Thge Lyon and ottawa Tower was 40 to 50 percent pre- leased

[Time]

On page 4 of Sunday's Biz section, Bill Bowling was quoted as saying that the tower was 40 to 50 percent committed to by tennants at one time, but that the lack of a major tennant seem to kill it off. Actually i knew that latter, but i did not know that the building was nearly half leased by smaller tennants. Too bad, i wish this propoasal would come back.

[snoogit]

On page 4 of Sunday's Biz section, Bill Bowling was quoted as saying that the tower was 40 to 50 percent committed to by tennants at one time, but that the lack of a major tennant seem to kill it off. Actually i knew that latter, but i did not know that the building was nearly half leased by smaller tennants. Too bad, i wish this propoasal would come back.

Lyon and Ottawa would probably have to go back to the drawing board if it was proposed now, its design is a little too past its time now.

[hood]

I keep on hearing about this tower, does anyone have any renderings?

[RustTown]

If you go to skyscraperpage.com, and go to their diagrams, and search for cancelled buildings in Grand Rapids, you should find the drawing I did for the diagram. I guess it's pretty accurate, at least from the original rendering. I really like the design, and I really think it would look good. If you're not a fan of postmodernism, you might think it's a little hokey and cartoony, but then again, I think of lot of modernism is boring and uninspired.

[andrew.w]

I keep on hearing about this tower, does anyone have any renderings?

There was this aerial view rendering:

http://web.archive.org/web/19990820000336/...rds_eye_600.jpg

Edit: here's the discussion thread:

Lyon at Ottawa Tower

[hood]

It doesent look too bad, I like the use of large spires like that. Was the proposal completely shot down or did it just sort of fade away?

[Time]

It doesent look too bad, I like the use of large spires like that. Was the proposal completely shot down or did it just sort of fade away?

It needed to be 75 percent leased in order to go, so when both of the big two local law firms declined, the project was canceled althoguh some would say that it is on hold. It gets less likely by the year.

[Rizzo]

If this 50 monroe thing turns out to be as "big" as yankee says, I think DP Fox will take a little from this. One might say that the climate from 4-6 years ago is quite different then now. My spire is illusive...

[Prankster]

Actually, the occupancy rates are worse now than they were in back when this tower was proposed. If it was 50% preleased, then that must have included Bank One and DP Fox. What must have killed it was Varnum reupping in Bridgewater.

[Time]

Actually, the occupancy rates are worse now than they were in back when this tower was proposed. If it was 50% preleased, then that must have included Bank One and DP Fox. What must have killed it was Varnum reupping in Bridgewater.

Varnum was a back breaker, but i have a freind who is an attroney at Warner Norcross, in fact he is now a partner. He told me a few years ago that every attorney he worked with including John Logie, wanted to move to the Lyon and Ottawa building, and they stronly considered moving, but when 5th 3rd bought out old kent they were able to get a better or extended lease or something like that on their existing lease in the old kent buidling. So blame 5th 3rd? An intresting new postulate to consider.

[Rizzo]

Thats what I thought, its worse as from what I read... I don't think its worse as in no one is speculating, but its a market that is being abosrbed by smaller projects rather then really large tower projects.

[snoogit]

It would be nice if 5/3rd repays the city with a nice big tower on its current plot, demolishing the old plot for now.