50 Monroe to get de-skinned?

[SEsideguy]

"I love rumors! The facts can be so misleading!" Oberstfuerher Col. Hans Landa. So what do we really know? I'm not a big tax or numbers guy, but 26mil? If it goes ahead to restore the old facade, I hope it turns out amazing and not looking out of place.

[GRDadof3]

37 minutes ago, SEsideguy said:

"I love rumors! The facts can be so misleading!" Oberstfuerher Col. Hans Landa. So what do we really know? I'm not a big tax or numbers guy, but 26mil? If it goes ahead to restore the old facade, I hope it turns out amazing and not looking out of place.

To turn the Waters Building into the Homewood Suites was reportedly $40 Million. That was a massive job turning an outdated office building into a hotel and apartments.

99 Monroe was renovated for reportedly $4 Million.

25 Ottawa was renovated for $3.5 Million.

Sort of all over the board. 

AC Hotels has a certain "brand" it appears, so I wonder if they'll add modern touches to the sides of the old building? I'm guessing they will, particularly around the new turnstile entrance on the North side of the building.

This is a different AC Hotel. 

[GRDadof3]

This drawing shows what appears to be a new drive up for the hotel? That leads to the new alley? 

 

[MJLO]

7 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

To turn the Waters Building into the Homewood Suites was reportedly $40 Million. That was a massive job turning an outdated office building into a hotel and apartments.

99 Monroe was renovated for reportedly $4 Million.

25 Ottawa was renovated for $3.5 Million.

Sort of all over the board. 

AC Hotels has a certain "brand" it appears, so I wonder if they'll add modern touches to the sides of the old building? I'm guessing they will, particularly around the new turnstile entrance on the North side of the building.

This is a different AC Hotel. 

I've stayed at an AC before.  They style them after a European Botique style hotel, and cater to that millenial/hipster ecological activist crowd.  They aren't as comfortable/nice as a traditional flagship Marriott, but they certainly are trendy.  It'd be another notch in downtown GR's belt to have one.

[joeDowntown]

I'm wondering if they'll completely redo/update the western facade (AC Hotel) and restore the Eastern facades. The western facade looks very mediocre, potentially not original (I still haven't seen a good photo of the original facade along Monroe). Maybe a mix of old and new with this building?

Joe

[Allison Slater]

I think the western building may have been more industrial in nature, like the BOB, and thus is not much of a gem architecturally speaking.  I would be okay if that one were modernized and the eastern ones restored.

[mpchicago]

Funny how Sam Cummings made a big deal about getting rid of that parking lot at Monroe and Louis, "thrilled at the prospect of adding an iconic structure to this important location."  Bummer that they could not make it happen. But I get it, not everything always falls into place.  Here is to the hope that CWD will do something special to the west side of 50 Monroe, as tSlater pointed out (that underneath) is "not much of a gem architecturally speaking." 

Edited December 19, 2016 by mpchicago

[SEsideguy]

I hope that the window shattered, rusted, beat up, parking attendant shed gets entered into Art Prize!

[GRDadof3]

1 hour ago, mpchicago said:

Funny how Sam Cummings made a big deal about getting rid of that parking lot at Monroe and Louis, "thrilled at the prospect of adding an iconic structure to this important location."  Bummer that they could not make it happen. But I get it, not everything always falls into place.  Here is to the hope that CWD will do something special to the west side of 50 Monroe, as tSlater pointed out (that underneath) is "not much of a gem architecturally speaking." 

One thing to note is that on the first floor plan, it shows some rather large expanses of glass on the West Side. Much larger than what I think the original building has.

 

Or maybe not:

[GR8scott]

I'm glad they are preserving the parking lot....for something a lot taller. Seriously running out of prime real estate where something iconic could go and look great "in the middle" if the skyline. 

[GRDadof3]

1 hour ago, mpchicago said:

Funny how Sam Cummings made a big deal about getting rid of that parking lot at Monroe and Louis, "thrilled at the prospect of adding an iconic structure to this important location."  Bummer that they could not make it happen. But I get it, not everything always falls into place.  Here is to the hope that CWD will do something special to the west side of 50 Monroe, as tSlater pointed out (that underneath) is "not much of a gem architecturally speaking." 

