Photos De Jour - Grand Rapids and West Michigan Area

[GRGridGirl]

A house at 22 Michigan that was knocked down during Urban Renewal?

You are lukewarm. You're right on with the time frame.

[grrwymg]

Rats - I only have a few images that I was given from the GRHS back in '99 when I did this project for them.

Here's a few of them:

Happy Friday, everyone.

[blindside]

Look at downtown back in the day. That's the kind of vibrant city we can only hope to create today.

I think every kid that grew up in GR has had their pic taken with that statue.

Edited March 10, 2006 by blindside

[twoshort]

Almost looks like someone from UP took over WoodTV.com

[Rizzo]

Do you realize we are creating news Remember when we talked about this and you all told me that you think GRUP shouldn't create news or report on it... Look at us now

Edited March 10, 2006 by Rizzo

[MJLO]

Does it scare anyone that our local media outlets, are using us for info instead of obtaining it on there own. Is our town really that hokey, or are we really that good?

[torgo]

Does it scare anyone that our local media outlets, are using us for info instead of obtaining it on there own. Is our town really that hokey, or are we really that good?

I'll go with the latter.

[ericdriver]

More pics from last week. Does anyone know what this building was before they painted rust on the brick and put amazingly beautiful black painted plywood on the windows?

[GRDadof3]

I know it's called the Kendall Building, and I believe it was the first home of Kendall College of Art & Design. I think that's the original brick color, but I'll bet Nitro (if he sees this) can verify.

[Nitro]

I know it's called the Kendall Building, and I believe it was the first home of Kendall College of Art & Design. I think that's the original brick color, but I'll bet Nitro (if he sees this) can verify.

I don't think Kendall College was ever in that building. The building's patron's last name was Kendall but he had no relationship with the college.

I can't tell you the complete history but some of the 4 above ground floors were used as a dentist office. The space is still chopped up pretty badly as small dental exam rooms.

The last use of the retail on the 1st floor on the west side of the building was a convenience store that had a fire. The inside is still charred a bit. The last use on the east side of the building was a bartending school. There are still a ton of empty liquor bottles in there they they practiced with.

As far as the exterior I beleve that the metal awning on the 1st floor was an add about the late 60's or 70's. There was another canopy on the front of the building originally. As far as the plywood, the floors were boarded up as they were abandoned.

[GR_Urbanist]

Some Misc. pictures from myself......

[mejane]

I don't think Kendall College was ever in that building. The building's patron's last name was Kendall but he had no relationship with the college.

You're right, Nitro, Kendall College never occupied that building in it's entire history.

http://www.kcad.edu/kcad/about/history.php...c7a2a907ed9e238

Edited March 12, 2006 by mejane

[6th Gen local]

Some Misc. pictures from myself......

Is that picture from the Exhibitors building next to the Amway Grand Plaza?

[6th Gen local]

Here are a few scanned pictures from 1991. You can't take these pictures anymore.

[dtown]

old school, nice

[GRDadof3]

Is that picture from the Exhibitors building next to the Amway Grand Plaza?

No, that's Michigan National with Morton House in the background

Nice shots Urbanist!

Freezout:

Those are cool. I can't believe how ugly the Hall of Justice was. And there is a tower construction crane working on Plaza Towers in your last picture.

[6th Gen local]

No, that's Michigan National with Morton House in the background

Nice shots Urbanist!

Freezout:

Those are cool. I can't believe how ugly the Hall of Justice was. And there is a tower construction crane working on Plaza Towers in your last picture.

I have quite a few more construction pics and downtown pictures from that same group. If it doesn't upset anyone I can post some more.

I'll resize a few more, right now the resolution is some ungodly 1900x1728.

[6th Gen local]

there is a tower construction crane working on Plaza Towers in your last picture.

Here are a few more Plaza Towers construction pictures.

The future home of the Intersection Bar is in the foreground on the left of this picture.

More Plaza towers construction.

From the Northeast

I also have pictures of Bridgewater being built, Alpine Avenue before all the construction, the American Seating Plant and smoke stack, the future site of the VanAndel institute and the old Butterworth hospital and Michigan Street Hill before it was developed if anyone is interested.

[Timize]

I finally got the chance to go downtown today and take some pictures.

Here's Bridgewater Place from the U.S. Postal Service building:

Overlooking Michigan Street from the Skywalk at Spectrum Health, Butterworth:

The bridge between Michigan Street and Bridge Street:

Grand Valley State University from atop of the Meijer Heart Center parking ramp:

And lastly, the weird spiraling glass thingy on level A of Spectrum Health:

[GRDadof3]

Wow! Great photos guys! Freezout, you can start a new thread for your photos maybe titled "Grand Rapids then and now" or something. That would be great to see Bridgewater construction photos.

[grrwymg]

Wow! Great photos guys! Freezout, you can start a new thread for your photos maybe titled "Grand Rapids then and now" or something. That would be great to see Bridgewater construction photos.

I'll 2nd that. I think I ran across a picture of GRDads a bit ago when the AGP was under construction. Too cool.

Plaza Towers -- If I recall - didn't they have to do some huge re-work at some point - displaced all tenants?

[GRCentro]

Is that picture from the Exhibitors building next to the Amway Grand Plaza?

That's from 77 Monroe Center (my favorite downtown building!).

Thanks for the great photos everyone, especially those of Plaza Towers, Freezout! Please do share more...

[Rizzo]

I agree GRCentro, 77 is my favorite too. Great picture GR_Urbanist.

Notice the lack of people in Freezout's photos.

Edited March 12, 2006 by Rizzo

[6th Gen local]

I'll 2nd that. I think I ran across a picture of GRDads a bit ago when the AGP was under construction. Too cool.

Plaza Towers -- If I recall - didn't they have to do some huge re-work at some point - displaced all tenants?

They had to replace all of the outer brick sheets. There was a lot of leakage into the building. They were taking those off of Plaza tower while VanAndel Arena was being built. Erhardt-Hunt was the General Contractor for both project at the time and I kidded with the Project manager for VanAndel that they were reusing the brick from Plaza towers on the Arena. He got real serious acting and made a point of showing me the "new" brick sheets for VanAndel as opposed to the old ones taken off of Plaza towers.

[NorthEnder]

....whoops.

Here are a few scanned pictures from 1991. You can't take these pictures anymore.

And today.

Edited March 12, 2006 by NorthEnder