Medical Mile/Michigan Street Developments

[lstmk]

Is there a texture on that glass? It looks like a DNA sequence.

I walked by it today at lunch and it does look pretty sweet. Like someone ran an agarose gel electrophoresis

and stuck it under a uv light. I think it will contrast nicely with the surrounding buildings without sticking out like a sore thumb.

[GRDadof3]

Here's the blue on a cloudy rainy day. Trying to imagine 12 stories of that. BTW: That entrance into Butterworth Hospital is supposed to reopen this week, apparently.

[MuskeMI]

As I previously mentioned, the front lobby is now open. Inside is pretty sharp, although it looks like they re-used all the leftover interior materials from Lemmen Holton! Didn't brave the outdoors without a jacket to see what the exterior looks like.

[GRDadof3]

As I previously mentioned, the front lobby is now open. Inside is pretty sharp, although it looks like they re-used all the leftover interior materials from Lemmen Holton! Didn't brave the outdoors without a jacket to see what the exterior looks like.

Speaking of motor lobbies. They were working on the turnaround entrance at the Van Andel Institute the other day, and installing what looked like those steel posts that come out of the ground to stop automobile traffic (like you would see at a military or government installation). Anyone else notice these? I didn't want to take pictures because there were a lot of workers around (and it looked like security measures).

Here it is: Automatic Bollards (didn't know the terminology):

http://images.google.com/images?um=1&h...G=Search+Images

Wonder if it's for added security or just to keep ANY traffic from entering the turnaround (other than the Porsche Cayenne I see parked there occasionally)?

[MuskeMI]

Short video on WZZM about the lobby re-opening.

[Yankee Fan]

I thought that they were increasing the height of the crane; it did not look any taller this morning on my way in to the office.

[Allison Slater]

So, who wants to stake out the area and catch a hilarious video like this?

[GRDadof3]

Chris Knape has a good story about the failed development plans for the Towers building area:

http://blog.mlive.com/knapescorner/2008/11...ng_was_par.html

I didn't realize Perkins & Will did so much work in Grand Rapids. It's so hideous compared to the work they do now.

http://www.perkinswill.com/expertise/disciplines/arch.aspx

[numstead]

I didn't realize Perkins & Will did so much work in Grand Rapids. It's so hideous compared to the work they do now.

http://www.perkinswill.com/expertise/disciplines/arch.aspx

Times, tastes, and technology change.

[Captain_Planet]

The beginning of demolition...

[GRDadof3]

The beginning of demolition...

Ha! You might be in my picture Captain Planet:

The Med School:

And you can see from this vantage point how the HDVCH tower crane has grown:

[LA Dave]

Chris Knape has a good story about the failed development plans for the Towers building area:

http://blog.mlive.com/knapescorner/2008/11...ng_was_par.html

I didn't realize Perkins & Will did so much work in Grand Rapids. It's so hideous compared to the work they do now.

http://www.perkinswill.com/expertise/disciplines/arch.aspx

Boy, you can say that again. Also, Harry Weese was a fantastic Chicago architect, but his original work on DeVos Hall was a joke. Unless, of course, you really loved gray concrete. On the other hand, Solon Beman's Michigan Trust Building and Henry Cobb's St. Cecilia Auditorium still shine over a hundred years after they were designed by those great Chicago architects.

[wingbert]

Ha! You might be in my picture Captain Planet:

Awwww man. They should've imploded it just for fun. Raffled off the opportunity to throw the switch to raise money for cancer research or something like that.

[tamias6]

The beginning of demolition...

Good Bye Towers Building and good riddance! We'll have one less eye sore in our urban landscape. Now if we can demo the Grand Rapids Press HQ and the Federal Building Across the Street and replace them with better looking buildings.

[wolverine]

I know, I almost kind of want to run around with a hammer and break the windows for them. I'm sure it looked much better when it opened during that time of architecture, but it sure didn't age all that well.

Edited November 19, 2008 by wolverine

[d8alterego]

Will they be recycling the materials? I'm sure the steel will be.

Edited November 19, 2008 by d8alterego

[Josh]

Is the spire still a go on the Children's Hospital as far as everyone's heard?

Rumor I heard today sounded like they were considering scrapping the plan for it. Not sure if it's set in stone.

[MuskeMI]

The spire is still in the plans as far as I know but I wouldn't be too surprised if it ends up scrapped, with the budget issues this building has been having. GRDad has some pics a while back of the pad and rebar where the spire will eventually go, but there's nothing more than that (physically).

[tamias6]

^I will be a little disappointed if the spire is scraped as it would have been a very nice focal point for Health Hill.

[GRDadof3]

The spire is still in the plans as far as I know but I wouldn't be too surprised if it ends up scrapped, with the budget issues this building has been having. GRDad has some pics a while back of the pad and rebar where the spire will eventually go, but there's nothing more than that (physically).

I imagine if the spire goes, so will the cable stays. Then it's just another ho-hum oval glass building.

[mpchicago]

Did we ever get a clear idea of what happened with this project as far as cost over runs, and the supposed firing of Jonathan Bailey? It would seem that the DeVos' would do what it takes to make the spire happen, as it's really what makes this building.

[GRDadof3]

Did we ever get a clear idea of what happened with this project as far as cost over runs, and the supposed firing of Jonathan Bailey? It would seem that the DeVos' would do what it takes to make the spire happen, as it's really what makes this building.

Sounds like the spire and cables are a "no go". Not sure if the pedestrian bridge design will stay, or if will be redesigned.

[trask]

Sounds like the spire and cables are a "no go". Not sure if the pedestrian bridge design will stay, or if will be redesigned.

Spire is out and at this point the bridge is staying as designed without the cables.

[Yankee Fan]

Spire is out and at this point the bridge is staying as designed without the cables.

But the building is still a go, right?!

This is not going to be another "Division and Franklin" with a half built structure, correct?

Just kidding.

[mpchicago]

now it's just another ho hum looking building. Again, what happend here? Did Bailey sell somthing he could not produce?