I noticed this week that floor plans were posted on the window of 320 Michigan Ave. showing the layout of four new apartments on the second and third floors. This was originally the Hotel Holt. It has some neat glazed terra-cotta detailing, and is the only facade of its kind left in downtown. Tovich LLC is the owner, Cornerstone Construction the GC. The Architect is Howard L Overbeek (Portage). The layout of the units actually looks pretty neat - I like that there will be a small atrium space that takes advantage of an existing skylight. Units 201 and 301 actually are quite large, with 3-bedrooms ea. The other two are a single-bedroom and a 2-bedroom. There will be a new elevator and exterior decks on the back side. I wonder what these units will go for?
The first floor will be commercial retail space, but I can't figure out what will be going in there. It was mostly recently the home of Alfred E. Bike. I'm wondering if it might be
Rocket Fizz, a retro-style sod pop and candy shop that announced earlier this year it was opening a new location downtown. That was supposed to be at
119 Michigan Ave (between a PNC and new Biggby Coffee) and for some reason did not pan out. I think Biggby might be expanding their dining area into this storefront now? The Rocket Fizz
Facebook Page just says that "We are still working on finalizing a lease and have our eye on a pretty darn neat location in downtown K'zoo."
Second Floor:
Third Floor:
This is the exterior (photos from a few days prior):
The Historic District Commission application from a year ago has
more info, including some existing photos:
In the same Nov 2016 HDC Agenda Packet, I noticed this project which I hadn't heard of, proposed for
827 South Westnedge. A new commercial development called Old Central Center, consisting of a single story with 3-4 storefronts parallel to an existing laundromat and Ranney Street. Presumably the name comes from the fact that it's one block away from the old Kalamazoo Central High School. It's nothing phenomenal, but would be better than a surface lot in the small, walkable commercial district at Vine and Westnedge. I'm not crazy about the fact that the storefronts all face south, towards the parking lot, and not north, towards Ranney. The north elevation is essentially a blank wall and the back of the structure. The HDC may have rejected it based on that fact alone, I will do some research.
