518 replies to this topic

[SupercityGR]

Yea, when they finally sell the building and redo it, make it leed

[GR_Urbanist]

So, about 5 months on, the building accross from the Wealthy Bakery still is in a state of utter disrepair. The wall that has crumbled, is still crumbled, and the mess that fell down is still sitting next to it. I've never even seen a tarp cover the exposed innards so that part has been exposed to all of the rain, ice, and sleet since last year likely componding any damage that has occurred.

Has there been any news on some movement to fix this? I cant believe the city has not been on these people over this. I would think for certian the other business owners must be livid that nothing has been done to clean this up.

[jdkacz]

I was there this past Saturday and noticed some guy taking photos of the building? Who knows, but yeah, that building is in sad shape.

[joeDowntown]

I can't believe the city doesn't slap some sort of demolition by neglect tag on the building. It would be too bad if this building gets to a state where it can't be repaired.

Joe

GR_Urbanist, on 07 May 2012 - 11:45 AM, said:

So, about 5 months on, the building accross from the Wealthy Bakery still is in a state of utter disrepair. The wall that has crumbled, is still crumbled, and the mess that fell down is still sitting next to it. I've never even seen a tarp cover the exposed innards so that part has been exposed to all of the rain, ice, and sleet since last year likely componding any damage that has occurred.

Has there been any news on some movement to fix this? I cant believe the city has not been on these people over this. I would think for certian the other business owners must be livid that nothing has been done to clean this up.

[Ted]

joeDowntown, on 08 May 2012 - 09:45 PM, said:

I can't believe the city doesn't slap some sort of demolition by neglect tag on the building. It would be too bad if this building gets to a state where it can't be repaired.

Joe

I'm not hopeful that the City is going to have the fortitude to take the building. The City seems willing to stand by and let the owner try, yet again, to sell it at an untenable price point. There is not much time left for the building.

[walker]

GR_Urbanist, on 07 May 2012 - 11:45 AM, said:

So, about 5 months on, the building accross from the Wealthy Bakery still is in a state of utter disrepair. The wall that has crumbled, is still crumbled, and the mess that fell down is still sitting next to it. I've never even seen a tarp cover the exposed innards so that part has been exposed to all of the rain, ice, and sleet since last year likely componding any damage that has occurred.

Has there been any news on some movement to fix this? I cant believe the city has not been on these people over this. I would think for certian the other business owners must be livid that nothing has been done to clean this up.

walker, on 20 December 2011 - 06:21 PM, said:

. . . The good news is that I heard a rumor today that there may be some serious improvements to the building and a new business opening in a couple of months.

Since I was the one that posted the optimistic rumor above back in December let me explain a little about where it came from.  Similar to what GRDadof3 did (post #495,) I was snooping around the building while on my daily walk on December 20.  Instead of his experience of a neighbor coming over to talk to me, a member of the owning family came out the door to talk – mostly I suppose to see what I was up to.  This was a well-dressed well-spoken seemingly very credible young woman.  I don’t remember exactly what her relationship was with the woman who used to run the old store and restaurant but she was related.  She mentioned that they were planning on opening a more upscale store in February.  I thought that was pretty optimistic considering the shape of the building but didn’t say anything.  We discussed the crumbling brick and she mentioned that they needed to get hold of a contractor to see what it would take to repair it.  It seemed strange that they wouldn’t have done that first before thinking about opening a store.  I know if my building started falling down that would be the first thing I’d do pronto.  So whether this was just someone’s pipe dream or they are serious and just haven’t been able to pull it off, I don’t know.

Edited by walker, 09 May 2012 - 08:17 AM.

[GRDadof3]

Judging by the general state of disrepair of the building, I'd say they are probably land rich and cash poor. Probably don't have the money to fix the wall that fell down, or even mitigate it. But they probably own the building outright. Just a guess.

[joeDowntown]

That sucks. One thing I've noticed in recent years (first hand accounts from my parents who live about two blocks from this building) is that the city and the HPC have no balls. They used to be diligent about enforcing rules, now they seem to get pushed around. It's a shame really.

I believe the city fixed the roof the recently renovated building on Division. I don't know why they aren't stepping in with the same (enforceable) rules, fixing the problem, and slapping a lien on the building.

Joe

Ted, on 09 May 2012 - 07:15 AM, said:

I'm not hopeful that the City is going to have the fortitude to take the building. The City seems willing to stand by and let the owner try, yet again, to sell it at an untenable price point. There is not much time left for the building.

