Grand Rapids Then and Now

[destijl]

[The indoor mall was introduced, and they were sleak and new,

The jet age arrived, and influenced everything from cars (big gull wings) to clothes, to architecture, to movies, to everything,

People thought that we were never going to go back to the old, that we would be in flying cars and personal rocket jet packs, ]

I have boxes of old architectural trade magazines from the 1940's to the 1960's and they are filled with articles on how to modernize old buildings, showing before and after pictures of historic buildings being covered with new skin. I'm glad that we are moving away from the idea that old=bad.

[destijl]

Here are some pics of 50 Monroe during the 're-skinning' . I took them when I was young with a cheap camera, so I apologise for the quality.

http://home.comcast.net/~nederland/facade.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~nederland/helmer.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~nederland/backside.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~nederland/backside.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~nederland/pitsch_oops.jpg

http://home.comcast.net/~nederland/helmer2.jpg

[GRDadof3]

Wow!!! These pictures are awesome destijl. Look at this one of 50 Monroe (the now Huntington Building), with the "Custer showroom" building in the foreground:

[GRDadof3]

This one is looking Northeast (you can see the backside of the Trust Buiding in the upper portion, and the Ledyard Building through the "demo". This building being demo'd I would guess is the old section of 50 Monroe that was not saved, where the BOB parking lot is now:

[destijl]

Actually, I believe that part of the building was saved. The wrecking company had an accident while trying to demolish the smokestack (visible in the 'backside' picture) and the damage shown here had to be repaired!

[GRDadof3]

Actually, I believe that part of the building was saved. The wrecking company had an accident while trying to demolish the smokestack (visible in the 'backside' picture) and the damage shown here had to be repaired!

Oops!! I just now realized that they were all of 50 Monroe

[Nitro]

Here are some pics of 50 Monroe during the 're-skinning' . I took them when I was young with a cheap camera, so I apologise for the quality.

That's a terrible shame what they did to that building. Think of what it could look like now.

I remember hearing about Pitch's oops there. I think that was when they tried to pull over that smoke stack with a semi. That was a rough year for them, the next week they broke a water main out in front of the old Pantlind and flooded the basement of the small building next to the amway with the old clock on it. Then shortly after that they had a temporary sidewalk enclosure collapse over in Lansing and killed a person.

[destijl]

I'll post other old downtown pics as I discover them. Most are still in boxes from when I moved to Florida.

[grrwymg]

I'll post other old downtown pics as I discover them. Most are still in boxes from when I moved to Florida.

Please do. Those first couple of 50 Monroe were great.

I wish I was more of a shutterbug. :/

I have been keeping my digital camera on me lately, though...

[twoshort]

Here are some pics of 50 Monroe during the 're-skinning' . I took them when I was young with a cheap camera, so I apologise for the quality.

i have a sudden dislike for the fryling people

[MJLO]

of all the reskinnings done back in the day, I think 50 monroe was done pretty tactfullly. I thought it was a new building, until recently, It doesn't look like the awfulness that was the peck building among others.

[torgo]

That's probably true.

50 Monroe is really starting to look crummy. The white siding is absolutely filthy. It looks like the outside of an old airport terminal, charred by years of exhaust.

Edited March 28, 2006 by torgo

[MJLO]

could that exterior neglect have anything to do with them planning on changing it soon?

[destijl]

It is hard to believe that it was done 20 years ago... I'm getting old.

[torgo]

could that exterior neglect have anything to do with them planning on changing it soon?

I thought that all of the work proposed for that building was going to be to the interior. Hopefully something changes....

[civitas]

Photo by photography-plus (obviously).

The lady that takes the pictures has a whole bunch and will sell you prints. I have one framed next to one of those 1880's-era renderings of downtown, and both of the images are from the same angle. It makes for a pretty neat "then-and-now".

Before US-131

US-131 under construction

[6th Gen local]

Very cool pictures civitas!

I like how the hill above Belknap park stands out, i think i can see my Grand parents old home that was demolished for I-196 in that picture.

Also, I didnt know there was a trainyard South of the current VanAndel site.

Also, all of the housing that use to be in the area where ITP is now at and the land proposed for the mystery development.

Nice pictures!

Edited March 29, 2006 by Freezout

[evac311]

Are those boats on the river in the second picture? Also, does anyone know what happened to the rail lines that ran through downtown? It looks like there was a north/south line cutting straight through CBD.

[john_denver]

Amazing! Imagine if GR had a big dig and put the downtown portion of US 131 underground.

Does anyone know the years in which US 131 was built?

[torgo]

The tracks are still in place in north of 196...the run along Bond street I believe (btw Monroe at Ottawa). But Icon will probably remove these tracks.

Very cool pictures civitas!

[GRDadof3]

Are those boats on the river in the second picture? Also, does anyone know what happened to the rail lines that ran through downtown? It looks like there was a north/south line cutting straight through CBD.

The rail lines now stop at the massive railyard South of downtown along 131. I had heard that right along Ionia was a Central Station, but I didn't realize how massive it was.

For you magellan's, take a look at the tall structure on Commerce just South of Fulton in the top picture. Wonder what that was? Obviously the top picture was pre-131, post streetcars, pre-urban renewal.

Hey, check out the canal along the West bank of the river too.

[civitas]

Before and after photos of 50 Monroe...

[evac311]

The rail lines now stop at the massive railyard South of downtown along 131. I had heard that right along Ionia was a Central Station, but I didn't realize how massive it was.

For you magellan's, take a look at the tall structure on Commerce just South of Fulton in the top picture. Wonder what that was? Obviously the top picture was pre-131, post streetcars, pre-urban renewal.

Hey, check out the canal along the West bank of the river too.

Never noticed the canal. What would that have been used for?

When 131 was built, is that when the current rail station south of wealthy was built? There must have been alot of demolition required in order to clear the way for that rail station.

[GRDadof3]

Never noticed the canal. What would that have been used for?

The canal was to feed power, and probably lumber, to the furniture factories along the river. There's even part of an old foundation and a plaque dedicated to the furniture factories along there right by the Van Andel Museum.

Nice Kelvinators, civitas!

[civitas]

Never noticed the canal. What would that have been used for?

When 131 was built, is that when the current rail station south of wealthy was built? There must have been alot of demolition required in order to clear the way for that rail station.

The big canels were on the east side. No one should have been surprised whern the Civic Auditorium had foundation problems. Isn't there a historical monument by GVSU about a mill on the west side?

Edited March 29, 2006 by civitas