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  #321  
Old Posted Aug 11, 2018, 1:06 AM
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I don't know how I didn't realize Kalamazoo Promise was going to be one of the anchor tenants of Catalyst.

Midtown Fresh looks great. Is this an independent or local company? It's really great to see these places open up in the city. Lansing's then-rep and current mayor sponsored a bill last year that passed that requires requires the Michigan Strategic fund to set aside 5% of its subsidies through its Community Revitalization Program for the attraction of urban/downtown grocery stores. So I hope we see more of these. It's little things like this that can really make the most difference.
It will be an exciting move for the Kalamazoo Promise. They will have actual collaborative work space and computer stations for students throughout the district to utilize.

Midtown Fresh is affiliated with a group of independently-operated groceries owned by Detroit-based Shina Group, which also owns the very-successful Park Street Market on Kalamazoo's North Side neighborhood, as well as 14 other urban stores in SE Michigan. They basically all operate independently of each other, with their own unique names and styles, but the stores work together for buying power to keep prices more competitive with the likes of Meijer and Walmart. Definitely a win-win for the community here.
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  #322  
Old Posted Aug 14, 2018, 8:44 PM
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^ I think it is one of the biggest unsolved issues with regards to the downtown infrastructure design (or lack thereof). My one comment to the City on the recently-approved masterplan earlier this year was disappointment that they did not address the topic, even after it was raised in multiple community forums. I understand it is a complex issue, with multiple stakeholders involved (City Officials, MDOT, the Grand Elk RR, local businesses). But the current system is not sustainable. I was surprised to learn that there is actually a local ordinance on the books, limiting the amount of time that a train can block a road. I have never seen this enforced.

When Grand Elk took over operations of these tracks in 2009, they started bringing in more cargo traffic from the east (Jackson). Train traffic has been steadily growing, which is a good sign of the local economy. I for one don't think the city would be better off without its trains (there are some that do). The problem is that there is no way for trains coming into the city from the east to head directly north, toward Grand Rapids. To go north, trains must first go south to a switch in the Edison neighborhood, stop, transfer tracks, then head north. The opposite is also true (south-bound trains that want to head east). This all happens along tracks that intersect the two major east-west roadways through downtown.

The overpass / underpass solution is not my favorite, and I understand why a vote for it failed in the 80's. If it had been built, it would have really put a chokehold on any of the new development that has since happened on the east side / River's Edge district. If it was proposed again today, I'd guess that it would fail again. Some have suggested that an easier solution would be to construct a new switch that allows trains from the east to go directly north. I think the area of this hypothetical new switch would roughly be bounded by Porter St, Ransom St, and Walbridge St. There's not a lot there currently. It's a compelling idea to me; I don't know if it's ever been officially discussed with Grand Elk. Funding would need to be worked out, and land acquisition, zoning, etc.

I don't think the idea to run all / most of the trains at off-peak hours is very practical either. Because cargo traffic has grown, there are multiple major train crossings during day (maybe 5-6 on average). They also already run trains at night. I live right near the tracks, and hear them multiple times nearly every night. I don't think the existing Grand Elk rail yard has the resources, physical space, or the will to try and run a lot more of their trains at night / off-peak hours. At best, this is a Band-Aid.

As an aside, I work in a building just a few blocks west of the Michigan Ave. at-grade RR crossing. Fortunately I can usually come up with a commute that circumvents the delays. But on occasion I have been caught in the gridlock, and when that happens, I just park on the street, walk to work, and move my car later, after the train has cleared. Most locals know ways to get around the stopped trains, the problem is for visitors / those just passing through, and for the times when you get caught unawares and are stuck in a middle lane of stopped traffic with no escape. Because of the way Michigan Ave. bends at Portage St. it is sometimes hard to know that there is a train block ahead until it is too late, because sight lines are blocked.

I've watched the several hours-long delays from my work window and it is no joke. A city of this caliber that is trying to grow needs a better solution. Local businesses do take advantage of it though by coming outside and selling food / refreshments from car to car when the delays hit. So in a weird way, the train delays have actually created their own micro-economy of sorts.
Regarding the time-limit law: It's not enforceable. The City of Plymouth had a similar law on the books; when they tried to enforce it, CSX Transportation took them to court and won. As a result, it's generally seen as a waste of time to try to ticket the train crew.

