KALAMAZOO / PORTAGE / BATTLE CREEK | Development Thread

[BrewInKzoo]

https://wwmt.com/news/local/hard-roc...G9_pxK52mm-sUU

Hard Rock Hotels are redeveloping the gibson guitar factory!

[shivtim]

Originally Posted by BrewInKzoo

https://wwmt.com/news/local/hard-roc...G9_pxK52mm-sUU

Hard Rock Hotels are redeveloping the Gibson guitar factory!

That is great news, but I'm not sure I understand it. The building is in an industrial area and next to relatively low-income single family housing. It's not really connected to downtown or WMU, from street view it looks like the walk to the nearest things (Bells/Shakespeares/etc) is more than half a mile and doesn't even have sidewalks in some places. Anyone have insight for how this would work, or how it would be successful? Typically Hard Rock concept hotels are either right in the heart of a city or tourist district, or next to a major sporting venue. The first Reverb hotel is in Atlanta literally across the street from Mercedes Benz Stadium and State Farm Arena.

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by BrewInKzoo

https://wwmt.com/news/local/hard-roc...G9_pxK52mm-sUU

Hard Rock Hotels are redeveloping the gibson guitar factory!

Wow. That is huge news, and I must say a bit surprising! I knew there were plans in the works for a Gibson museum, but never anticipated anything remotely like this. As to the location, I kinda have the same thoughts. It would surely take some work to figure out how better to connect it to downtown. While I could see this spurring some more developments to bridge the gap, I'm not sure how the local residents will feel about it being in their backyard.

Fingers crossed. I can't wait for some renderings / drawings.

[BrewInKzoo]

Originally Posted by deja vu

Wow. That is huge news, and I must say a bit surprising! I knew there were plans in the works for a Gibson museum, but never anticipated anything remotely like this. As to the location, I kinda have the same thoughts. It would surely take some work to figure out how better to connect it to downtown. While I could see this spurring some more developments to bridge the gap, I'm not sure how the local residents will feel about it being in their backyard.

Fingers crossed. I can't wait for some renderings / drawings.

Like yourself and the other poster, I'm concerned about the area as well. I can only assume the developers have been given assurances about upcoming development or revitalization coming to the area. I would hesitate to invest without those guarantees...

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by BrewInKzoo

Like yourself and the other poster, I'm concerned about the area as well. I can only assume the developers have been given assurances about upcoming development or revitalization coming to the area. I would hesitate to invest without those guarantees...

Wait, there's a rendering now! Was it up there before and I just missed seeing it, or did it get added to the news story?


Source: WWMT | Contributed

Repurposed, original factory in the right foreground, and what's clearly a large, 4-5 story hotel addition in the background, in a similar factory industrial style. I love seeing the old stack featured so prominently. There was a big push in the community to save that.

No doubt there is an intentional push by the city and Northside stakeholders to grow development in the neighborhood. But the focus has mainly been on creating / re-establishing commercial corridors along N. Westnedge Ave., North St., and N. Burdick St. And the focus has also been on local, resident-owned businesses. There's some good info in the neighborhood plan about this -

Northside Neighborhood Plan

I wonder if the Northside Association for Community Development (NACD) or the recently-established Northside Cultural Business District Authority (NCBDA) would be involved in these development discussions. I think it would be a big mistake not to try and proactively involve them, and through them, the residents. Otherwise, they will risk alienating an entire neighborhood that has been alienated many times already by local officials over the decades.

[jkazoo]

I'm glad someone is dreaming big. But, as you all have alluded to— is the zoning and land use permitted here going to allow a hotel? Does the neighborhood even want this scale? I'm impressed that someone can imagine this is going to be a success, but I wonder if they've ever been here? I'm a booster, but the disconnection to the rest of the attractions downtown for any visitor seems like stretch that will be hard to overcome. Building a hotel halfway between Gibson and Bell's (the only other real draw) seems like a more feasible step.

But maybe this is the future: Tourism will relocate to the climate-proof Midwest, and travelers will want unique destinations?