Flint development news

[Docta_Love]

Good to see full powers being given back to the local elected officials.

City of Flint officially released from state oversight

By Associated Press
Crain's Detroit Business
April 10, 2018

The city of Flint has been officially released from state oversight after roughly six years — a period including a public health crisis spurred by high lead levels in its water.

Michigan officials said Tuesday the paperwork has been processed and the Flint Receivership Transition Advisory Board dissolved.

Gov. Rick Snyder determined Flint was in a financial emergency in 2011, and appointed an emergency manager remaining until 2015. The advisory board then oversaw a transition to local control.

Mayor Karen Weaver cheered the news but criticized Snyder's decision to close the city's four remaining free bottled water stations. Officials said tap water has tested below federal lead and copper limits for about two years.

http://www.crainsdetroit.com/article...tate-oversight

[deja vu]

Not a done deal, but a decision from GM between this site and another for a new facility is expected soon...

General Motors identified as company behind potential $45M Burton development
Roberto Acosta | MLive
April 16, 2018, updated April 17, 2018

Burton, MI -- General Motors has been named as the company behind a secretive $45 million industrial development near the corner of Genesee and Davison Roads in Burton. Mayor Paula Zelenko said Monday night that the 141-acre parcel recently purchased for $268,000 by Riverdale, Missouri-based Northpoint development was for a potential new GM facility. Details on the company behind the deal have not previously been released...

...Up to 800 jobs are expected to come along with the development on two shifts at the 1.1 million square-foot structure, which is proposed to include hundreds of parking spaces for vehicles and semi-trailers and more than 80 loading docks...

[LMich]

You know what it sounds like to me? One of their "logistics optimization centers." They built one in Lansing for almost the exact same cost at LGR not that long ago, but this one sounds over twice the size.

Though, I'm looking at the site and it seems GM really could have put this down Davison in Flint at Dort Highway on whatever that site use to be, or even used whatever isn't being used immediately at Buick City.

[deja vu]

Not much new detail here, aside from the encouraging fact that two permits related to the proposed Genesee Savings Bank-to-Hilton Garden Inn redevelopment were requested at the 4/24/18 Planing Commission Meeting. One of the permits is to reconfigure Buckham Alley, and it was approved by the Commission and now goes to the City Council for a vote. The second permit request is for Site Plan Approval, and the Commission voted to delay their decision until May 22, pending more details about the proposed green space, which will be in the vicinity of two demolished buildings as part of the development.

New Flint hotel would require building demolition, alley reconfiguration
Zahra Ahmad | MLive
May 1, 2018

FLINT, MI -- Two buildings could be demolished and Buckham Alley reconfigured to facilitate the building of a new Hilton hotel. A proposal requesting two permits to renovate the long-vacant Genesee County State Savings Bank into a Hilton Garden Inn on Saginaw Street and reconfigure Buckham Alley was presented at an April 24 Flint Planning Commission meeting...

[deja vu]

I think this was mentioned a while back. Now some more detail -

Large affordable housing development eyed for Flint's north side
Steve Carmody (Michigan Radio) & The Associated Press
May 3, 2018

The site of a formerly run-down apartment complex on Flint’s north side may soon become a mixed-residential development. This week, the Genesee County Land Bank announced it’s working with developers to create 78 units of affordable rental housing for low-income residents...Imagine Brinshore Group, in collaboration with the North Flint Reinvestment Corp., plans to build a three-story building, attached two-story townhomes and six "tiny homes"...

[DetroitSky]

A few photos from today, 5/5:

These two low buildings at the corner here are the demolition victims for the Hilton Garden Inn's green space.


Hamilton Dam demolition


Huntington Bank installed new signage late last month under the weather ball in their newly acquired downtown building, replacing First Merit Bank's signage.


718 South Harrison Street, likely going to be office space.

[LMich]

Originally Posted by deja vu

Not much new detail here, aside from the encouraging fact that two permits related to the proposed Genesee Savings Bank-to-Hilton Garden Inn redevelopment were requested at the 4/24/18 Planing Commission Meeting. One of the permits is to reconfigure Buckham Alley, and it was approved by the Commission and now goes to the City Council for a vote. The second permit request is for Site Plan Approval, and the Commission voted to delay their decision until May 22, pending more details about the proposed green space, which will be in the vicinity of two demolished buildings as part of the development.

