores currently. It is expanding into Michigan with this store and a second location in Jackson. They are kind of like Menards / TSC / Home Depot / Lowes all rolled into one. They will be constructing a 30,000 SF automotive center addition to the existing 79,000 SF building, resulting in a total building size of 109,000 SF. It will be interesting to see how they do.

Here's a proposed rendering of the Jackson store, will will occupy a former K-Mart. We can probably expect something similar here:
https://skhtvw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: MLive / Courtesy of Blain's Farm and Fleet

4. The former Family Christian Store at the Westnedge Corners strip mall (NE corner of S. Westnedge Ave. & Kilgore Rd.) is slated to become a fitness center. Family Christian Stores, which until last year was the nation's largest chain of Christian book and merchandise stores, announced it was closing all of its 240 stores across 36 states after filing for bankrupcy in 2015 and after 85 years in business. The entire mall at this high-traffic intersection will be getting a makeover. There was a crane on site today that I'm guessing was probably being utilized to replace rooftop equipment.

^ One more to add to the above list. Work is progressing on the next outbuilding at the Corner @ Drake. This 22,000 SF building will be connected to the recently-opened Trader Joe's, and will house 3-4 additional retailers. AVB has not confirmed any of the tenants yet, but says they are in discussions with three, and that they will be unique to the area. Two of the prospects are restaurants. After this, there is yet another 12,000 SF outbuilding that will be occupied by up to three additional tenants, as well as several restaurant pads yet to be developed.

The space furthest left in the below plan is Trader Joe's:
https://qei44g-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: http://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo/...ntinues_a.html

Trader Joe's in the background:
https://s0i44g-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: Al Jones | MLive

Found another rendering of the Stryker HQ on Allied Mechanical Services' website, which holds the mechanical contract for the job (so of course it features the roof top units more than anything else). I wish this thing could have been taller. Unfortunately, the adjacent airport and city zoning prevented even the possibility of this.

https://qui44g-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: alliedmechanical.com

Portage has started tree removal and site clearing for a new interpretive center at Celery Flats (the centerpiece of its parks system). The work will replace an aging building with a new, 2,300 SF covered pavilion that includes restrooms, private patio, deck overlook, pedestrian plaza, and expanded parking. The work should move quickly; it is expected to be complete this June.

Kalamazoo Public Schools will ask voters in May to decide on passing the largest bond proposal in the district's history. A 1.25 mil increase would cover the proposed $96.7 million in bond sales. The dollars would go towards numerous facility upgrades throughout the district, including:

• Roof, boiler, parking lot upgrades, new buses, and equipment ($44.8 million)
• New technology ($9.6 million)
• The replacement of Edison Environmental Academy, which is housed in a 1924 school building that will be demolished ($25.7 million)
• Additions to the district's alternative High School - Phoenix High - new classrooms, restrooms, offices, and gym ($6.4 Million)
• A new central kitchen facility to serve the district ($5 million)
• Security Improvements ($4.2 million)

I don't like it when the old schools just get demolished (instead of repurposed) but it is 94 years old and it would probably not attract any developer for a while due to the costs of rehabbing it and the location.

Here's a few highlights from a tour of Consumers Credit Union's new corporate headquarters, taken Wednesday night, 1/24/18:

https://quijqa-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://sejuyw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://sujuyw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://rkjuyw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://r0juyw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://tujuyw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://tejuyw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://skjuyw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://sugp4a-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://qujuyw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://s0juyw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://qejuyw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://segp4a-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

A few quick updates from downtown, taken yesterday, with weather in the 50s.

The Exchange:
https://seh0aw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://skh0aw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

(More photos of The Exchange here)

Elevator shaft is going up at 216 / 220 Michigan Ave:
https://tugp4a-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

I can't tell but it looks like there's some activity / mobilization at the former Kalamazoo Gazette Building / future Bronson labs site. Remodeling work is ongoing inside the old Albert Kahn structure (to the right):
https://tegp4a-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

Portage City Council will meet on February 27 to discuss two options put forth in a feasibility study for a new senior center. The first option keeps the existing building and remodels / adds on to it. The second option, slightly more expensive, would create an all-new center with more service possibilities than option 1. A decision on either option is expected to move forward this year. Here's a rendering of the proposed Portage Senior Center (presumably this is option 2, as it looks nothing like the existing):

https://gtqq4g-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: MLive / Courtesy City of Portage

Borgess Medical Center has announced a $35 million, 32,000 SF expansion to its Stryker Center. The neat thing about it is that it will be a vertical expansion. The center, which opened in 2006, was originally designed to accommodate eventual vertical expansion. The project is expected to be complete in 2020. No renderings yet that I could find.

