By: Deborah Johnson Wood
The challenge is to make a brand new building in Grand Rapids' downtown look like it fits in with the historical structures around it. Especially when the new building is a $14 million, 12-story condominium development in Heartside.
In order to make 240 Ionia seem like part of the existing archi-scape, Steve Fry of Concept Design Group plans to use style elements inspired by the surrounding buildings.
"We're incorporating historical references for a transitioning neighborhood," Fry said. "We're trying to pull it all together and have it make sense."
Those historical references from nearby structures include: Mel Trotter's vertical brickwork and detailing between the windows; Globe Apartments' vertical ribbed sections and "punch" windows; and elements seen in the Western Michigan University and Cooley Law School buildings.
"Those two buildings each have a light concrete rib line that shows every floor line between the brick," Fry said. "In our building, we're expressing those horizontal floor lines by using a metal strip or a light concrete strip, which gives the building scale."
Decorative "chimneys" on the top of the building will add an Art Deco component.
The mixed-use project includes 75 condominiums, four of which are live/work units. Prices range from $150,000 to over $300,000. Sales began late February and to date tally up to 20 units sold.
About 4,800 square feet of retail space is on the main floor. Seventy-five underground parking spaces are beneath the building.
Construction is expected to begin this fall, with completion in early 2009.
Source: Steve Fry, Concept Design Group; Rachel Leiter, 1Source Real Estate and Consulting
Deborah Johnson Wood is the Development News Editor for Rapid Growth. She can be reached at [email protected].
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