Flint development news - Page 9

hudkina · #**161** Posted **Sep 7, 2009, 5:47 AM**

I love crepes. Unlike hot dogs, crepes are good for breakfast or lunch.

uaarkson · #**162** Posted **Sep 7, 2009, 7:20 AM**

Some crappy iPhone shots of my new riverside residency

LMich · #**163** Posted **Sep 7, 2009, 7:24 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hayward

Being original is what helps. You can get a hotdog anywhere. This is something Flint doesn't have and is sure to find its niche.

Basically what I'm saying are crepe stands/counters are becoming the new Chipotle and Pinkberry trends in fast food.

I wasn't make some value judgement on crepes, guys (I don't even like hot dogs). I was simply surprised to see how popular they've become.

hudkina · #**164** Posted **Sep 7, 2009, 9:45 AM**

Bob Marley Poster... $10
Union Jack Flag... $25
Xbox 360... $300
Bottle of Gatorade... $2

Having the college essentials... Priceless

robk1982 · #**165** Posted **Sep 7, 2009, 1:27 PM**

Wow...I didn't expect to see such a spirited debate over the virtues of crepe stands.

uaarkson - nice view out your window. Would you mind taking a few pictures of the renovated inside of the Riverfront Residence Hall? I was downtown last Thursday and was tempted to see if I could just walk right in to see the new look, but decided against it.

Rizzo · #**166** Posted **Sep 7, 2009, 2:19 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by LMich

I wasn't make some value judgement on crepes, guys (I don't even like hot dogs). I was simply surprised to see how popular they've become.

LOL, I know. I'm surprised too. It just makes me wonder what food specialty will be next to gain popularity on city street corners.

Nice room uaarkson

uaarkson · #**167** Posted **Oct 11, 2009, 8:36 PM**

Has anyone ever snuck into Genesee Towers? Just curious.

robk1982 · #**168** Posted **Oct 12, 2009, 2:39 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by uaarkson

Has anyone ever snuck into Genesee Towers? Just curious.

I'm guessing the farthest you could get would be the parking garage. I'm sure the lobby would locked and probably has some sort of security in some place so I doubt anyone would try it. You have to remember, the building was occupied until 2001 so it's not like sneaking into the Durant prior to renovation.

BTW, I believe Rowe Engineering should be moving into their building this week. I was down there a few weeks ago to eat at Wise Guyz Pizza (great pizza!!) and the building looked great with all the construction equipment gone at street level. Wonder how long it will take for a restaurant or retail place (drug store?) to go in there.

Rizzo · #**169** Posted **Oct 12, 2009, 5:59 PM**

About a year prior to the fence going up, the garage was open, with just simple sawhorse barricades warning of falling debris. The condition was not good of the parking garage. You wouldn't be able to drive a car through there since there were open holes with exposed rebar. It appeared that the garage was in the process of being repaired, but I have no sources whether or not it was completed.

My advice would be to stay away from there. After all, that's why they put the fence up.

uaarkson · #**170** Posted **Oct 12, 2009, 11:07 PM**

Is it really that dangerous? Some of my friends were talking about hopping the fence and seeing how far they could get, and I've always wanted to explore an abandoned building.

Rizzo · #**171** Posted **Oct 13, 2009, 12:20 AM**

Even if you did get the past fence, you wouldn't be able to get into the building. Trust me on this. Not worth getting busted just checking out a parking garage. You won't get into the offices. If it helps your curiosity, I think I might have taken a few pictures a very long time ago when the garage was open and unobstructed. I'd have to do some digging though. They were taken in 2004.

robk1982 · #**172** Posted **Oct 13, 2009, 1:14 AM**

I kind of doubt the office floors are in that bad of shape. There was a pipe burst in 2001 that was the final blow to the occupancy of the building (and I seem to remember it was in the garage), but I doubt that you would find anything real exciting above the parking garage. For all I know, the office floors are intact. And, as Hayward and I have both said, you would almost certainly NOT be able to get above the garage.

As I said above, it's not like this building has been vacant for very long. I can't imagine it would be anything like exploring the MCS or pre-renovation Durant.