Do you know what they mean about changing it into an "L" space? My first instinct was to cringe, as (parts of) Buckham Alley are some of the most interesting urban space in downtown, though I believe that part of the alley is south of this building.


Buckham Alley Fest-15 by My City Magazine, on Flickr


Buckham Alley Fest-11 by My City Magazine, on Flickr

I just don't want to see the the city vacating public throughways for private entities, so I hope that's not the plan. But turning it into an "L" sounds like it cut the part of the Alley north of Kearsley off from the part south of the street.

[deja vu]

Well the article says,

The permit requests the section of Buckham Alley behind the existing bank be widened and transformed into a "L" shape, which would allow for access to the Hilton Garden Inn.

I don't think it's worded well, but sounds like they are at least planning to make a direct connection from the alley to the hotel, which will hopefully activate it even more. Hopefully it all remains public thoroughfare, and just gets less of a service drive feel to it. BTW, the section of alley north of Kearsley is kind of crazy, how the building overhangs most of it. You can see it a little in DetroitSky's above photo too.

[deja vu]

Originally Posted by DetroitSky

These two low buildings at the corner here are the demolition victims for the Hilton Garden Inn's green space.

Any ideas what used to be in these buildings most recently? They both appear vacant since at least 2008, from street view. Not even the vertical blinds appear to move for a whole decade.

[DetroitSky]

Originally Posted by deja vu

Any ideas what used to be in these buildings most recently? They both appear vacant since at least 2008, from street view. Not even the vertical blinds appear to move for a whole decade.

I can't remember what was occupying them last. The corner building says "Harris art gallery" on it. I'll do some research and see what I can find.

[LMich]

Originally Posted by deja vu

Well the article says,



I don't think it's worded well, but sounds like they are at least planning to make a direct connection from the alley to the hotel, which will hopefully activate it even more. Hopefully it all remains public thoroughfare, and just gets less of a service drive feel to it. BTW, the section of alley north of Kearsley is kind of crazy, how the building overhangs most of it. You can see it a little in DetroitSky's above photo too.

I still don't get what they are saying. If the building is already fronting the alley; so the only way to connected it even more would simply be more entrances at the back. All I care about is if they are cutting it off from Kearsley, which I think would be a mistake if this is what they are planning to do.

[LMich]

Originally Posted by LMich

You know what it sounds like to me? One of their "logistics optimization centers." They built one in Lansing for almost the exact same cost at LGR not that long ago, but this one sounds over twice the size.

Though, I'm looking at the site and it seems GM really could have put this down Davison in Flint at Dort Highway on whatever that site use to be, or even used whatever isn't being used immediately at Buick City.

It looks like this is what this turned out to be.

GM planning 'state of the art' parts processing center in Burton

By Roberto Acosta, MLive.com

May 7, 2018

BURTON, MI - General Motors officials have offered some additional details on an estimated $65 million investment that's expected to bring a new parts processing center to Burton.

City council members approved an industrial facilities exemption certificate Monday night for the company that would provide a 12-year tax abatement on the 141-acre site near the intersection of Genesee and Davison roads.

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/inde..._state_of.html

[deja vu]

Some news about Kettering and surrounding area, including Chevy Commons and Powers High.

Kettering University builds new 'gateway' to campus
Scott Atkinson | FlintSide
June 09, 2018

FLINT, MI—Kettering University’s campus and surrounding area continue to get a facelift. Amid a myriad of enhancements over the past several years, Kettering recently added a “gateway” to the campus at the corner of Chevrolet Avenue and Kearsley Street. The gateway is part of a larger project currently being finished throughout campus that includes lighting and signage denoting campus buildings and facilities, as well as signage upgrades throughout campus...

[robk1982]

http://www.mlive.com/news/flint/inde..._hamilton.html

Fabri Dam demolished, Hamilton Dam in its final days

By Zoe Jackson zjackson@mlive.com
FLINT, MI -- After two and a half months of demolition, the Hamilton Dam is now in its final days.

