I don't really care for hoe they're trying to break up the buildings so much. It looks too busy and too forced. This doesn't need to read as so many distinct storefronts. At least it will be an improvement over what was there, assuming they can fill the storefronts. They seem to struggle with that.
I couldn't disagree more. The buildings are currently ~20ft wide individual storefronts and it appears that same trait will remain after the renovation, at least externally. I like most of the storefronts staying essentially the same, I like that he's modernizing the newly built Rescue Mission storefront and I can live with the modernization of the more basic old storefront at the west end. While not incredibly exciting, I think this is exactly the right thing for that block (short of 6 individual owners each doing a tasteful, quality renovation in a timely manner). If they properly engage the alley space it could actually end up a pretty special thing, greater than the sum of its parts.
We will have to agree to disagree in some aspects lol.
I think my problem is that it's one developer for all of them. It feels forced. Had this been developed appropriately over the years, I think I'd be okay with more independent elevations.
I'm not sure how much that alley can or should be engaged, but I'll be curious to see how that goes. Alleys are by design a back of house function...
We will see. Gillespie also just automatically puts me in a negative mood so this could be my pessimism again. We deserve better.
The bigger question though, do we think they can actually manage to get the ground floor leased? That's a lot of sudden commercial space that's become available, especially with Bobcat Bonnie's now available (I'm assuming). Lots of commercial vacancy if this moves forward. Rum Runners has sat empty ever since. I think this block is going to have some trouble. I want to be wrong with this, but we really struggle with commercial tenants from Washington Sq. to Michigan Ave.
Agreeing to disagree I can do. Gillespie has given plenty of reason to be pessimistic but imo he's been trending in a positive direction, perhaps because of the divisiveness of his multicolor buildings. I will agree that years of independent renovations by caring owners would be wonderful, but it's not what we got here. I'm just happy the block isn't being demoed or disfigured.
I don't think commercial tenants will be that much of a problem on that part of Michigan with the Mission gone, the ballpark should ensure there's demand (Rum Runners is a private residence upstairs, they have no interest in leasing the downstairs asfaik). The biggest risk is that Gillespie will be overly-selective with tenants and/or price too high. At $8 million to renovate a building of that size he'll probably be asking top of the market rents.
EDIT:
On another note, the two townhouse projects on S Pennsylvania by the Ingham County Land Bank are now underway. One is in the 400 block and the other in the 500 block, both on the east side of the street. Does anyone here know more about them? I saw the sites mentioned in an article from almost two years ago but can't easily find anything else.
Yeah, I don't have any complaint with the old City Rescue Mission renovation outside of the fact that I'm not a fan of Gillespie. Aesthetically, that is an unambiguous upgrade. It's also going to help Capital City Market across the street which I frequest, which has unfortunately become an open-air camping space along Michigan. There hasn't been any actual crime increase because of it, which is a good and important thing, but it really made the front entrance pretty uninviting for people who may not know the area. The Kalamazoo location will allow residents more room to do that if tha Mission wants to allow it. Speaking of which, they finally did tear down the old house at the southwest corner of Kzoo and Walnut for that retention basin, I guess.
Interesting. Had not remembered hearing about this, and I guess I haven't been down that way since they started construction because I do not recall seeing any construction. But, apparently, the city website is showing 4 units are going up on the 400 block, and 4 units going up on the 500 block. I suspect this will be the same design as Genesee Pointe that they built on MLK last year, and the Pointe West Condos the year before. Lots of decent little infill going on around town; I'm glad the land bank switched to this kind of development. It was a long time coming.
Comments
I think my problem is that it's one developer for all of them. It feels forced. Had this been developed appropriately over the years, I think I'd be okay with more independent elevations.
I'm not sure how much that alley can or should be engaged, but I'll be curious to see how that goes. Alleys are by design a back of house function...
We will see. Gillespie also just automatically puts me in a negative mood so this could be my pessimism again. We deserve better.
The bigger question though, do we think they can actually manage to get the ground floor leased? That's a lot of sudden commercial space that's become available, especially with Bobcat Bonnie's now available (I'm assuming). Lots of commercial vacancy if this moves forward. Rum Runners has sat empty ever since. I think this block is going to have some trouble. I want to be wrong with this, but we really struggle with commercial tenants from Washington Sq. to Michigan Ave.
I don't think commercial tenants will be that much of a problem on that part of Michigan with the Mission gone, the ballpark should ensure there's demand (Rum Runners is a private residence upstairs, they have no interest in leasing the downstairs asfaik). The biggest risk is that Gillespie will be overly-selective with tenants and/or price too high. At $8 million to renovate a building of that size he'll probably be asking top of the market rents.
EDIT:
On another note, the two townhouse projects on S Pennsylvania by the Ingham County Land Bank are now underway. One is in the 400 block and the other in the 500 block, both on the east side of the street. Does anyone here know more about them? I saw the sites mentioned in an article from almost two years ago but can't easily find anything else.
Interesting. Had not remembered hearing about this, and I guess I haven't been down that way since they started construction because I do not recall seeing any construction. But, apparently, the city website is showing 4 units are going up on the 400 block, and 4 units going up on the 500 block. I suspect this will be the same design as Genesee Pointe that they built on MLK last year, and the Pointe West Condos the year before. Lots of decent little infill going on around town; I'm glad the land bank switched to this kind of development. It was a long time coming.