Lost Grand Rapids

[Nitro]

Reeds Lake is big enough for steam boats???

Here's one of the four that the Poisson family ran on the lake. She was cut up for scrap in the middle 1950's.

[mpchicago]

I remembered that there is a book called "Grand Rapids Then and Now." Here is what I found on the web:

Grand Rapids Then and Now, 1988. Grand Rapids Then and Now presents sixty-two views from the 1888 Grand Rapids Illustrated compared with new views taken in 1988 by photographer Rex D. Larson, with text by local historian James VanVulpen.

[GRDadof3]

EGR library had some great pictures of it in its heyday. Someone told me they even had a brothel there. Anyone else heard about that and know whether was true?

I think you might be referring to this old hotel on Cherry, that was a streetcar stop on the way to Reeds Lake (and was reportedly a brothel).

There was a discussion about it here last year some time (if you want to dig for it).

[Khorasaurus]

I remembered that there is a book called "Grand Rapids Then and Now." Here is what I found on the web:

Grand Rapids Then and Now, 1988. Grand Rapids Then and Now presents sixty-two views from the 1888 Grand Rapids Illustrated compared with new views taken in 1988 by photographer Rex D. Larson, with text by local historian James VanVulpen.

Looking at it today, that book is actually really interesting to see what GR was like in 1988 as well. Very different than today....no Bridgewater Place, VA Arena, Butterworth expansion, Plaza towers or anything like that. Plus it was the heydey of the Monroe Pedestrian Mall and Louis Street was pretty much all surface lots.

[joeDowntown]

I think it is about time they released a Then and Then and Now book.

The city looks quite different from 1988 (or 1888 for that matter

Joe

I remembered that there is a book called "Grand Rapids Then and Now." Here is what I found on the web:

Grand Rapids Then and Now, 1988. Grand Rapids Then and Now presents sixty-two views from the 1888 Grand Rapids Illustrated compared with new views taken in 1988 by photographer Rex D. Larson, with text by local historian James VanVulpen.

[LA Dave]

I think it is about time they released a Then and Then and Now book.

The city looks quite different from 1988 (or 1888 for that matter

Joe

I like that book quite a lot, thought it is now seriously outdated. A few more for the list:

1. The Speedrome

2. USCG Woodbine, the cutter that used to serve at Grand Haven. Though only a humble buoy tender, she fought in the Pacific and may have shot down a Japanese warplane. The last I heard, she was a fishing boat on the Pacific coast.

3. The old Michigan vets facility building on Monroe near North Park. An incredible Victorian brick pile, torn down in the 1970s and replaced by a bland brick pile.

[twoshort]

I think you might be referring to this old hotel on Cherry, that was a streetcar stop on the way to Reeds Lake (and was reportedly a brothel).

[picture removed (quoting pictures = bad)]

There was a discussion about it here last year some time (if you want to dig for it).

Here's part of it. http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...10627&hl=cherry

More info here: http://www.roundstonedesign.com/newsletter...letter_id%5D=22

[houseofdon]

It's a bit off topic, but a guy I went to high school runs a website called Forgotten Detroit , which essentially does what this thread is discussing.

Even though it's Detroit, I figure it might be of interest to us urban-oriented Grand Rapidians.

[joeDowntown]

Forgotten Detroit is a great site, but rather depressing. I'm glad our urban blight problems are rather small. They are losing some real gems in Detroit due to neglectful owners.

It's a bit off topic, but a guy I went to high school runs a website called Forgotten Detroit , which essentially does what this thread is discussing.

Even though it's Detroit, I figure it might be of interest to us urban-oriented Grand Rapidians.

[jayblogger]

It's a bit off topic, but a guy I went to high school runs a website called Forgotten Detroit , which essentially does what this thread is discussing.

Even though it's Detroit, I figure it might be of interest to us urban-oriented Grand Rapidians.

Forgotten Detroit is a good site... but I like detroitblog better. It's darker, snarkier and bloggier than Forgotten Detroit with just as many pix and stories of vacant buildings in Detroit. It was the main inspiration behind my blurry grand rapids blog. Does your friend know the detroitblog guy? Anyone up for exploring vacant buildings in Grand Rapids?

[Rizzo]

With the way things are going will there be any left to explore?