In what might be good news for the area, Kalamazoo and Portage will be receiving a combined $3 million in state tax credits to go towards affordable housing developments:

Demolition is occurring at the site of the former Putters Family Fun Center, along S. Westnedge Ave. in Portage. Putters closed somewhat abruptly after its 2014 season. It was in business for over 30 years, and had an arcade, batting cages, outdoor trampolines, soak zone, two (yes, two!) putt-putt golf courses, and a smattering of large animal statuary (including a 20 ft tall giraffe), most of which was auctioned off after the closing. Here's a streetview from 2012.

There's no info that I could find on what the plans are for the lot now, or who owns it. The building that once housed the arcade and concessions is now a pile of rubble. I'm not a betting man, but given what's surrounding, I'd say there's a giant, underwhelming likelihood that this will become (a) a restaurant / fast food joint, (b) a bank or credit union, or (c) an auto parts store. Or maybe a skyscraper :rolleyes:

I wonder where the giraffes ended up after the auction?
https://gnqq4g-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: Google Images

I was reading the meeting minutes from the City Commission's 1/16/2018 meeting, and the motion to adopt an ordinance to rezone the 243 parcels located between W. Lovell Street and Stockbridge Avenue from Zones CC, CN-1 and M-1 to Zones CCBD, CN-1, CN-2 and RM-36 failed for lack of support. Not sure what the city's plan is now. Eight public comments all expressed opposition, for various reasons:

(from Post #198)

By the way, I don't think I ever mentioned that the City Commission unanimously approved a motion to rezone Mayor's Riverfront Park from zone M-1 to CMU at the regular 12/18/2017 meeting, after receiving several public comments from local businesses in opposition of the change:

(from Post #173)

Product design services are in growing demand in the region, and WMU responded by starting a new program to train future product designers this past fall. Now the University is renovating Central Kohrman Hall to better accomodate its new Product Design program -

Partial Rendering:
https://fttavg-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Image Source: GRBJ | Courtesy WMU

As an aside, South Kohrman Hall was remodeled about a decade ago with a design by SmithGroup, and that project received AIA recognition for design excellence. Here's some photos of the South Kohrman Hall Renovation. Maybe this is a glimpse of what Central Kohrman will resemble when finished:
https://dtr1yw-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://fdtavg-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Images Source: SmithGroup

Well I wasn't about to get my hopes up for anything remarkable, and that's good, because it looks like this will be a used car dealership :yuck:. According to the Planning Commission June 29, 2017 meeting minutes.

Here's some other Portage City Planning Commission tidbits that I dug up -

1. A 10,000 SF restaurant will be coming to the Trade Centre development - Black Rock Bar & Grill, according to July 20, 2017 meeting minutes. They are a small steakhouse chain established in Hartland, MI in 2010, that has been aggressively expanding in metro Detroit, as well as Florida, with plans for locations in Illinois and Ohio. Here is a picture of the one in Davison, MI:

https://ddqqqa-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: Johnson Design

2. FEMA Corporation, local manufacturer of hydraulic equipment, applied to construct a 47,000 SF addition to their current facility on Vanderbilt Ave. in August, which required approval for height modification. According to August 17, 2017 meeting minutes. They have a sharp-looking facility today:

• Video Link

3. Selinon Park, (1521, 1603 and 1615 East Centre Avenue) applied for final plan reapproval in August after their previous application expired. This planned development by Full Circle Communities proposes the construction of 74 affordable units across three buildings. According to August 17, 2017 meeting minutes. This is one of the many projects in Michigan receiving state aid through tax credits.

Rendering:
https://f9qqqa-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: Full Circle Communities

4. A Special Land Use Permit was issued in January for a new micro-brewery - Presidential Brewing Company, at 129 W. Centre Ave. The owner was requesting that the City waive the requirement that the establishment provide at least 100 seats and offer lunch and dinner menus. His plan is to grow the business over several years so that it eventually does provide more accommodations for dining. According to January 18, 2018 meeting minutes. From facebook photos, it looks like the current operation is run out of agarage.

5. On the agenda for the February 01, 2018 meeting was specific site plan review for Portage Creek Landings, a planned commercial development at the corner of Centre Ave. and Shaver Rd. The owner (PCL Curtis, LLC) wants to construct an 8,000 SF Office / retail building, as the third structure in this slowly growing development (2006 saw the first building, a Walgreens, and 2008 a Huntington Bank branch). Plans for a restaurant in 2014 fell through, and several extensions of the conceptual plan have been granted. The owner has blamed a poor economy for not getting things developed more quickly. There are still about 14 acres of undeveloped land to be considered, and the vision is for a pedestrian-friendly 'lifestyle center'.