If it were me, I try my luck with this old school. It's a few blocks off of Saginaw right next to the interchange of I-69 and I-475 (south of I-69). Always been one of my favorite abandoned buildings in Flint.

uaarkson · #**173** Posted **Oct 13, 2009, 2:27 AM**

Where exactly is that school?

@Hayward, yeah that would be cool.

Rizzo · #**174** Posted **Oct 13, 2009, 8:08 AM**

Taken 2004, when you could legally enter the garage. Again, I recommend you not go into this building. I'm only showing a few:

uaarkson · #**175** Posted **Oct 13, 2009, 1:04 PM**

Yikes

They'll have to do a lot of work if they ever want to use the building again

robk1982 · #**176** Posted **Oct 14, 2009, 4:05 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by uaarkson

Where exactly is that school?

It's the lone building on the east side of Harrison St. with the connector ramp from I-69 to I-475 behind it.

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?ie=UT...19119&t=h&z=16

uaarkson · #**177** Posted **Oct 14, 2009, 4:33 AM**

How did that building (genesee towers) get into such bad condition after only a few years of being abandoned?

LMich · #**178** Posted **Oct 14, 2009, 8:40 AM**

Most likely because it was never properly maintained even when it was occupied.

robk1982 · #**179** Posted **Oct 29, 2009, 4:10 PM**

"Stevans on Stevens" Grocery Store - brick has been painted, and things seem to be on track

A nearly completed Rowe Building - tenants are supposed to be moving in soon

The Durant

Witherbee's Market (kitty-corner from the Durant)

robk1982 · #**180** Posted **Nov 3, 2009, 6:57 PM**

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

Quote:

Flint takes first step toward turning Chevy in the Hole brownfield site into park
By The Flint Journal
November 03, 2009, 12:03PM

The Flint Journal | Jean Johnson

FLINT, Michigan — The first phase of converting the Chevy in the Hole into a green space has begun.

The city dumped its first batch of leaves into the 150-acre brownfield redevelopment site today, the first day of compost pickup for residents. The contaminated site -- once a backdrop for the Sit-Down Strike of 1936-37 -- holds a prominent place on the riverfront between downtown Flint and Kettering University.

“We’re going to turn this old abandoned site into a new green corridor,” Flint Mayor Dayne Walling said during a press conference this morning, adding the leaf and yard compost will be used to form the vegetative cap and green space for the park.

Rebecca Fedewa, Flint River Watershed Coalition executive director, said by adding the compost, contamination of runoff can be avoided to decrease contamination of the river.

“This is a really great step forward for the city and the river,” she said. “Flint can be a real leader of how these things can be done.”

The park should take about four years, said Steve Montle, green cities coordinator for the mayor’s office. He estimated that the cap would need to be about one- to four-feet deep, depending on the area.

“We currently pay $300,000 a year to have our leaves and compost taken away and an additional $400,000 to have topsoil brought in to backfill demolition sites,” Montle said.

“By combining Chevy in the Hole with our compost operation it is expected to save the city up to a half million dollars a year, while at the same time moving us one step closer to repurposing that site as a green space for the community.”

Walling said he thought the solution was good for the city’s bottom line.

“It’s really an innovative solution to what is a costly problem,” he said. “We’re going to save half a million a year for the next five years.”

Walling learned last week that the Army Corps has placed both the Chevy in the Hole and the Hamilton Dam under 216 authority, which means the projects will be included in its 2010/2011 budget.

The Army Corps of Engineers will spend a year planning and evaluating the cost of repair of the dam and the rehabilitation of Chevy in the Hole. Initially the cost was estimated at $14 million. The Army Corps will pay 75 percent of the project and the city will pay 25 percent.

Montle said the Army Corps will begin its work at the channel, the city will begin at Kearsley Street, and the two aim to meet in the middle.

The project is estimated to take up to four years to complete.

“While this may be a longer process than we had hoped for, I am pleased to know that the Army Corps of Engineers see value in these two sites in our community and is committed to their future development,” Walling said.

What is happening here???!! Someone in the City of Flint came up with an innovative idea that saves money, is environmentally friendly, and can help to "green" one of the largest brownfield sites in the country?

Seriously, this is huge.