Changes at 50 Monroe?

[NorthEnder]

ZOMG ESPN headquarters are moving to GR!!!!

xD Just kidding, of course.

After seeing everything regarding RiverGrand, and the traveling downtown cow, I'm just going to hold my breath until I at least see official renderings... at the least.

[joeDowntown]

Last time I checked I work for them, and we are quite cozy in our overflowing suburba-park. So no on that one.

Another fastly growing company that came to mind would be someone like Global Forex trading, currently located in Ada, the FOREX (Currency trading) industry is one of the fastest leading trading categories in the industry, and Global Forex is an industry leader.

[NorthEnder]

Last time I checked I work for them, and we are quite cozy in our overflowing suburba-park. So no on that one.

[egrguy]

Nice article in today's press about both Macatawa & Mercantile bank. It shows a photo of Mactawa's current HQ's. It also confirmed that Macatawa hopes to have something firmed up with their site within the year.

[joeDowntown]

And the picture of the branch they are building in Holland looks fantastic. It looks they could build something quite beautiful.

Joe

[GRDadof3]

Yeah, that's an amazing article about Macatawa and Mercantile. Both banks, after starting in 1997, had a goal of $250 Million in assets in 5 years. By 2002, Macatawa had well surpassed that goal at $1 Billion, and Mercantile was at $920 Million.

[mpchicago]

I found it interesting that JP Morgen/Chase is the largest shareholder for Mercantile.

It will be interesting to see what comes of Macatawa's plans for downtown GR. While Joe tells us Global Forex has no plans to move from it's suburban office park, they would be a great addtion to a new downtown office tower.

[DwntwnGeo]

Yeah, that's an amazing article about Macatawa and Mercantile. Both banks, after starting in 1997, had a goal of $250 Million in assets in 5 years. By 2002, Macatawa had well surpassed that goal at $1 Billion, and Mercantile was at $920 Million.

[mpchicago]

Do you think in time that these two banks will merge into one large bank? If both HQ were to move to downtown they would require a large site

[Prankster]

I don't see that happening. As the article in the paper said they have pretty different philosophies. Plus Merc just built a new HQ north of downtown.

[DwntwnGeo]

I don't see that happening. As the article in the paper said they have pretty different philosophies. Plus Merc just built a new HQ north of downtown.

[GRDadof3]

You are right that they currently serve different customers (one seems to be geared more to business and one more to indivigual residents/customers). In time as they both continue to grow and if they would like to be a dominate figure in the West Michigan market, it might make sense for them to merge the two together. I don't think it will happen in the next year, but couldn't they both be tenants in the same building? It seems both Merc and Mac build new HQ about every 2-4 years or so. Both could outgrow their current HQ just in time to move into a new site downtown? I don't know much about mergers or banks, so maybe I am way out in left field.

[DwntwnGeo]

And as mp said, Mercantile has already staked out the Leonard area and have gotten approval to build another facility on the riverfront.

[MJLO]

I remember the same thing. I haven't heard anything on it since. But if Mercantile continues to grow, as it looks like it will, with expanding into other markets such as Indiana perhaps. What I would like to know is if they will turn the area north of Bridgewater on Scribner into what is tantamount to a cookie cutter suburban office park, or if they would build a larger, taller facility to better serve their needs.

[mpchicago]

Huntington likely to stay at 50 Monroe. "Timeless" makeover could be on the way, so says Chris Knape's Blog

[egrguy]

Huntington likely to stay at 50 Monroe. "Timeless" makeover could be on the way, so says Chris Knape's Blog

[tamias6]

What ever they do, I hope it will make 50 Monroe better looking than it does now.

[6th Gen local]

I've always liked the look of that building. It was one of the first buildings to be updated in GR in the 80's after the Amway tower was built.

I think it looks great driving South on Monroe from Michigan.

[torgo]

I've always liked the look of that building. It was one of the first buildings to be updated in GR in the 80's after the Amway tower was built.

I think it looks great driving South on Monroe from Michigan.

[GRDadof3]

I'm glad we're finally going to hear something on this. We've been pining away for what, a year? "Timeless" design is subjective, but certainly sounds good at the outset.

[dbrok]

I'd like to see it go back to its original brick exterior shown in the photo from '85.

[joeDowntown]

The problem is the three separate buildings. It'd be cool if they could bring back the old facades but what would they do with the new parts? Plus, they probably shredded the old facade when they put the new one up.

A company I worked for 5 years ago was actually considering a move to 50 Monroe, but they could never come up with a good floor plan. From what I hear, the floors "step" from building to building, and it annoyed the committee in charge of moving us. So out to the 'burbs they went!

Joe

[Allison Slater]

The part that interests me more is the addition. Will this be added on top, or in the parking lot next door? As much as I'd love to see tall buildings, I'm kinda hoping it expands into the parking lot, unless some other developer sees potential to build something separate there.

I'd much rather see all the empty spots get filled before we go higher.

[GRDadof3]

I don't think they would easily be able to add on to the top of the current buildings, so any new height would probably come in the parking lot to the North (or South). I really think they're going to combine efforts with Macatawa's lot next door. And like joedowntown, I don't think the buildings underneath have facades worth writing home about. They were pretty industrial in their day, with not a lot of decorative cornice work.

It would be interesting to see 50 Monroe reclad with a more transparent glass similar to these, with the ground floor opened up a bit more to the sidewalks.

Shoot, this one even looks like 50 Monroe!

with an accompanying tower like this maybe:

Too boring? Too post-modern?

[tamias6]

I think somthing like what is shown in the pictures would work quite well at 50 Monroe. The buildings to the west are mostly squares and rectangles and mostly modern in style. Added to that is the new GRAM to which this type of architecture in the photos would compliment and enhance very well. Lastly is the 45 degree angle of the site which will make for a very dramtic statment when viewed from Monroe and Perl esp. if a tower is included in the plans for this development.

I don't think they would easily be able to add on to the top of the current buildings, so any new height would probably come in the parking lot to the North (or South). I really think they're going to combine efforts with Macatawa's lot next door. And like joedowntown, I don't think the buildings underneath have facades worth writing home about. They were pretty industrial in their day, with not a lot of decorative cornice work.

It would be interesting to see 50 Monroe reclad with a more transparent glass similar to these, with the ground floor opened up a bit more to the sidewalks.

Shoot, this one even looks like 50 Monroe!

with an accompanying tower like this maybe:

Too boring? Too post-modern?