KALAMAZOO / PORTAGE / BATTLE CREEK | Development Thread

[deja vu]

In other collegiate news -

KVCC gets $19.5M from state for skilled trades wing renovations, expansion
MLive | Aya Miller
December 19, 2023

KALAMAZOO, MI -- Renovations are coming to Kalamazoo Valley Community College’s Texas Township Campus thanks to $19.5 million in state appropriations. The funds will support renovations of the 68,000-square-foot skilled trades wing, a press release from the college said. The college also plans to raise $19.5 million in match funds to support a 20,000-square-foot expansion for a new automotive program in the wing as well, the release said...

Skimming the master plan, it looks like this is the existing wing that will be renovated, and then the new addition for automotive technology will built to the south of that. Something to keep an eye on for sure!

[Velvet_Highground]

[QUOTE=deja vu;10088226]A mishmash of things today, including several aerial views that I have been saving up, from some of our local, talented drone photographers -

City skyline, from about a month back, with the changing leaves -


Source: Facebook | William Dolak

Another angle, with a closeup on the new(ish) 180 E Water St. / Catalyst Development -


Source: Facebook | William Dolak

A late summer aerial photo from near Kalamazoo / Battle Creek International Airport, right beneath the final approach vector for runway 35. This is a great shot that really exemplifies the natural "valley" topography of the city -


Source: Facebook | Caleb Stauffer (Stauffer Aerial)


These next three are all aerial views concentrated on the four blocks of Arcadia West, which are being cleared & vacated for the future event center. The last few of the old buildings on these blocks are now cleared -



Source: Facebook | Caleb Stauffer (Stauffer Aerial)


A unique, low-altitude fish-eye rendering of an empty downtown Kalamazoo on Thanksgiving day -


Source: Facebook | William Dolak

It’s great to see Kalamazoo getting a event center it’ll help open the doors to even more opportunities with its already remarkable run of downtown development over the past decade or so.

Great set I picked out a few favorites. Downtown has come a long way from my school days when we’d pack up for the weekend and decide to hit up wastern for a spot of drinking. The difference in Western’s campus is night and day from what I’ve seen it was a bit bleak with the 60’s-70’s era student housing and student center especially if your walking hungover for some T-Bell in the am.

Downtown improved in ever way shape and form perhaps there was more to it 12-14 years ago but I didn’t interact with it like I did would in Ann Arbor though that’s a bit unfair. The Kalamazoo promise seems to be one of the unhearled success stories of our time. Perhaps because it involves free education. The caveat if I remember being a district graduate and it’s only up through the junior college level (though with a nice easy transfer potential) it’s disappointing that more cities haven’t taken up the idea.

Kalamazoo has had a remarkable turnaround and it’s kept right on going. West Michigan’s strong economy certainly hasn’t hurt but Battle Creek was in a similar position to Kzoo a back in the day. It’s not apples to apples each city has its strong and weak points but Kalamazoo has been able to use its strength in education as a springboard and tapped into the strong regional economy.

BC is a bit further east though there are some nice lakes in the forest north of 94 between the two cities it’s not within as easy reach of Lake Michigan though it’s less snowy. Kzoo doesn’t have a major corporate HQ like BC does in Kellogg’s although the opportunities for the white collar jobs aren’t plentiful like the cereal production jobs were. BC seems to be making some strides towards improving its rather stagnant position the Marshall battery plant and the HSR line continuing on from Detroit to Toronto both offer some opportunities.

I think there’s a good tale of two cities tale to be examined what Kzoo has done and succeeded at what BC has done to improve its downtown and didn’t succeed the pedestrian street in the downtown shopping district comes to mind. A pedestrian street isn’t necessarily a bad idea perhaps bad timing and execution can be partially blamed. Battle Creek has an opportunity to capitalize on its riverwalk and plenty of parking to redevelop or expand green space across from downtown. Getting some more mixed use redevelopments in its quite nice downtown for a city it’s size is another opportunity.

Love the fisheye aerial.

[Matthew]

I'm among those who click on this thread, when I see it updated. I like Michigan cities and I like to see what the peer cities of the city I post on are doing. Which everyone should do.

