Photos De Jour - Grand Rapids and West Michigan Area

[Allison Slater]

hahahaha i can just imagine that classic 60's villian voice too.. i'm imagining the villian off of wacky races haha

[fo0hzy]

Taken today - I like it

[torgo]

^ Nice!

Here's another of the Mckay Tower

[civitas]

Taken today - I like it

Nice photo.

When that building was built the architect (Bob Wold) called it the "mirror on the mall."

[Josh]

This view should look a little different soon:

[fo0hzy]

When that building was built the architect (Bob Wold) called it the "mirror on the mall."

That's news to me. Almost my whole life in G.R. and this is the first I've ever heard of Bob Wold... God Bless 'im

Here, I saw a bunch of angles, with yellow as the focus.

Action shot, taken Saturday. These kids were hard to capture in action, because let's face it: They're kids. And prone to doing the unexpected.

This is one of those snapshots that you sneak without them looking, and pray it turns out good. I'm very pleased with this shot (my daughter)

[fo0hzy]

I have been meaning to capture this scene for some time... very nice

[6th Gen local]

Nice shots fo0hzy.

[civitas]

That's news to me. Almost my whole life in G.R. and this is the first I've ever heard of Bob Wold... God Bless 'im

Bob formed the firm Wold and Bowers with Paul Bowers. Later they added Frank Covert and Bud De Shane to become Wold, Bowers, De Shane and Covert. The name was shortened to WBDC in the mid 70's.

Bob Wold left the firm in the mid 70's and formed Robert Wold and Associates.

After Bob died their office space was taken by Tower Pinkster. I'm not sure if it was a merger or what.

WBDC went through some hard times and re-emerged as the current BETA Design.

Paul Bowers lives in Plaza Towers and is regularly seen enjoying downtown living.

Nice photo of your daughter. Was she dressed as a performer for Festival?

Edited June 5, 2006 by civitas

[mpchicago]

Paul Bowers lives in Plaza Towers and is regularly seen enjoying downtown living.

Paul Bowers was seen in this months issue of GR Magazine doing just that.

[mpchicago]

Thanks for the Kendell Building picks Dad! It looks pretty beat up, but I love all the old transom windows, etc.... Can you tell us anything else about the place now having toured it?

Edited June 5, 2006 by mpchicago

[GRDadof3]

Thanks for the Kendell Building picks Dad! It looks pretty beat up, but I love all the old transom windows, etc.... Can you tell us anything else about the place now having toured it?

Yeah, it's a mess. It's going to take a lot of money to turn that place around, but it does have a lot of character. Like you, I love the bay and arched windows. And the views from the rooftop are excellent, because you're surrounded by parks on two sides (Veterans Park by the library and the Memorial Park on the corner of Division and Fulton). It will look really cool with Two West Fulton and the JA Building expansion across the street too.

It sounds like a team is getting pretty close to pulling the trigger on it to make it into 4 high-end condos. It's one of the last few in the core that sits completely vacant AND not renovated.

BTW: That cage is the door to the original elevator still intact (but would need to be replaced).

Here's the view from the roof looking toward Ryerson Library and Veterans Park:

and looking toward Fulton and Heritage Hill

edit: I forgot to add this one looking down Monroe Center:

I could hang out on a little garden patio with views like that.

[GRDadof3]

Trees and hills. I love em. (oh and cranes too)

[sparky05]

[gvsusean]

driving sown division I really liked the whole mexican infleunce of the area, i wish that could spread further down division (with prosperity) so we could get some actual hispanic buildings with their great colors and styles,

[GRDadof3]

Here's that earlier photo from the Kendall roof but in pano, facing Monroe Center, the People's building, the Peck and Morton House.

[mpchicago]

View from the top of the Amway Grand Plaza looking towards Belknap Park to the NE.

Nice shot of St Al's! (St. Alphonsus)

[Allison Slater]

Did anybody get any photos of DT last night? The moon was a bright glowing yellow doubled in size by a halo-like-thing... made for some very beautiful sights downtown.. especially when you could see its reflection in the glass buildings

[civitas]

Believe it or not, this is within a 1 mile radius of Fulton and Division.

Any guesses?

[GRDadof3]

Believe it or not, this is within a 1 mile radius of Fulton and Division.

Any guesses?

Somewhere near Wealthy and Jefferson? It looks like a residential back alley, and that's the only area I can think of that's close enough to have one of those.

Anyone else see any faces:

[civitas]

Somewhere near Wealthy and Jefferson? It looks like a residential back alley, and that's the only area I can think of that's close enough to have one of those.

You're good. I was standing in the parking lot on the west side of the old fish place one block east of Division on the south side of Wealthy. The photo is looking south down the alley.

What face?

[GRDadof3]

You're good. I was standing in the parking lot on the west side of the old fish place one block east of Division on the south side of Wealthy. The photo is looking south down the alley.

What face?

Yeah, my wife calls me Magellan (nothing unseemly or anything).

I see an old man's face right in the middle of the "flower", and then a tilted mean guy face on the petal at about 1:00. There are probably more if I keep looking.

[torgo]

There are probably more if I keep looking.

Sounds to me like someone needs a nap.

[Allison Slater]

I saw the guy in the middle, but didn't notise mr. mean guy until you pointed him out. mr. mean guy actually makes me laugh xD

[fo0hzy]

Nice photo of your daughter. Was she dressed as a performer for Festival?

No, not this year - but her mates from the Linda Moon School of Dance were performing, so she wanted to be there to see them do their thing and lend support.

Edited June 7, 2006 by fo0hzy