"The Fabri Dam has been removed, and the contractors are just finishing up at the Hamilton Dam right now," said Janet Van De Winkle, Genesee County Parks and Recreation project manager.

The superstructure, or everything above water, was removed just a few weeks ago, and contractors are currently doing site restoration as much of the space on the riverbank was needed for the construction work, said Van De Winkle.

"Everything above the water was falling apart and was taken down. The function of that dam wasn't really there anymore. They left the substructure, the part underwater, and the in-stream restoration will begin constructing a series of pools and drops, so you can safely kayak up and down that stretch of the river," said Rebecca Fedewa, executive director of the Flint River Watershed Coalition......

[robk1982]

Originally Posted by deja vu

Some news about Kettering and surrounding area, including Chevy Commons and Powers High.

It's not online, but The Technician, Kettering's student newspaper, had a good update about the campus master plan. The new Learning Commons building should start construction this year, as $35 out of the needed $55 million has been raised as of March 1.

Here's a link to the description of the master plan.

[robk1982]

https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/ind...moving_in.html

39 new businesses moving into Flint's Ferris Wheel building
Updated Jun 21; Posted Jun 21

By Roberto Acosta racosta1@mlive.com

FLINT, MI - Ideas on how to push Flint's economy into the future are taking shape within walls of a nearly 100-year-old building in the city's downtown area.

Among those looking to aid in the effort are 39 new businesses set to fill up office space in the seven-floor Ferris Wheel building, which reopened in November 2017 after being closed for nearly three decades.
......

[robk1982]

https://www.mlive.com/news/flint/ind...ives_brea.html

New Flint Cultural Center school to serve 650 students

Updated Jun 26; Posted Jun 26
By Zoe Jackson zjackson@mlive.com

FLINT, MI - Community representatives and members of the public gathered in celebration of the new K-8 charter school scheduled to open on the grounds of the Flint Cultural Center in time for the 2019-2020 school year.

The Flint Cultural Center Academy will be a nonprofit, public charter school, and will serve about 650 students.

The 78,000-square-foot school will be connected to the Sloan Museum and Flint Institute of Music, so students won't have to leave the building to use those resources. There will be 37 classrooms, a gym, cafeteria and kitchen, as well as three multipurpose classrooms, according to a press release.

.....

[robk1982]

Drove into work this morning and saw two cranes looming over Flint, so I had to do a detour and see what was up.

Looks like demolition work may be starting at the YWCA

20180702_121432 by Rob K, on Flickr

20180702_121452 by Rob K, on Flickr



New roof at the AT&T Building?
20180702_121747 by Rob K, on Flickr

20180702_121815 by Rob K, on Flickr

[robk1982]

I was a bit optimistic the other day. The crane was gone at the YWCA.
Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr


Clothing store in the Capitol Theatre
Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr


Renovation continues on the Mott CC Culinary Arts building
Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr

Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr


Every couple months it seems like there is activity across the street. For some reason, this is the one building I've been waiting for to be renovated, but it just keeps teasing me.
Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr


Scratch that...the Metropolis Building is the one that I REALLY want to be renovated.
Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr


The old Genesee County Savings Bank which is planned to be a Hilton Garden Inn.
Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr

Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr

Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr

Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr

The two buildings that they want to demo for a greenspace in the back of the proposed Hilton.
Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr

Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr


The hotel also wants to reconfigure Buckham Alley. Unlike the part of the Alley to the south (which hosts festivals, etc.), this part of Buckham Alley is nothing more than a few parking spots. I've never walked down it until today.

They would get rid of the part of the Alley shown in this picture, and reroute it alongside the building in the background.
Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr

Likely everything from here north would remain the same:
Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr

Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr

Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr

Looking back south:
Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr

Continuing north and you hit the Riverfront Residence Hall
Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr


Headed over to UM-Flint. Looks nice without the dam - can't wait to be able to kayak down the river.
Flint July 5 2018 by Rob K, on Flickr

[deja vu]

Thanks for all of the photo updates! Maybe that crane at the YWCA was removing rooftop mechanical equipment for salvage, prior to the main demolition effort? Just a guess.