The similar-sized city I post on also offers some type of free college to local high school graduates up to the junior college level and they can transfer to a four-year college. They are required to stay in the city for two years after getting that degree or certification. I think Kalamazoo started that movement, which I think one or more (not sure how many?) states have tried... yes, at the statewide level! There was an effort to make it national at one time.

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by Velvet_Highground

It’s great to see Kalamazoo getting a event center it’ll help open the doors to even more opportunities with its already remarkable run of downtown development over the past decade or so.

Great set I picked out a few favorites. Downtown has come a long way from my school days when we’d pack up for the weekend and decide to hit up wastern for a spot of drinking. The difference in Western’s campus is night and day from what I’ve seen it was a bit bleak with the 60’s-70’s era student housing and student center especially if your walking hungover for some T-Bell in the am.

Downtown improved in ever way shape and form perhaps there was more to it 12-14 years ago but I didn’t interact with it like I did would in Ann Arbor though that’s a bit unfair. The Kalamazoo promise seems to be one of the unhearled success stories of our time. Perhaps because it involves free education. The caveat if I remember being a district graduate and it’s only up through the junior college level (though with a nice easy transfer potential) it’s disappointing that more cities haven’t taken up the idea.

Kalamazoo has had a remarkable turnaround and it’s kept right on going. West Michigan’s strong economy certainly hasn’t hurt but Battle Creek was in a similar position to Kzoo a back in the day. It’s not apples to apples each city has its strong and weak points but Kalamazoo has been able to use its strength in education as a springboard and tapped into the strong regional economy.

BC is a bit further east though there are some nice lakes in the forest north of 94 between the two cities it’s not within as easy reach of Lake Michigan though it’s less snowy. Kzoo doesn’t have a major corporate HQ like BC does in Kellogg’s although the opportunities for the white collar jobs aren’t plentiful like the cereal production jobs were. BC seems to be making some strides towards improving its rather stagnant position the Marshall battery plant and the HSR line continuing on from Detroit to Toronto both offer some opportunities.

I think there’s a good tale of two cities tale to be examined what Kzoo has done and succeeded at what BC has done to improve its downtown and didn’t succeed the pedestrian street in the downtown shopping district comes to mind. A pedestrian street isn’t necessarily a bad idea perhaps bad timing and execution can be partially blamed. Battle Creek has an opportunity to capitalize on its riverwalk and plenty of parking to redevelop or expand green space across from downtown. Getting some more mixed use redevelopments in its quite nice downtown for a city it’s size is another opportunity.

Love the fisheye aerial.

Thanks for sharing all of these thoughts! You brought up some interesting points.

I don't have as far back of a reference point as it sounds like you do for Kalamazoo. I think my first time visiting here was 2012. We moved here in 2015. So I can really only (personally) recall back about ten years, and it wasn't until we moved here that I began to really understand the urban context (and form my own opinions about it).

In that 8-year time span, I'd say that the city has definitely improved in most (but not all) categories of measurement. I think the biggest challenges still seem to be homelessness, higher-than-average violent crime rates, higher-than-average poverty rates, and a shortage of affordable housing options. No doubt those issues are all somewhat intertwined.

I wish Kalamazoo hadn't lost as much downtown building stock as it did in the back half of the 20th century - if more of the historic commercial (and even lighter industrial) buildings could have withstood the test of time for a few more decades, we would have that many more opportunities for repurposing structures into badly-needed housing. Housing development - especially any with a public funding component - moves at a glacial pace around here. Take the modular tiny home proposal that came to light in the dark, early days of the pandemic, - the city has yet to even determine an acceptable chunk of property to park them on (they've been debating that topic off-and-o for the greater part of 3 years now).

As for the downtown not having a major corporate HQ like Battle Creek does, I've thought about this often, and fantasized about what the city would look like if Upjohn (now Pfizer) hadn't fled downtown to the open pastures of Portage, starting in the 1940's. And for that matter, why doesn't Stryker, a fortune 500 company, will all of its billions, have a downtown presence? Because they also opted for building sprawly-type campuses in the cheap, open fields of Portage with their friendly corporate tax structure. Don't get me wrong - Kalamazoo still benefits vastly from having Stryker and Pfizer in its backyard. There's hardly a project in the city that doesn't have an Upjohn or a Stryker-related family name tied-to it. But, if one or both of those entities had a major presence downtown today, can you imagine...? This fantasy usually then leads me to wish that Portage had never incorporated as a city. Once it did, the fate of Kalamazoo proper's manufacturing future was pretty much sealed. Instead, as it is, Kalamazoo City's two largest employers? Bronson Healthcare (~9,000) and Western Michigan University (~ 6,000). And guess what? They are both non-profit / tax-exempt entities with massive footprints within the city proper. Now obviously, these contribute to the economy in their own way, with many high-paying jobs, education, etc. But it's not the same as a corporation pumping guaranteed tax dollars into city coffers each year.

