Civic Theatre Renovation

[joeDowntown]

From an Anonymous source:

- The Civic renovation will come in at around $14 million

- A full scale renovation of all of the buildings they own

- The current marquee will be replaced with a glass wall, with two grand open staircases leading to the balcony, allowing you to see the activity going on inside.

- Replication of some sort of "clock tower" or "widows peak" that was removed from one of the buildings. Supposedly the work on the tower has already begun. Anyone noticed? I heard it is on the Monroe side.

Anyone else know anything? I Still don't know who the anonymous donor is.

Joe

[daniel nudnik]

That's great news!

Exactly how much of that block does the theater own?

From an Anonymous source:

- The Civic renovation will come in at around $14 million

- A full scale renovation of all of the buildings they own

- The current marquee will be replaced with a glass wall, with two grand open staircases leading to the balcony, allowing you to see the activity going on inside.

- Replication of some sort of "clock tower" or "widows peak" that was removed from one of the buildings. Supposedly the work on the tower has already begun. Anyone noticed? I heard it is on the Monroe side.

Anyone else know anything? I Still don't know who the anonymous donor is.

Joe

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[GRDadof3]

From an Anonymous source:

- The Civic renovation will come in at around $14 million

- A full scale renovation of all of the buildings they own

- The current marquee will be replaced with a glass wall, with two grand open staircases leading to the balcony, allowing you to see the activity going on inside.

- Replication of some sort of "clock tower" or "widows peak" that was removed from one of the buildings. Supposedly the work on the tower has already begun. Anyone noticed? I heard it is on the Monroe side.

Anyone else know anything? I Still don't know who the anonymous donor is.

Joe

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Frey, Wege, Meijer, Tassell, Cook? (not the usual suspects I would bet). This would be a great project.

[GRDadof3]

The historic Grand Rapids Civic Theatre, begging for a decent restoration...

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We can post this from GRCentro to show a comparison if we get renderings.

[egrguy]

thats excellent news. im glad to see grand action is still working on this. so is the 14m plan the high, mid or low plan? it really sounds like its at least the mid plan and i look forward to seeing some sort of official announcement.

[joeDowntown]

I think it would have to be the high. I also heard it is not necessarily an "arts" patron, but someone who is interested in anchoring that part of town.

I think there are four or five buildings that are owned by civic (some seem like part of the same building but are actually diff. buildings).

I don't know if it will be announced soon as I scooped this one from a very reliable source.

Joe

thats excellent news. im glad to see grand action is still working on this. so is the 14m plan the high, mid or low plan? it really sounds like its at least the mid plan and i look forward to seeing some sort of official announcement.

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[LA Dave]

In the good old days, when the Civic Theater was the old Majestic Theater, one of the storefronts just to the south was the Coffee Ranch. The Coffee Ranch had an on-site coffee roaster and made custom blends of the best coffee. Today, in the era of Starbucks, it would be a national treasurel. Unfortunately, it went out of business years ago.

I remember as a young lad visiting the Coffee Ranch and smelling the fresh roasted coffee as I walked in the door with mom. What an experience.

In the photo above, I think that the Coffee Ranch was in the building with the two sets of bay windows.

[GRCentro]

Great news, Joe. I am glad someone is willing to anchor this project

[MJLO]

they are both such beatiful buildings, I'm excited to see what could happen to them.

[GRDadof3]

I totally missed this paragraph in the GR Press article detailing the upcoming building boom:

"A major overhaul of the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre buildings also is expected to begin this fall with a formal announcement detailing the renovation planned for later this month."

GR Press

Although not on the high price side, to be able to come up Monroe Center and have those buildings renovated will really anchor that area. It's kind of anti-climactic after you pass Cafe Solace right now (and don't get started on the Kendall building again )

[joeDowntown]

They also eluded to the fact that it was all four buildings. That would mean they are going with the more aggressive plan. That is great! With the Fitz getting fixed up across the street, basically Azzar is the only one blighting this neighborhood (with the Kendall and Keeler building).

Joe

I totally missed this paragraph in the GR Press article detailing the upcoming building boom:

"A major overhaul of the Grand Rapids Civic Theatre buildings also is expected to begin this fall with a formal announcement detailing the renovation planned for later this month."

GR Press

Although not on the high price side, to be able to come up Monroe Center and have those buildings renovated will really anchor that area.  It's kind of anti-climactic after you pass Cafe Solace right now (and don't get started on the Kendall building again )

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[GRDadof3]

Apparently Fall comes early:

And this is bizarre. Look at this old photo from the Public Library showing the Cody Hotel that used to stand at the City Centre ramp site (SW corner of Division and Fulton). 13 S. Division (the squat building next to the Cybernet building) is the one to the far left in this photo. The building next to the Cody looks just like the Botsford portion of the Civic. I wonder if this cupola at the top is the "widows peak" look that they are going to re-create on the Civic? And I wonder if the two buildings were built and designed at the same time, since they are basically kitty corner to each other.

