Photos De Jour - Grand Rapids and West Michigan Area

[bneidlinger]

Here's an aerial my bro took last fall. It's not Grand Rapids of course but the Mall in downtown Kalamazoo. I'd like to try to get an updated one soon as that white building (Park Building) in the botton left center is now demolished and that enitre lot is a mesh of steel girders for the new office building. That hole along the Mall with the crane is now complete as well. Anyone have any aerials of GR?

[GRDadof3]

The Y with the the sunset reflected in the buildings downtown:

(click for full image)

(looks like people were enjoying the sunset from Cygnus 27)

[numstead]

a couple good ones from this evening...

[Eridony]

[therustymitten]

Disclaimer:

Please no more trifecta photos of downtown

[GRDadof3]

Disclaimer:

Please no more trifecta photos of downtown

Sorry, but what is a "trifecta photo"?

Riverside Park today in the "July weather":

I had an affinity for Ottawa Ave today (yes that was me with the blue striped shirt today if you saw someone taking photos). The lighting and cloud patterns were nearly perfect on Ottawa at lunch today:

New hardward on Ledyard:

[numstead]

Sorry, but what is a "trifecta photo"?

I think Woody is talking about my photo of the three tall buildings. Sorry, I know we've all seen those buildings before, I'm just trying to take interesting and well executed architectural photos.

I love the way that one turned out after the little bit of post-production. Very rich and almost painterly. Well done!

[GRDadof3]

I think Woody is talking about my photo of the three tall buildings. Sorry, I know we've all seen those buildings before, I'm just trying to take interesting and well executed architectural photos.

I love the way that one turned out after the little bit of post-production. Very rich and almost painterly. Well done!

Thanks! I felt like spicing them up a bit today. I think I'll flip that one over to the flickr group.

[therustymitten]

A trifecta - in light of this past weekend's Kentucky Derby - is a bet placed in which the top three placeholders are predicted in order. It is also carried over into other disciplines as in "Steve Nash hits another trifecta." or "Please no more trifecta photos of downtown." And golscorer4 those are great photos, but my point is that on every other post there's a pic of the Grand Am. Don't take this the wrong way, but when I scroll through this forum it's a bit fustrating and boring to see the same pic over and over.

[tamias6]

Don't worry Riverhouse will no doubt be getting its share share of UP photo shoots. Not that there is a Riverhouse thread stuffed to the rafters with construction shots.

A trifecta - in light of this past weekend's Kentucky Derby - is a bet placed in which the top three placeholders are predicted in order. It is also carried over into other disciplines as in "Steve Nash hits another trifecta." or "Please no more trifecta photos of downtown." And golscorer4 those are great photos, but my point is that on every other post there's a pic of the Grand Am. Don't take this the wrong way, but when I scroll through this forum it's a bit fustrating and boring to see the same pic over and over.

[MJLO]

Don't be bitter about the cities signature shot. But people are free to post whatever they want if you're tired of the Trifecta, go out and take some fresh shots of different things. I'm excited to see the city once riverhouse is vertical. I want to see the five modern high rised with the density of downtown and the hill in the background. I don't think i'll ever get sick of that, especially being 2000 miles away.

btw steve nash hit a couple of trifecta's last night I was there, it was cool

[GRDadof3]

A trifecta - in light of this past weekend's Kentucky Derby - is a bet placed in which the top three placeholders are predicted in order. It is also carried over into other disciplines as in "Steve Nash hits another trifecta." or "Please no more trifecta photos of downtown." And golscorer4 those are great photos, but my point is that on every other post there's a pic of the Grand Am. Don't take this the wrong way, but when I scroll through this forum it's a bit fustrating and boring to see the same pic over and over.

There were a lot of AGP shots on that last page, but it just happened that way. It's kind of difficult to get a skyline shot without it.

I'm with MJLO and say "keep em coming!" If you need help posting photos here woody, just let me know and I'll be happy to help get you started.

[Grand Rapidian]

My last views of the city for the summer, shots from the car in the morning. I am not sure what is better for the shots from up the hill, is it the hill or the city? Without the city the hill can still give magnificent views.

[Veloise]

...

My last views of the city for the summer, shots from the car in the morning. ...

Are you leaving us? It's not quite summer yet!