There is no easy fix to this issue. An overpass design was floated back in the 70s but that's totally impractical now, thanks to the economic development near the tracks. It doesn't help that the wye track connecting the Michigan Line to the Grand Elk main is one of the tightest I've ever seen, requiring slow speeds in order to not derail. Additionally, the way the track is laid out is not conducive to an efficient operation. Back in the 20th century, there were multiple railroads operating in Kalamazoo, including giants Pennsylvania and New York Central (prior to that, Michigan Central was the operator as an NYC subsidiary). They both had routes going north/south. Now, both those routes remain, but the NYC one ends just north of the city limit near Mosel Ave. The PRR route continues all the way to GR. The Kalamazoo-GR manifest train has to back all the way out of the yard to CP Gibson (near Gibson Street), flip the switch, and then head north, blocking off downtown twice. During the time of Conrail and NS, they operated trains directly from the major yard in Elkhart to GR without having to stop in Kalamazoo. Any time a train took the wye in Kalamazoo, they were likely headed to or from the metro Detroit area. Until Grand Elk took over in 2009, there was never any need for a second wye. It wasn't a huge problem back during the early days, since the economic downturn dropped traffic levels dramatically. Grand Elk brought a lot of those customers back and then some, and now NS is back in the game, routing Jackson- and Battle Creek-bound cars via Grand Elk to be picked up by two different NS locals, one from Jackson and one from Battle Creek. Business is booming for the Elk, but the logistics of it need a major overhaul.
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  #323  
Old Posted Aug 15, 2018, 4:57 PM
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Regarding the time-limit law: It's not enforceable. The City of Plymouth had a similar law on the books; when they tried to enforce it, CSX Transportation took them to court and won. As a result, it's generally seen as a waste of time to try to ticket the train crew.

There is no easy fix to this issue. An overpass design was floated back in the 70s but that's totally impractical now, thanks to the economic development near the tracks. It doesn't help that the wye track connecting the Michigan Line to the Grand Elk main is one of the tightest I've ever seen, requiring slow speeds in order to not derail. Additionally, the way the track is laid out is not conducive to an efficient operation. Back in the 20th century, there were multiple railroads operating in Kalamazoo, including giants Pennsylvania and New York Central (prior to that, Michigan Central was the operator as an NYC subsidiary). They both had routes going north/south. Now, both those routes remain, but the NYC one ends just north of the city limit near Mosel Ave. The PRR route continues all the way to GR. The Kalamazoo-GR manifest train has to back all the way out of the yard to CP Gibson (near Gibson Street), flip the switch, and then head north, blocking off downtown twice. During the time of Conrail and NS, they operated trains directly from the major yard in Elkhart to GR without having to stop in Kalamazoo. Any time a train took the wye in Kalamazoo, they were likely headed to or from the metro Detroit area. Until Grand Elk took over in 2009, there was never any need for a second wye. It wasn't a huge problem back during the early days, since the economic downturn dropped traffic levels dramatically. Grand Elk brought a lot of those customers back and then some, and now NS is back in the game, routing Jackson- and Battle Creek-bound cars via Grand Elk to be picked up by two different NS locals, one from Jackson and one from Battle Creek. Business is booming for the Elk, but the logistics of it need a major overhaul.
Thanks for the additional background / explanation of the history. I think you explained it better than I could.
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  #324  
Old Posted Aug 19, 2018, 1:45 AM
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Some updates from the past week.

1. The growing public health 'campus' in the Edison neighborhood (at the site of the former Allied Paper Mill), is really evolving. Now there may be an apartment housing component for recovering opioid addicts. Understandably, community reaction is mixed. I snagged two screenshots from the news story - a site plan and a 3D rendering -

Quote:
Proposed Kalamazoo housing project seeks to aid recovering opioid addicts
Michael Krafcik | WWMT Newschannel 3
August 17, 2018

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — A West Michigan developer wants to build housing in the Kalamazoo Edison neighborhood to help recovering addicts get back on their feet, but some neighborhood residents are not pleased. Hollander Development Corporation (HDC), based in Portage, proposed to develop a 51-unit permanent supportive housing community for individuals with substance use disorders and referred by Kalamazoo-area treatment courts...



Source: WWMT Newschannel 3 | Courtesy Hollander Development Corp.


2. Here is a press release from the city regarding an upcoming award for the Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 master plan.