Here's an image of the conceptual plan from 2017, which still stands as the current roadmap for future development plans at this busy intersection. This plan is what the owner is asking for another extension on:
https://gnqqqa-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: Portage Planning Commission Agenda Packet

Pfizer had a ribbon cutting for its new Building 541 a few days ago in Portage. This new warehouse is massive. At about 98,500 SF, and probably about 40 ft high, that's about 4,000,000 cubic feet of building volume. Now imagine it filled to the ceiling with medicine. This represents the completion of just one stage of a massive multi-phase investment in the company's largest manufacturing facility in the world. Meanwhile, work continues on an adjacent 10,000 SF remodel for the facility's asceptic processing center, which will be used for production of Act-O-Vials - small devices used to quickly inject patients in life-saving situations.

As Pfizer invests in Portage, we'll see what happens with another local pharmaceutical-related company, MPI Research, which just announced that it will be purchased by MA-based Charles River Laboratories for a cool $800 million. MPI does contract research for pharmaceutical companies, biotech firms, and others. With about 1,600 employees, it is among the largest employers in the area.

Kalamazoo has completed assembling its Foundation for Excellence board, and their first meeting took place on February 15th. The inaugural board is comprised of a diverse group of thirteen individuals from the community. The committee represents public and private interests, with neighborhood, arts, healthcare, housing, business, education, faith-based, and neighborhood stakeholders all represented and all appointed to rotating terms. Mayor Bobby Hopewell will serve as President on the board. City manager Jim Ritsema is also on the board as Ex-officio Director.

The board is charged with managing the Foundation's finances, which are built upon an initial $70.3 million donation from two local philanthropists, William Parfet (Upjohn heir) and William Johnston (Stryker heir), in 2016. There is an ambitious goal to raise another $500 million for the fund by 2019, to create a self-sustaining endowment that will be used for several ambitious goals, primarily, property tax reductions, stabilization of the city budget, elimination of homelessness in the city, infrastructure upgrades, and other capital improvement projects.

The board members begin orientation sessions next week (2/20 and 2/21), which are open to the public. It should be interesting to watch how this process unfolds. The Kalamazoo Promise has been lauded as a success, imitated by countless other municipalities now. This Foundation, while different, has followed a somewhat similar formula as it gets off the ground -

There are definitive plans for a substantial development on the eastern side of the city's public parking lot #9, located on the SW corner of Water and Edwards Streets, behind the Main Street East complex and directly across from Arcadia Creek Festival Place. My own suspicions were raised when folks were doing soil boring tests in the area earlier this year. No renderings yet, but the preliminary info sounds compelling -

• $60 million, mixed-use building, with parking, commercial, and residential spaces
• 300,000 SF building, including Class A Commercial and 50 residential units, mostly market-rate. Sources say this will be 7 stories
• 315 parking spaces, which would be a net increase from the current surface parking that would go away
• Construction completion targeted for within 24 months of property closing

The developer is Catalyst Development Company, LLC. which is a subsidiary of Greenleaf Companies, of which Bill Johnston is the chairman (Johnston is one of the two donors that pledged $70.3 million towards the newly-formed Foundation for Excellence) -

There is extensive flooding throughout Michigan due to heavy rainfall and excessive snow melt. The Kalamazoo River is officially the highest it has ever been as of this morning and still rising, causing all sorts of havoc on roadways and damage to homes and businesses. Lots of stalled vehicles, crashes, and emergency rescues as motorists don't know how to handle the rising water levels. The Morrow Dam was opened today to try and relieve some of the swelling and flooding on the city's east side. But this has exacerbated flooding further downriver in Kalamazoo Township. Many more photos on MLive and other local sources -

Map of current road closures and flood plain area (as of Friday, 2/23 evening) -
https://6zehka-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: Google Maps

Kalamazoo's East Side on Thursday - Aerial Drone View -
https://3jgina-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: NVHUSC Photography / Facebook

M-43 Bridge -
https://5dehka-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

Comstock -
https://5jehka-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

M-96 Bridge with north branch of Kalamazoo River reaching the main beam span - near Augusta -
https://5zehka-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

Opening Morrow Dam -
https://5tehka-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

Homer Stryker / Kalamazoo Growlers Field -
https://5tgina-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

How is Arcadia Creek controlled? Is it just that the banks are so high, or is it seperated from the Kalamazoo River in some other way?

