Hey, what's that (and other miscellanea)?

[sparky05]

I noticed this building while walking out of the Secretary of State's office yesterday. it sits right next to Veterans Memorial Park and the Children's Museum. Anyone know the story on this structure? What was it? Any plans for renovation/redevelopment?

[Veloise]

I noticed this building while walking out of the Secretary of State's office yesterday. it sits right next to Veterans Memorial Park and the Children's Museum. Anyone know the story on this structure? What was it? Any plans for renovation/redevelopment?

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...c=15643&hl=

[EGR-ARCHI]

I noticed this building while walking out of the Secretary of State's office yesterday. it sits right next to Veterans Memorial Park and the Children's Museum. Anyone know the story on this structure? What was it? Any plans for renovation/redevelopment?

Such potential!!

[n_wasmiller]

The structure pictured is call the Kendall Building. Located at 16 Monroe Center, it is listed for sale on the CAR site for $750,000. They have a building rendering to go with the sale information. I think that it is a cool building, but it doesn't have much foot traffic. The two five-lane roads nearby (Division and Fulton) may have something to do with that... Doesn't exactly give off that downtown charm that the rest of Monroe Center does.

Maybe with the rehab of the Fitzgerald and the promise from Second Story to invest needed $$$ in Veteran's Park, this corner will see some redevelopment.

CAR listing for Kendall Building

[Nitro]

Such potential!!

Such a ridiculous price.............

[Rhino6885]

...and building has NO allocated parking spots.

[john_denver]

Considering the location and building type, what type of business would you all consider putting in here...if you were the developer?

Restaurant? Offices? Retail store?

I was in Istanbul, Turkey for three weeks and just returned. In the neighborhood I stayed, there was a movie theater with almost the exact dimensions of this building. It was so cool because it was in a neighborhood that was a mix of private homes (high-rise) and retail businesses.

It had 6 theaters of about 100 seats each. There were 4 floors total. When I walked up to the building at first I could not believe it was a theater but it was very nicely done. Once inside the theater, it was like any other.

Why can't something like this be done in downtown GR? Why do most new theaters need to be a sprawling "Mega-Plex"?

[dbrok]

Such a ridiculous price.............

Plus I hear it would take a least another $750,000 for renovations. You're looking at no less than $1.5M total.

[GRDadof3]

Plus I hear it would take a least another $750,000 for renovations. You're looking at no less than $1.5M total.

I think it would take more than that, after walking through the entire building.

It doesn't really matter what ideas are thought of, there is no way it can be redeveloped at the asking price, and the seller won't budge. Maybe in 20 - 30 years.

[n_wasmiller]

What's the deal with this seller? I'm not familiar with who owns the building.

[Nitro]

What's the deal with this seller? I'm not familiar with who owns the building.

Well, do a search on Urban Planet for Azzar......you'll have plenty of info to read up on him.

[darajeanne]

Does anyone know what's going on with the building on the south-east corner of Commerce and Cherry? Red brick with the bricks at the top falling onto the closed sidewalk below. The windows are full of old pallets and boxes and it looks like it could go up in flames at any second. Besides being home to a bunch of stray cats (they like to hang out in the windows) what is/was this building and are there any plans for renovation? Thanks!

[wingbert]

Well, do a search on Urban Planet for Azzar......you'll have plenty of info to read up on him.

Just how much of downtown is this Azzar fellow holding hostage? It seems that just about every mention of him includes the fact that buildings he owns are sitting vacant, unkempt and the asking prices are comically out of touch with reality while he remains defiantly steadfast.

[WOT]

I drove to work on Michigan today and noticed a HUGE hole in the brand new foundation of one of the new projects. Park Row maybe? sorry for not knowing the name, but almost crashed when I rubbernecked it looking at the damage.

Anyone know what happened?

[AlexPKeaton]

Just how much of downtown is this Azzar fellow holding hostage? It seems that just about every mention of him includes the fact that buildings he owns are sitting vacant, unkempt and the asking prices are comically out of touch with reality while he remains defiantly steadfast.

Well, if somebody wants it bad enough they might pay his price. I'm sure there's plenty of other land available around downtown that's cheaper, however, so one would really have to be in love with one of his buildings to buy it. I do wonder what kind of investment-sense it makes to own properties that produce little to no income in the hopes of reselling them for more money. Taxes would just eat away any profit you might make, and it sounds like he doesn't have many tenants in his buildings.

[joeDowntown]

Ok, I have a what's that? Question:

What is the old stone building (looks like it was a house converted to an office) that sits on Sixth / Front Street? I think it has a historic marker. What was it initially and who owns it now? This would be a beautiful house to rehab (even if it stayed an office). Rip off that aluminum siding.

Joe

[Allison Slater]

Sixth & Front? Is that the site of the oldest standing house in GR?

[Nitro]

What is the old stone building (looks like it was a house converted to an office) that sits on Sixth / Front Street? I think it has a historic marker. What was it initially and who owns it now? This would be a beautiful house to rehab (even if it stayed an office). Rip off that aluminum siding.

It's the Turner House. It was listed on the National Register back in 1970. Turner House Linky (Enter MI & Turner House into the form)

From the database;

Grand Rapids. TURNER HOUSE, 731 Front St., NW, 1846, Gideon Colton, builder.

Limestone, partially clapboarded; 2 stories, rectangular, gabled roof; front entrance porch with 2

fluted Ionic columns in antis, entrance side lights and transom, roundel in pediment, rear wing

with later frame 2nd story. Early Greek Revival. One of Grand Rapids

Edited July 24, 2007 by Nitro

[Allison Slater]

hehe, get it, HANDrail?

O_O

I'll stop with the ban pun.

But that is very cool.

[GRDadof3]

I drove to work on Michigan today and noticed a HUGE hole in the brand new foundation of one of the new projects. Park Row maybe? sorry for not knowing the name, but almost crashed when I rubbernecked it looking at the damage.

Anyone know what happened?

I drove by the Park Row/MidTowne Village site today and didn't notice what you were talking about WOT. There are "cuts" (openings) in the new foundation of Park Row Condos, probably for walk-out basements in the townhomes maybe, but nothing else looked out of whack.

[jbr12]

Whats the deal on the building on the South East side of Division / Fulton? With all this talk about the chunk of land across the street, why has no one ever mentioned this piece??

Edited July 25, 2007 by jbr12

[dbrok]

Whats the deal on the building on the South East side of Division / Fulton? With all this talk about the chunk of land across the street, why has no one ever mentioned this piece??

Do you mean the Junior Achievement Building? I think there's a thread about it on UP somewhere.

[Allison Slater]

It was supposed to be all fixed up with a few floors added, then the added floors kept decreasing to nothing, and it seems now any improvements (at least on the outside) don't seem to be coming, either.

[Veloise]

Whats the deal on the building on the South East side of Division / Fulton? With all this talk about the chunk of land across the street, why has no one ever mentioned this piece??

http://www.urbanplanet.org/forums/index.ph...ior+achievement

[jbr12]

Ahhhh, I had seen / heard stuff about Park Place around the office, but I never knew where it was supposed to go... I really don't understand any reasoning behind saving that building... its an eyesore, very worn down and, IMO, contributes little if anything to the surrounding area