Grand Rapids, Michigan hosted its 45th annual
Festival of the Arts (simply referred to as "Festival") this weekend. Festival was created after the installation of Alexander Calder's signature La Grande Vitesse sculpture downtown. Now, Festival is the country's largest all-volunteer art festival, celebrating art, music and great food.
I was with a group checking out all the events and booths, so I didn't get to stop for very good photos. Nevertheless, I hope some of these do Grand Rapids justice. Mostly, the photos just concentrate on the northern downtown area with a little side trip across the river to the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum...Enjoy!
Looking down Monroe
Silverline BRT Construction
Grand Rapids Art Museum--The first LEED-certified art museum in the world
Campau Promenade
146 Monroe Center, McKay Tower--GR's tallest pre-war skyscraper
139 Pearl, Flanagan's Irish Pub
187 Monore, View of the Pantlind/Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Monument to Rosa Parks at the head of Rosa Parks Circle
Looking up Monroe Center, GR's main street
Rosa Parks Circle and Skyline
Monroe Center
77 Monroe Center, old Michigan National Bank branch
72 Monroe Center, The Morton House--This is the final building on Monroe Center that is being renovated. Then, all of the buildings on main street will have been rehabbed.
Detailing of 77 Monroe Center
60 Monroe Center, First Community Bank Building
77 Monroe Center
Civic Theatre, one of the largest community theaters in the US
A look at the Fountain Street Church
The (reportedly) haunted former Michigan Bell Building
The Keeler Building--Unfortunately, there are not renovation plans as of yet. The fence is around the sidewalk because it is an old, crumbling brick sidewalk in need of lots of repair.
82 Ionia, 60 Monroe Center, 72 Monroe Center
120 Ottawa, Old Peninsular Club
125 Ottawa, Ledyard Building and Ottawa Avenue
Detailing of 126 Ottawa
Detailing of 125 Ottawa
40 Pearl, Trust Building
Kent County Courthouse
Looking down Pearl Street
161 Ottawa, Waters Building--Built in 1898 as a furniture exhibition building, the building is now going to be converted into a hotel and 42 apartments.
Corner of Ottawa and Pearl
A peak at the Van Andel Institute and Medical Mile
A 1/23rd-sized model of La Grande Vitesse installed so that blind visitors can "view" the sculpture
350 Ottawa State of Michigan Office Building and Immanuel Lutheran Church
La Grande Vitesse--Literally translated as "the great swiftness" or loosely translated as "Grand Rapids," the sculpture was the first work funded by the National Endowment for the Arts' Art in Public Spaces program. Built by Alexander Calder, it was dedicated on June 14, 1969.
303 Monroe, DeVos Place (Performance Hall and Convention Center) and Monroe Avenue
110 Ionia, Ferris States' Kendall College of Art and Design
Detailing of 110 Ionia
Mural on the side of 110 Ionia
29 Pearl, Federal Square Building--The portion to the left is the new home to Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc., the city's DDA.
17 Pearl--Previously the old Federal Building, it is now renamed the Woodbridge N. Ferris Building as a part of Ferris' Kendall College of Art and Design
Detailing of 17 Pearl
Entrance to 17 Pearl
Looking towards Medical Mile
St. Mark's Episcopal Church
Looking down Pearl Street
187 Monroe, Pantlind/Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Detailing of 190 Monroe, Goodspeed Building
187 Monroe
111 Lyon St, Old Kent Bank Building (now 5/3rd Bank)
303 Monroe, DeVos Place
Silverline BRT Station
Mural at City/County Building Monroe Ave Entrance
Model used to plan GR's urban renewal, subsequently updated through the decades
155 Michigan, Former GR Press Building--It will likely be demolished by MSU to make room for their biomedical campus expansion.
Rowe Hotel/Olds Manor--The site is awaiting redevelopment. It is unlikely that anything will happen with the building until the post office (that surrounds the building) moves.
Detailing of Olds Manor
River House Condos, Bridgewater Place, Post Office and Olds Manor--The River House Condos is the current tallest building in the city.
Looking down the Grand River
Looking up Michigan Avenue (Medical Mile)
Skyline Shot
Statue in memory of GR's Native American past and River House
303 Pearl, Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum
Ford Statue and River House
Skyline through the Trees
Central Business District
Bridges and the CBD
Pantlind Exhibition Building/Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
Detailing of Exhibition Building
Civic Auditorium Facade--The former Civic Auditorium was incorporated into DeVos Place's Performance Hall
201 Monroe, Windquest Building
Lucius Lyon, one of the city's founders
Lower Monroe
Rosa Parks Circle and the Grand Rapids Art Museum
Rear of 77 Monroe Center
Reflections
Thanks!
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