Lansing got pummeled, too. Fortunately, the major commerical areas of the city sit above the floodplain, but there are certainly parts of these areas still in it. Another half a foot or so and we'd have had extensive damage downtown. From the MSP.

Downtown

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DWq3OHTXcAArSxp.jpg

Old Town

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DWq4OUNWAAAd33_.jpg

REO Town

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DWqwb6yX0AAf032.jpg

The worst is always on the eastside, though.

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DWqpeb-W4AEE8vr.jpg

https://pbs.twimg.com/media/DWqskq3X0AAKzz2.jpg

Michigan State University

http://expo.advance.net/img/8c09f1aa...505_flood7.jpg

http://expo.advance.net/img/839df5d6...edd_flood5.jpg

Still tons of damage, and a lot of evacuations on the eastside.

Anyway, really excited to hear about the development across from Arcadia Creek Festival Place. It sounds like it's really going to interact with the street, well.

There has been a series of recent projects to stabilize the banks and increase the capacity of the creek west of downtown, along the railroad tracks and near WMU, where much of the stormwater load comes from. New wetlands and runoff areas have also been constructed to allow greater drainage before the water gets downtown. As it moves through downtown, it is primarily controlled by the high concrete walls and a massive culverts through Arcadia Commons that can accommodate a high volume of water movement. Once it hits the Kalamazoo River, east of downtown, there is a grade change to stop the River from back flowing into the Creek, but I'm not sure how much. When not in flood stage, the water in the creek is usually 1 ft or less. It's definitely higher right now, but seems stable.

Yeah it looks like Lansing got it pretty bad, combined effects of Grand River and Red Cedar spilling their banks. You may have already seen these photos on MLive, of folks Kayaking around MSU - pretty wild -

https://3jehka-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://6tehka-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

Must be at least 3 - 4 feet of water in that ballfield. South of here, Three Rivers got hit hard too - aerial from Thursday -

https://6tgina-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: NVHUSC Photography / Facebook

Grand River in Grand Rapids peaked yesterday - denizens there were largely spared worse damage by just a few inches, like Lansing. Flooding looks like it will not be quite as bad as 2013 was there -

https://3zhrpg-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: MLive

• Video Link

Agreed! I've been hoping for some news of something big here. There were some conceptual renders a few years ago, back when it was a different developer considering the same site. At that point, it was only a 3-4 story option. I also think that the nearby site at the corner of E Michigan Ave. and N Edwards St. (former Wendy's, former-former American House / Park-American / Harris Hotel site) is just begging to have a 7-8 story mixed-use structure. We will see...It sounds like the city is completely on board, along with DKI, so hopefully this doesn't hit too much opposition, although I am already hearing the usual NIMBY complaints - this will eliminate parking, this will kill the festival place, this will create a 'canyon effect'...but these concerns are not well-grounded in reality -

• As proposed, it will actually provide a net parking increase, and I think there's a strong chance that given the land deal with the city, some of the parking provided in the building will be publically available to offset the loss of surface lots. There is also a 'plethora' of under-utilized decks within a few blocks' walking distance too, operating at 30% or less capacity.
  
  
• Festival Place has been on a downhill plunge with organized festivals leaving left and right for more affordable venues for years now. Bringing more residents and businesses directly adjacent will better activate the large commons area.
  
  
• The canyon effect comment made me laugh - seriously? A canyon effect? In Kzoo? we're talking an 80 to 90 ft tall building max., with a 40' R.O.W. with another 10' - 20' buffer for sidewalks etc. between it and the actual park. More than 50% of the festival place will still be surrounding by surface parking, including the south edge.

Well that explains it. I wasn't aware the grade was so much higher through downtown that at its discharge into the Kalamazoo River. Because if it weren't, it being so channelized through downtown would be perfect for shooting that water back west and flooding the area west of downtown and downtown itself.