[tamias6]

Classic vs. Modern,

A shot of Lyon St. looking west.

[Grand Rapidian]

Are you leaving us? It's not quite summer yet!

I haven't really been around much, I go to school at Michigan Tech in Houghton and this summer working for a consulting firm in San Francisco. I sure am going to miss the summer in Michigan. What really sucks is since the Van Andel arena and Convention center were build I have been following all of the news with new developments and ended up moving off to college before ground broke on many of them. Now I am missing all the construction (being a civil engineering major it really sucks). The pictures are great but they do not do justice to seeing them in person.

[GRDadof3]

Completely random Grand Rapids (or maybe not?)

Good spot for a rooftop patio:

Anyone know who is moving into this old gas station on State st?

[twoshort]

Good spot for a rooftop patio:

Oh to buy that place and make a two level palace...

[radicaljoy]

Great collection, thanks for the link. I was surprised at how many I recognized.

Me too. And I'm relatively new to GR.

Sorry I'm posting a reply to something a month old. I lurked for awhile before even registering and am just digging through old posts as I have time and interest.

Going off topic:

UP is giving me more reasons to like GR -- and a way to pass stuff on to others who can't figure out why I'm so enamored with GR. (People who for the most part (of course) never been here -- or have only passed through.) I got/get that alot about Detroit and Cleveland, the cities I lived in growing up. They have "bad reputations" (partly earned) but people who have never KNOWN the cites love to dump on 'em. 18 years of my adult life were spent in living in the Chicagoland area, and I don't think it's "all that".

Further off topic:

I like to unashamedly say I'm from Detroit -- just to mess with people's presuppositions. And if the person knows Detroit neighborhoods -- to narrow it down and say that I'm from Highland Park -- that really messes with their minds. Of course, I'm old enough that it has gone through a lot of changes since. My experience here (in GR) is that some of the folk that least appreciate GR, are the one's that have "always" been here. (Except for the ones that get really defensive if you say anything that might be preceived as critical of it). GR has a second city mentality (Ann Arbor being THE cool city). I think Grand Rapids is VERY cool.

[PRCH]

Completely random Grand Rapids (or maybe not?)

quote]

Some common themes: urban renewal, adaptive reuse, sensitive renovation, Sam Cummings, Guy Bazzani.

[GRDadof3]

What downtown building is this, and what is it missing?

(click to find out)

[Rizzo]

Looks like the building of Flanagan's or if its still there... Don't know there's no signage!

EDIT: Looks like I was right!

Edited May 16, 2007 by Rizzo

[GRDadof3]

Looks like the building by Flanagan's or if its still there... Don't know there's no signage!

EDIT: Looks like I was right!

You're right Rizzo. It's the Rood Building, which houses Flanagan's. I wonder if the entire building is getting a new paint job?

Here's another one:

On a warm sunny day, the city building in its setting looks beautiful (these pictures are "untouched" BTW):

(click for full size)

The whole treed plaza to the North was quite nice yesterday:

(click for larger image)

Especially while riding the DiSuvero swing:

In fact, the entire plaza South of the federal building is being redone, so this area will be closed during Festival.

[Rizzo]

You're right Rizzo. It's the Rood Building, which houses Flanagan's. I wonder if the entire building is getting a new paint job?

Here's another one:

On a warm sunny day, the city building in its setting looks beautiful:

(click for full size)

The whole treed plaza to the North was quite nice yesterday:

(click for larger image)

Especially while riding the DiSuvero swing:

In fact, the entire plaza South of the federal building is being redone, so this area will be closed during Festival.

I remember being downtown with a friend of mine from the suburbs and he thought the covered stairs near City Hall were subway entrances. Glad to see some pictures from home, Dad!

Wait, what do you mean by redone, do you mean the folliage is going through its yearly trimming?

Edited May 16, 2007 by Rizzo

[GRDadof3]

I remember being downtown with a friend of mine from the suburbs and he thought the covered stairs near City Hall were subway entrances. Glad to see some pictures from home, Dad!

Wait, what do you mean by redone, do you mean the folliage is going through its yearly trimming?

It's going to be completely rebuilt (re-landscaped). They have it all fenced off today. Subways? Imagine how much more those plazas would get used if you could see them and get to them easier from Monroe and Michigan.

Here's another. Now what is going on at 50 Louis?!