Kalamazoo is a bit of the inverse of many cities, wherein more people live in the city proper, but they commute out to the suburbs for daily work. Sometimes I think it would be great if Kalamazoo, Portage, and the remaining, eviscerated chunks of Kalamazoo Township (where I reside, btw) all just coalesced into one unified municipality. It would have a population of roughly 150,000 - which would put it in the top-five largest in Michigan. They could share public infrastructure, everyone could vote on things that affect them every day, there could be one unified public safety department, one unified school district, etc. etc. Where I live, I'm surrounded on 3 sides by the city limits. I live three minutes from downtown where I work. And yet, I can't vote for the Mayor. The main argument against this is that taxes would go up. That argument made sense like 60 years ago. But not so much nowadays. For the average homeowner, I suspect that taxes would only increase slightly, and the benefits would be vast.

Battle Creek and Kalamazoo also both have huge opportunities to capitalize on their riverfronts. I'd give both about an F+ grade in this regard. I think most casual visitors to Kalamazoo probably don't even realize that there is a prominent river located a few minutes' walk from the downtown. I know industrialization and pollution have played a huge role in both cities turning their backs on the river. But a lot of that pollution has been mitigated now, so why is development (even of parks and walking trails) still so stymied?

The Upjohn Company, Building 41, under-construction in Portage, 1941 (below). To me, this symbolizes the beginning of the end of large-scale manufacturing within the Kalamazoo city proper. BTW, if you aren't familiar with the story of Portage's incorporation as a city, check it out - it is an interesting one. Basically, a race against the clock between Portage Township (to incorporate), and the City of Kalamazoo (to annex it), in a bid for the Upjohn money. Spoiler alert: Portage won that race.


Source: upjohn.net

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by Matthew

I'm among those who click on this thread, when I see it updated. I like Michigan cities and I like to see what the peer cities of the city I post on are doing. Which everyone should do.

The similar-sized city I post on also offers some type of free college to local high school graduates up to the junior college level and they can transfer to a four-year college. They are required to stay in the city for two years after getting that degree or certification. I think Kalamazoo started that movement, which I think one or more (not sure how many?) states have tried... yes, at the statewide level! There was an effort to make it national at one time.

Thanks for visiting, and ditto to you! Kalamazoo should take some cues from Winston-Salem. It looks like a happening place - one that I hope to visit some day.

Yes, I'm pretty sure Kalamazoo lays claim to being the first entity to try a system like The Promise. A state or nationwide system sounds amazing... one can dream.

[deja vu]

Portage -

I've not been keeping close tabs on Kalamazoo's ever-suburbanizing neighbor to the south. It's usually less-interesting development to me, and it's just hard to celebrate sprawl. Because of that attitude, I missed some things that will bring a little more density to the city. While updating the project rundown in the opening post of this thread, I noticed two substantive residential projects planned for Portage.

The first is StoryPoint South, a 3-story, 177,000 SF / 172-unit senior housing development at 8150 Creekside Drive. According to MLive, this was expected to break ground last May, so I will have to swing by there to see where things are really at. The facility will have studio, one-bedroom, and two-bedroom apartments, grouped in a memory care wing, assisted living wing, enhanced living wing and 93 independent living apartments. It will compliment the existing StoryPoint Portage facility that is located at 3951 W Milham Avenue.