The record high for flood levels was set on Friday, and again on Saturday, as the river continued to rise through Saturday night / early Sunday morning, finally peaking at 11.69 feet around 1:30am today. This is about a 7" increase over the previous record amount of 10.94 feet, set in 1947. Waters are slowly receding now, but major flood stage is expected through at least Monday morning. MDOT has E Michigan Avenue, King's Highway, and parts of Riverview Drive all closed, along with many local streets. Parts of the city look to have 4 feet or more of water. Photos / video from Saturday -

• Video Link

Amtrak still running over the E. Michigan Ave. Viaduct -
https://tr0pna-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none


Fully submerged vehicle near the viaduct -
https://tb0pna-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

View towards Mills Street, from E. Michigan Ave -
https://q70pna-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

Near Veteran's Park -
https://s736pq-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

Bike path under E. Michigan Ave. near Veteran's Park -
https://rl0pna-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

Here are the observations and predictions for the river levels, as tracked by USGS -
https://ul0pna-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: MLive / USGS

Road Closures due to flooding, as of today (Sunday) -
https://tl36pq-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none
Source: Google Maps

The Exchange, 2/27/18 -
https://sr1fhq-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

Bonus - 216-220 Michigan Ave, seen from same vantage point -
https://t71fhq-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

Wow that's no joke. We're pretty lucky here in Michigan in the fact that we have relatively short rivers by North American standards at least so we don't have to worry about more water from out of the area coming in and exacerbating the problem.

Not to mention we only very rarely get large rain events and inch or two of rain here is a big deal while near the Atlantic or down south and even in the plains during spring time they all can rainfall totals that sound more like snowfall totals to us.

But as the climate changes being in the business of trying to forecast the weather is going to become an increasingly tricky business with increasing abnormalities becoming the norm.


My lil sister was there for the 2013 flood she wasn't affected but I do remember her talking about it must have been wild if it's worse than this one.

The upcoming City Commission meeting on Monday, 3/5 will be interesting. On the agenda is a recommendation from City Manager Jim Ritsema to remove the historic Fountain of the Pioneers in Bronson Park. The fountain, designed by modernist sculptor Alfonso Ianelli in 1940, depicts a Native American facing east and a white settler facing west and standing taller than the Native American. It was recently listed on the National Register of Historic Places and the city's own Historic Preservation Commission has been trying to raise nearly $3 million for a restoration (and they were about 3/4 of the way there).

The fountain is appreciated by some for its artistic qualities, but condemned by others for promoting racist ideology and the supremacy of the white race. In Kalamazoo, it has become a local symbol of the larger struggles for race equality that have been seen across the country. From the City Manager's report:

It is expected that the Commission will accept the recommendation fro the City Manager, clearing the way for the fountain to be removed after years of debate. If this happens, the 'best-case' scenario is that the artistically significant portions would then be put in storage until a more suitable location could be found for it, and the void left by the excised sculpture would be re-programmed for other uses.

My own personal opinion is that it should stay, but my expectation is that it will go. I understand how it can be perceived as interpreted as derisive of Native Americans (and more broadly, non-white races in general) but I think the point of the sculpture is to depict an ugly (but) true part of American history that should not be hidden or forgotten. There has been talk of moving it to a museum, but the KIA and Kalamazoo Valley Museum have both indicated that they do not have the proper space for it. I suspect that if it comes down, we will never see it re-erected, at least in its full form.

I think the bigger crime here is the estimated costs that the City has received to do something with it, as reported recently on MLive -

• Option 1 - Complete Removal and Reinstallation - about $2 million to dismantle and reinstall the fountain at a new site, according to a city staff report.
• Option 2 - Partial Removal & Partial Restoration - About $70,000 to $100,000 to dismantle just the offending part of the fountain, and then another $1.25 million to repair the fountain base.
• Option 3 - The 'cheapest option' - Full Demolition, no reinstallation - $75,000 to $100,000.

I've worked on a job where we demolished a 30,000 SF structure with heavily-reinforced 24" thick concrete walls for less than the 'cheap' option. It was not a historic sculpture, but it was an architecturally significant, mid-century building designed to withstand a nuclear holocaust. I think someone is taking advantage of the current racial tensions to rob the city blind of its public funds. If the vote to remove it happens Monday, I suspect many of those that donated to the HPC for restoration will demand that they get their money back.

My own photos from June 2017 -

https://g6bf9w-sn3302.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

https://hqbf9w.sn2.livefilestore.com...&cropmode=none

Follow up to my previous post here -

In an over 5-hour long, emotionally-charged meeting that started at 8:00pm yesterday and ended after 1:00am this morning, the City Commission voted 5-1 in favor of removing the controversial Fountain of the Pioneers from Bronson Park. It took 5 hours to get through all of the public comments, with some for, and some against its removal. There were peaceful protesters and demonstrators in the lobby and on the outside steps of city hall. You can read more about it and view some photos here -

Some news today on the Vicksburg Mill project -

- There are a lot of complicated moving parts and many players involved with this proposal, and I'm not surprised to read that it could easily be 4-5 years before we actually see things at a stage where portions of the development are actually up and running for the public.

