Yes, Grand Ave is not the most impressive gateway into downtown - Grand Tower excluded. The first several blocks north of I-496 - especially along Grand Ave (as it is the "downtown" exit along westbound 496), and along Pine/Walnut streets are underwhelming. Not much of downtown is visible from 496 which is somewhat disappointing. (exception traveling westbound on 496 near the Grand River). Overall, the freeway does not have much of an urban feel to me.
Sorry this is a little off topic (probably a better fit for the General Lansing development page).
Updated marketplace renderings. Due to the slope of the land, the building appears 4 stories from the parking lot side, I believe the 5th/bottom floor will be visible from the City Market.
I'm not going to even remark on the possible quality of construction from such a horrible rendering, but I hope to god that there is still the intention to build a streetwall on Cedar, or else this entire thing is a failure. The entire point of this, originally, was to build a streetwall on Cedar with two-story retail buildings given that this is literally a downtown business district, any not some set-back suburban apartment complex/office park.
Really, I know I'm a tough critic, but this stuff is getting insulting. We should expect from Market Place no less than what we got with Stadium District. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm eagerly awaiting to see the siteplan, and that better be brick rendered. lol
Brick rendered? I don't know, part of the building (light gray) looks suspiciously like vinyl siding.
I too wish the site plan was more like the Stadium District, where the 4-5 story building faces the road, bottom floor retail, with parking behind. That may mean parking is visible from the river... But heck the new Accident Fund ramp is built along the river (side note - but that's the one thing I don't like about the new Accident Fund pad downtown).
The rendering does leave much to desire. For me, and like you mentioned, it's near impossible to tell the exact plan for parking or how it will all look from Cedar or Shiawassee Streets. Perhaps this will be somewhat like the State Police building downtown, where the finished building and landscaping - while not as grand as originally planned - looked somewhat better than the renderings.
Thanks for the progress pics. I know I keep belaboring this, but I really do hope that there is still plans (if even just concepts), to have even one story retail storefronts that line Cedar, even if they come later.
I agree completely, and would much rather see buildings/storefronts/apts along Cedar St, rather than a large parking lot. Something similar to the Stadium District, as you mentioned. Since Marketplace is being built in phases, rather slowly, I'd hope that plans will change over time (i.e. no parking lots along Cedar St).
BTW, I wonder if we'll ever get a better rendering of this? I think Hood said that from the river side this will be five stories, and the bad rendering from City Market Dr. show only four. But, I'm looking at these shots, and it appears that they've leveled the hill. I wish Gillespie would have released a better rendering and a newer site plan. I mean, we don't even know where the entrance(s) for this building is going to, because it wasn't even pictured in the rendering.
One more question. Anyone know who the general contractor and/or the construction company(ies) are for this project?
Saw this tonight out of the corner of my eye when passing the site, tonight, and was thinking to myself "this can't be the stairwell this quickly." Well, the Gillespie Group has a shot on their facebook page from earlier today showing that, yes, one of the stairwell towers is already up to three floors (as well as them starting some masonry on the east side of the structure:
Just to update, one of the stairwells is compete, and at five floors confirms underground parking. The other stairwell is at a couple floors, so steel should be going up within a few weeks I'd think.
I never did put my two cents in on those latest renderings, I'll just agree that they're really ugly and I'm hoping for no vinyl siding. However, those are really poor (possibly misleading) renderings, the design might not look horrible if high quality materials are used.
Comments
Sorry this is a little off topic (probably a better fit for the General Lansing development page).
Marketplace rendering
Really, I know I'm a tough critic, but this stuff is getting insulting. We should expect from Market Place no less than what we got with Stadium District. I guess what I'm saying is that I'm eagerly awaiting to see the siteplan, and that better be brick rendered. lol
I too wish the site plan was more like the Stadium District, where the 4-5 story building faces the road, bottom floor retail, with parking behind. That may mean parking is visible from the river... But heck the new Accident Fund ramp is built along the river (side note - but that's the one thing I don't like about the new Accident Fund pad downtown).
The rendering does leave much to desire. For me, and like you mentioned, it's near impossible to tell the exact plan for parking or how it will all look from Cedar or Shiawassee Streets. Perhaps this will be somewhat like the State Police building downtown, where the finished building and landscaping - while not as grand as originally planned - looked somewhat better than the renderings.
Taken from Shiawassee Street bridge (facing south):
from City Market Place Drive (facing north):
from City Market Parking Lot (facing east):
Not huge progress, but it's good to see some building construction besides just site prep.
One more question. Anyone know who the general contractor and/or the construction company(ies) are for this project?
I never did put my two cents in on those latest renderings, I'll just agree that they're really ugly and I'm hoping for no vinyl siding. However, those are really poor (possibly misleading) renderings, the design might not look horrible if high quality materials are used.