DeVos Family Headquarters (Old 5/3 building)

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[GRDadof3]

4 hours ago, Dj Augustine said:

I believe the 5th 3rd building will get reskinned with glass.  

Seriously? I hadn't heard that.

[Dj Augustine]

I know one of the other investors that tried to acquire the property had plans and renderings  to reskin with glass.  I heard the current owners have a similar plan.

 

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55 minutes ago, Dj Augustine said:

I know one of the other investors that tried to acquire the property had plans and renderings  to reskin with glass.  I heard the current owners have a similar plan.

 

I also thought they were going to add a floor or two? Or am I wrong?

[Guest]

7 hours ago, ironyisadeadscene said:

I also thought they were going to add a floor or two? Or am I wrong?

Why not 12?  You only YOLO once!

[joeDowntown]

Ok, now I think we’re just making things up.

Joe

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12 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

Ok, now I think we’re just making things up.

Joe

I could have sworn I read that. Maybe i got it confused with the 5/3 building they are redoing now.

[ctpgr34]

1 hour ago, ironyisadeadscene said:

I could have sworn I read that. Maybe i got it confused with the 5/3 building they are redoing now.

Yes, this one had floor(s) added

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Working on the mech floor now I believe

[GRDadof3]

On 3/18/2020 at 10:00 AM, ironyisadeadscene said:

I could have sworn I read that. Maybe i got it confused with the 5/3 building they are redoing now.

The smaller building they are re-doing now had two floors added. yes. correct. 

DJAugustine knows his stuff, he's saying that the gray stone 5/3 "tower" is planned to be re-clad with glass, which would be unbelievably different for that area. 

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2 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

The smaller building they are re-doing now had two floors added. yes. correct. 

DJAugustine knows his stuff, he's saying that the gray stone 5/3 "tower" is planned to be re-clad with glass, which would be unbelievably different for that area. 

No, I know that. I thought I read that the tower was ALSO getting heightened and re-skinned.

[mpchicago]

On 3/17/2020 at 9:24 AM, Dj Augustine said:

I know one of the other investors that tried to acquire the property had plans and renderings  to reskin with glass.  I heard the current owners have a similar plan.

 

Interesting.....

Edited March 22, 2020 by mpchicago

[Paramaribo]

111 Lyon is not pretty but it has timeless qualities, especially up close. Buildings designed with SketchUp lack the same character.  But it's dark inside, so skinning it with glass is sensible. It'll look cool for ten, maybe twenty years.  After that, it'll be another glass box with aging Tubelite.   

[joeDowntown]

Out of boredom, I drove around downtown yesterday (social distancing + cabin fever). Not much going on, most projects are on hold, but saw a few new things (maybe added before the shutdown?). The facade is going up on this development. 

Not a big fan of the dark tint on the windows, but we’ll see as it gets further along. 
 

 

[Raildude's dad]

Wednesday I went to the Post Office and the GR drop box to mail a few checks (I still have a few I don't pay on line - I know get with times old man) but it's a good excuse to get out now. I even went around the block twice to check this one out.  I was struck by all the glass. I know theres triple pane glass but I question if glass is more energy efficient than solid wall systems. Then I went to check out (actually figure out where it was and how it worked) - the philly cheese steak place in trhe New Mertens Hotel) . Downtown is really popping with new development. .  But looking around as I drove around I also realized the number of projects that have involvement by local families, Van Andel, DeVos, , Sechia and now Meijer.  Their involvement (arena, Devos place, childrens hospital, cancer center, VIA tc) and investment (This building, Amway Grand, Marriot Eastbank Towers etc) IMHO are the reasons for the life and vitality of downtown.

GR wouldn't be the place we are if these family owned companies were sold out to any of the investment "vulture" oops capital  companies. 

I also drove  by Mel Trotter. What a sad situation. No social distancing at all. If one of the clients there get the virus, there will be a number of fatal cases just like the nursing home in Cedar Springs. I mentioned the situation on a conference call Thursday  with the Health Dept and I was told the that GRPD and GRFD would be addressing the situation.  I drove down Division Wealthy north before the stay home order and a similar situation with the "homeless".

It's nothing new, riding the bus home 1966-68 from Grand Rapids Central Christian (Franklin & Madison  NE corner for the "kids" on here) Division north of Wealthy was where the prostitutes  where standing on the sidewalk and lower Monroe, Lyon north was were the homeless or the ones in the flop house about the stores (pre urban renewal) sat on the sidewalk. Bridge from the river west to the tracks  was the other 2nd story flop house  area. If you needed day labor, you drove by and picked the one(s) you wanted for the day.

Sorry for the segway, just killing some time waiting for Easter dinner. Splurging today, breakfast sandwich and a grande latte from Biggby. The boss's idea of cooking Sunday dinner today

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[joeDowntown]

New photo. There’s an interesting pattern “etched” into the big windows. 
 

 

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12 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

New photo. There’s an interesting pattern “etched” into the big windows. 
 

 

I actually really love this project so far. I wish it were taller (as I do with everything, right) or they redo the 5/3 tower behind it. The north side of downtown is so sterile and needs more life.

[mpchicago]

Thanks for posting Joe - How is new retail space along Lyon coming along? 

[MJLO]

On 7/31/2020 at 9:56 AM, ironyisadeadscene said:

I actually really love this project so far. I wish it were taller (as I do with everything, right) or they redo the 5/3 tower behind it. The north side of downtown is so sterile and needs more life.

My fear would be the HPC declaring the 5/3 tower behind it a precious piece of history, and not allowing it to be updated. 

[discgrab21]

5 hours ago, MJLO said:

My fear would be the HPC declaring the 5/3 tower behind it a precious piece of history, and not allowing it to be updated. 

Wouldn't that be the ultimate irony?

[Paramaribo]

On 3/27/2020 at 9:08 PM, Paramaribo said:

111 Lyon is not pretty but it has timeless qualities, especially up close. Buildings designed with SketchUp lack the same character.  But it's dark inside, so skinning it with glass is sensible. It'll look cool for ten, maybe twenty years.  After that, it'll be another glass box with aging Tubelite.   

The new exterior at 200 Monroe looks amazing. Kudos to CWD! Seeing the progress over the past four months has changed my perspective of the 5/3 tower.  I'd love to see a new exterior for this building as well. Would be a huge win for the block and for the city in general. 

[joeDowntown]

[GRyan]

12 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

Wow, looks sharp so far. Between this and the new Amyway glass GR is finally starting to shed some of it's outdated architecture!

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