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Iroquois School Reuse by GRCS (former Ottawa Hills High School)

joshleo

By joshleo
in Grand Rapids

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suydam Hamlet

suydam

Posted
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I remember when they added the playground on the East side of the school. It was one of the first around to have a wood jungle gym. After a couple years, they had to take the wood/chain bridge down when a kid got bounced off. I also remember the basketball courts had 10 foot rims, unlike the 11 or 12 you had at MLK park. Needless to say, those rims didn't last long before needing to be replace.

Why would there be 11' or 12' rims anywhere? Regulation height is 10'

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PR-15 Whistle-Stop

PR-15

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I live directly across the street from this parcel and believe that the city's purchase of this land is a very good thing. I moved to this neighborhood last year from Cherry Hill and it's truly one of the best in the city...the homes have such great character and unique architecture.

I would agree with plee30 that this project is going to be very difficult to convert to condos. It's a LARGE building and would convert to a TON of units. People who are looking for condos (young professionals and empty nesters) would most likely prefer to be downtown or even Gas Light Village (and we all know how well The Derby is doing).

I'm sure this old building has lots of lead and asbestos to abate once any renovations are underway...no doubt it will be a very expensive rehab. I don't foresee a sale of the school building anytime soon.

I'd almost prefer to see it remain a school (charter, college).

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ModSquad Hamlet

ModSquad

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I agree, a school is still the best use for this building given its surroundings, but it might be difficult to find a school to fill the space. A tough one indeed.

No one should hold their breath for a school to go into this site. The reason is because it is way too cost prohibitive for a school to operate in this monster building. It is not laid out well for the modern school environment which calls for open hallways and class rooms. It is also an energy hog! Thee is a reason why most of the charter schools are building glorified poll barns, they are building energy efficient facilities that have a great lay out for education at a low cost.

Back to this building. Unfortunately until the housing market comes back this will be a white elephant for a long time! Tearing it down is not an option due to its architectural heritage. Renovating it into housing units would most likely create from 75 to 85 units. That is simply not viable in today's real estate market.

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joshleo Whistle-Stop

joshleo

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If they are planning to consolidate their schools, then I would like to see the Christian schools bid win this. I think that it would be a great addition to the neighborhood and give them a facility that has enough room to grow.

I agree, especially with the consolidation running up against some opposition from the nearby oakdale school. I imagine that the offer is so low though because a lot of work would have to be done to the building to make it an up-to-date option for the school system.

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metrogrkid Hamlet

metrogrkid

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Wow, Michigan governments snail-like speed has done us in AGAIN. :angry:

Deal to film Samuel L. Jackson movie at Grand Rapids school (Iroquois Middle building) is off

Don't forget that State "speed" in expediting legislative issues is going to make or break the fixed guideway transit hopes of GR and Detroit and, subsequently, the rest of Michigan (READ: GR's Division Corridor BRT demonstration project for the whole state and Detroit's second-in-line Woodward Corridor LRT and Downtown-Metro Airport-Ann Arbor Commuter Rail projects). The Fall of 2009 deadline (with the Fed's New Starts money) is ticking more and more urgently. We need to send a robotic Lucy from The Peanuts to wave her fist in the State Senate chamber and yell out, "Get it moving, YOU BLOCKHEADS!!" :rolleyes:

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Veloise City

Veloise

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Wow, Michigan governments snail-like speed has done us in AGAIN. :angry:

Deal to film Samuel L. Jackson movie at Grand Rapids school (Iroquois Middle building) is off...

Huh? The article states:

...producers of Jackson's movie ...were unable to quickly begin applying for state grants.

... production companies must apply for rebates, and the information for Jackson's movie was incomplete.

"Sometimes we can process a request in two to four weeks," he said. "But, it's a big process, and we don't always have the adequate amount of information, and you have to go back and forth."

He said the production company wanted to start shooting quickly, before it could have assurances from the state it would get the rebates, and opted instead to shoot the film in Los Angeles.

...

The film would have been the first to use the area under tax breaks lawmakers approved in the spring. Qualifying projects are able to earn a refundable tax credit of up to 42 percent of production costs in the state.

That sounds like a Hollywood issue, not Lansing's.

So the building has a long-term tenant, not a temporary movie set. (And no repairs or paint-overs or anything else to clean up.) This does not seem terrible.

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PR-15 Whistle-Stop

PR-15

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GRCS voted yes on buying the building, and now they are talking with Rockford Construction if it will be a full demolish or just partial.. I am crossing my fingers for partial, this building is too cool!

mlive article

I agree, it would be real shame if the more historic facades of the building came down...plus I fear what they would build in it's place. I doubt they would build a brick structure in it's place matching the character of the O.H. Neighborhood.

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Mark Miller Whistle-Stop

Mark Miller

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This has nothing to do with the city leadership or protection under historic status.

Schools in historic districts - that are protected - have easily been torn down and replaced with new buildings. Even if this was protected it really would not be.

There is a small group fighting this, but a majority of the community (the neighborhood) is not opposed. Without opposition from the neighbors it has little chance.

But look on the bright side. A new building, probably LEED certified with a lot of gizmo green and a lot more "open space". Most likely a real suburban solution to an urban neighborhood. Meanwhile all the embedded energy of the existing building gone.

This whole thing is shortsighted. But really should we expect any more?

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gvsusean Burg

gvsusean

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This has nothing to do with the city leadership or protection under historic status.

Schools in historic districts - that are protected - have easily been torn down and replaced with new buildings. Even if this was protected it really would not be.

There is a small group fighting this, but a majority of the community (the neighborhood) is not opposed. Without opposition from the neighbors it has little chance.

But look on the bright side. A new building, probably LEED certified with a lot of gizmo green and a lot more "open space". Most likely a real suburban solution to an urban neighborhood. Meanwhile all the embedded energy of the existing building gone.

This whole thing is shortsighted. But really should we expect any more?

By city leaders I meant the historic committee (maybe)? The plans for the new school look terrible, 30 years from now people are going to say, " what were they thinking when they built this, it is hideous!" the same way we do today about schools built in the 50's-60's

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numstead Hamlet

numstead

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By city leaders I meant the historic committee (maybe)? The plans for the new school look terrible, 30 years from now people are going to say, " what were they thinking when they built this, it is hideous!" the same way we do today about schools built in the 50's-60's

I'm curious, are the new plans published somewhere?

sidenote: I remember getting destroyed playing Middle School basketball against Iriquois in a tiny little gymnasium in that building, it was pretty run down

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GR_Urbanist Burg

GR_Urbanist

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The only parts worth saving would have been the towers, which I had hoped would have been preserved as part of a new structure. The rest of the building is not terribly significant, hulking, and dark on the inside. And on top of this no one wants to use it for anything.

So we are between a rock and a hard place, however that new school design did look terrible.

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