Source: MLive | City of Portage

The second project is Kings Landing, a 95-unit apartment and townhome complex, to be located at the SE corner of Constitutional Blvd. and MLK Dr. (directly across from the new Dr. MLK Jr. Park). The proposal consists of two three-story buildings and one four-story building (which qualifies as a high-rise, by Portage standards). 82 apartment flats and 13 townhomes. Of the apartments, 33 would be one-bedroom units and 49 would be two-bedroom units. The project was approved in late-2022 and it required a rezoning from RM-1 multifamily to planned development in one of the last remaining developable plats of land from the original Romence and Snow family farms. More info -

95-unit apartment and townhome development planned in Portage
Ryan Boldrey | MLive
December 2, 2022

Source: MLive | Integrated Architecture | Provided By City of Portage

[deja vu]

There is an old church that is currently being demolished on Kalamazoo's Northside, at 1101 N Westnedge Avenue. Originally known simply as the Reformed Church, it was built in the late 1800s by a growing congregation of Dutch heritage. The reformists eventually move to the suburbs in 1981, and rebranded as Centerpoint Church around 2000. They have been thriving there ever-since, and today, they are not even aligned with the Reformed Church in America (source). The building had several tenants through the succeeding years after reformists left. Most recently, it was sold by the North Westnedge Church of Christ to the Galilee Baptist Church in 2021 (located across the street in their own building since 1971).

An aerial view, from August 2021 -


Source: Flickr | Bill Dolak

An interior view, taken March 2023 by someone. In clear disarray, but potentially still salvageable (for a high price) -


Source: Google User Content

Recent demo photos -




Source: Facebook | Heritage Architectural Salvage & Supply


Source: Facebook | The Galilee Baptist Church

My first reaction was disappointment and resignation that yet another historic church was coming down. I assumed it would just become a grassy lot, or parking. But, the Baptists actually have a development plan for the site. Per their website:

The former North Westnedge Church of Christ building (1101 North Westnedge Avenue) was purchased in 2021 with future plans to build an affordable housing complex for those in need. We have implemented the Phase ll Capital Campaign “Stepping Up to Secure our Future” to assist with vision of expanding our ministry campus.

A concept rendering of the proposed housing development is below. Still sad to see the church come down, but at least there is a good use planned for the land, which hopefully comes to fruition.


Source: Facebook | Clare Hollander

[DetroitMan]

WMU plans to tear down dorms, build new residence hall

Harrison/Stinson and Eldridge/Fox halls, commonly referred to as “Valley 3″ will be demolished. A new dorm in its place will be built, with expectations of opening for students in fall 2026. The new dorm will be reserved for first-year students. The current Valley 3 buildings, which were built in 1965, will close this May to prepare for demolition. The halls are located next to the Valley Dining Center on the university’s main campus.“This is a prime location for our students and a great starting place for constructing a new, highly attractive home for new students,” said Barry Olson, associate vice president for campus life, in a news release. “We envision a space that meets students where they are and allows us the opportunity to manage future needs as they arise. It’s an exciting time to be at Western.”

The new dorm will offer options for both single and double occupancy.

With the Valley 3 dorms closing after this year, WMU will reopen Henry Hall in fall 2024 for new and returning students to live in. The old dorm is getting updates to modernize the space, including new carpet and paint and updated room furniture and bathrooms.

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo...ence-hall.html

[deja vu]

^ I recall years ago WMU announcing its intention to demolish all (3) of the Valley dorm complexes. Then it just went quiet. I think maybe a combination of less enrollment, along with focusing more time and capital on the south neighborhood reimagining, might have both played a part. So, this isn't a total shock, it just makes me wonder how soon until Valley 1 & Valley 2 also will be demolished. WMU is methodically erasing its sprawlier, mid-century past, in favor of denser, more-concentrated mixed-use districts that are less auto-centric. It's like its own little mini-city.

[deja vu]

There's a downtown Kalamazoo placemaking workshop scheduled for tonight -

To bring life to overlooked parts of downtown, city plans feedback event
MLive | Audrey Whitaker
January 13, 2024

KALAMAZOO, MI -- You don’t have to be an architect or city planner to tell city officials what you think of their plans for downtown Kalamazoo. City officials are hosting a workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 16 followed by an open house the following day, Wednesday, Jan. 17. Both events are scheduled for 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. in the Van Deusen Room of the downtown branch of the Kalamazoo Public Library, 315 S. Rose St...