[GR_Urbanist]

walker, on 09 May 2012 - 07:54 AM, said:

Since I was the one that posted the optimistic rumor above back in December let me explain a little about where it came from.  Similar to what GRDadof3 did (post #495,) I was snooping around the building while on my daily walk on December 20.  Instead of his experience of a neighbor coming over to talk to me, a member of the owning family came out the door to talk – mostly I suppose to see what I was up to.  This was a well-dressed well-spoken seemingly very credible young woman.  I don’t remember exactly what her relationship was with the woman who used to run the old store and restaurant but she was related.  She mentioned that they were planning on opening a more upscale store in February.  I thought that was pretty optimistic considering the shape of the building but didn’t say anything.  We discussed the crumbling brick and she mentioned that they needed to get hold of a contractor to see what it would take to repair it.  It seemed strange that they wouldn’t have done that first before thinking about opening a store.  I know if my building started falling down that would be the first thing I’d do pronto.  So whether this was just someone’s pipe dream or they are serious and just haven’t been able to pull it off, I don’t know.

The whole thing about the upscale store was likely just some spiel they concocted as something to tell anyone that starts asking too many questions. There is just no way they can be serious, unless they were looking to open a "upscale" liquor store.

Anyone opening an upscale anything would not let a building like this remain in this condition for as long as they have. Outside of  the falling wall, this place will need to undergo a huge renovation since it had not been touched since the 90s at the very least. Just judging from the botched paint jobs they've been given the place, I dont have much faith that the interior is in all that great of shape either. The next owners may have to gut the entire thing, which wouldn't be all that bad an idea anyway as it would offer some great opportunities to add some height to it.

It is very bizarre that the city has not done or said anything. I wonder if the surrounding businesses are just too squimish about making too much noise over it.

Edited by GR_Urbanist, 10 May 2012 - 05:18 AM.

[x99]

GR_Urbanist, on 10 May 2012 - 03:12 AM, said:

It is very bizarre that the city has not done or said anything. I wonder if the surrounding businesses are just too squimish about making too much noise over it.

Just take a look over at Division and Monroe Center to see how swiftly the City acts.  The areaway under the Kendall building has been fenced for years now, with nothing happening.

[GRDadof3]

x99, on 11 May 2012 - 07:40 PM, said:

Just take a look over at Division and Monroe Center to see how swiftly the City acts.  The areaway under the Kendall building has been fenced for years now, with nothing happening.

No kidding. I've seen little neighborhood associations move quicker and with more clout than that.

[joeDowntown]

Touche! Tis true, but that does not make it right or make me want to pull my hair out. Wake up city!

Joe

x99, on 11 May 2012 - 07:40 PM, said:

Just take a look over at Division and Monroe Center to see how swiftly the City acts.  The areaway under the Kendall building has been fenced for years now, with nothing happening.

GRDadof3, on 12 May 2012 - 08:45 AM, said:

No kidding. I've seen little neighborhood associations move quicker and with more clout than that.

x99, on 11 May 2012 - 07:40 PM, said:

Just take a look over at Division and Monroe Center to see how swiftly the City acts.  The areaway under the Kendall building has been fenced for years now, with nothing happening.

[GR_Urbanist]

http://www.woodtv.co...ized-by-a-court

Sandmann's is officially done. I guess it was a ton of unpaid taxes that did them in. Too bad.

Wealthy St. is still very shaky in some areas, and in parts is barely keeping itself from slipping back into the bad old days of empty storefronts and dodgy establishments. Losing this place is definitely going to tilt that area in the wrong direction unless someone can scoop up the place and make a go.

[arcturus]

Shame to see Sandmann's, Kopper Top, and 4th St Deli closed or closing all within a 6 week period.  Oh well, the restaurant industry always has turnover but having locally owned ones bite the dust makes the sting a bit harsher.  When was the time a chain closed a location?

[GRDadof3]

arcturus, on 23 May 2012 - 04:15 PM, said:

Shame to see Sandmann's, Kopper Top, and 4th St Deli closed or closing all within a 6 week period.  Oh well, the restaurant industry always has turnover but having locally owned ones bite the dust makes the sting a bit harsher.  When was the time a chain closed a location?

