1901 Robinson Rd SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506

Special District - Institutional Campus

Large, Campus-Like Settings. The Institutional Campus District is established to account for larger, campus-like settings including colleges and universities, hospital campuses, senior living facilities and similar institutional arrangements. Mixed land uses may occur in the same building (e.g., retail on ground floor, office space above) or in different buildings sited on the same lot or parcel (e.g., freestanding child day care center located on the same parcel as an office building). Active uses such as retail, restaurants, cultural and public spaces are encouraged on the ground floor abutting a public street. In certain circumstances, less intensely developed areas that are characterized by single uses rather than a mix of uses may be developed.; Mixed-Use Environment. The following requirements are intended to deal with the complexities inherent in campus settings and the establishment of a mixed-use environment that services the institutional use as well as the broader community. The Master Plan promotes the restructuring of many of the city's existing institutional areas into compact, walkable, mixed-use centers. The Master Plan advocates incorporating housing, shopping, jobs and services, and providing attractive alternatives to travel by car. It is understood that institutional settings involve density and character of living, education, working, visiting and other arrangements that present unique challenges especially given that in some settings there are special physical, mobility and equipment needs, as well as unique situations in dealing with persons in various life stages, sometimes dealing with particular health and emotional issues.; Design Issues. These regulations guide the physical form of the development project to resolve concerns and address design issues that might occur with the mixture of different uses in the same project. These concerns and design issues may occur within a project or along its boundaries with surrounding residential neighborhoods or commercial areas.