New Grand Rapids Art Museum

[jwazzz]

Saw it for the first time tonight with the lanterns lit - awesome. I love this building. Two things from previous posts - the old Mutual Home facade is alive and well in Gaslight Village - a Chase bank branch now. And I have to agree about replacing that little grassy area - bad idea for what will no doubt be a high traffic area. Once again, if you haven't seen GRAM at night yet, make the trip downtown - it's worth it.

[Sailor]

I remember back in '03 when discussions were going on concerning the then current structures in detail and the future of the bank building. The talking point was the bank facade that was to be reused in a later project. Does anyone know of any information concerning this beautiful facade and its destination in another city project?

It would be cool if, forbid, any future historic facades had to be taken down, could make their way into our museum for a special exhibit, "The Ruins of Grand Rapids." Sort of melancholic, but it would great to reuse these buildings in other projects around downtown.

The bank facade is now in Gaslight Village (downtown East Grand Rapids) as the facade of Chase Bank. It's on Wealthy between Lakeside and Bagley.

[Rizzo]

The bank facade is now in Gaslight Village (downtown East Grand Rapids) as the facade of Chase Bank. It's on Wealthy between Lakeside and Bagley.

I was wondering why that was so familiar.

Thanks for the info.

[sparky05]

OK, my final judgement on this building is - it sucks during the day, but transforms itself into a majestic mountain of pure glory at night.

If only there were some way to destroy the sun...

[Allison Slater]

They should stay open at night just because it looks so cool then. As I said earlier, it's breathtaking when you first see it lit up like that.

[GRDadof3]

GRAM lands a rare Rembrandt for its permanent exhibit

Nice!

[twoshort]

If only there were some way to destroy the sun...

[starrfish]

Excellent, Smithers!

[Veloise]

Let's go shopping!

[michaelskis]

I too like how it looks at night... now if they could just do something with that concrete.

[tamias6]

No matter if you love it or hate it, it looks like the new GRAM along with Rosa Park Circle are doing one thing good urban design is suppose to to do. That is attracting street life.

[Veloise]

For a building (and institution) that's supposedly so green, there sure are a lot of unnecessary lights burning at 11:39 pm on a Saturday. (And I don't mean the top blocks.)

[blueradon]

Was there ever any mention of solar panels ever going to be on this building...I don't know if it would be terribly visible if they were to do something of this nature...but for being LEED or whataever - would have been nice for them to try and power most of the building themselves.

I wonder also if the night time lights are LED or some sort of energy saving bulbs?

[tamias6]

Michigan spends too much time under the weather to do solar panels effectively, esp. in the winter months.

[joeDowntown]

This is actually a false statement. Are you just speculating here?

Joe

Michigan spends too much time under the weather to do solar panels effectively, esp. in the winter months.

[jbr12]

This is not completly false. Michigan, especially Western Michigan, does spend something like 60% of the days under cloud coverage. This ratio is not optimal for solar panels to be utilized efficiently.

I was recently at the GVSU - Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center in Muskegon and they have equipment that monitors the outputs of their PV Cells on the roof. By looking at the graphs, it is VERY apparent how often the output is limited by lack of sunlight... well over half of the year.

Here are the numbers from NOAA:

http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/cldy.html

Clear Days- 64

Partly Cloudy Days- 96

Cloudy Days- 205

[numstead]

from today

it was really quiet downtown

[Eridony]

from today

Wow the lack of people, color, and the large amount of concrete in that building makes me think that view belongs in some movie about a future dystopia! Am I the only one who thinks that?

[Yankee Fan]

Wow the lack of people, color, and the large amount of concrete in that building makes me think that view belongs in some movie about a future dystopia! Am I the only one who thinks that?

I actually thought that it reminded me of playing Tetris on my old gameboy. Looks like I put the blocks in the wrong place and lost...

[Veloise]

This is not completly false. Michigan, especially Western Michigan, does spend something like 60% of the days under cloud coverage. This ratio is not optimal for solar panels to be utilized efficiently.

I was recently at the GVSU - Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center in Muskegon and they have equipment that monitors the outputs of their PV Cells on the roof. By looking at the graphs, it is VERY apparent how often the output is limited by lack of sunlight... well over half of the year.

Here are the numbers from NOAA:

http://lwf.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/climate/online/ccd/cldy.html

Clear Days- 64

Partly Cloudy Days- 96

Cloudy Days- 205

My outdoor solar lamps never got the memo on this; they work fine.

And the solar-powered flashlight I bought from Uncle Fred came out of its blister pack all charged up (having availed itself of flourescent lighting 24/7).

One of the home fix-it places has a huge box of staked solar lights for a pittance (something like 6 lamps for $5).

[sparky05]

My outdoor solar lamps never got the memo on this; they work fine.

And the solar-powered flashlight I bought from Uncle Fred came out of its blister pack all charged up (having availed itself of flourescent lighting 24/7).

One of the home fix-it places has a huge box of staked solar lights for a pittance (something like 6 lamps for $5).

there's a difference between powering a tiny solar lamp and a whole building....

[Veloise]

there's a difference between powering a tiny solar lamp and a whole building....

Really??

So all that illumination all evening is necessary?

Seems like the sun-facing windows could contain enough chintzy dollar-three-ninety solar lights to serve as nightlights for the dust and stacks of mugs.

[GRDadof3]

Speaking of lights, I saw today that the glass-enclosed area at the Northwest corner has new cool light fixtures in it. Is that the cafe?

[joeDowntown]

Actually, the lighter the display window, the MORE light is needed to display things properly (read it in an article about good retail design). So yes, I think it is necessary.

I say light the whole city up! Let's start with McKay Tower!

Joe

Really??

So all that illumination all evening is necessary?

Seems like the sun-facing windows could contain enough chintzy dollar-three-ninety solar lights to serve as nightlights for the dust and stacks of mugs.

[torgo]

Wow the lack of people, color, and the large amount of concrete in that building makes me think that view belongs in some movie about a future dystopia! Am I the only one who thinks that?

Hah, yeah I can see that.That is a great pic golscorer! Although it makes the concrete look even worse if you ask me...