Thursday, August 22, 2013

No Net!


Possible rendering of completed FLATS headquarters, Sunnyside & Broadway
The beautiful building that was formerly home to Salvation Army and now the future headquarters of FLATS has had an unveiling of sorts. The black netting that had surrounded the upper half of the building for almost 6 years has been (almost) removed and FLATS is giving the building the TLC it has long deserved. According to this real estate listing, a green roof will be added and it looks like two more floors of workspace.

20 comments:

  1. Hope they don't paint it battleship grey like the rest of their properties. The one near the post office looks like a wreck.

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    1. Judging from the rendering, all signs point to NO. The added floors look like they will be gray, but remember, ANYTHING is a huge improvement over how this building has looked over the last decade and I am thankful FLATS is making a huge investment in our neighborhood.

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  2. Great to see things finally moving along. The addition of Target was a big boost to the area but renovating and modernizing the former Salvation Army building will definitely help solidify the positive movement that this part of Broadway is moving. Keep moving development and improvements northwards on Broadway and soon the gangs will have to find a new area for their street fighting.

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  3. UU, with all due respect, we deserve better. I do not buy into the theory that we should be thankful for anything. This is a historic neighborhood with great bones that should not be painted over in grey everywhere they purchase a building. It is tacky and depressing. I am sure if Flats had not purchased the building, someone else would. I am happy they are bringing in a lot of new people, but I wish they would be more respectful of those of us that live here, and have to look at these grey, dull, boring, tacky grey monstrosities.

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    1. Correct me if I am wrong, but FLATS has only painted ONE building gray in Uptown, am I right?

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    2. I thought it has been announced that they are not painting all of their buildings gray. Am I wrong on that? I know they did one, but I thought they confirmed that at least one other was staying the color it is.

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    3. UU correct me if I am wrong but they have not even open one building yet in Uptown, so your argument is moot at this point. And if you go just north to Edgewater, you will see they have done others.

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    4. USH....read your post closely. I'll leave it at that.

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  4. "We deserve better" Really???? first off, you don't "deserve" a damn thing! Yes, I'm sure someone would have bought the building....maybe the someone from the huge line of buyers that was already waiting....Wait, was there a line? No? Thats right, there wasn't. What you "deserve" is what you earn, what you make, for yourself. What you don't deserve is to feel you deserve something from someone else. USH, we have debated points before, and you are right, you are entitled to your opinion....I will give you that. What is not right, is that you think "deserve" the right to have your opinion heard. If Flats listens to you, and takes your opinion into consideration when they are deciding what color to paint THEIR building, that is their choice to do so. You "deserve" nothing from them. I am completely floored with your sense of self-intitlement.

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    1. First, learn how to spell entitlement if you are going to try to shame me. LOL Second, I said we, not I, deserve better. Again, get things right before going on an obviously pro-Flats tirade, where I would guess you have ties...

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    2. LOL, so the only thing you can come up with is a misspelling.....weak! As a general rule, those who ridicule for spelling and grammar are lacking self confidence, so I guess in your case it makes total sense. There is a video about it....Google it. So, yes you said we. You find this a worthy defense of your incredibly ignorant comment? You feel it is safe for you to speak for all of us in Uptown, as a whole? Last time I checked, Uptown does not have a designated public speaker. Since I am an Uptown resident, I find it extremely offensive that you would assume you have the right to include anyone besides yourself in your tired, boring and negative comments. Next time you feel you need to bore us with yet more negativity, please do so without using the guise of speaking for the community, or anyone else for that matter. I just looks desperate. I understand there is power in numbers, but in this case, you are simply using this to make your comments appear more valid. FYI....it's not really working.

