Jump to content

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


sparky05

Recommended Posts

Interesting information. Did Roger Allen design anything else in GR that is still standing?

Joe

 

OK, this thread is so old I’m sure that Joe doesn't even remember his question let alone remember my answers at the time, or for that matter much care.  But having nothing else I wanted to do this cold morning, I was just randomly browsing the interweb when I ran into this new list of archived photos that the museum has from the Roger Allen collection:  

 

http://www.grmuseum.org/files/Archival%20Finding%20Aid%20-%20060%20-%20Roger%20Allen%20Collection.pdf

 

I think almost all of the buildings listed were designed or remodeled by his firm or had some connection to him.  For example, he certainly wasn't the architect for St. Marks Church but he did write a book about the church.

 

It is quite an extensive list but this seems like mostly just local stuff and isn't a complete list of his works since it doesn't list any of his buildings at Ferris and CMU that were prominently mentioned in his obituary that I noted in my long ago response.  And it doesn't list anything he did when he was the son in the firm Frank P Allen and Son.  Here is one of note that I’m aware of that he worked on as the son:

 

  http://www.michmarkers.com/detail.asp?txtID=S0697

 

Sorry to bore all of you with this obscure stuff from long ago. 

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 3 weeks later...

Anyone know the history of this house? Kind of a grand-daddy of a home for Alger Heights, right on Plaster Creek.

 

http://www.johnpostma.com/homes-for-sale-details/512-OVERBROOK-SOUTHEAST-LN-GRAND-RAPIDS-MI-49507/13046061/96/

 

Wonder if Hall Street was named after the Uhl Hall?

 

The GR Press did a story on this house not too long ago.  I used to walk by this house all the time.  It is such a cool place tucked away in Alger Heights.

 

Try this link:

 

Century Old Mansion...

Edited by wingbert
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's some more info on it:

http://www.historygrandrapids.org/architecture/686/uhlhall-home

 

That street has some real gems - beautiful houses (though none as historic as this one), huge lots, on a secluded street.

 

It's in Garfield Park, not Alger Heights - contrary to what many Realtors say, the dividing line is Eastern Ave. (I'll get off my GPNA board member soapbox now)

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's some more info on it:

http://www.historygrandrapids.org/architecture/686/uhlhall-home

 

That street has some real gems - beautiful houses (though none as historic as this one), huge lots, on a secluded street.

 

It's in Garfield Park, not Alger Heights - contrary to what many Realtors say, the dividing line is Eastern Ave. (I'll get off my GPNA board member soapbox now)

 

Wow!  No knock on the Garfield Park Neighborhood Association, but having lived not far from this home in what I now know is the far southeast corner of "Garfield Park" I can assure you with a high degree of confidence that most everyone who lives in that area thinks they live in Alger Heights.  I'm going to really confuse people when I tell them we should meet at Real Food Cafe in Garfield Park.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow!  No knock on the Garfield Park Neighborhood Association, but having lived not far from this home in what I now know is the far southeast corner of "Garfield Park" I can assure you with a high degree of confidence that most everyone who lives in that area thinks they live in Alger Heights.  I'm going to really confuse people when I tell them we should meet at Real Food Cafe in Garfield Park.

 

Trust me, we're well aware that it's a popular misconception. :-) Even the "Alger Heights" sign for the business district is technically in Garfield Park, as it's on the northwest corner of the Eastern/Alger intersection.

 

Garfield Park is a very strange "neighborhood" - it's huge (131 to Eastern, 28th to Cottage Grove) and incredibly diverse (28% Caucasian, 24% African American, 44% Hispanic).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Trust me, we're well aware that it's a popular misconception. :-) Even the "Alger Heights" sign for the business district is technically in Garfield Park, as it's on the northwest corner of the Eastern/Alger intersection.

 

Garfield Park is a very strange "neighborhood" - it's huge (131 to Eastern, 28th to Cottage Grove) and incredibly diverse (28% Caucasian, 24% African American, 44% Hispanic).

 

Source: http://cridata.org/Neighb_GR.aspx

 

hood_GR_garfieldpark_800px.jpg

 

 

 

hood_GR_algerheights_800px.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wonder if Hall Street was named after the Uhl Hall?

 

I haven't been able to find the origin of Hall Street's name, but I know it predates this house.  There aren't any records that associate Marcus B. Hall's family with this part of town before he bought the home.  Marcus P. Brown and Sherwood Hall (his wealthy predecessors) lived in Heritage Hill.  So I'd guess it's unlikely.

Edited by RegalTDP
Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...

