Keeler Building - 56 North Division

[joeDowntown]

50 minutes ago, GVSUChris said:

They FINALLY opened Fountain Street back up, as well as new sidewalk on Fountain Street. They have also removed the fencing and concrete barricade along Division and appear to be finishing that sidewalk stretch up as well. I work next door at Fountain Street Church and they've been telling us for MONTHS that they were going to be done any day now, so it is nothing short of a miracle that they are actually wrapping this project up. 

As for the actual Keeler? Who even knows...

With the openings of the sidewalk, you can now walk closer to the building and see the sad state of decay.

Joe

[joeDowntown]

21 hours ago, GVSUChris said:

They FINALLY opened Fountain Street back up, as well as new sidewalk on Fountain Street. They have also removed the fencing and concrete barricade along Division and appear to be finishing that sidewalk stretch up as well. I work next door at Fountain Street Church and they've been telling us for MONTHS that they were going to be done any day now, so it is nothing short of a miracle that they are actually wrapping this project up. 

As for the actual Keeler? Who even knows...

Speaking of work, I saw you and your partner sold Books & Mortar. What are you up to now? Any future retail plans?

Joe

[GVSUChris]

1 hour ago, joeDowntown said:

Speaking of work, I saw you and your partner sold Books & Mortar. What are you up to now? Any future retail plans?

Joe

Yeah we did! I'm "a man of the cloth" as they say so I took a role at Fountain Street Church just before deciding to sell. We loved owning and running the store but we are starters, so it isn't impossible that something else won't be in the works, though more likely partnering with other businesses/models. This town was so good to us for the two years we ran that store and so far it's been great to the new owner. 

[Allison Slater]

I noticed when they were still doing work on this that they seemed to be installing some small steel girders. Were they actually preserving the areaway beneath the sidewalk or is that part of the process of filling it in?

[GVSUChris]

Okay - someone help me out here -

I'm 99.99% positive that the Keeler project was included in this round of applications and that it was their third time applying for credits. As I read this article it looks like for the third time they didn't get any LIHTC awards. The interesting thing is that I was talking to someone with insight on this project back when they applied the third time and they were confident they'd get at least something because they had changed their application/ratios/etc. but at least as I read this article I am left assuming they were turned down? 

https://mibiz.com/sections/real-estate-development/nine-west-michigan-affordable-housing-projects-get-tax-credits

 

 

[x99]

53 minutes ago, GVSUChris said:

Okay - someone help me out here -

I'm 99.99% positive that the Keeler project was included in this round of applications and that it was their third time applying for credits. As I read this article it looks like for the third time they didn't get any LIHTC awards. The interesting thing is that I was talking to someone with insight on this project back when they applied the third time and they were confident they'd get at least something because they had changed their application/ratios/etc. but at least as I read this article I am left assuming they were turned down? 

https://mibiz.com/sections/real-estate-development/nine-west-michigan-affordable-housing-projects-get-tax-credits

If it's the same outfit consisting mostly of mortgage brokers with no readily apparent experience in the field that applied the first time around (see prior posts), I think they'll get turned down again, and again, and again....  

[Chester Cheeto]

So I just got a phone call regarding this building, did some digging and found this:

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/56-Division-Ave-N-Grand-Rapids-MI/17588044/

The flyer in the link mentions building a ramp on the Ellis lot south of this building.

And this:

https://mls.carwm.com/listing/30518552/56-Division-Ave-N-Grand-Rapids-MI-49503

And have been told that 7 stories might not be the final height of this building once all is said and done.

Keep in mind this is all still very speculative.

[Cookin_peacocks]

1 hour ago, NoDustBusterNoMore said:

So I just got a phone call regarding this building, did some digging and found this:

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/56-Division-Ave-N-Grand-Rapids-MI/17588044/

The flyer in the link mentions building a ramp on the Ellis lot south of this building.

And this:

https://mls.carwm.com/listing/30518552/56-Division-Ave-N-Grand-Rapids-MI-49503

And have been told that 7 stories might not be the final height of this building once all is said and done.

Keep in mind this is all still very speculative.

Does the mean adding floors or subtracting floors? I'd imagine adding. I hope adding.

[cstonesparty]

1 hour ago, NoDustBusterNoMore said:

So I just got a phone call regarding this building, did some digging and found this:

https://www.loopnet.com/Listing/56-Division-Ave-N-Grand-Rapids-MI/17588044/

The flyer in the link mentions building a ramp on the Ellis lot south of this building.