[MJLO]

don't hit me for this one, but I miss the old monroe center park area. I loved the brick walls and all the water, I'm a big fan of Water falls/ fountains. Rosa Parks Circle seems boring in comparison to me. Not enough fountainey water goodness.

[bwindi25]

Not a downtown landmark, but the Quad Theater out on 28th St was pretty sweet. It was dozered to make way for a big home improvement store (can't remember the name) which in turn got bought by "HQ" which I think then became a car dealership. Anyone remember?

Anyway, the Quad was the place to watch 2nd Run movies for 99 cents. The last movie I saw there was Jean-Claude Van Damme's "Hard Target" with Wilford Brimley playing his Cajun Uncle. Ahh the memories. They would also show some foreign films that none of the other theaters would pick up.

[GRGyp]

Anyone remember?

Was it a Handy Andy?

[bwindi25]

Was it a Handy Andy?

No, it was the same company that owned the building that Hobby Lobby is in up by Star Theater on Alpine. Builders Alliance? Building something? Big-Box Builders?

[MJLO]

builders square

[bwindi25]

builders square

That's the one, thanks!

[twoshort]

EDIT: too slow.

[starrfish]

Not a downtown landmark, but the Quad Theater out on 28th St was pretty sweet. It was dozered to make way for a big home improvement store (can't remember the name) which in turn got bought by "HQ" which I think then became a car dealership. Anyone remember?

Anyway, the Quad was the place to watch 2nd Run movies for 99 cents. The last movie I saw there was Jean-Claude Van Damme's "Hard Target" with Wilford Brimley playing his Cajun Uncle. Ahh the memories. They would also show some foreign films that none of the other theaters would pick up.

Wasn't it on 29th? "the 29th St. Quad" I remember going to a few foreign films there.

[Nitro]

Wasn't it on 29th? "the 29th St. Quad" I remember going to a few foreign films there.

Yes, it was. Fox Ford is there now.

The last movie I can remember seeing there was Tank.

[Mark Miller]

The unfortunate reality here is that the list grows and grows, almost daily.

It is not just the buildings which are completely wiped off the slate, but also the buildings that are so ghastly remodeled throughout the region. Many of these remodel jobs absolutely destroy the original building, which will never allow anyone to come back and fix it.

Look no further that EGR. There is one builder there, who tears down houses and builds McMansions, which are out of scale cartoons of the great context of EGR. If he is not tearing them down, then he is putting an addition on the house, which is 3 times the size of the original and has none of the characteristics.

There was a great little bungalow that was engulfed by the addition of a bungalowesque abberation that covered almost the entire lot and had all the trappings of modern America including the obligatory multi-stall garage. It is also evident in the 1950's era ranch houses, which get face-lifts to look more like Arts and Crafts Frankenhouses.

This kind of thing will eventually ruin East Grand Rapids.

[Allison Slater]

Wasn't it on 29th? "the 29th St. Quad" I remember going to a few foreign films there.

Was this the drive-in theatre that used to be between 28th and 29th? Or wait... wasn't that Movies at Woodland? I honestly don't ever remember the place when it was still in business, but I remember seeing the screen standing amongst a bunch of trees that had begun to hide it, and one day it was all gone.

[TenPoundHammer]

Was this the drive-in theatre that used to be between 28th and 29th? Or wait... wasn't that Movies at Woodland? I honestly don't ever remember the place when it was still in business, but I remember seeing the screen standing amongst a bunch of trees that had begun to hide it, and one day it was all gone.

That drive-in was the Woodland Drive-In, only about a mile from the Cascade Twin (later Cascade Triple).

[gr49503]

There was a great little bungalow that was engulfed by the addition of a bungalowesque abberation that covered almost the entire lot and had all the trappings of modern America including the obligatory multi-stall garage. It is also evident in the 1950's era ranch houses, which get face-lifts to look more like Arts and Crafts Frankenhouses.

This kind of thing will eventually ruin East Grand Rapids.

Check this gem out!

[twoshort]

Check this gem out!

I'll be honest, I coud never figure out why that house looked so odd to me. Now it seems obvious that there is an original house on the right and a huge (barn-looking) addition on the left. I do like the interior a lot though.