After an 8-month or so delay, "The Stamped Robin" has opened downtown. This was first mentioned here in June of 2017, post #77. The part of the article that describes the origin of the name is interesting -

Some random observations from driving around town today -

1. The Hooters in Portage has closed!

No word on what may take its place yet, but it apparently shut its doors end of February. Honestly, I'm surprised it lasted this long. It seems like the company's days are numbered, with the number of US locations dropping greater than 7% between 2012 and 2016. I never went there, and don't know a single other person that did either. This closure follows the recent closing of Panchero's, located nearby on S. Westnedge Ave.

2. Crossroads Mall appears do be doing well, but it's also a bit of a mess -

I've been to Crossroads Mall maybe three times in the nearly three years that I've lived here. That third time was today, when I had occasion to go clothes shopping (which has also probably only happened about 3 times in my life). I will say that as far as conventional, interior-oriented suburban malls go, this one seems to be doing well. It has a near-100% vacancy rate, a decent number of shoppers for mid-day work week, signs of new stores opening this Spring / Summer, and still four anchor tenants (Macy's, Sear's, JC Penny's, and Burlington Coat Factory). That said, the anchor stores feel disheveled and a bit of a mess, with a lot of merchandise strewn about the floor and unorganized on the racks.

3. There's a new coffee shop downtown Kalamazoo -

Located at the Corner of Rose St. and Kalamazoo Ave, across from the Amtrak Station. It must have had a very quiet opening, because I didn't hear about it. I didn't even catch the name of it as I drove past and still can't find anything online about it. Update: it is called Civil House Coffee Co. MLive did a story on it on March 16, 2018.

4. Lunch at 600 Kitchen & Bar in The Foundry -

Millennium Restaurant Group's newest endeavor, 600 Kitchen & Bar, opened a little while ago and we checked it out today for lunch. The food is good, the atmosphere is great. I like what they did with the place. Hopefully it will serve some small role in connecting Kalamazoo's east side to the downtown better, because there's currently an urban desert of roads, train tracks, and industrial uses between downtown and here that makes for a short but unpleasant walk. Preliminary site work for Phase 2 of The Foundry project has been underway for a while now.

https://tr2vbg-dm2305.files.1drv.com...&cropmode=none

As an aside, I stumbled upon these '10 Commandments of Westnedge Avenue' which are quite funny (and very true). If there are any other locals out there reading this, you may agree -

Source: K102.5

Lots of activity on The Exchange site today, with a large concrete pour happening. This will be the fifth level of the building (parking deck). There is also cold-form steel framing going in on the ground floor. Some photos -

https://ul22gg.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://t722gg.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://tb22gg.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://tr22gg.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://q722gg.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://rl22gg.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://s70bdg.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

I'm having fun imagining what this corner is going to look like with The Exchange completed, K-zoo keeps "growing up" so to speak and I like it. :cool:

Kalamazoo is a town that sometimes feels larger than it is, and other times feels a little too small. This project will do a lot to make it feel bigger. The intersection of Michigan Avenue and Rose Street is already the busiest pedestrian area of the city. Completion of The Exchange will make it even more active. It will be interesting to find out what eventually happens with the Courthouse across the street, if / when the new one gets built on Arcadia Commons West.

Regardless of opinion about the Architectural merits of the building, it can certainly be regarded as the most ambitious undertaking in the city right now. I think it is symbolic of this decade, Kind of like Kalamazoo Center (now the Radisson) project is for the 1970s, or the American Bank and Trust (now 5/3 Bank Tower) is for the 1920s, or even the Kalamazoo Building for the 19-oughts. And all three of those are within one block of each other (2 of the 3 can be seen in the above photo).

I really hope Kalamazoo can continue the process of growing its compressed downtown in all directions. There is so much potential for densification, through quality infill projects. A good example is the surface lot at Edwards and Michigan Ave. I hope someone with some ambition can make something positive come to fruition here, maybe something in the 6 - 10 story range.

I just realized that this little thread turned a year old on March 12! Thanks to everyone who has stopped by to read or contribute in the past year, even if just in a small way. 86,000 views, not too shabby for a town this small. Here's to year #2, and hopefully many more exciting developments in our small corner of the world -

https://tl0bdg.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none
Source: Postycards

Well...damn! How about this for an announcement to kick off the Spring?

Things are preliminary, and obviously some huge tax abatements are going to be under consideration. But if approvals for the pharmaceutical behemoth go according to plan (my guess is that they will) construction could begin this year and go on for the next 3 years.