And this:

https://mls.carwm.com/listing/30518552/56-Division-Ave-N-Grand-Rapids-MI-49503

And have been told that 7 stories might not be the final height of this building once all is said and done.

Keep in mind this is all still very speculative.

When did First Companies acquire that building?  or are they brokering it?  

[Chester Cheeto]

16 hours ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

Does the mean adding floors or subtracting floors? I'd imagine adding. I hope adding.

Potentially adding 2 stories.

[joeDowntown]

1 hour ago, NoDustBusterNoMore said:

Potentially adding 2 stories.

Wonder if they’ll do something like The Rowe. Set back and more modern. 

Joe

[Cookin_peacocks]

2 hours ago, NoDustBusterNoMore said:

Potentially adding 2 stories.

Nice! Not a bad lite bump

[GVSUChris]

On 7/27/2021 at 11:53 AM, Cookin_peacocks said:

Nice! Not a bad lite bump

My office is directly next to the alley next to the Keeler building and they've been out there ALL DAY doing soil samples with these loud huge drills. My fingers remain crossed that we'll see something happen here! 

[Dj Augustine]

On 8/16/2021 at 3:07 PM, GVSUChris said:

My office is directly next to the alley next to the Keeler building and they've been out there ALL DAY doing soil samples with these loud huge drills. My fingers remain crossed that we'll see something happen here! 

Jim Azur still owns the building,  First Companies is acting as his broker to try sell it for him.   

[Chester Cheeto]

[Prankster]

1 hour ago, NoDustBusterNoMore said:

Is this an actual plan or a wish?

[Chester Cheeto]

58 minutes ago, Prankster said:

Is this an actual plan or a wish?

Picture from the coversheet on the set of drawings that have been received.

[GR_Urbanist]

I WANT TO BELIEVE!!! But we've been down this road before.

Plans for the Keeler always sweet-talk you in, but then leaves you at the altar. 

Edited November 3, 2021 by GR_Urbanist

[GVSUChris]

4 hours ago, NoDustBusterNoMore said:

So I'm the Senior Minister next-door and I spend a lot of time looking out at that alley. There has been a ton of activity over there with people doing surveying, people standing around investigating things, etc etc etc. I've been telling the staff that I think something is brewing and now I am even more curious! 

Edited November 3, 2021 by GVSUChris

[GRDadof3]

On 11/3/2021 at 10:55 AM, NoDustBusterNoMore said:

Interesting. That black doesn't really compliment the look of the lower portions. 

[Cookin_peacocks]

I wish they would just tear it down. Put something up like the Omni in Louisville. But this is GR. So I'll take just an active building.

[walker]

53 minutes ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

I wish they would just tear it down. Put something up like the Omni in Louisville. But this is GR. So I'll take just an active building.

I was going to say it would be hard to tear down because it is on the historic register.  But looking it up just now I see it was nominated but apparently if the owner objects it's not listed and at the time Azzar owned it and he objected.

WIKI: Keeler Building

I'm guessing what may be historic about it is it's an early example of the Chicago School of architecture, most notably the big windows:

WIKI: Chicago School

So I guess it's OK to tear down.  

Late edit: just an unrelated thought: since we are posting about underground tunnels on another thread, didn't the sidewalk in front of the Keeler Building collapse because of an underground tunnel?

Edited November 5, 2021 by walker
fixed typo

[MJLO]

2 hours ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

I wish they would just tear it down. Put something up like the Omni in Louisville. But this is GR. So I'll take just an active building.

Really the Omni?  I think it's one of the ugliest buildings built in the last 10 years.  GR already has plenty of characterless boxes where they used "abstract" window patterns in place of actual architectural features lol.  Might be better off keeping the Keeler empty.  I cant imagine how dated all of those buildings are going to look 15 years from now.  

[Chester Cheeto]

On 11/3/2021 at 2:37 PM, GR_Urbanist said:

I WANT TO BELIEVE!!! But we've been down this road before.

Plans for the Keeler always sweet-talk you in, but then leaves you at the altar. 

Not trying to get hopes up here, but there is a 'conceptual' project schedule that shows demo work would be starting in a few weeks, tower crane would be put up first week of May next year.

[GVSUChris]

22 minutes ago, NoDustBusterNoMore said:

Not trying to get hopes up here, but there is a 'conceptual' project schedule that shows demo work would be starting in a few weeks, tower crane would be put up first week of May next year.

Any idea if/when we'll hear some details for the plans/use? 

I'm itching for a good next-door neighbor(s) haha