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Former JA Building Renovation

Yankee Fan

By Yankee Fan
in Grand Rapids

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Veloise City

Veloise

Posted
Posted

I am so proud of these two kids for beautifying this building for ArtPrize.

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Project-Prop...82787519?ref=mf

"On behalf of Chapel Hill Memorial Gardens, I am overjoyed with the amazing and creative re-use of discarded cemetery flowers you have beautified the former JA building with. Of course I voted for you and we are putting up encouragement from our website for people to vote for you. Great Job!"

http://www.cemeterygrandrapids.com/

This site includes interior shots:

http://www.projectpropagate.blogspot.com/

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  • 7 months later...

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mgreven Hamlet

mgreven

Posted
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Something actually finally might happen with this building, and not by Tol. <fingers crossed>

I hope so. When Gallery is done, it's really gonna look like the eyesore. Hope someone can pull something great off there.

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evkuhn Unincorporated Area

evkuhn

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I got to take a look around inside the building last fall (we were debating using it for ACTIVESITE {sodEmoji.|} artspace). It is in really rough shape on the inside (to rough for us to even consider using it- and for us that means really rough) but, wow, if someone could rehab it, that could be amazing.

I loved what Project Propagate did with the exterior for Artprize last year. Hopefully this year it can be used again.

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ryternrezdence Unincorporated Area

ryternrezdence

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A little update- next SiTE:LAB will be in the old JA building. And we are very excited to be able to bring some temporary life to building.

http://www.mlive.com/entertainment/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2011/01/sitelab_nabs_abandoned_ja_buil.html

Locus Development is planning on starting construction in Jan. 2012.

Here's another update from Rapid Growth. So exciting about SiTE:LAB.

http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/devnews/JAbuilding0127.aspx

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walker Burg

walker

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Here's another update from Rapid Growth. So exciting about SiTE:LAB.

http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/devnews/JAbuilding0127.aspx

Interesting old photos in the Rapid Growth article. Note that there was a shoe store on the first floor of the "JA building." Davenport College was just a two year commercial trade school at the time and the whole college was located on the second floor. This was the extent of Davenport College until they expanded up on Fulton Street in the mid to late sixties. Leftover from when Grand Rapids had two daily papers, the adjacent building is the Grand Rapids Herald Building.

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Veloise City

Veloise

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Pics from the Site:Lab event.

This was marvelous: newspaper articles, photos, and plat maps showing the location's history.

file0010.jpg

A few shots out the windows upstairs

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Interactive map. The planter is a "you are here," and there were small petri dishes of green elements to place at your own home base.

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Basement installation (very dark down there)

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destijl Whistle-Stop

destijl

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Pics from the Site:Lab event.

A few shots out the windows upstairs

file0012.jpgfile0013.jpg

file0014.jpgfile0015.jpg

This view is much better that the old parking ramp (and prostitutes) we saw looking out those same windows in the early 80's, as my JA company was assembling our "Grandopoly" games..

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evkuhn Unincorporated Area

evkuhn

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Thanks for the pictures.

A couple of updates, the building will be used by SiTE:LAB for an exhibit during Festival (more than likely a collection of BFA students work from local universities- details are still being worked out).

We will also be using the building as an Artprize venue. With a curated show of large scale site-specific works.

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fotoman311 Burg

fotoman311

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Thanks for the pictures.

A couple of updates, the building will be used by SiTE:LAB for an exhibit during Festival (more than likely a collection of BFA students work from local universities- details are still being worked out).

We will also be using the building as an Artprize venue. With a curated show of large scale site-specific works.

That is great news! I can't wait. One of my favorite display at Praxis was the one right inside the main entrance showing the site history. Very well done, very cool.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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I never thought I'd see the day. Restaurant and offices are coming to the JA Building. After seeing the inside during ArtPrize, the volume of the ceilings on the first floor should make for a very interesting restaurant space.

http://www.wzzm13.com/news/article/182323/14/Restaurant-offices-planned-for-Fulton--Division

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RegalTDP Burg

RegalTDP

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Just think... The last time this building was occupied, Barry Sanders wore a Lions jersey, and Detroit was poised for a decade of success with Wayne Fontes out and Bobby Ross in. Once this space opens for business, it will be the end of an era for Urban Planet.

It's a shame there's such a big parking lot next to it... This building is designed to be adjacent to another. Whatever happened to this?

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fotoman311 Burg

fotoman311

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The lot is still for sale. $2,995,000.

That's pretty interesting, since the State Equalized value they are paying property taxes on is only $135,800. (x2 = estimated market value of $271,600 is my understanding of what that means...although I'm not positive.)

https://www.accesske...propAddressDir=

Edit: Also, the property was last sold in 2003 for $903,000.

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