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    3. Yes Big Guy, the secret is out. I represent all of Uptown because that is exactly what I said. Sigh. You remind me of a former commentator, Blue Dog Democrat, who suddenly got involved in UU when they had an aldermanic candidate in the race. Seems like no coincidence that you are carrying the water so much for FLATS all of a sudden and suddenly showing up in all their posts, extolling their virtues of painting the town grey. Note, I never said I wasn't glad they are here. I am saying the grey buildings are amateurish and ugly. I guess you/this is their social media outreach to the community. LOL

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    4. USH,

      That was YELLOW dog democrat. A BLUE dog democrat is a different type of political critter. In any case I believe YDD has moved from our fair Uptown hood.

      I live a block over from his former kennel and I think there was a for sale sign on said kennel up until recently. I would peer at the names on the buzzer when I walk by with my pet labradoodles Beezle and Bub, but I need two hands when walking them. Like YDD they're a bit cantankerous.

      I hope that he and his family are happy in their new home.

      As Jimmy Durante might say if YDD was named Mrs Calabash:

      "Good night, Mrs. Calabash, wherever you are."

      For the sake of the children I hope he's not named Calabash! Or worse yet, Mrs Calabash!!! That could screw a kid up.




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  5. There are usually at least 3-6 shitheads loitering on the property at all times and they need to be shooed away. I have pictures.

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  6. My question is when is actual visible construction going to begin?

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    1. I would say that "visible construction" began a while ago at the Sunnyside property. 1325 W. Wilson has been a flurry of activity lately as well.

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  7. Serious question here....when FLATS buys properties, when do they actually do something with them? They purchased a vacant, half-finished conversion of a 4+1 right near me in Edgewater well over a year ago. They painted it their signature cheap, matte gray and put a plywood wall around the base of the property. They appear to have done nothing since then, and it sits vacant to this day.

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  8. There's so much going on in Uptown right now that it looks more like the boom days of the 1990's in Lakeview & Lincoln Park. I wouldn't be surprised if Uptown is one of the hottest neighborhoods in the city. Imagine that! It's so exciting. I read somewhere that FLATS has largely abandoned the grey motif, so I wouldn't worry about it, much less get into a heated, angry argument about it. I'm sort of sad that they won't install a fish farm on the roof. It seemed like such a good idea! We could've had fresh catfish nuggets every Friday. :)

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  9. Well, I for one would be super happy if they abandon their grey motif. It looks like 1960s Soviet construction. I too live near the one mentioned by Turbo above. Paint on concrete just does not last. It starts peeling about 18 months after application. Has anyone looked at that yellow and purple building on Catalpa near Broadway recently? It's peeling badly. And that was new construction.

    Big Guy, you are certainly welcome to your opinion. So is everyone else on this board. My opinion on painted brick is that it generally starts to deteriorate quickly and looks bad. When things look bad, such as trash on lawns and parkways, ill kept properties, burned out lighting that has not been repaired, peeling paint, that generally give the signal to less desirable people (aka drug dealers and gangs) that the property owner does not give a S--T about the property. Once that starts to happen, hmmmmm you get... what happened on Wilson this week?

    So while Big Guy, you are right, the owner does have the right (within limits) to do what they like to their building, I as the neighbor has to live with the consequences.

    Have a peaceful and restful weekend.

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  10. Toto, without mentioning any names, there are certain commenters on here that could learn a valuable lesson from you. You are most certainly entitled to your opinion, as is everyone. The difference is you do it without sounding like a bitter and jaded old queen. You managed to get the same message out there, without an ounce of self-entitlement. Bravo!
    Quite honestly I am neither for or against them painting their buildings. I personally love downtown Grand Rapids, and a large amount of the buildings are painted, but I also understand that if they are not maintained properly, there can and will be issues. I can not vouch for Flats since,much to the chagrin of USH, I am not affiliated with them. That being said, I do know some of the guys and they seem to have good heads on their shoulders. I think what people forget sometimes is that they have millions of dollars wrapped up in our community, so it is in their best interest to make sure these buildings are completed and look as good as possible. I would suggest if you live near one of their buildings, emailing them with your concerns. :-)

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