Quote:
Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 Wins Daniel Burnham Award from the Michigan Association of Planning
August 17, 2018

The Imagine Kalamazoo 2025 Master Plan will be awarded the Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan by the Michigan Association of Planning (MAP/APA Michigan) at its annual conference, Planning Michigan, on September 20 at the Amway Grand Hotel in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The Daniel Burnham Award for a Comprehensive Plan is presented annually to plans that advance the art and science of planning. The award is named for Daniel Burnham, one of the nation’s most renowned urban planners...

3. Davis Street Park, in the Vine Neighborhood, received some upgrades, including a popular new skate park. The funding for this came out of the Foundation for Excellence.

Quote:
New Kalamazoo Skate Plaza Is A Hit
Sehvilla Mann | WMUK
August 16, 2018

A small city park in Kalamazoo is now a destination for skateboarders. This summer, workers poured concrete in a corner of the Davis Street Park in Kalamazoo’s Vine neighborhood. They added sloping sides, benches and a rail. Since it opened, the skate plaza has drawn crowds daily. On a recent evening, Dave Engerer resurfaced a board while a dozen or so people skated nearby. Engerer says the city parks department worked with him and other skaters on the plaza’s design...
Quote:
Davis Street Park reopens after skate park addition
WWMT Newschannel 3
August 12, 2018

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Skateboarders in Kalamazoo now have a new place to show off their trick, as the newly renovated Davis Street Park held their soft opening on Saturday, Aug. 12. Skaters of all ages were there for the opening ceremony, showing off their skills on halfpipes and grind rails...

Source: Twitter | WWMT


4. Not exactly development, but garnering more attention for the Vicksburg Mill redevelopment, an artists' residency has been set up. The art itself is unimpressive so far (to me), but I think the overall idea is great. There's a short video at the link below.

Quote:
Artists reinvent ruins of old paper mill in Vicksburg
Rachel Glaser | WWMT Newschannel 3
August 15, 2018

VICKSBURG, Mich. — The old paper mill in Vicksburg is attracting international attention with artists from around the world apply to use the 420,000 -square-foot space into a canvas. Director of Prairie Ronde Artist Residency, John Kern got the inspiration to start the program after driving past the industrial ruins that have become an all too familiar sight in Michigan...

Source: Second Wave Media


5. Loy Norrix High School has been undergoing remodeling for a while. Even though they say the design was done with respect for the original SOM building, I'm not a big fan of the new facade.

Quote:
Loy Norrix High School gets facelift before start of school year
Kayla Miller | MLive
August 15, 2018

KALAMAZOO, MI -- The exterior of one Kalamazoo high school got a facelift this summer. The walls of Loy Norrix High School were painted a darker blue, replacing the iconic turquoise color, and windows and exterior glass were replaced. The school's transformation was made possible by a $62 million bond passed in 2013...





Source: Joel Bissel | MLive



6. Portage is paying a professional fundraising firm $75,000 to raise a targeted $1.5 million for the new senior center.

Quote:
Portage hopes to get $1.5M donated to build new $5.5M senior center
August 15, 2018
Brad Devereaux | MLive

PORTAGE, MI -- Portage is moving forward with plans for a new senior/community center, and has approved spending $75,000 for a campaign meant to attract at least $1.5 million in donations to help fund the project. After some discussion on wording of the motion, the council voted unanimously during its Aug. 14 meeting to take action based on a recommendation by Portage City Manager Laurence Shaffer, awarding a $75,000 contract to Hopkins Fundraising Consulting for professional campaign development toward the construction of a new senior/community center facility...





Source: MLive | Courtesy - City of Portage
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  #325  
Old Posted Aug 21, 2018, 4:56 PM
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1. There is a growing presence at 180 East Water Street (aka the Catalyst Development). A lot of existing concrete foundation appears to have been dug up - perhaps from one of the many buildings that used to be here pre-1980s, or perhaps it was brought in from somewhere else to be used as filler when the parking lot was constructed. No further action with the pile auger, but it must be soon now. There are surveyors actively staking things out.







2. No photos, but I noticed yesterday that the perimeter fence is up for the new 4-story, 135-unit, mixed-use affordable housing proposal at the corner of Rose St. and Lovell. It is interesting to me that the parking lot where the catalyst development will be built was the site the city police station in the earlier part of the 20th century. That station later relocated to a new facility on S. Rose Street, which was eventually demolished and which is where this housing project is now going in.

A reminder of what this thing will look like -

Source: WKZO | Coiurtesy BKV Group

3. In other news, WMU is happy to have received LEED Gold certification for its Valley Dining Center, which opened in 2016. SmithGroupJJR was the architect.