[Prankster]

Apparently Fall comes early:

And this is bizarre.  Look at this old photo from the Public Library showing the Cody Hotel that used to stand at the City Centre ramp site (SW corner of Division and Fulton).  13 S. Division (the squat building next to the Cybernet building) is the one to the far left in this photo.  The building next to the Cody looks just like the Botsford portion of the Civic.  I wonder if this cupola at the top is the "widows peak" look that they are going to re-create on the Civic?  And I wonder if the two buildings were built and designed at the same time, since they are basically kitty corner to each other.

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Thanks for the updated pic on the Civic, it is great to see that this project is moving forward. If they fill the ground floors of these buildings with the right mix of retail, and coupled with the proposed Kendall College campus, it could really bring a lot of vitality to that section of Division.

The lynch pin in the whole development, thought, will be wrestling 2 Fountain Place away from Azzar. If someone were to rehab that building, along with build something street friendly on the parking lot adjacent to the south of it, it would really make the area shine.

[joeDowntown]

A fun fact. The Cody hotel was owned by a relative of Buffalo Bill Cody.

Joe

[GRDadof3]

A fun fact. The Cody hotel was owned by a relative of Buffalo Bill Cody.

Joe

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Get Out! That's funny

Ah, I just found that on-line. Cody Hotels Wyoming was/is a chain.

[Prankster]

Just got done perusing the GRBJ, and noticed that this thread about the Civic Theater on Urbanplanet has made it to the "Street Talk" section on the last page. They specifically quoted joeDowntown. So congrats, you can now consider yourself officially published.

Wonder where old Ms. Valade could have found out about this site. I'm looking at you, woz.

[GRDadof3]

Just got done perusing the GRBJ, and noticed that this thread about the Civic Theater on Urbanplanet has made it to the "Street Talk" section on the last page.  They specifically quoted joeDowntown.  So congrats, you can now consider yourself officially published.

Wonder where old Ms. Valade could have found out about this site.  I'm looking at you, woz.

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Do you get an advance copy Prankster? I checked on-line and didn't see it in the Street Talk from last Monday ("3 is Enough").

[joeDowntown]

Nice! I feel so flattered. I hope I don't sound too stewpud.

Joe

Just got done perusing the GRBJ, and noticed that this thread about the Civic Theater on Urbanplanet has made it to the "Street Talk" section on the last page.  They specifically quoted joeDowntown.  So congrats, you can now consider yourself officially published.

Wonder where old Ms. Valade could have found out about this site.  I'm looking at you, woz.

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[Prankster]

Do you get an advance copy Prankster?  I checked on-line and didn't see it in the Street Talk from last Monday ("3 is Enough").

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Nah, they just usually deliver to the area bookstores on Sunday afternoon. I had taken the kids to the Schuler's on Alpine this afternoon, and noticed it was already there.

[woz]

"I'm looking at you, woz." --Prankster

Don't look at me! There is at least one GRBJ reporter regularly lurking about on this forum. Besides, you should know by now that if I'm going to write about something I learned about here, it's going to take a couple of months before it hits the streets.

[GRDadof3]

Here is the excerpt from Steet Talk:

"Thus far, the Business Journal has managed to avoid using blogs or online forums as sources. Not that we don

[joeDowntown]

I've been outed. Boy, pretty hard to figure out who I am and who I work for when they included my bio. My real name is John, I'm 16 and I work at Pizza Hut.

I hope Azzar reads the article, checks out Urban Planet and sees how much people dislike what he's doing for downtown.

Joe

Here is the excerpt from Steet Talk:

"Thus far, the Business Journal has managed to avoid using blogs or online forums as sources. Not that we don

[torgo]

I hope Azzar reads the article, checks out Urban Planet and sees how much people dislike what he's doing for downtown.

Joe

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Ditto for Joe Moch

[GRDadof3]

I've been outed. Boy, pretty hard to figure out who I am and who I work for when they included my bio. My real name is John, I'm 16 and I work at Pizza Hut.

I hope Azzar reads the article, checks out Urban Planet and sees how much people dislike what he's doing for downtown.

Joe

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I think that info was on your "demographic" page way back. I still don't know who you are Joe (John), so you can still enjoy some anonymity (sp?) .

[mpchicago]

Very Impressive. I