[jkazoo]

Surprised to see the Oakland Parkview corner finally getting something. But how underwhelming! If I'd won the lottery, I would have proposed a 6-10 story residential bldg. with underground parking (easy on the hillside site), dropped it to five after the NIMBYs complained about the view desecration, and still ended up with 40 new units on a prime walkable corner with views of the lake.

Probably better than nothing, but it is mostly a strip mall with a 2nd story. Some streetwall frontage to look "urban", but the main entry is off the parking lot, of course. Expect troubled pedestrian access by the time they install signage in the sidewalk and backwards bicycle racks.... and 'forget' to shovel the sidewalk. Not enough new residents to propel real change here.

A painfully missed opportunity, but Kalamazoo always seems to aim low, never high. How will 4 new commercial spaces fill when only a half-dozen new residences are added? There are still vacancies in Oakwood Plaza. Sorry to be a downer, I thought this empty lot had the most promise of any in the neighborhoods, and this one is in mine.