The new facility would be at the corner of Portage and Romence Roads, due west of the recently completed cold storage warehouse expansion.

Edit: Another article, this one from MLive, about Pfizer's announcement. The MLive article says 140 new jobs initially (within 2 years) but 450 within 6 years. At an average salary of $90,000 +.

Only one developer put forth a proposal in response to Kalamazoo's RFQ issued last fall for its former fire station at 116 W Cedar St. (see Post #128 for more). The developer, Portage-based Hollander Development Corporation, submitted a preliminary concept to the city that involves demolishing the current structure and constructing a 6-story mixed use building with ground floor retail, second floor commercial office space (possible fitness or rehab function), and 40 - 50 affordable housing units on floors 3 through 6. There would be a partially-covered parking area, and a rooftop deck for residents. The concept currently has a $10.5 million estimate.

Private development of this area has long been sought by the city, which wants to create a stronger gateway to the Kalamazoo Mall from Southtown and the Vine Neighborhoods, and which also wants to see these lots returned to the tax payroll. This is all quite preliminary, and the developer has until the end of April to determine if it actually wants to make a serious offer on the property (two lots in total). They have partnered up with Byce & Associates for at least the conceptual work. If it goes forward, tax credits would be sought through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and HUD.

Concept Rendering:
https://7b8s9w.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

South Elevation:
https://pb8s9w.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

West Elevation:
https://978s9w.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

Building Section:
https://9l8s9w.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

Site Plan:
https://7l8s9w.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

First Floor Plan:
https://9b8s9w.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

Second Floor Plan:
https://pl8s9w.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

Third Floor Plan:
https://9r8s9w.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

Roof Plan:
https://878s9w.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none
Source: MLive | Courtesy Hollander Development Corp. / Byce & Associates Inc.

Preliminary renderings are out for Catalyst Development's planned 7-story, mixed-use, downtown building. This will be located at the Southwest corner of North Edwards and Water Streets (currently a city-owned surface lot). All signs point to this one moving forward quickly. Love the density. Not crazy about the design yet.

Edit: MLive's article on this also contains a small tidbit about plans for two other city-owned parking lots -

https://wevq3w.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://xuvq3w.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://xkvq3w.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none
Source: MLive | Courtesy Catalyst Development / Tower Pinkster

A few more renderings of the planned development mentioned in the previous post. These are screenshots taken from a WWMT News Channel 3 story on the subject.

https://9l9ncw.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://7lqofw.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://97qofw.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none
Source: WWMT | Courtesy Catalyst Development / Tower Pinkster

In local news that is surprising to probably no one, on April 10 Portage City Council approved a massive tax break for Pfizer, as it plans a major sterile processing facility at its Portage manufacturing site.

Work has begun at Bronson Park to remove some other statuary, in advance of plans to dismantle the Fountain of the Pioneers. For now, the plan is that both of these spaces will be converted into open green space.

https://wesgyq.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none
Source: Wood TV

Concept Rendering
https://xusgyq.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none
Source: Wood TV | Courtesy Rendering

Bronson Park is one of the nicer central squares in the state; I've always been a bit jealous of it. :) I know it's very unlikely to happen since we just don't much do this anymore in this country, but a soaring monument would be such a great addition to the park, if even just a modern, scaled-down take on the likes of the Soldiers' and Sailors' Monuments in Detroit and Indianapolis.

Really, I'd have just been for just reworking the fountain. But it seems that this was really just about using the fountain's controversial nature to remove something that costs a bit to maintain. Most of Lansing's downtown fountains got removed, and it was always put down to the cost of upkeep. The only reason the big historic one in Reutter Park has stayed is just that: It's big and historic and residents would have a fit if they removed it. Given that it was a gift, I bet their is probably some kind of deed restriction attached to it, too.

It is definitely an asset to the city. I agree that there was more motivation than racial tension that led to the demise of the fountain and the adjacent children sculptures. The 'Lunchtime Live' and Summer concert series really activate the space. The added green space for audiences will be good (the best seating locations having been where the water features stood). I only wish that the traffic of adjacent Park St. wasn't so close / so loud. It kinda makes having a covered band shell right there seem silly.

Removal of the main fountain is scheduled to begin next week. We'll see if it goes quietly.

The estimated cost to deconstruct the fountain is $225,000. Wightman & Associates conducted a digital scan of the fountain and photo documentation in March for the city archives and to aid in possible reconstruction efforts in the future.