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by deja vu

There's a downtown Kalamazoo placemaking workshop scheduled for tonight -

I ended up attending both days of the workshop. Mostly out of curiosity to see what the process is, where things are at with design, and what the collective mindset is. Overall conclusions:

1. They are still very early in the process (just at the conceptual level).
2. SmithGroup is currently contracted only through Schematic Design. Then the city will evaluate.
3. They are studying 4-5 different downtown areas for placemaking enhancements. Results will be reported for the city, to help them prioritize and budget for improvements.
4. The participation was pretty light (only about 25 folks the first night, and less than that the second night). I don't think the event was advertised very well, and it being on a weekday at 5:30 pm with bad weather probably did not help.
5. Demographically, the representation at the workshop was mostly middle class, middled-aged (or older), white / Caucasian. Not too surprising perhaps, though the design team did acknowledge this and explained that they received a greater representation of diversity in the feedback from earlier in the process last fall. There is also an online survey option.
6. Lots of discussion around non-vehicular circulation and connections. The most "controversial" probably being whether or not to re-open the two blocks of the Kalamazoo Mall that are north of Michigan Ave. to vehicular traffic.

Overall, I'm excited that they are studying this, but still a bit skeptical about what will actually be implemented. The updated conceptual drawings will be posted soon for online viewing. A little more info / news coverage below-

Residents invited to shape Kalamazoo's future at downtown re-imagination workshop
WWMT News Channel 3
January 17th 2024

Separately, this video flyover is out-of-date now, but shows progress at KVCC's Career Connect Campus -

• Video Link

[DetroitMan]

New renderings for $300M downtown arena cast spotlight on Western Michigan University

Leaders developing a $300 million arena in downtown Kalamazoo have unveiled new images for what it might look like.

Developers and others working on the project shed more light on the project on Thursday, Jan. 25, at an economic forum at the Radisson hotel. Bill Johnston, chairman of Greenleaf Companies and Catalyst Development — the company building the arena — spoke about the development Thursday, and said he’s excited to release new renderings for the public to see. “This has been going around conceptual stage for nearly 22 years,” Johnston said.

The project never seemed to get off the ground before, but it has now, Johnston said to the sold-out crowd at the forum.

He described the materials being used for the arena and said it will have an identity based on Western Michigan University and Kalamazoo. “Go Broncos!” Johnston said while talking about the work. Johnston graduated from WMU with a bachelor’s degree in 1970 and a master’s degree in 1974. He is married to billionaire Stryker Corp. heir Ronda Stryker. One rendering shows a WMU bronco on display of the side of the building, which has an estimated 380,000-square-foot footprint.

Johnston acknowledged there can be fear about new developments, but said project organizers are committed to making the development benefit the Kalamazoo area. He estimated it would draw 700,000 to 800,000 people to downtown per year. “We are committed to making sure this center activates and amplifies everything about our community,” Johnston said.

The arena is slated to be built on four blocks of land at the corner of West Kalamazoo Avenue and North Westnedge Avenue on the west side of downtown.

The building will house some Western Michigan University sports including hockey, men’s basketball and women’s basketball. It will also house the Kalamazoo Wings hockey team, among other sporting events. The new arena will be the site of all current events that regularly take place at Wings Stadium now, Johnston said.

It will be a place for student athletes to develop more than just sports skills, and to help them in other areas of their lives, he said.

“We are not building just an arena. We are building an athletic performance center that is co-located with an arena and co-located with an event center,” Johnston said.

https://www.mlive.com/news/kalamazoo...niversity.html

[jkazoo]

The Arena-area site plans show a parking ramp sitting on the site south of Arcadia Creek previously planned for high-rise residential development. I hope this prompts more dense residential further west toward the WMU campus along Michigan / Stadium Dr.

And does the 'multi-use event hall' seem kinda .... small?

[shivtim]

So is it *actually* happening now? Or moving in to year 23 of planning
I do hope it's built and it triggers some mixed-use development on the surrounding blocks.

[deja vu]

^ I'm not loving that design. It feels clunky and funky, and not in a good way. I admit it is hard (even unfair) to past judgement on it with out being involved in the planning sessions directly. I'm sure there are reasons for all of the moves portrayed in these renderings. I'm not a big fan of the giant Bronco logo, or the prevalent use of brown and gray materials. The whole thing looks very dated and chaotic. And yes, the event hall does look small to me. Overall, a lot of clashing ideas and concepts.

And it's hugely disappointing to see zero mixed-use / housing component whatsoever.

There's clearly a lot to work out in this design still. Here's hoping for better, through the design process.

