Perrigo's New Downtown HQ

[Chester Cheeto]

21 minutes ago, Cookin_peacocks said:

Crane is coming down. Any guesses where it goes next?

 

 

A few blocks north.

[GRDadof3]

22 hours ago, NoDustBusterNoMore said:

A few blocks north.

Is the Spectrum site ready for a tower crane? 

[Chester Cheeto]

1 hour ago, GRDadof3 said:

Is the Spectrum site ready for a tower crane? 

Don't know, but the steel fabricator who is working on Perrigo will also be doing Spectrum CTI, and looking at the schedule for CTI it makes sense to just tear it down, drive a few blocks north and set it back up.

[numstead]

20 minutes ago, NoDustBusterNoMore said:

Don't know, but the steel fabricator who is working on Perrigo will also be doing Spectrum CTI, and looking at the schedule for CTI it makes sense to just tear it down, drive a few blocks north and set it back up.

Heading home yesterday I followed a section of the tower on the back of a trailer along Ottawa/Monroe until it turned west on Leonard, presumably heading toward 131. There area some sections of a green tower crane sitting along the Ottawa Ave side of the CTI site, which I believe were moved from the old Baker Furniture building lot. 

[GRDadof3]

2 hours ago, numstead said:

Heading home yesterday I followed a section of the tower on the back of a trailer along Ottawa/Monroe until it turned west on Leonard, presumably heading toward 131. There area some sections of a green tower crane sitting along the Ottawa Ave side of the CTI site, which I believe were moved from the old Baker Furniture building lot. 

Yep. Just saw those. 

 

[GRDadof3]

Facade is looking pretty snazzy on Perrigo's bldg. Moving fast. 

 

 

[Guest]

This project definitely looks better than most of the other recent ones.   I just wish they would have made it full glass all the way down.

[GRDadof3]

13 hours ago, Floyd_Z said:

This project definitely looks better than most of the other recent ones.   I just wish they would have made it full glass all the way down.

At least the lower portion is not concrete, or some paneling that will look dirty and 30 years old in a year. 

[joeDowntown]

Interested to see how they finish the ground level. The renderings don't show enough detail / obstructed by trees. I'm hoping they at least carve out a small space for commercial use on the ground floor.

Joe

[GRDadof3]

2 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

Interested to see how they finish the ground level. The renderings don't show enough detail / obstructed by trees. I'm hoping they at least carve out a small space for commercial use on the ground floor.

Joe

Maybe they'll do a store to showcase their new product lines.  Like a mini pharmacy. 

https://www.perrigo.com/consumer-self-care-products-and-solutions

[GRDadof3]

Perrigo's signs are going up on the building. 

[Guest]

8 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

Perrigo's signs are going up on the building. 

Noticed they finished and opened the sidewalk too, just needs a layer of asphalt in the road.

[grandrollerz]

...Mean to post this a while back but the "tunnel" was getting some work done. Maybe I'll head back to day and see what the progress is now that the sidewalk has been opened.

[GRDadof3]

On 5/22/2022 at 10:23 AM, grandrollerz said:

...Mean to post this a while back but the "tunnel" was getting some work done. Maybe I'll head back to day and see what the progress is now that the sidewalk has been opened.

Are they actually going to open it up for pedestrians? We've only been wishing for that for 20 years, lol. 

[Guest]

On 5/23/2022 at 10:59 AM, GRDadof3 said:

Are they actually going to open it up for pedestrians? We've only been wishing for that for 20 years, lol. 

Yes!  From GVMC.

[thebeerqueer]

13 hours ago, Floyd_Z said:

Yes!  From GVMC.

I feel like there's great opportunities in this tunnel for murals, interesting lighting, art installation, etc ... Also, I would wager that most folks in GR have never known about the tunnel (urban planning nerds aside). 

 

[GRDadof3]

1 hour ago, thebeerqueer said:

I feel like there's great opportunities in this tunnel for murals, interesting lighting, art installation, etc ... Also, I would wager that most folks in GR have never known about the tunnel (urban planning nerds aside). 

 

Definitely. It's pretty dank and ominous right now. 

[joeDowntown]

3 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

Definitely. It's pretty dank and ominous right now. 

