Jump to content

Blue 35 - 35 Oakes - Heartside Manor/Merten Hotel


mgreven

Recommended Posts

The addition to 25 Oakes is pretty big.  I didn't notice it until you posted that pic Jeff.  I couldn't  tell from street level, which is a good thing.  

 

I'm glad to see that they are filling the street level space.  It make sense for Interphase to move there since the building is really a showroom for Haworth products.

 

You're right, it's huge. I think because they stepped it back from Commerce and along the roofline, you hardly notice it at ground level. Gives more prominence to the historic portion of the building.

Link to comment
Share on other sites


  • Replies 82
  • Created
  • Last Reply

You're right, it's huge. I think because they stepped it back from Commerce and along the roofline, you hardly notice it at ground level. Gives more prominence to the historic portion of the building.

 

 

Agreed, I think they did a great job giving the building a modern exterior look without blowing it up.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 months later...
  • 2 years later...

 Hello, long-time lurker, first post:

1. Last week it appears that the naming on top of the building has switched from Blue35 to Configura-- the new tenant of the top floors.  I'll try to get a picture next time I pass through

2. The ground-floor space apparently has been rented and will be a brasserie sort of like Balthazar in New York.  There's a new dumpster and construction activity there pretty much every day now.  It looks like the restaurant will call itself New Hotel Mertens: https://www.instagram.com/newhotelmertens/  Their Facebook indicates that they havent officially launched or announced anything yet, but it looks like the cat is pretty much out of the bag.  The city actually needs a classic, not-too-fancy French restaurant like this-- and if that is what it is then that will be good news.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

5 hours ago, GRain said:

 Hello, long-time lurker, first post:

1. Last week it appears that the naming on top of the building has switched from Blue35 to Configura-- the new tenant of the top floors.  I'll try to get a picture next time I pass through

2. The ground-floor space apparently has been rented and will be a brasserie sort of like Balthazar in New York.  There's a new dumpster and construction activity there pretty much every day now.  It looks like the restaurant will call itself New Hotel Mertens: https://www.instagram.com/newhotelmertens/  Their Facebook indicates that they havent officially launched or announced anything yet, but it looks like the cat is pretty much out of the bag.  The city actually needs a classic, not-too-fancy French restaurant like this-- and if that is what it is then that will be good news.

Good scoop Grain. I thought the name of this thread hadn't been seen in years. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 months later...
17 hours ago, mpchicago said:

A quick look inside the New Hotel Mertens  brasserie at 35 Oakes,  courtesy Concept Design.  Has anyone been?   I know it just opened. 

IMG_2293.JPG

IMG_2294.JPG

I know people who are really excited about it and who have been there, but I haven't heard any reviews yet. I like the rustic touches on the walls though. Sexy! 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 8 months later...

Has anybody actually ate at this restaurant?  The ground floor, not the rooftop.  How is it?  I haven’t heard anything about it since it opened but then I don’t exactly hang with the haute cuisine foie gras crowd.  I’m always interested in a good French onion soup though.

Fifty years ago, when I started at the post office as a substitute mailman I’d occasionally be assigned to deliver mail here and to the neighboring Milner/Oakway Hotel.  They were both skid row residential hotels.  Think of the hotel where Jake and Elwood lived in the first Blues Brothers movie.  Old men with nothing else to do, presumably residents, would gather in the New Mertens and watch television all day in the lobby which is now the restaurant dining room.  The name seemed ironic even back then because the New Mertens Hotel was anything but new.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

We’ve eaten there several times, and enjoyed it every time. Not your usual meat and potatoes menu, but something different if you enjoy being a little adventurous with your dinner. 

Also, the decor very much reminded us of a French cafe. They did a very good job keeping it authentic. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 hours ago, walker said:

Has anybody actually ate at this restaurant?  The ground floor, not the rooftop.  How is it?  I haven’t heard anything about it since it opened but then I don’t exactly hang with the haute cuisine foie gras crowd.  I’m always interested in a good French onion soup though.

Fifty years ago, when I started at the post office as a substitute mailman I’d occasionally be assigned to deliver mail here and to the neighboring Milner/Oakwood Hotel.  They were both skid row residential hotels.  Think of the hotel where Jake and Elwood lived in the first Blues Brothers movie.  Old men with nothing else to do, presumably residents, would gather in the New Mertens and watch television all day in the lobby which is now the restaurant dining room.  The name seemed ironic even back then because the New Mertens Hotel was anything but new.

It's very good. And the renovation job/decor is one of the coolest I've seen. Reminds me of historic San Juan or something. Definitely different from anything else in West Michigan (and even the Midwest even). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, walker said:

Has anybody actually ate at this restaurant?  The ground floor, not the rooftop.  How is it?  I haven’t heard anything about it since it opened but then I don’t exactly hang with the haute cuisine foie gras crowd.  I’m always interested in a good French onion soup though.

Fifty years ago, when I started at the post office as a substitute mailman I’d occasionally be assigned to deliver mail here and to the neighboring Milner/Oakwood Hotel.  They were both skid row residential hotels.  Think of the hotel where Jake and Elwood lived in the first Blues Brothers movie.  Old men with nothing else to do, presumably residents, would gather in the New Mertens and watch television all day in the lobby which is now the restaurant dining room.  The name seemed ironic even back then because the New Mertens Hotel was anything but new.

I've been there a handful of times, really enjoyed it every time. Most of the food is pretty approachable, Steak, Burger, Quiche, Omelette, Salmon, Roast Chicken. They do have some more adventurous stuff as well. And they do have French Onion Soup. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, GR8scott said:

Do they have a glass display full of ready made baguettes to take out? now that would be a great authentic idea to cater to the lunch crowd!

I believe they do offer coffee and some baked goods at the front counter for takeout.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...
  • 5 months later...

So I was combing through permits on the city site, and saw that there is a permit to expand into the "neighboring space" for more dining and bakery space. I wonder if that means they'd be going into the Interphase space? I would LOVE to see the entire ground floor occupied by New Hotel Mertens. It is my favorite place downtown and I think it'd be a pretty school anchor on that corner to occupy the entire first floor like that. It's also a better use for that space!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

31 minutes ago, GVSUChris said:

So I was combing through permits on the city site, and saw that there is a permit to expand into the "neighboring space" for more dining and bakery space. I wonder if that means they'd be going into the Interphase space? I would LOVE to see the entire ground floor occupied by New Hotel Mertens. It is my favorite place downtown and I think it'd be a pretty school anchor on that corner to occupy the entire first floor like that. It's also a better use for that space!

My server told me about it last time I was there, she said it was going to be their cafe.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

10 hours ago, GVSUChris said:

So I was combing through permits on the city site, and saw that there is a permit to expand into the "neighboring space" for more dining and bakery space. I wonder if that means they'd be going into the Interphase space? I would LOVE to see the entire ground floor occupied by New Hotel Mertens. It is my favorite place downtown and I think it'd be a pretty school anchor on that corner to occupy the entire first floor like that. It's also a better use for that space!

I did see paper on the Interphase windows, wondered what was in the works. When I walked past it looked like it was packed (headed to Luna). 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 1/18/2019 at 6:55 PM, GRDadof3 said:

I did see paper on the Interphase windows, wondered what was in the works. When I walked past it looked like it was packed (headed to Luna). 

Saw the paper on the Interphase windows on Friday night outside of Pyramid Scheme. Seems like a pretty large space to take over. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. We have placed cookies on your device to help make this website better. You can adjust your cookie settings, otherwise we'll assume you're okay to continue.