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McKay Tower Renovations

GRDadof3

By GRDadof3
in Grand Rapids

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GR8scott Burg

GR8scott

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I like the new lights, and its about time. Amway Grand just needs to light up the window washing trim around the slanted roof top and change the half green roof to the dark blue so its not so obvious that its not glass and that would really make it iconic. Also what ever happened to plans to have a tall-light up spire over the crosswalk bridge a the children s hospital? I think one thing GR can do to make it more of a "cool city" are these kind of lights to accentuate buildings and bridges at night. Just look at cities like Cincinnati, Des Moines, Denver, Louisville, ect. 

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droonus2000 Whistle-Stop

droonus2000

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The Bank of America Tower in Dallas is lit up in a green outline, that I think would look great on the Amway Grand.

I love that we are lighting our buildings more. I'm especially glad the new owners of McKay Tower not only made sure the lights still work on the ball, but made it much nicer. I love the new look.

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GR8scott Burg

GR8scott

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I think the spire on the Children's Museum was cut due to costs. I agree though, I love lighting and think it adds vibrancy to the city. Blue Bridge is getting an LED lighting system soon. 

 

Joe

the blue bridge is going to be great, too bad about the spire and I wish they would have done something a little more aesthetically pleasing with the 131 bridge over the grand like an overhead arch that are coming back more now. 

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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the blue bridge is going to be great, too bad about the spire and I wish they would have done something a little more aesthetically pleasing with the 131 bridge over the grand like an overhead arch that are coming back more now. 

 

It didn't help that we all laughed at the comparison to a giant hypodermic needle here. :)

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Raildudes dad Hamlet

Raildudes dad

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Saw it last night. It's like a big bright breast sticking up in the sky (said my wife). Awesome. :)

 

My dad (1918-1981) always said it was called "Joe Brewers nipple". I was talking to someone involved with the restoration and he said they couldn't find any info on it. I googled extensively for Joe Brewer and the MCKay Tower without any sucess.

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RegalTDP Burg

RegalTDP

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My dad (1918-1981) always said it was called "Joe Brewers nipple". I was talking to someone involved with the restoration and he said they couldn't find any info on it. I googled extensively for Joe Brewer and the MCKay Tower without any sucess.

 

Joseph H. Brewer was President of Grand Rapids National Bank (which was housed in the tower) during the Great Depression market crash.  The bank changed names a couple times - It was also called GR National City Bank as well as National Bank of GR.  Here is a newspaper article from 1934 listing Brewer as one of 13 Michigan bankers indicted in the aftermath of the crash.  Not sure about the outcome of the case, but eventually the bank went belly up... and then Frank McKay bought the tower in 1940.

 

Here's an abstract of the Brewer family from GRPL.

Here's a record of Joseph Brewer from White's History of Kent County, Vol. III (1924).

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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The closer you get, the more it looks like a giant boob.  However, it is cool to see at night as you approach the city on I-196 from the West.

 

It is totally cool. I particularly like when the lights are in a swirling rainbow pattern with all of them showing (like a spinning umbrella).

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Veloise City

Veloise

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Ridiculous - that's the nicest word I could think of regarding the decision by the zoning board. 

 

http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2013/12/mckay_tower_dome_lights_in_dow.html#incart_river_default#incart_m-rpt-2

 

Who sits on this board and how do you go about getting them replaced?

The members are listed on Favorite City's website.

They are appointed by their respective commissioners, so if you have a problem, start there.

 

City code also states that such displays shall not "flash, undulate, pulse, or portray explosions, fireworks, flashes of light, or blinking or chasing lights" and shall not "expand or contract, bounce, rotate, spin, twist or other similar movements." An 8-to-1 vote represents a clear decision based on logic and common sense; the BZA was interpreting the ordinance. (We had more closely-split votes over issues such as whether a landmark building really needed additional signage on each face.)

 

The city now will work with building owners on how often the dome lights can change color or blink.

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