I'm afraid if it's anything like the tunnels near the river, it'll be dank, ominous and reek of urine.

We were at the river a few weeks back and it was amusing to watch people taking prom pictures; people commenting on the smell of urine in the tunnel, and then trying to hold their breath while looking fancy.

Joe

[GRDadof3]

2 hours ago, joeDowntown said:

I'm afraid if it's anything like the tunnels near the river, it'll be dank, ominous and reek of urine.

We were at the river a few weeks back and it was amusing to watch people taking prom pictures; people commenting on the smell of urine in the tunnel, and then trying to hold their breath while looking fancy.

Joe

I think this tunnel is going to be a little less of a "public" tunnel than a connector between MSU, BAMF and Spectrum's campus. I have a feeling it will be part of the regular security detail at night. 

[grandrollerz]

I managed to get myself on the River Hill Network steering group and boy am I impressed with what they are planning!  Even as a resident on the bluff  who could have a high propensity to NIMBY the whole idea...myself and even my reticent wife, really like  it.  There is a public meeting coming on June 7 that will show preliminary plans for the bluff work which includes tunnel renovation:

Quote

DGRI is hosting a Design Open House for neighbors and businesses on Tuesday, June 7 at Monroe Community Church.

Each session will have a 45-minute overview of the project and then 45 minutes for conversations about key elements of the project, including the hillside park, street interventions, and re-envisioning of the old GR Press rail tunnel under the highway. There are three session options to attend, all sessions will share identical information.

Please click here to register to attend one open house session.

 

[joeDowntown]

1 hour ago, grandrollerz said:

I managed to get myself on the River Hill Network steering group and boy am I impressed with what they are planning!  Even as a resident on the bluff  who could have a high propensity to NIMBY the whole idea...myself and even my reticent wife, really like  it.  There is a public meeting coming on June 7 that will show preliminary plans for the bluff work which includes tunnel renovation:

 

You tease. Can't wait to see what they have planned!

[grandrollerz]

ok, since the public meeting has already taken place, imma call this safe to share.  the pavement split inside will have a grated exposure with the existing rails left in place.  it was said the grates would be a trash gathering place, hard to clean and not accessible really to wheelchairs, etc. the inner walls would have historical info on the tunnel, rail and press building.  there is a booth/bar for then the space gets "activated" it will have interior lighting and sound (think ohare tunnel, lol) and will be able to be rented out. 

[GRDadof3]

2 hours ago, grandrollerz said:

ok, since the public meeting has already taken place, imma call this safe to share.  the pavement split inside will have a grated exposure with the existing rails left in place.  it was said the grates would be a trash gathering place, hard to clean and not accessible really to wheelchairs, etc. the inner walls would have historical info on the tunnel, rail and press building.  there is a booth/bar for then the space gets "activated" it will have interior lighting and sound (think ohare tunnel, lol) and will be able to be rented out. 

Cool! It is interesting that they want to showcase the rails and their history. 

[Raildude's dad]

6 hours ago, GRDadof3 said:

Cool! It is interesting that they want to showcase the rails and their history. 

Not one of those folks depicted could give one fat rat's arze about the tracks and the Grand Rapids Press (what's a newspaper? , the existing building has been renamed). The city couldn't wait to get the Bond St spur abandoned. Pull the concrete cap off the loading dock, remove the sand fill, concrete the rails in the new walkway and get rid of all the steps. It looks nice in the rendering but in reality it will be a concrete tunnel even if painted. Pedestrians will use it as a shortcut under the freeway no more.  What kind of business would proper there?

Yes, I'm a pessimist about this

[walker]

33 minutes ago, Raildude's dad said:

Yes, I'm a pessimist about this

I share your skepticism.  Since the tunnel is already there, I can see the utility of trying to use it as a way for pedestrians to easily travel between  buildings on both sides of the expressways so as not to be so isolated from each other.  But as a practical matter, who would pay to maintain this up to the standards suggested in the renderings or pay for security?   

But I try to not be a grouchy old man.  I found this site on the interweb that shows 5,468 photos of pedestrian tunnels.  I guess there are all kinds of possibilities:

photo images pedestrian tunnels