[deja vu]

A mish-mash of other updates, in no particular order -

1. The Corner Bar & Grill is being demolished. The building, located at the southwest corner of Mills & Vine, was pretty large - basically a 6,000 SF wooden shed. The bar's existence was before my time, but plenty of folks on Facebook are lamenting the lost / reminiscing about the good times had here.

This photo was posted online, taken 1/19/24 -


Source: Facebook | Rose Norwood

Here's another from 1/21/24 -


Source: Facebook | Justin J. Byrd

I did a mini deep-dive to try and learn more about the past & future of the site. It closed more than a decade ago for day-to-day business (in October 2011), reportedly due to the tough economy at the time. It remained in some capacity as a base for The Corner Catering Company (though I'm not sure if that is still operating, as the last Facebook post was April 2020). Based on city GIS data, it reads like the main building was only 35 years old, but per this MLive article, that seems to actually just be a reference to when the bar opened, relative to the date it closed, which would be 1976. The same article says the structure itself was built in 1887. Which surprised me, because based on the 1908 Sanborn Map, it definitely looks like there was a detached residence standing on this corner at the time. So something isn't adding up.

The current ownership is also curious - the taxpayer is listed as "Choose Your Home, LLC" - with an address that traces to a medical office in Oshtemo Township (3601 S 9th St #2) that is operated by a Stephen Dallas, MD. "Choose Your Home" also owns an empty lot on the opposite side of Vine. Even more curious, the owner is listed as "Atlas Housing & Development, Inc" with a physical address that points me to the Blue Dolphin restaurant, in downtown Kalamazoo (502 S Burdick St). This doesn't make much sense, because the owner and taxpayer info for the Blue Dolphin doesn't match that. In conclusion, I really have no idea what is intended long-term for this site, but based solely on the names of the involved entities, hopefully some sort of new development is taking its place.

Also, sad to read that the owner - Scott Robinson - died in 2015, when he was only 48 years old (obituary).

2. The Zone 32 / Bogan Development is officially complete. Article link below, including some photos plus a teaser of more development to come -

New apartments, child care center built by former WMU football player
Aya Miller | MLive
January 17, 2024

Source: Nate Pappas | MLive

3. In potentially good news for fans of nature (I am in that camp), the owner of Drive & Shine has officially withdrawn a rezoning request for the lot at the southeast corner of Stadium and Drake -

Drive & Shine CEO Withdraws Proposed Rezoning For Possible Asylum Lake Car Wash
Mark Frankhouse | WRKR
January 25, 2024

One of the biggest issues that has been the talk of Kalamazoo in recent months is the acquisition of land that is in the Asylum Lake territory, which was purchased by the owner of Drive and Shine.

Ever since it was announced that they purchased the land, the city has been in an uproar, about the possibility of a national car wash company, changing the landscape near the preserve and putting in yet another car wash in the city. For now, those who are against this outcome can take a momentary sigh of relief as it has been reported that the owners have withdrawn their request to rezone the area:

"We have received an email from Christina Anderson, the City Planner, that Mr. Tehrani has withdrawn his request to the Planning Commission for the rezoning of the property at Drake and Stadium. We don't have any further information at this point, but we'll update you if and when more information is made available."

...

4. Seemingly out of nowhere, it was announced recently that Wild Bull - closed since the start of the pandemic - will reopen in February. Could this be the start of the renaissance of Kalamazoo's downtown nightlife district?

Downtown Kalamazoo's Wild Bull bar to reopen in February
WWMT News Channel 3
January 22, 2024

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A popular downtown Kalamazoo restaurant, bar and dance club is officially reopening its doors next month. The Wild Bull announced that they will be having a grand reopening Friday, Feb. 2. Guests are welcome to show up at 10 p.m. and invited to stay until 2 a.m., according to the post. The Wild Bull is known for their dance floor and, of course, their mechanical bull...

Source: Instagram | @wildbullkzoo

5. (technically in Parchment, but, close-enough) The announcement that the YWCA will purchase the former Advia CU HQ ish is potentially good news. If nothing else, it will activate the building more. And Advia CU is going to maintain a branch in the first floor -

YWCA purchases former credit union headquarters near Kalamazoo
January 18, 2024,
Ryan Boldrey | MLive

KALAMAZOO COUNTY, MI — YWCA Kalamazoo will soon be operating out of a new home in nearby Parchment. Advia Credit Union announced Thursday, Jan. 18, that it has sold its former headquarters at 550 South Riverview Drive in Parchment to YWCA Kalamazoo. The price of the sale was not disclosed...