I thought we had a catch-all thread for things going on around the area that people had questions about, but guess not? Anyway, I've noticed this building on the East Beltline by Lake Drive (1310 East Beltline SE) is having work done to it. I think it used to be owned by Calvin College and has been pretty much vacant since it was built at the height of the recession. 

 

Looks like it was originally planned for 2 buildings on the site and now they're doing one building separated by an atrium.

 

In case you were wondering, like me. :) 

 

post-2672-0-92518300-1432039486_thumb.jp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

That building has been vacant for so long.  I didn't know Calvin bought it.

I believe is has drive in parking under the building I don't see that reflected here.

 

Calvin did own it but I believe they sold it when they were trying to bring down their out-of-control debt problem, along with the Weyhill Bldg and an apartment complex. I seem to remember reading that somewhere but having trouble finding it. This building/project did change hands March 2015. 

 

The new owners are called AHP Lake Drive LLC and is registered to High Point Real Estate. Since they have Advantage Health Partners as a client, my guess is Advantage Health is opening a location here..

 

Here's the site plan showing the drive to the ug parking (trouble with flickr this morning).

 

 

post-2672-0-35378100-1432044288_thumb.jp

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Calvin did own it but I believe they sold it when they were trying to bring down their out-of-control debt problem, along with the Weyhill Bldg and an apartment complex. I seem to remember reading that somewhere but having trouble finding it. This building/project did change hands March 2015. 

 

The new owners are called AHP Lake Drive LLC and is registered to High Point Real Estate. Since they have Advantage Health Partners as a client, my guess is Advantage Health is opening a location here..

 

Here's the site plan showing the drive to the ug parking (trouble with flickr this morning).

 

 

attachicon.gif1310 Site Plan.JPG

 

So much parking.......

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 1 year later...
5 minutes ago, GR_Urbanist said:

Two things:

 

Here is a building going up on the Beltline (western side), north of the Woodland Mall entrance. Never heard of it, and not sure what it might be for.


WP_20160628_10_02_18_Pro.jpg

And two...

WP_20160628_10_55_18_Pro.jpg

What on earth happened over here?!  It looks like someone lit the side of the hill on fire!

Isn't the first the hotel?  No idea on the 2nd.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

20 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

The first is a Suburban Inn hotel (Beltline near WMU - same group that wants to build a hotel in Monroe North). The 2nd was a brush fire on the hill. I believe it was started by fireworks. 

Joe

Yep, can't remember if it's a Hilton Garden Inn or Embassy Suites, and a restaurant out front called Big E's. 

We saw the fire when it was happening. They appeared to be spraying down the roof of the apartment building so it didn't catch on fire as well. 

 

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

22 hours ago, GR_Urbanist said:

Two things:

 

Here is a building going up on the Beltline (western side), north of the Woodland Mall entrance. Never heard of it, and not sure what it might be for.


WP_20160628_10_02_18_Pro.jpg

And two...

WP_20160628_10_55_18_Pro.jpg

What on earth happened over here?!  It looks like someone lit the side of the hill on fire!

From Wood TV, looks like last Friday

Screen Shot 2016-06-29 at 10.23.02 AM.png

  • Like 1
Link to comment
Share on other sites

On 28 June 2016 at 11:50 AM, GR_Urbanist said:

Two things:

 

Here is a building going up on the Beltline (western side), north of the Woodland Mall entrance. Never heard of it, and not sure what it might be for.


WP_20160628_10_02_18_Pro.jpg

And two...

WP_20160628_10_55_18_Pro.jpg

What on earth happened over here?!  It looks like someone lit the side of the hill on fire!

 

Does anyone know how long that mural has been here?  I remember as a kid always thinking how Louis Campau and his wife kind of looked like skeletons.  I understand the history with Campau and Belknap, the whole thing just seems a little dated.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's been there at least since the early 80s as I've remembered it since at least 1981 as a little kid. I seriously thought it was as world-famous as the Hollywood sign.

 

Now it just looks goofy to me. Badly dated, no context to some of the things (like do most people even know who Belknap was?), and with some very generic elements that really have nothing uniquely to do with Grand Rapids. I don't even think any promotional material for the city every features it. It is almost forgotten even though it is in plain sight.

 

But its been there forever, and likely will never be replaced.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

From a 2007 article on Rapid Growth- First, there’s the history. Drivers on the I-196 downtown can’t miss the massive tribute to founder Louis Campau, early civic leader Charles Belknap, and the city’s 1826 founding. This particular piece, first created on the south side of the Belknap neighborhood in 1982, recently received a touchup courtesy of volunteers from the local chapter of the Painting and Decorating Contractors of America (PDCA).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

  • 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.