Quote:
Dining facility at Western Michigan University receives LEED Gold
Mike Kennedy | American School & University
August 15, 2018

The Valley Dining Center at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo has received LEED Gold certification for its sustainable design and construction. The university says the certification was a significant achievement for a dining facility because of the complexity of its mechanical, electrical and plumbing systems, as well as the challenges dealing with energy use and waste in a high-capacity food service facility...
It is a sharp looking building.

Source: WMU Student Life


Source: Madisson Bennett | MLive


Source: Bryan Bennett | MLive
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  #326  
Old Posted Aug 21, 2018, 6:03 PM
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Make us a map showing all the downtown sites!
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  #327  
Old Posted Aug 22, 2018, 12:48 AM
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Make us a map showing all the downtown sites!
I'll work on it!
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  #328  
Old Posted Aug 24, 2018, 3:54 AM
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Ground breaking ceremony was yesterday for the Lot 2 development at Rose and Lovell.

Quote:
Construction starts on 135-unit development in downtown Kalamazoo
Malachi Barrett | MLive
August 22, 2018

KALAMAZOO, MI -- More living space, offices and retail is coming soon to downtown Kalamazoo. Developers held a ceremonial groundbreaking ceremony Wednesday at the corner of Rose and Lovell streets, the future site of a $24.2 million, four-story development. The Hinman Company and AVB Inc. plan to bring 135 apartment units, office space and a corner restaurant or retail business by next year...
Photo from the ceremony, with The Exchange peaking out beyond -

Source: MLive | Daniel Vasta
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  #329  
Old Posted Aug 25, 2018, 7:22 PM
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Some photos from yesterday, 8/24/18, around town.

The Exchange is up to the 12th floor now. More photos here.


Grand traverse Distillery is moving into the former Winston's on Michigan Ave.


I noticed that Downtown Kalamazoo Inc. has moved across the street to the long-vacant Jim Gilmore building.


Close-up of the new signage on the doors. Nothing has been done to the dated exterior.


Inside the (former bank) atrium of Peregrine 100.


Friday means Lunchtime Live in Bronson Park. Grabbed some good food and noticed this encampment, a mix of homeless people and activists, who have been protesting some recent ordinances under consideration by the city to curb where homeless folks can sleep. They're calling it "Occupy Kalamazoo".


Since the protest started early this week, things have been pretty civil. Just a few feet away, children were playing on / in this giant inflatable dinosaur.


A couple of the food trucks. The selection has grown and gotten better each year.


First Congregational Church is still undergoing some restoration work. This project has been going for at least two years.


I think this crane is for the Borgess vertical surgery center addition. I'll try and get closer to it at some point.


Lot 2, at the corner of Lovell and Rose, soon to be torn up for new housing.


Bronson's rehab of the Kalamazoo Gazette building.


251 E Lovell - nearly done with regrading.


Not sure what is going on at Zoetis, but half the parking lot has been cleared and some holes have been dug. Building Restoration Inc. is on site, so maybe they are doing some sort of mitigation? Or maybe just reconstructing a parking lot, but this seems excessive. I can't find any news about there being a possible addition, and I didn't risk trying to get closer for pictures; the area is under pretty tight security.


These guys seemed to be pouring a new slab out front.


Excavating / utility work is ongoing at Lot 9 / 180 E Water St.



Last edited by deja vu; Dec 30, 2023 at 1:43 PM.
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  #330  
Old Posted Aug 25, 2018, 7:30 PM
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And here's some photos from around Portage, taken yesterday and today.

Portage Northern Middle School. A portion of the new parking and drives are finished in time for this school year. The new middle school isn't open until Fall 2019.


Portage Central Middle School broke ground a while ago and they are making fast progress. It is more or less a copy of Northern, except the materials and finishes will be different, to reflect the different aesthetics of the two campuses.








Portage Parks has really been improving a lot of things over the past few years. Eliason Nature Reserve has a new restroom / shelter at its southern trail head. Looks good, except the double columns are a little strange.




Much more is planned for next season.


This is the new signage / branding for the City that is showing up all over town.


This is the new pavilion at Celery Flats, which replaces a dated and worn visitors center.


A peak at Stryker's new World Headquarters. I wanted to get closer, but construction crews were turning others away so I kept my distance. It seems Stryker is trying to keep this site secure, and has done very little to promote the project with public updates or information of any kind.






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  #331  
Old Posted Sep 3, 2018, 10:02 PM
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Hope its okay to include a Battle Creek development I came across here.

