Changes at 50 Monroe?

[Rizzo]

Dad, thoes are figgin tall!

[GRDadof3]

Yah, I may have stretched those a little bit, but you never know, we may get a height war going here if I think about who's possibly working on these two. Huntington (50 Monroe) is 7 stories, so I just figured about 3 times taller than that for the blue guy. The blue is a throw-back to Lyon-Ottawa in case you didn't notice

[Rizzo]

Egocentric would be wonderful!

[snoogit]

(I'm not an architect, I just play one on TV)

Yes, Paris, 50 Monroe could be considered the washer/dryer. It's where Huntington Bank is.

Hmmm not quite where I was going, but that does look like a nice pair of stratego pieces In any case, I like that idea, I just need to learn to Pshop better I think, so I can share what I was thinking

[Michi]

Anybody remember the rendering for Lyon & Ottawa Tower?

I have it saved on my computer at home but don't have internet access to post it.

It was a pretty looking building.

[snoogit]

Anybody remember the rendering for Lyon & Ottawa Tower?

I have it saved on my computer at home but don't have internet access to post it.

It was a pretty looking building.

you need a place to host?

[Rizzo]

Ahh, there she is boys!

[theSuburbs]

what a beaut!

[GRDadof3]

I think someone has that for their avatar OK, mine is not quite as good And they're probably a bit too close to each other:

[snoogit]

I was thinking, keep the macatawa bank look, but in that archway make it all deep blue glass, like the LG&E Tower but with the curved arch in the glass section, with a little recess in between and a different roof style for the Mac (see the little macatawa bank attatched to the post, and apply it to the tower)

And then for the Huntington office, a little influence from Columbus architecture would fit in nicely If anything building a taller building downtown would allow them to merge the DT office, and the E-Beltline office into one tall structure, sort of like what BC&BS did at the old Steketee's site.

[GRDadof3]

That sounds cool! Here's the original image. It's yours, knock yourself out

All I do is open in up in MSPaint that I have std on my laptop, and start playing around with it. Nothin fancy.

[Yankee Fan]

Word from my source is that Macatawa now has a "significant tenant" lined up for their project. They have always planned on having a second major tenant along with themselves. They are in a race of sorts against another development to land this tenant and it appears that they have won that race. And, in re: to the Huntington Bank building, may I remind you of my less than calculated quote from last week: "A game of can you top this" is about to start.

This should be fun to watch.

[GRDadof3]

Nice Yankeefan! I was thinking that some board-room egos may be getting fired up thinking "We are NOT going to get beat in height by a bank out of HOLLAND, in our own BACKYARD!!" (slams fist on conference table) This should get exciting. There are no height limitations in that area of downtown

[Prankster]

Word from my source is that Macatawa now has a "significant tenant" lined up for their project. They have always planned on having a second major tenant along with themselves. They are in a race of sorts against another development to land this tenant and it appears that they have won that race. And, in re: to the Huntington Bank building, may I remind you of my less than calculated quote from last week: "A game of can you top this" is about to start.

This should be fun to watch.

You tease.

[Yankee Fan]

You tease.

Apparently I do. But it would not be a source if I made them mad and then they did not share with me. Trying to walk that fine line so that I can keep in the loop.

I will say this: I believe the initial estimates of 10-15 floors that I gave was, in hindsight, a little conservative. Let's just say that there will be some happy campers at UP when this is announced.

Yes, I am still teasing... but for good reason.

[GRDadof3]

Yes, a fine line indeed. I try to keep that in mind sometimes. I'd hate for any deal to be lost due to our big mouths here I'm hoping that we create some opportunities or get some people to view things differently than they do now (put on a new pair of glasses so to speak).

[Josh]

Apparently I do. But it would not be a source if I made them mad and then they did not share with me. Trying to walk that fine line so that I can keep in the loop.

I will say this: I believe the initial estimates of 10-15 floors that I gave was, in hindsight, a little conservative. Let's just say that there will be some happy campers at UP when this is announced.

Yes, I am still teasing... but for good reason.

Now I am excited, Yankee Fan . When can we expect an announcement? I can't wait...

[snoogit]

I will say this: I believe the initial estimates of 10-15 floors that I gave was, in hindsight, a little conservative. Let's just say that there will be some happy campers at UP when this is announced.

Now im a little worried there might be 2 big empty towers on Monroe...

Lets hope they get them suckas FILLED! and keep them both running smoothly into construction. Being they are both banks, this makes it ever more likely that the project will get done too.

And Huntington can consolidate two offices to get even more height , of course even Macatawa can too, if they move their HQ to Grand Rapids. Then 5/3rd gets in on the action, tears down its old office, and builds a bright shiny new 400 ft building at its current site too, then by 2015 the skyline looks incredible. Then Meijer says Hey, lets move DT, and builds another big building at Market and Fulton, coercing Amway to dismantle their Ada HQ, and move DT to Lyon and Ottawa, only L&O isnt the tallest building in GR anymore thanks to 5/3rd so before Meijer goes ahead with their building plans Amway and Meijer merge, forming a big giant GRsupercompany, which then consolidates at L&O , and goes 500FT!

Right?

[Rizzo]

You know all this talk makes me scared. I envisioned two towers at that spot for the past couple of years. I started to dream about thoes spots and a couple of other properties for a long time now, and to hear all this talk makes me friggin giddy... Is Grand Rapids going to be the new Omaha or Des Moines!?! Lets not get ahead of ourselves...

[snoogit]

You know all this talk makes me scared. I envisioned two towers at that spot for the past couple of years. I started to dream about thoes spots and a couple of other properties for a long time now, and to hear all this talk makes me friggin giddy... Is Grand Rapids going to be the new Omaha or Des Moines!?! Lets not get ahead of ourselves...

GR is going to move up into Louisville, or Memphis status baby

[Rizzo]

Have you seen Omaha?! That place is friggin crazy. Michi here is another rendering of her.

[snoogit]

Have you seen Omaha?! That place is friggin crazy.

Ive seen Omaha, for a while other then Woodmen tower, all the buildings in Omaha were right about the same distribution in height as GR was

Omaha is home to a large life insurance industry too, so perhaps thats fueling their growth. They are going through a construction boom, thats for sure. But I think Grand Rapids is headed that way too

good thing we have snapshots of the skyline today, because if you look ahead 10 years, its gonna be a lot different. (GR is advancing into the service industry, whether we realize it or not )

[GRDadof3]

Rizzo, is there any way possible that you have the old flyby video of Lyon&Ottawa? Or could you contact Concept Design Group. Someone there has got to have that sucker stored on their hard drive. I'd love to see that again

I would say keep your eye on any buildings downtown that have accompanying parking lots NOT owned by Ellis or the city. That's where I bet you'll start to see some movement.

[Rizzo]

I'll have the flyby in a few... I gotta go eat lunch.

[GRDadof3]

You are the man!!

I don't think this addition to 50 Monroe or Macatawa will top the 20 floor mark It's too bad. Opportunities like that don't come around very often.