Forslund Building

[DSchoon]

Does anyone know the history behind the Forslund building at 252 Pearl Street? I know it's the city's first condominum project, but other than that I can find very little information.

[Allison Slater]

I think the one of the pictures by the courthouse clocktower shows the Forslund before it was converted to a condo. I remember the wall facing the river had absolutely no windows, and instead had a giant painted billboard taking up the whole width of the building advertising "Forslund" something or other. (It's also crazy seeing the before and after 60's urban renewal pictures there... before, bustling city. after, half the city reduced to surface parking lots.)

[GRCPM]

The building used to be a Sears store. At some point Forslund Furniture bought it and had their retail store on the first 2 floors with storage on the upper floors. In the mid 80's the development arm of Square Real Estate did a condo conversion and turned the upper floors into residential units. The main building renovation was done by Visser Brothers as general contractor. The bay windows were added on the west side overlooking the river. The west wall of the building was covered in Dryvit-type material but was later changed to brick. There is a nice deck on the roof. The condominiums were very nice with exposed sandblasted brick and wood. It was the first downtown condo conversion.

[civitas]

The building used to be a Sears store. At some point Forslund Furniture bought it and had their retail store on the first 2 floors with storage on the upper floors. In the mid 80's the development arm of Square Real Estate did a condo conversion and turned the upper floors into residential units. The main building renovation was done by Visser Brothers as general contractor. The bay windows were added on the west side overlooking the river. The west wall of the building was covered in Dryvit-type material but was later changed to brick. There is a nice deck on the roof. The condominiums were very nice with exposed sandblasted brick and wood. It was the first downtown condo conversion.

I think it was about 1975 that Forslund's moved to the river. Before they were at 122 (?) Fulton.

[EGR-ARCHI]

I think the one of the pictures by the courthouse clocktower shows the Forslund before it was converted to a condo. I remember the wall facing the river had absolutely no windows, and instead had a giant painted billboard taking up the whole width of the building advertising "Forslund" something or other. (It's also crazy seeing the before and after 60's urban renewal pictures there... before, bustling city. after, half the city reduced to surface parking lots.)

Any pictures of the pre and post urban renewal?

[GRGyp]

Any pictures of the pre and post urban renewal?

For a slightly aged post urban renewal, go to Afendoulis drycleaners on Michigan and Fuller. In their tux rental area is a poster of Grand Rapids circa 1986 after the Awmay Grand was built.

Back then the big joke was to hold up your middle finger toward someone and ask them "What's this?" The punchline was "The Grand Rapids skyline." The joke makes complete sense when you see that poster.