Land bank seeks to restore historic Battle Creek homes


Quote:
The land bank owns 26 historic homes that it doesn’t want to demolish, but that need to be rehabbed. It wants to use the workshops to get the word out.

One such home is 373 Riverside Drive, known locally as the Warren B. Shepard house and considered Battle Creek’s oldest.

The land bank took ownership of the Shepard house last year after a tax foreclosure. Since then, the home has been evaluated by an engineer and found to be structurally sound.

The house at 26 Fremont is an 1870s Victorian with five bedrooms, intricate woodwork, stained-glass windows and a turret or small tower that faces the street.

To rehab it would probably cost $200,000 to $300,000, Trout-Edwards estimated. Funding to restore historic homes comes from a variety of sources including grants, loans and the land bank’s own fund.
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  #332  
Old Posted Sep 11, 2018, 12:54 PM
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^ That's fine. I've been doing the same occasionally.

We are getting closer to seeing the crane starting boring pile foundations at 180 E Water St. Shallow pits, regularly spaced, are being dug around the perimeter of the lot and the locations of the piles are being staked out. From yesterday -







Bonus photo of The Exchange, which now fills a nice gap in our tiny skyline -

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  #333  
Old Posted Sep 14, 2018, 4:39 AM
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We have concrete. We have steel cages. We have drilling action... In short, we have construction at the Catalyst Development site! Crews have been arriving on-site before 6:00am and staying past 6:00pm. I think they are trying to make up for lost time while the good weather lingers. The piles are going really fast. Pictures from Tuesday - Wednesday.









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  #334  
Old Posted Sep 14, 2018, 9:26 AM
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Exciting? Hey, do you have a site plan for this one that could be posted?
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Old Posted Sep 17, 2018, 1:02 PM
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Exciting? Hey, do you have a site plan for this one that could be posted?
I have been trying to find a published site plan for this one and have been having a hard time. Despite a recent redesign which is claimed to be more user friendly, I think that the city's website is still abysmal to navigate. Apart from the main City Commission Minutes and Agendas, it is very hard to find other documentation for site plan reviews, zoning, etc. that you'd think should be readily accessible. Catalyst Development Co. doesn't seem to have a website either, and the local media has not published a site plan that I'm aware of. I will keep looking. Maybe I can ask someone from Tower.

Meanwhile, this happened over the weekend along Bates Alley.



It was announced last year that Downtown Kalamazoo Inc. would be working with the City and local tenants to close Bates Alley to vehicular traffic. The ultimate plan is that there will be more streetscaping with outdoor dining tables and chairs, lights, etc. to serve that stretch of dining establishments along Michigan Ave. The planting occurred late last fall I think. Everything else was supposed to be up and running earlier this summer. I'm glad to see it is at least moving along. I think there was a lot of utility work in the alley that they were waiting to have wrap up first which caused some delays. This was funded by an online fundraising effort and a matching grant, totaling $100,000.

A different angle -

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  #336  
Old Posted Sep 18, 2018, 4:02 AM
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This slipped past my radar, but a preliminary rendering for the new planned South Neighborhood was released a few days ago by WMU. There were also two community information sessions earlier today, which apparently included some sort of VR component. Would have been cool to attend. MLive and WWMT will probably have an update by tomorrow, hopefully with some more imagery.

At a glimpse, this looks like a strong design, produced through a collaboration with Perkins+Will, Stantec Architecture, and CannonDesign. The only image I could find was very small. I scaled it up a little, so it's a bit blurry.


Source: WMich
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Old Posted Sep 18, 2018, 7:50 AM
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Much, much better than what I was expecting to be honest. It's inspired compared to what they could have gone with.
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Old Posted Sep 19, 2018, 12:01 AM
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Yeah, it doesn't look too bad, and hopefully it ends up with some decent materials.

1. There could be a new 49-unit, low-income housing development coming to downtown. It would demolish and take the place of Rugger’s Up and Under Pub and Restaurant. This is preliminary; construction could start in Spring 2020.

Quote:
Proposal would demolish Kalamazoo restaurant for affordable housing space downtown
Franque Thompson | WWMT
September 18, 2018

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — New affordable housing options could come to downtown Kalamazoo in the near future. The area has been booming with big developments and ideas. However, the latest proposal could cost one local restaurant to be demolished. Woda Cooper Companies, of Columbus, Ohio, is proposing to build a 49-unit apartment building. The potential project would be built at the current location of Rugger’s Up and Under Pub and Restaurant. Jeff Chamberlain, deputy manager for the City of Kalamazoo, said downtown Kalamazoo is seeing a lot of new growth and change...
2. Here's a story on the Bates Alley transformation, along with another view, from overhead. According to the article below, Bates Alley will have a 'grand opening' during Kalamazoo’s next Art Hop, on Oct. 5.

