LEGO is opening its second Michigan store at Woodland Mall...
Coming to Woodland Mall: Official LEGO Store
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A new spot for Lego lovers is coming to the Grand Rapids area.
An official Lego Store is opening at the Woodland Mall this summer, it announced in a Monday Facebook post.
“Calling all Grand Rapids LEGO fans! The newest LEGO Store is opening this summer at the Woodland Mall,” the post says. “Stay tuned for an opening date and more details soon!” It will be the second Lego Store in Michigan, according to the toy brand’s website, with the other one located in Troy near Detroit.
West Michigan has some unofficial Lego stores, including a Bricks and Minifigs location just a few minutes away from the mall.
As an AFOL (Adult Fan of Lego) I am excited by this news. There has been some concern expressed by others that Lego is moving into town just to squash their competition (in the form of Bricks & Minifigs - a third-party chain Lego retailer located just a mile down the road). I frequent their Kalamazoo location and they are great. Personally, I think there's plenty of room for both. Bricks & Minifigs serves a slightly different market, with options like bulk bins, buy / sell / trade, and rare used / retired items, in addition to selling current, new sets. I guess it's true that their new set inventory sales might take a hit, but I think both stores will thrive. I'm a bit jealous that a Lego store was not announced for The Crossroads Mall in Kalamazoo, but I guess the market just might not be large enough.
The next time you are traveling on US-131 near Wayland, look east and you'll see the state's newest high-rise topped out. I was actually driving by the day of the topping-out ceremony, on May 2 -
From LinkedIn -
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On May 2nd, we hit a momentous milestone in our $300 million expansion with the placement of the final beam in the construction of our 4-Star Hotel and Resort. Members of the Gun Lake Tribe and Gun Lake Casino executives joined with Clark Construction Company in a traditional steel-workers Topping Out ceremony. The Gun Lake Casino Resort and Wawyé Oasis is set to open in the Spring of 2025, and we couldn't be more excited to share this new venture with our community. Our $300-million expansion project is set to create numerous job opportunities in the region. We're introducing a 252-room 4-diamond hotel, a top-of-the-line full-service spa, expanded dining choices, and multiple swimming pools, all housed within the stunning Wawyé Oasis. This 32,000-square-foot glass atrium entertainment hub is sure to captivate visitors, transforming into a vibrant nightclub come nightfall. Join us as we redefine luxury and entertainment in our community!
Drone Footage: link (hint: turn the volume up for some snappin' public domain music, to improve your experience!)
BENTON HARBOR, MI – The company that owns the closed Palisades Nuclear Power Plant will host an open house for the public to learn about efforts to restart the electricity generation station. The nuclear plant in Covert Township is the focus of state and federal efforts to repower the facility and return its 800-megawatt capacity to the power grid as a significant climate action...
...Holtec International will host the open house from 5 to 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 4, at the Palisades Joint Informational Center, 330 W. Main St., Benton Harbor...
A plan to redevelop the former Shaw Walker Furniture Co. building near Muskegon Lake into 546 housing units, a parking garage and retail space has received initial approval from the city’s planning commission...
(rest of the article is paywalled)
This property is probably the largest-remaining visible remnant of Muskegon's heavily-industrial past. It's conversion could be very transformative for the city.
I'm liking these recent progress shots of the massive Gun Lake Casino Phase 5 expansion. The tallest building between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo (by a good margin) continues to impress -
141 apartments, retail space coming to downtown Hudsonville’s Terra Station
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Hudsonville’s master plan for a walkable downtown is taking shape.
Grand Rapids-based developer and general contractor Veneklasen Construction plans to break ground in the next few weeks on the $32.5 million Terra Station, a mixed-use project consisting of 141 apartments and 4,500 square feet of ground-floor retail at 3302 Prospect St.
Microsoft buys 316 acres in Michigan for potential data center
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Microsoft Corp. has purchased 316 acres in southern Kent County from Steelcase Inc. for $45.3 million for a potential data center development, Crain’s Grand Rapids Business has learned.
The irregularly shaped vacant property is located south of Grand Rapids in Gaines Charter Township, at the northwestern corner of the Patterson Avenue and 76th Street intersection. Microsoft has not yet announced plans for the site, but The Right Place Inc. helped the company assess the property for a potential data center, said Randy Thelen, president and CEO of the economic development organization.
“The Right Place is pleased to have helped Microsoft Corporation assess a 315-acre industrial parcel in Gaines Charter Township for a potential data center. The opportunity ahead with Microsoft fits into our 10-year tech strategy to develop the greater Grand Rapids region into a leading tech hub in the Midwest,” Thelen said in a statement to Crain’s Grand Rapids Business. “With one of the leading tech companies in the world taking notice, we’re well on our way there.” Microsoft officials have yet to meet with Gaines Township leaders and have not shared any potential development plans, said Dan Wells, community development director of the township’s planning and zoning department. The township is in the process of reviewing a non-disclosure agreement with Microsoft related to the property acquisition, Wells said.
“We don’t have any general concept plan yet,” Wells said. “(The land) has been controlled by Steelcase for many years and it seemed like two years ago they showed more interest in doing something with it.”
Great to see this finally coming to fruition! It seems like they've been talking about this for a really long time.
Yes, seemingly for decades - at least since the early 2000's I think. I guess the Muskegon market finally got hot enough to push this one into reality!
Sticking with Muskegon, (this news is over a month old now, but) the historic Hackley Administration Building - built in the 1890's - will be repurposed as a 45-room boutique hotel, named Hackley Castle Inn and Suites -
A downtown Muskegon landmark will be turned into a destination that will give people one more reason to stay in the Lakeshore community. The historic Hackley Administration Building will undergo a transformation into a one-of-a-kind 45-room boutique hotel, aptly named the Hackley Castle Inn and Suites. The Hackley Castle will blend the building’s storied past and historic architecture with contemporary luxury, offering a unique stay in the heart of downtown Muskegon...
The $11.5 million project is scheduled to wrap up in fall 2025 -
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