Kalamazoo -
Get ready for a pretty random smattering of updates. Some of these might not even be post-worthy here. But, it's been a long week, it's late, I'm bored, and I can't sleep. So here ya go -
There are site plan reviews from August that I'm just getting around to. The first is for
1616 E Main Street, part of the multi-phase, mixed-use Eastside Square development. There are two connected buildings proposed. "Building A" is a 2-stories, with 4 condo units. "Building B" is 3 stories, with ground floor commercial and 8 total condo units on floors 2 & 3. The architecture firm is INFORM Architecture -
"Building A"
"Building B"
Source:
City of Kalamazoo
The second site plan review is for
315 E Frank Street, a.k.a. Bogan Development, LLC. This has been posted about previously. At an earlier point, it was reported to be a nine-unit housing development with a mix of affordable and market-rate units as well as an on-site daycare center. Now it looks like 13 units and a daycare center, still split across two buildings. The renderings are pretty plain, but just about any development that promises affordable housing in the Northside is welcome news. The architecture firm is TowerPinkster and the builder is AVB -
Source:
City of Kalamazoo
The third site plan review is also for a Northside housing development. 5 units are proposed for
718 N. Burdick Street, the site of a very dilapidated, single-story structure. A change of use is required, and impressively, they propose to restore the existing building and feature its unique barrel-vault structure. This is pretty amazing to me. Usually a building this far gone (half the roof is missing) would meet the wrecking ball in our town. The architecture firm is Battle Creek-based Driven Design Studio -
Source:
City of Kalamazoo
In other news, all lanes of Stadium Drive reopened last week, after extensive work over the summer. There will still be some intermittent lane closures while signage is installed and painting is completed, but the project is nearly complete. Trees will be planted in the new medians next spring 0
Source:
LinkedIn | City of Kalamazoo
Milham Park is getting a new playground. Work started earlier this month and will wrap up in November. There will be spaces designed for children ages 2-5 and 5-11, a quiet playscape for children with special needs, and a concrete path and ramp leading to the play area -
Source: City of Kalamazoo
And in food-related news, there are at least 3 new restaurants that are open, about to open, or announced -
JungleBird opened a few weeks ago in the ground floor of The Exchange.
Source:
MLive | provided by JungleBird
WP Diner @ Washington Square just had a soft opening at
1324 Portage Street. This is the newest KPEP (Kalamazoo Probation Enhancement Program) food venture, which provides training and employment for former offenders. Other KPEP programs include both Walnut & Park coffee shops. Its opening seems to have been delayed by the pandemic. The renovated building sat empty for a while. Here it is, pictured in November 2019 -
Source:
MLive | Sophie Hillmeyer
News broke this week that a new taco joint will open in a long-vacant commercial space downtown. Barrio Tacos + Tequila + Whiskey is slated to open on the first floor of
215 E. Michigan Ave. next spring. The future use of the second floor is still TBD. This represents a pretty significant investment, with total development costs estimated at $4.2 million -
Source:
MLive | Brad Devereaux