O'Charley's, Carlos O' Kelly's, Chi-Chi's, Hooters, Dave's BBQ, Damon's (oops, local), Ponderosa, Big Boy, Old Country Buffet, Cracker Barrel...

The same tears are being shed on Facebook tonight, yet there are more locally owned restaurants that I would go to now in Grand Rapids than in the entire 18 or so years I've lived here.

[jdkacz]

I think I am one of the few that's not that sad to see this place fade away; wasn't ever that impressed (maybe for GR, but comparatively to other cities... meh).

I do have a guilty pleasure for Five Guys and would love to see a Wealthy St location vs 28th/Cascade or 44th/Rivertown area.

Edited by jdkacz, 23 May 2012 - 08:07 PM.

[arcturus]

GRDadof3, on 23 May 2012 - 07:33 PM, said:

O'Charley's, Carlos O' Kelly's, Chi-Chi's, Hooters, Dave's BBQ, Damon's (oops, local), Ponderosa, Big Boy, Old Country Buffet, Cracker Barrel

Yes but any of them recent?  Hooters is relocating.

[GRDadof3]

arcturus, on 24 May 2012 - 08:14 AM, said:

Yes but any of them recent?  Hooters is relocating.

Famous Dave's or whatever it was called was fairly recent. Perkins has closed a bunch of stores recently. I'd say some chains like Chili's and Ruby Tuesday's are hanging on by a string, and never seem to be full.

I think we have an oversaturation of restaurants, at a time when incomes are down and other expenses (fuel, food, healthcare) are all going up.

[x99]

What we have here is some bad (or at least incomplete) reporting.  I'm not sure that it was the taxes.  There were tax liens in the past, but most of them appear to have been discharged.  This damage was done by Mercantile Bank, who I suspect refused to roll over a commercial line of credit.  On 12/26/2003, the owner of the real estate had a mortgage recorded against him by Mercantile.  On February 8, 2010, an assignment of rents and leases was recorded in favor of Mercantile.  After that, there are no further real property records concerning the owner and Mercantile.  Based on the posted notice, Mercantile sued for a claim and delivery, which would include the tangible assets (which probably aren't worth much).  They do not appear to have actually foreclosed the building itself, although its possible they had a receiver appointed, and will sell it that way.  Since it was a former service station, they probably don't want to take title due to environmental issues.

Whatever the case, I think its fairly safe to say Mercantile wasn't willing to work with them for some reason or another, and ultimately obtained an order for the sheriff to lock the doors.  Why?  Who knows.  I'm not feeling ambitious enough to dig up the court file.  Here's another article claiming Mercantile took a "hard line":  http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2012/05/sandmanns_owners_address_resta.html.   To say Mercantile took a hard line is probably accurate.  To blame the Sandifer's for not paying sales taxes is inaccurate--their closure apparently had nothing to do with the state.  The records indicate that they were paying off the taxes.  My guess--which is purely speculation--is that they were probably trying to get Mercantile paid off too, and Mercantile simply pulled the plug because they had the right to do so and because, well, that's what Mercantile sometimes likes to do.  It's a shame, really, because the value of the collateral I suspect isn't going to be close to enough to cover the debt.  Why a bankrtupcy wasn't filed is beyond me.  There's got to be a bankruptcy attorney somewhere that loves that sauce...Glad I had it last week!

Maybe an angry letter-writing campaign and customers pulling out cash would help sway this "local lender."  

UPDATE:  This article here:  http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2012/05/court_records_detail_financial.html basically confirms what I thought:  Payments were behind, but likely being made, since the Sandifers were disputing that they were even in default (although their attorney acknowledges as much).  This was likely a technical default where the bank was being paid, but not the full amount, and Mercantile decided to pull the plug because they could.  Mercantile can be downright nasty, with no thought to the damage they do in the community.  For a "community bank" that received a federal bailout, this sort of behavior is sad to see.

GR_Urbanist, on 23 May 2012 - 12:04 PM, said:

http://www.woodtv.co...ized-by-a-court

Sandmann's is officially done. I guess it was a ton of unpaid taxes that did them in. Too bad.

Wealthy St. is still very shaky in some areas, and in parts is barely keeping itself from slipping back into the bad old days of empty storefronts and dodgy establishments. Losing this place is definitely going to tilt that area in the wrong direction unless someone can scoop up the place and make a go.

Edited by x99, 24 May 2012 - 11:36 AM.