Source: Ryan Boldrey | MLive

6. The city announced it plans to purchase & install two more "Portland Loos" in the near-future.

Kalamazoo hopes to install two new "Portland Loos" downtown
WMUK | Jessi Phillips
January 23, 2024

Visitors to Kalamazoo’s downtown can access a handful of public restrooms. But most are not available after business hours. That could change by this summer when the city hopes to add two new 24-hour public bathrooms downtown.

Kalamazoo installed its first Portland Loo in 2019 near downtown’s Arcadia Festival site. It recently announced plans to put a new one near Bronson Park on the corner of St. John's Place and West Lovell St. A second location near the Kalamazoo Mall is still being finalized.

Assistant City Manager Rebekah Kik said the maintenance of each bathroom would run about $15,000-$20,000 a year. Kik said the restrooms are intended to serve all visitors and residents of the downtown community...

A picture of the first Portland Loo that was installed in 2019, near Arcadia Creek Festival Site. It is currently downtown's only 24-hour public restroom -


Source: Jessi Phillips | WMUK

7. Speaking of Arcadia Creek Festival site, the City Commission reviewed and approved the 2024 budget on January 2024. During the public comment period, residents pointed out that the city had earmarked $1.65 million for a redesign of Arcadia Creek Festival Place. It's well-known that this site needs a new life, but it was the first I read that the proposed redesign by the city would involve dividing the site roughly in half, in order to make room for a mixed-use residential building, with the remaining park half being fenced in. As you could imagine, this doesn't sit well with many (including myself). I'm all for bringing new housing downtown, but not at all in-favor of fencing off one of the last remaining spaces in the city that the unhoused can shelter in. So after the commenting period, Commissioners voted to remove the funding for Arcadia Creek Festival place, and they passed the rest of the budget unanimously. You can read more about it here -

Kalamazoo holds off on Arcadia redesign over homelessness concerns
David Horak & Nick Ponton | Wood TV 8
January 22, 2024
Updated: January 23, 2024

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — The Kalamazoo City Commission passed its 2024 budget Monday night, but not before some last-minute changes regarding the use of federal American Rescue Plan Act funds stemming from concerns about homelessness...

8. While visiting the Kalamazoo Valley Museum last weekend with my daughter, I snapped a shot of the recently-opened Kalamazoo Department of Public Safety "station", located on the north mall. Granted, it was 10:30am on a Saturday, but it looked completely empty and dead. Not welcoming at all, and completely possible to miss entirely. Little more than a vacant storefront with a sign. I wonder as to the actual function of this space, and the discussions around creating it. Is it there to appease adjacent residents in the pricy condos? Is it a glorified break room for foot / bike patrol officers along the mall?

(photo is a bit washed-out due to the window reflection and the morning sunlight)



9. (technically in Oshtemo Township) the former Chime School (6750 Chime St) is soon to be demolished. Most recently, this housed a charter academy. I know this era / design of school is pretty "dime-a-dozen" but a part of me still cringes when something like this gets torn down. So many memories for so many former students in that building. The owners of the building reportedly really let it fall apart though (or, to put it a nicer way, couldn't afford the upkeep) -






Source: Facebook | Kevin Worth

10. That small K College "addition" that I commented about, a few posts back (see Post #999) is actually part of a much larger project, intended to upgrade the entire medium-voltage infrastructure on the campus, which is 80+ years old. There's a short video about it here, posted by OAK -

• Video Link

11. Related, this work will lay the foundation for supporting other initiatives of the campus master plan, chief among them, the new residence hall that is planned for along W. Main. While we still don't have any renderings or details, the info on the Facilities Management page gives us a few clues -

• Site Area ±55,000
• Gross Floor Area ±95,000
• Height 55’-65’
• Number of Stories 5
• Site Area Open Space ±25,000
• Number of Parking Spaces ±235 adjacent spaces

Close to the road and at 5 stories, this will definitely impact the experience approaching / leaving downtown -




