Former JA Building Renovation

[jas49503]

I may be mistaken but I seem to remember seeing that the JA building was for sale a while back with the lot. they were asking the same price as they are now except that the JA building is obviously no longer included.

[arcturus]

Any update on this? Ran across this article - http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2011/01/former_junior_achievementdaven.html

[GRDadof3]

Any update on this? Ran across this article - http://www.mlive.com...ementdaven.html

There were supposed to have at least a restaurant going in there, but I'm guessing that one of the recent new restaurants/brewpubs was probably the potential tenant and ended up somewhere else.

[arcturus]

Sounds plausible. It's basically ground 0 for Grand Rapids yet surprisingly has been vacant since 1998. It looks to have potential but is a reminder that for all the improvements which have/are happening downtown the city has a ways to go.

[SupercityGR]

_{It would make a great retail spot}

[egrguy]

Trader joes

[GRDadof3]

Sounds plausible. It's basically ground 0 for Grand Rapids yet surprisingly has been vacant since 1998. It looks to have potential but is a reminder that for all the improvements which have/are happening downtown the city has a ways to go.

In what way? I'm just curious.

[suydam]

In what way? I'm just curious.

Sounds plausible. It's basically ground 0 for Grand Rapids yet surprisingly has been vacant since 1998. It looks to have potential but is a reminder that for all the improvements which have/are happening downtown the city has a ways to go.

Honestly, it's only ground zero on maps.

If you really look at the center of GR it's probably closer to Rosa Parks Cir. (in my opinion).

[arcturus]

In what way? I'm just curious.

There's a number of vacant or lower occupancy buildings yet. Keeler obviously and my impression is commercial office vacancy is still hovering around 20%, possibly more. Then you have the need for various retail/grocery/other that competes price wise (or comes close to) suburban outlets. And what's going on with the 22 S Ionia building? Moving north of downtown it's illustrative to pull up a google satellite map of the area between Monroe and Division north of 196. Unless that was a weekend shot or early in the morning there sure are a lot of empty parking spaces up there.

[GRDadof3]

After a year and half, it's probably about time this thread got a good bump.

 

http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/devnews/4EFulton0117.aspx

 

They're taking the 2nd floor. Ground floor will still be available for retail.

[fotoman311]

When I rode by on my way to work yesterday morning and there was a TV camera recording near the front door, I had hoped that meant an announcement was coming.

 

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2013/01/architectural_firm_will_move_i.html#incart_river_default

 

Architectural firm Tower Pinkster is moving 25 jobs to downtown.

 

Edit:

Rapid Growth has the rendering and proposed site design: http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/devnews/4EFulton0117.aspx

 

I think It'd be really cool if they could do something interesting with the giant hole in the roof.

[SupercityGR]

I read that on mlive and then raced to this site with enjoyment! Building after Building, slowly but surely. There getting filled and rehabilitated! Great News

[GRDadof3]

When I rode by on my way to work yesterday morning and there was a TV camera recording near the front door, I had hoped that meant an announcement was coming.

 

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2013/01/architectural_firm_will_move_i.html#incart_river_default

 

Architectural firm Tower Pinkster is moving 25 jobs to downtown.

 

Edit:

Rapid Growth has the rendering and proposed site design: http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/devnews/4EFulton0117.aspx

 

I think It'd be really cool if they could do something interesting with the giant hole in the roof.

 

 

I merged the two topics. Surprised I remembered how to do it.

[GR_Urbanist]

Sad to see no additional floors or something really awesome done with the roof space. From what I can tell they are just going to scrub up the exterior and replace the windows there. But considering how hard it was for everyone else to pull something off this may just be the best you could hope for.

 

Would love to see a Wendy's or diner type establishment on the lower floor as part of a food court.

[Veloise]

N.B. The lower floor is an unfinished basement. Ground floor is street-level. It'll happen.

Here are some pics from when Site: Lab was there.

http://s4.photobucket.com/albums/y138/veloise/2%20East%20Fulton/

And some from ArtPrize '11.

Second floor

[SupercityGR]

Sad to see no additional floors or something really awesome done with the roof space. From what I can tell they are just going to scrub up the exterior and replace the windows there. But considering how hard it was for everyone else to pull something off this may just be the best you could hope for.

 

Would love to see a Wendy's or diner type establishment on the lower floor as part of a food court.

 

I want a big retailer. Macys, target, trader joes, Urban outfitters, hell even an Apricot Lane. Something uncommon to the area.

[Veloise]

A few more shots. (Wonder why UP won't let me edit a previous post.)

 

The building is not large enough for one of the cited retailers, but it could easily fit a food court or MoDiv-type stores.

 

ArtPrize in the basement. These are strips of elastic.

 

 

Center of town, excellent visibility.

 

 

 

[SupercityGR]

Thank you for the pics, i liked the views

[wingbert]

I know they talked about the basement as a separate entitty, but I wonder if it would entice someone if they had the opportunity to cut a hole in the floor and open up that space?

[GRDadof3]

I know they talked about the basement as a separate entitty, but I wonder if it would entice someone if they had the opportunity to cut a hole in the floor and open up that space?

 

I think that would be pretty sweet. Particularly if you made the hole in the floor part of the front lobby.

[carlsode]

Sad to see no additional floors or something really awesome done with the roof space. From what I can tell they are just going to scrub up the exterior and replace the windows there. But considering how hard it was for everyone else to pull something off this may just be the best you could hope for.

 

Would love to see a Wendy's or diner type establishment on the lower floor as part of a food court.

 

The problem is it is a Historical Building and can't be heavily modified with additional floors or anything.

[GR_Urbanist]

The problem is it is a Historical Building and can't be heavily modified with additional floors or anything.

 

This thing is considered historic? Honestly the only thing historic about it is it having some weak Art Moderne styling on the exterior and a curved front. Nothing on the inside is even special to the time when it was first built.

 

I would think the city would gladly have let the whole interior be gutted, and some extra floors be added

[John E]

Citizens fought to keep it from being torn down and want the exterior to remain as is because they remember it when they were children.

[Gorath]

The building itself doesn't have an historic designation, but It's in the Heartside Historic District which is on the National Register of Historic Places.   

 

[Veloise]

Go back a few pages/years in this thread; additional floors were discussed.

 

ETA:

All the strenuous clicking I've done on your collective behalf. The height discussion starts here:

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.php/topic/115455-former-ja-building-renovation/?p=298528