Quote:
Kalamazoo alley transforming into pedestrian mall
Brady Gillum | WWMT
September 17, 2018

KALAMAZOO, Mich. (WOOD) — Work is underway to turn an alley in downtown Kalamazoo into a new pedestrian mall. You may have walked by or driven through Bates Alley, but you probably didn’t give it much thought. The alley, which runs parallel to W. Michigan Avenue between Edward and Portage streets, used to be open to delivery trucks and for parking after 6 p.m. But someone saw the diamond in the rough...

Source: WWMT

3. Building a house in 2 days sounds crazy, but apparently it's doable?

Quote:
Kalamazoo contractors race to build an affordable house in two days
Franque Thompson | WWMT
September 13, 2018

KALAMAZOO, Mich. — Contractors are in a race against the clock to complete an ambitious project in the Eastside neighborhood of Kalamazoo. Contractors are hammering away to build an affordable home in 48 hours and there is no time to waste to finish the home before Friday afternoon. The project is expected to help revitalize the neighborhood and the workers are volunteers...
4. This last one is kind of random. I've wondered what was on the top floor of this building at 230 N Kalamazoo Mall. I thought it was a fitness center, but it's really just part of the expensive top penthouse. Some interesting interior pictures at the link below. Absolutely crazy that this sits just one block and a few floors above the Kalamazoo Gospel Mission, and the highest concentration of poverty and homelessness in all of SW Michigan.

Quote:
Kalamazoo with a view - this downtown condo will cost you $750,000+
K102.5
September 17, 2018

Want a million dollar view of Kalamazoo? This downtown loft will cost you 3/4 of that. "Industrial chic and contemporary elegance" come together in this brick condo made for entertaining with open-concept living room, dining room, and kitchen in the round. Custom features include a walk-in pantry, walk-in closet and walk-in shower. And that's the beauty of the downtown location- you can walk anywhere...
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  #339  
Old Posted Sep 26, 2018, 6:50 PM
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The Exchange from this morning, driving in from the north along Rose St. It's really starting to take on quite a presence. I like the view from this angle - it makes the 10-story Radisson (peaking out in front of it) seem small. 2 full floors to go.

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Old Posted Sep 29, 2018, 5:13 PM
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At long last, finally there is a public update on some projects in the works between Developers / Property Owners and the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. Purchase and sale agreements were finalized for three projects on September 20th. Two of the projects could be quite interesting, involving mixed-use ,mixed-income, multi-story housing developments. The third is less exciting - but still good news for the local economy - a large expansion of a manufacturing / recycling facility. The city published specifics here. Highlights below:

1. Harrison Circle Building - NOMI Developers, LLC

Mixed use project at 525 and 535 E Ransom, and 617 Harrison Street. Will be NOMI's 4th BRA redevelopment project in the Rivers Edge District totaling a $23 - $25 million investment. Will potentially include two food-related businesses (5,000 SF) and 80 apartments (mix of LIHTC, Workforce and market rate housing). This could easily be a 4 or 5 story project. Sketchy renderings of an earlier proposal for these parcels had similar density.

2. The Creamery Project - Hollander Development Company

Mixed use project at 1101 Portage Street. 48 rental units (29 affordable rate), approximately 5,800 SF for a 24-hour drop in childcare facility, and (iii) approximately 2,400 SF of commercial space. Will also try to attain LEED Platinum, bringing such additional features as indoor bicycle parking, rooftop green space, on-site solar energy, and public art space. Under the current agreement, the developer will pay the City a PILOT as approved by the City Commission on August 20th. Really hope to see this be 3 - 4 stories. It's not a large lot, so with the above program, it seems reasonable.

3. 4233 Davis Creek Court and 3603 Kilgore Road - Schupan & Sons, Inc.

Schupan has plans to expand its operations through the purchase of these two BRA parcels for storm water management / site improvements and a 40,000 SF building addition. Most of the 4233 Davis Creek Court Property cannot be developed with a building, but can receive site improvements, due the the creek, so the owner got a pretty good deal - $10,000 sale price for the 6.8 acre parcel.
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