Source: facilities.kzoo

12. KPL is closing the Alma Powell library branch on the northside, due to a change in security protocol by the Douglas Community Association, which owns the building that the library operates within. There could be a silver lining to this though, as long-term plans involve either moving the branch to a vacant space that would be renovated, or else building a new building entirely -

Kalamazoo Public Library announces move for Alma Powell Branch Library
Fox 17 News
January 17, 2024

13. In Comstock Township, Schupan & Sons has opened a new recycling facility, located behind the Midlink Office Park -

Industrial recycler opens $20M ‘green’ aluminum plant near Kalamazoo
Kayleigh Van Wyk | Crain's Grand Rapids
January 17, 2024

Industrial recycling and metals distribution company Schupan & Sons Inc. has opened a new production facility near Kalamazoo that will help meet growing demand for recycled “green” aluminum.

The family-owned, Kalamazoo-based company has invested around $20 million in a new 100,000-square-foot facility located on 10 acres behind the Midlink Business Park, the site of a sprawling former General Motors plant in Comstock Township...

14. Site plan review documents have been posted for 266 E. Mich. Avenue. You can peruse the whole packet here - it is a full construction document set. The focus of the review is on the proposed addition of a stair tower & elevator shaft on the back (south) side, to accommodate the planned apartment conversion. Overall good to see and hopefully this gets through the review without too much delay. It will be great to have a few more housing units in the core -


Source: City of Kalamazoo

15. The old neon sign on the Paris Cleaners at Crosstown Pkwy. was reportedly just removed. I can't find any info on why (is it being restored, are they closing, is it permanent? etc.). Here's an older photo of the sign (from 2011, when it was last restored) -


Source: Flickr | Bill Dolak

16. Nearby, Barrio is set to open any day now (a few months later than originally anticipated). Here's a peek inside - it looks like they will have a walk-up service window opening into Haymarket Plaza, which is pretty cool -








Source: Facebook | Treystar

17. Last, the city is planning to install a bunch of new security cameras in / around the Epic Center Parking Ramp (43 to be exact). I've never felt threatened or unsafe in there; I wonder if it is more an effort to curtail actions by unhoused, including public urination. There is a strong stench in the stairwells and elevators. This could also be a prelude to some rumors that I've heard, regarding the intent to do a full Epic Center renovation -

Kalamazoo to update, expand security system in downtown parking ramp
Audrey Whitaker | MLive
January 23, 2024

[deja vu]

Yesterday, I went and checked out the Reformed Church building that is being demolished in Kalamazoo's Northside, at 1101 N Westnedge Avenue. It is little more than a pile of debris now -











Fortunately, at least someone was able to salvage the old church bell -


Source: Facebook | Tim Doorlag

As one comes down, another one rises. Here is 530 S Rose, from a few days ago -

[deja vu]

Two new site plan reviews have been posted -

708 N Burdick St (review date: 2/21/24) - mixed-use redevelopment of an existing building to create some ground floor office space and six residential units. The existing building is one of the last remnants of a one-time commercial district (located here).

2156 Race St (review date: 2/28/24) - public park improvements, planned for Southside Park, in the Edison Neighborhood (located here).

[deja vu]

The City Commission took up the topic of the planned Arcadia Creek Festival Site renovation again, in a meeting of the whole, last week. City planners tried to set the record straight on what the development plans are. Apparently there was some misinformation / misinterpretation of the early design documents. The assistant city planner clarified that there was never a plan to enclose the public portion of the park with a permanent fence, and that while it is true that they want to develop the northern portion of the site into housing, the proposed layout of the remaining space will actually result in more usable space than what is there currently. Overall, this is a bit more reassuring to me -

Kalamazoo to revisit spending $1.6M to renovate downtown park
Audrey Whitaker | MLive
Published: February 6, 2024, Updated: February 7, 2024

Source: MLive | City of Kalamazoo

[deja vu]

Visually from the street, there has been very little progress at 530 S Rose in about a month. Today I spotted a crew unloading boards that I guessed might be used to start setting framing for the 2nd floor, but not 100% sure about that -





In other "tiny" news, a sign popped up at the Corner of Westnedge Ave. and North St. sometime last week, for the Tiny Houses of HOPE project. So I guess this might actually happen. I still think it is a weird location for tiny homes, at such a high-traffic intersection. I snapped a quick drive-by photo as I was turning -