Not Kalamazoo, but this should be a pretty big deal for Battle Creek's downtown. New Holland Brewing announced it plans to open a new brewpub at 64 W. Michigan Ave, right across the street from the Battle Creek Tower. The business will receive a grant from Battle Creek Unlimited to help with the renovation efforts in the former night club building. They will have less competition here than in Kalamazoo, which may or may not have had any bearing on the decision.

Some might recall that Arcadia Brewing closed its doors just a few steps down the street last year at 103 W. Michigan Ave. This apparently had more to do with structural issues in the building than business being down. From what I can tell, Arcadia still wants to retain a presence in Battle Creek and has been working on finding a new downtown location. Not sure why New Holland ended up with this space and this grant instead of Arcadia, for they certainly must have been looking at it as well.

Kalamazoo Gospel Mission has announced its intention to construct a new building downtown to serve women and children in need. If built, the new structure would replace four aging and dilapidated buildings along North Burdick St. At least two of these edifices looks to have historic merits, but the whole assemblage has been quite remuddled, and they are apparently in pretty bad shape and they are only utilizing about 10% of the space within these particular four buildings. I don't believe that they are beyond repair, but certainly prohibitive costs would be involved for an organization that depends mostly on donations to practice its mission of service to the homeless, hurting, and hungry. A new, cohesive building would likely serve them much better.

It's not a source of pride, but Kalamazoo has a disproportionate homeless challenge for a city of its size. Kalamazoo was recently called out as having the greatest concentration of homeless children in the entire state of Michigan, and the greatest percentage of homeless students. The Gospel Mission has raised more than $2 million already. The completed shelter expansion is expected to house nearly 200 women and children.

https://wutb3q.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none
Source: MLive | Courtesy Kalamazoo Gospel Mission / Schley Architects

Screen shots of floor Plans with some Photoshop skewing to counteract perspective of the camera angle (not super-great quality):

First Floor
https://wetb3q.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

Second Floor
https://wktb3q.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

Third Floor
https://v0tb3q.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none
Source: WWMT | Courtesy Kalamazoo Gospel Mission / Schley Architects

MLive published a piece about some history that uncovered at the Peregrine 100 site. This property has been home to several different banks from the 1870s through just a few years ago, when PNC moved out. The current building was built in 1916-1917 for First National Bank. But when the former structure was demolished in 1916, some parts of it - like the south exterior wall and some plaster detailing - were believed to be saved and reintegrated into the new building.

Also unearthed is a series of old theater advertisements believed to be more than 100 years old, and ones that local historians suspect were for the extinct Fuller Theatre, which at one time seated over 1,500 patrons, but was sadly demolished in the 1950s. The posters were placed on a brick party wall that would have been exposed to the exterior, in-between demolition of the old structure an construction of the current building on the site.

When asked what the developer intends to do with the posters, he said that they will leave them exposed for the Hidden Kalamazoo tour this year and then cover them back up with new walls. I actually like this idea, because attempting to remove them in any way would probably damage them more, and it creates a kind of time capsule for future generations to discover.


The bank atrium in 1917 -
https://xeumaa.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none
Source: MLive | Courtesy WMU Archives and Regional History Collections

The atrium in 2018 -
https://uuumaa.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

The exposed theatre artwork -
https://weumaa.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://xuumaa.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

https://xkumaa.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

Arthur Hammerstein presents...(before it was the famous Rogers & Hammerstein) -
https://w0umaa.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

The basement bank vault -
https://hbtkdw.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

The exterior south wall, believed to be from the earlier building -
https://ukumaa.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

Some plaster detailing, believed to be from the earlier building -
https://hrtkdw.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none

A new apartment unit, in the remodeled upstairs (nice ceilings!) -
https://v0umaa.dm.files.1drv.com/y4m...&cropmode=none
All Images (except as noted above): Mlive | Mark Bugnaski

The controversial pioneer and Native American figures are gone now from Bronson Park -

• Video Link

Not quite Kalamazoo, but I associate Battle Creek more with the Kzoo thread than the general West Michigan one.

Just a few days after it was announced that Grand Rapids-based New Holland plans to open a Battle Creek location in 2019, with the help of a $200,000 grant, it has now been announced that a second brewery, plus some mixed-use-development, is also being awarded $200,000 by the same organization (Battle Creek Unlimited) to move into a beautiful old 3 story building downtown.

Did not bother to include the renderings here because they are quite underwhelming at this stage in my opinion, but you can see them on the article page.

Activity in Cereal City is trying to gain momentum. The potential brewery tenant is still TBD, but I wonder if Arcadia is being considered.

This was basically already a done deal when it was first announced, now it's just been officially approved by the Planning Commission.