Keeler Building - 56 North Division

[joeDowntown]

I drove past the Keeler Building (N. Division, currently has one tenant - Grand LAN) this morning and there are fences up along the sidewalk. 

 

Is something happening with this building or are they stopping falling debris due to Azzar's neglect?

 

Joe

[Paramaribo]

The brick sidewalk is in bad shape, especially street side. 

[mpchicago]

I wonder if GRCC or Kendall has ever looked at this building to expand their campuses.  One thing that hurts this building's redevelopment is the lack of parking.  The lot on the south side of this building would be a perfect spot for a ramp that could be shared with the Civic theater.

 

Another building I wonder about is the Michigan Bell/ AT&T building to the north.  Is that fully utilized or is it mostly empty?

[GRDadof3]

Jeez Joe, don't start threads like that.

 

I believe a certain dt developer was investigating this as a potential project, don't know how far they got. I thought this was the announcement.

[sfloria]

I noticed the fencing last night too.  Its across the entire front along Division except where the Grand LAN storefront is.

[joeDowntown]

Sorry GRDad- Didn't mean to give anyone a heart attack. Maybe a little wishful thinking that something was happening with the building. More likely falling debris. I doubt they would put a fence around it if it were just bad sidewalks.

 

Joe

[Allison Slater]

It's a rough sidewalk, but I don't think it's so bad it needs closing.  Unless there's a plan to redo the sidewalk in the very near future?

[Veloise]

They are repositioning the Civil War statue, moving it closer to the Fulton corner.

 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2013/07/locust_trees_gone_monument_par.html

 

Edited August 1, 2013 by Veloise

[sfloria]

They are repositioning the Civil War statue, moving it closer to the Fulton corner.

 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2013/07/locust_trees_gone_monument_par.html

 

 

You're thinking of the Kendall Building.  The Keeler building is further up Division.

[joeDowntown]

Right, the Kendall building is another building that Azzar let sit and rot. Thank god 616 came along...

 

Joe

[arcturus]

Look at the first google hit for 'Azzar Grand Rapids'

[GRDadof3]

Look at the first google hit for 'Azzar Grand Rapids'

 

Ha! We were certainly blazing trails back then.

[ctpgr34]

Any update on why there is fencing on sidewalk?

[CarpenterJoseph]

Grand LAN says the fence is up for sidewalk repairs. 

[GR_Urbanist]

I hope that gets fixed before ArtPrize. We cant just have a huge amount of sidewalk on Division unusable like that.

 

Whose responsibility was it to keep that sidewalk in good repair anyway?

[Veloise]

I hope that gets fixed before ArtPrize. We cant just have a huge amount of sidewalk on Division unusable like that.

 

Whose responsibility was it to keep that sidewalk in good repair anyway?

Rest assured, the construction pace will be blistering for the next couple of weeks. They'll get 'er done.

 

Fulton by SCMC has been a mess all summer. This lane closed, then that one. Suddenly the bus shelter top is in place, everything's cleaned up...and there's a new coffee & art place opening just in time for you-know-what.

[GR_Urbanist]

It seems like the entire sidewalk around this disgrace is just getting worse. There is now a fence on both Fountain and along the entire Division side of this building, making the entire sidewalk next to it unusable and has been for a while. This is on top of the fact that 99% of the building seems to be unused.

 

Is there any indication that the city is ready to bring the hammer down on the people that are obviously not doing anything with this place, other than letting it rot and become an even bigger eyesore? This is simply becoming a farce.

[Allison Slater]

That fence has been up for at least a year now, I think.  I think it's due to the condition of the sidewalk and possibly some areaways, something along the Fountain side seemed to suggest the sidewalk was opening up to something below.

[wingbert]

You know, it's not the most unattractive building downtown but it is a bit nondescript.  Is there any historical significance to it?  

 

For example, isn't the Michigan Bell/AT&T building across the street supposed to be haunted?

[walker]

You know, it's not the most unattractive building downtown but it is a bit nondescript.  Is there any historical significance to it?  

 

 

Not sure if it makes it historic but its window design in particular is a good example of the Chicago School of Architecture style.  

[RegalTDP]

You know, it's not the most unattractive building downtown but it is a bit nondescript.  Is there any historical significance to it?  

 

For example, isn't the Michigan Bell/AT&T building across the street supposed to be haunted?

 

Keeler was built to be an exhibition space (like Waters) for big furniture expos in 1912 and 1914, with the intention of converting it to offices afterward.

 

A quick primer on the Michigan Bell building is here.  I've never come across any actual first-hand accounts.

[MJLO]

What can really be done with the Keeler Building in its current state?  maybe more loft conversions?   There is little in the way of parking around it.  They could build a ramp next door in that lot I suppose.

[arcturus]

Something like this would be cool - http://www.citylab.com/design/2014/10/dutch-designers-just-made-your-market-look-sorry/381112/

[wingbert]

Keeler was built to be an exhibition space (like Waters) for big furniture expos in 1912 and 1914, with the intention of converting it to offices afterward.

 

A quick primer on the Michigan Bell building is here.  I've never come across any actual first-hand accounts.

 

 

Cool.  Thanks for the info.

[GR_Urbanist]

Would be an excellent space for FSU/Kendall dorms and workspaces. But after the UICA purchase they may be tapped out for expansion.