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50 Monroe to get de-skinned?

GRDadof3

By GRDadof3
in Grand Rapids

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GVSUChris
GVSUChris

I'm very curious about this process. They seem to just be removing each corner of the three original buildings. 

ironyisadeadscene
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MJLO
MJLO

I agree. That would be a great spot for a 12 story tower.

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destijl Whistle-Stop

destijl

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As promised, here are pictures I took in the mid 80's during the 'skinning' of the former Helmer Building. I know I posted some of these years ago, but this is my full collection.

I found some other interesting shots of downtown form the 80s and 90s, but I'll post them in the appropriate thread..

 

Sadly, the FotoMat damaged some of the film before processing the prints..

helmer_1.jpeghelmer_2.jpeghelmer_3.jpeghelmer_4.jpeghelmer_5.jpeghelmer_6.jpeghelmer_7.jpeghelmer_8.jpeghelmer_9.jpeghelmer_10.jpeghelmer_12.jpeghelmer_13.jpeghelmer_14.jpeghelmer_15.jpeg

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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14 hours ago, destijl said:

As promised, here are pictures I took in the mid 80's during the 'skinning' of the former Helmer Building. I know I posted some of these years ago, but this is my full collection.

I found some other interesting shots of downtown form the 80s and 90s, but I'll post them in the appropriate thread..

helmer_9.jpeg

I think this is the only picture I've seen of the front of the building that faces Northwest. And it doesn't appear to me to even be the original facade to the building. Looks like it was redone at some point? 

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wingbert Burg

wingbert

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On 11/5/2016 at 7:28 PM, destijl said:

As promised, here are pictures I took in the mid 80's during the 'skinning' of the former Helmer Building. I know I posted some of these years ago, but this is my full collection.

I found some other interesting shots of downtown form the 80s and 90s, but I'll post them in the appropriate thread..

helmer_8.jpeg

Hey, the original Weather Ball.  Woot!

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sparky05 Burg

sparky05

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I was speaking with a relative who works at one of the local equipment suppliers for the construction industry around here - he's constantly dropping stuff off to GR construction sites - and according to him, they're just checking the structural integrity of the building after all of the work that's been going on next door at the Venue. So perhaps nothing is happening here after all....

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joeDowntown Metropolis

joeDowntown

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On 11/26/2016 at 8:07 PM, sparky05 said:

I was speaking with a relative who works at one of the local equipment suppliers for the construction industry around here - he's constantly dropping stuff off to GR construction sites - and according to him, they're just checking the structural integrity of the building after all of the work that's been going on next door at the Venue. So perhaps nothing is happening here after all....

That may be the case, but I'd be shocked if they weren't checking out the old facade as well. They definitely didn't pull the current facade down in a manner that you'd expect if they were just going to check things out and cover it back up...

Joe

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sparky05 Burg

sparky05

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18 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

That may be the case, but I'd be shocked if they weren't checking out the old facade as well. They definitely didn't pull the current facade down in a manner that you'd expect if they were just going to check things out and cover it back up...

Joe

Especially considering how some of those panels were just sawed in half. All in all, I was sort of surprised to hear that this is just a structural integrity check and wouldn't be surprised if something more were in the pipeline. For what it's worth, which in the end, is nothing, seeing as how I'm just a chump who likes looking at buildings and dreaming up what could be.

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ctpgr34 Hamlet

ctpgr34

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2 minutes ago, sparky05 said:

Especially considering how some of those panels were just sawed in half. All in all, I was sort of surprised to hear that this is just a structural integrity check and wouldn't be surprised if something more were in the pipeline. For what it's worth, which in the end, is nothing, seeing as how I'm just a chump who likes looking at buildings and dreaming up what could be.

No matter what, they are doing something.  I would assume worse case would be a total new skin

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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11 minutes ago, ctpgr34 said:

No matter what, they are doing something.  I would assume worse case would be a total new skin

They're definitely gutting the entire interior of the building, or most of it. It was on the city's permit list. And we know it's going to be a hotel. 

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RegalTDP Burg

RegalTDP

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50 minutes ago, sparky05 said:

Especially considering how some of those panels were just sawed in half. All in all, I was sort of surprised to hear that this is just a structural integrity check and wouldn't be surprised if something more were in the pipeline. For what it's worth, which in the end, is nothing, seeing as how I'm just a chump who likes looking at buildings and dreaming up what could be.

I don't think this account necessarily contradicts the idea that there's more in the pipeline.  We've known all along that their plan was:

(Step 1) Investigate underneath the surface of the building

(Step 2) Figure out Step 2 from there

I'm sure they wouldn't want to say more until they've gotten to Step 2.

Edited by RegalTDP
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sparky05 Burg

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On 11/28/2016 at 3:49 PM, ctpgr34 said:

No matter what, they are doing something.  I would assume worse case would be a total new skin

Worst case would be replacing it with a giant, sixteen story hyper-realistic statue of Trump and Obama recreating the infamous fraternal kiss between Breszhnev and Honecker, purely to piss absolutely everyone off.

Always remember things could be worse.

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RegalTDP Burg

RegalTDP

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9 minutes ago, sparky05 said:

Worst case would be replacing it with a giant, sixteen story hyper-realistic statue of Trump and Obama recreating the infamous fraternal kiss between Breszhnev and Honecker, purely to piss absolutely everyone off.

Always remember things could be worse.

^^^Actually, That'd be kinda interesting.

No, worst case is a surface parking lot.  For any parcel anywhere.

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