What they should do is go back to this design and make the modern addition a conference center, connected to the GRAM, which could also be used for conference space. It's about an 18,000 sf footprint (the parking lot). That would be really sweet. 

[ctpgr34]

On 12/19/2016 at 11:31 AM, GRDadof3 said:

One thing to note is that on the first floor plan, it shows some rather large expanses of glass on the West Side. Much larger than what I think the original building has.

 

Or maybe not:

I didn't see some of this specific information anywhere, sorry if it is already here-

Separating the 50 Monroe property into two separate parcels 

Was originally two buildings that were combined in 1986 

Planning to separate the property into three parcels . West Building will keep the 50 Monroe Address

 Building will be restored and then leased to Amway  Select service hotel called AC Hotel • 120-132 rooms in the hotel

 Restore skin of the original building

Clean modern look combining metal, glass, concrete, and wood o Will have a bar and breakfast but no restaurant o Operable storefront on corners to draw people in

East Building o Will get a new address on Ottawa o 96,000 square feet of rentable space  Town Square Media is staying •

Parking o Surface lot  May resurface lot but there are no plans for anything too involved • Would like to redevelop by 2020

Will need to secure building permits by the parcel o Plans to submit for Land Use Development (LUDS) permits in February •

Bike Parking on Street o May put more secure bike parking inside for employees •

 

 

[Pattmost20]

http://www.grbj.com/articles/87186-international-hotel-brand-plans-downtown-location?utm_source=MagnetMail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=lfritz%40ahchospitality.com&utm_content=2130%3A+GRBJ+Breaking+News%3A+International+hotel+bran&utm_campaign=GRBJ+Breaking+News%3A+International+hotel+brand+plans+downtown+location

 

De skinned after all

[GRDadof3]

10 hours ago, Pattmost20 said:

http://www.grbj.com/articles/87186-international-hotel-brand-plans-downtown-location?utm_source=MagnetMail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=lfritz%40ahchospitality.com&utm_content=2130%3A+GRBJ+Breaking+News%3A+International+hotel+bran&utm_campaign=GRBJ+Breaking+News%3A+International+hotel+brand+plans+downtown+location

 

De skinned after all

I thought we already knew it was going to be de-skinned? 

[joeDowntown]

52 minutes ago, GRDadof3 said:

I thought we already knew it was going to be de-skinned? 

I think some were wondering if the building had structural problems that were beyond repair. 

Joe

[GRDadof3]

9 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

I think some were wondering if the building had structural problems that were beyond repair. 

Joe

Ah, right. 

[mpchicago]

I wonder how they will handle this when they de-skin....I assume it was repaired with cinder block?  I, don't know.

 

Edited February 3, 2017 by mpchicago

[joeDowntown]

CWD has done a good job putting brick over top of blank walls before (on the CWD building). I would imagine they'll do what it takes to make it look good. The nice thing for them is the Venue apartments are now blocking the view, so they could simply re-brick without doing anything too extraordinary and nobody would notice. 

Joe

[wingbert]

1 hour ago, mpchicago said:

I wonder how they will handle this when they de-skin....I assume it was repaired with cinder block?  I, don't know.

 

Looks ready-made for a 5 or 6 story glass atrium.

[Ted]

2 hours ago, mpchicago said:

I wonder how they will handle this when they de-skin....I assume it was repaired with cinder block?  I, don't know.

 

I suggest something like this...

 

[ctpgr34]

Or this:) 

[joeDowntown]

4 hours ago, ctpgr34 said:

Or this:) 

Haha. Although I have to say, I like how this building is coming along. The lobby looks really nice. I think this building looks nicer than the rendering. 

Joe

[joeDowntown]

I'd been looking for a possible start date on this project. MLive says this Spring if they are able to get tax credits for facade work, etc. 

http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2017/02/new_downtown_hotel_will_add_to.html#incart_river_mobile_home

Joe

[ctpgr34]

A couple pic of the buildings renovated--http://www.mlive.com/business/west-michigan/index.ssf/2017/02/new_hotel_gets_895k_from_dda_f.html#incart_river_home

 

[Chester Cheeto]

 

"Office tower?" Even by Grand Rapids standard of towers, that thing is only like a half a tower.