jtabberer

Love the finished project - the inside and outside of the building look great. It makes me happy to drive by everyday and see the renovated building instead of the ugly structure that it used to be!

That's great news, they did a really nice job on the Sun Title remodel. I'm looking forward to seeing the finished product even more, now! Thanks for the info, grnd.

You're absolutely right, gvsusean. Looks like I have to have 10 posts before I can upload images, and I'm not having any luck inputting them from Flickr (unless I'm missing something ridiculously obvious). I'll find some things to comment on and come back soon with pics. Okay, I'd rather have these pics appear in the posting... but may as well link them now. This is a building at 1410 Plainfield (at Spencer Street) that is getting a major facelift. http://www.flickr.com/photos/20329188@N00/7441855078/ Check out a before picture (this one from August 2010). It's quite a difference. http://www.flickr.com/photos/20329188@N00/7441856310/ I only hope that the finished product will look good - I have no idea who's doing the work or what's going in the building when they're done.

There's been a lot of work done in Creston over the last few years, it's all coming together very nicely recently. The North Quarter Corridor Improvement District was officially approved in May. You can see their full proposal on Creston Neighborhood Association's website. Construction just started on Plainfield Avenue and includes the addition of seven bio-retention islands. These are the first in Grand Rapids and about half the money was raised locally, the business community in Creston stepped up big time and supported the project. FOX 17 did a nice piece on it back in February. (This isn't our only green project, Our Living Green in Creston group supported the planting of the first urban orchards in GR last summer, in Briggs and Aberdeen parks). And Red Jet is far from the only successful business in Creston! There's Graydon's Crossing, Sazerac Lounge, Choo Choo Grill, Stonesthrow, GR8 Tastes (in the former Wired space), Cheshire Grill, Kingma's, Sweetlands, Dorothy & Tonys, etc. Off the top of my head I can count five buildings south of Sweet Street that got facelifts in the past few years, plus one currently underway. Now, I'm admittedly biased. I live in Creston and I volunteer with the neighborhood association. But, I chose to buy a house in the neighborhood and to get involved because I see tons of potential. There's plenty to talk about in Creston and I'm surprised that things in the neighborhood aren't mentioned here on UrbanPlanet more often (I'm a frequent lurker and very rare commenter). The question isn't whether or not it will be revitalized, because it's already happening. The question is how successful it will be moving ahead. Help us out and come shop and eat in the area.

I believe the house you're looking at is 439 Lyon Street NE, this one: It looked rather different in the 1960's: According to the Heritage Hill Association website (where the photos are from as well), it was built in 1867. The original owner was James G. Cloyes. There's more information on the Architectural Survey Card for those interested, which can be found on the Heritage Hill website. According to tax assessing info, the house was foreclosed on in 2007. The current owner bought it in March of 2008 and lives in Belding. For whatever it's worth, she does not own any other property in Grand Rapids in her name (i.e. she's probably not a professional flipper). Hope this is the right house.