By: Deborah Johnson Wood
It all started with a foundation of seven million pounds of concrete in caissons drilled down to bedrock. And as of this week, River House has risen to just over halfway its finished height of 34 floors. When complete, the riverfront condominium high-rise in downtown Grand Rapids will be Michigan's tallest residential building.
Residents select from ten floor plans ranging from 980 square feet to 1,892 square feet. Prices start in the $300s. Of the 180 standard one-, two-, and three-bedroom units and 27 penthouses, 134 are sold.
"We have a world-class building, and some people, like me, have a big house they need to get rid of and look for something much easier in their life," says Robert Grooters, project developer. " Within the building we'll create a life style with social events. The building will become part of the community and also a community within itself.
A potential streetcar loop in the central city, now under study by public transportation officials, could also help connect River House residents conveniently to downtown restaurants, pubs, and entertainment events, Grooters said.
By the time River House is completed, it will have 88 million pounds of concrete hauled to the site truckload by truckload 4,400 times. The building will contain over 290 miles of wire and will weigh over 100 million pounds. And although the structure will be 500,000 square feet, it will have a footprint of just 23,000 square feet.
Crews continue to work 24 hours a day four days a week, and 16 hours a day the other three days of the week. The first 25 floors will be ready for occupancy in October 2008. The remaining units will be a go in November and December 2008.
Source: Robert Grooters, Dan Wert, Dana Myers, Robert Grooters Development Company
Photograph by Brian Kelly
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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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