Trowbridge Rd, from the west, used to end at Harrison Rd. Approx 1/8 mile north on Harrison, a road began running east onto campus (it might have been called Birch Road). So essentially there were two 3-way intersections on Harrison Rd very close together. It was about 10 years ago + that the road on campus was realigned to make Trowbridge/Harrison a 4-way intersection.
Agree that the trains can make Harrison Rd a nightmare at times during the day.
click on the '1955, Michigan State College Campus - Back' map and zoom in. The Trowbridge/Harrison intersection was similar to that until approx the late 1990s. I'll try to find something more recent. I recall Birch Road did not use to dead end like it does now.
Good eye on the Stadium Road thing... In looking at the current map (and my recollection of campus) it has largely been replaced by sidewalk. A portion of what used to be Stadium Road still exists on the east side of the stadium but it is essentially a parking lot and not a through road.
On the old campus map, interesting also is that the WKAR-TV building used to exist essentially where present day Breslin is.
Some of the things that I noticed in the second rendering:
1. This building will be built on the site of the former Pretzel Bell/Oodles of Noodles building.
2. A non-descript bank that has sat vacant for many years will be torn down to make way for this building.
3. It looks like some parking will be removed to make way for a larger pedestrian plaza.
4. One of the curb cuts/approaches that is currently present is removed in this rendering.
I'm really happy about #3 and #4 as far as increasing the non-motorized transportation experience here. #1 and #2 are pretty important for the development to succeed, as the buildings are eyesores and their replacements will obviously provide the necessary financial incentive to do the rest of the project.
Probably a good idea to include the site plan blueprints as well, as they include some more details that might not be obvious at first glance. Special to note that both residential buildings will have 30-40 spaces of parking on the ground floor of each building, with a single retail tenant one one of the sides.
The first floor of each building is majority parking (this is what I meant by "Special to note that both residential buildings will have 30-40 spaces of parking on the ground floor of each building, with a single retail tenant one one of the sides."). I was incorrect about the west building though, which won't have retail but will have a lobby and fitness center instead.
The "Proposed West Building" will have 86 parking spaces on the ground floor. The "Proposed East Building" will have 30 parking spaces on the ground floor. I agree with your sentiment about pushing the West building closer to the road, and I also don't like how they worked to join all of the parking lots from the rest of the developments together (the proposed shared access drive to Woody's parking lot to the west and the proposed shared access drive to the gas station to the east).
If this project is a success, I hope that they will build another mixed-use building on the surface parking in the northeast corner.
This is a major improvement on the existing Trowbridge Plaza. I do the majority of my grocery shopping at Goodrich's and I'm looking forward to most of the improvements. It looks like the northern of the 2 driveways on Harrison, which is currently shared with the church next door, has been converted to a church-only access until it goes behind the western edge of the existing plaza building. That disappoints me because the southern driveway onto Harrison is often blocked by the southbound Harrison traffic. Other than that right now I'm pretty happy with this.
Hmm, well I may be leaving the plaza for good next year after today's story in the LSJ about Goodrich's possibly closing. I'm hoping that it's just playing people for a cheaper lease and that it doesn't actually close. I love that store.
Comments
Agree that the trains can make Harrison Rd a nightmare at times during the day.
click on the '1955, Michigan State College Campus - Back' map and zoom in. The Trowbridge/Harrison intersection was similar to that until approx the late 1990s. I'll try to find something more recent. I recall Birch Road did not use to dead end like it does now.
Trowbridge extension 1
Trowbridge extension 2
Trowbridge extension 3
They do not specifically mention the 3-way intersection that used to exist on Harrison Road just north of Trowbridge Rd.
On the old campus map, interesting also is that the WKAR-TV building used to exist essentially where present day Breslin is.
Some of the renderings from the proposal:
Some of the things that I noticed in the second rendering:
1. This building will be built on the site of the former Pretzel Bell/Oodles of Noodles building.
2. A non-descript bank that has sat vacant for many years will be torn down to make way for this building.
3. It looks like some parking will be removed to make way for a larger pedestrian plaza.
4. One of the curb cuts/approaches that is currently present is removed in this rendering.
I'm really happy about #3 and #4 as far as increasing the non-motorized transportation experience here. #1 and #2 are pretty important for the development to succeed, as the buildings are eyesores and their replacements will obviously provide the necessary financial incentive to do the rest of the project.
The "Proposed West Building" will have 86 parking spaces on the ground floor. The "Proposed East Building" will have 30 parking spaces on the ground floor. I agree with your sentiment about pushing the West building closer to the road, and I also don't like how they worked to join all of the parking lots from the rest of the developments together (the proposed shared access drive to Woody's parking lot to the west and the proposed shared access drive to the gas station to the east).
If this project is a success, I hope that they will build another mixed-use building on the surface parking in the northeast corner.