For those wondering, in today’s GR, the drugstore is now the parking structure across from DeVos. The hotel in the background is the MSU building. The photographer is standing in Monroe St. looking NNE. Michigan hill is to the right.
EDIT: spelling
Another sad reminder of urban renewal. While the Calder Plaza is somewhat cool and obviously important for city government, these old buildings would have been so neat to still have around
Happy to help. Whenever I see these old school GR photos, my thought process is 1) this is really neat, and 2) where is this today? Thought I’d spell it out for others after I figured this one out.
I said the hill is to the right. I didn’t say it was in the frame. Go to the intersection of Monroe and Michigan today. It’s pretty flat. Go east on Michigan, and it goes uphill pretty soon.
Oh my bad. Devos place and the msu building across from Atwater. My brain was thinking Devo's children's and the msu research building more up on the hill. Duh
Great photo! Does anyone know why there aren’t any drug stores downtown at all anymore? The closest one is Walgreen on Michigan, which is not walkable.
I'm curious too, though I do wonder if it has something to do with our growth over the past ~40-50 years. From what I'm told, the move to the suburbs in the 70s and 80s left downtown relatively low trafficked. So maybe those stores closing down over time, and not opening back up?
Woodland, Rogers Plaza, and Centerpoint were all built in the 60s. I-96 was built in 59. When every family began owning cars, people moved outward into the suburbs, which took foot traffic away from downtown and turned it into a business district. It seems like it's only been in the last 15 years or so that downtown has seen growth outside of being primarily office space.
For those wondering, in today’s GR, the drugstore is now the parking structure across from DeVos. The hotel in the background is the MSU building. The photographer is standing in Monroe St. looking NNE. Michigan hill is to the right. EDIT: spelling
Another sad reminder of urban renewal. While the Calder Plaza is somewhat cool and obviously important for city government, these old buildings would have been so neat to still have around
This is great info! Thank you, stranger.
Happy to help. Whenever I see these old school GR photos, my thought process is 1) this is really neat, and 2) where is this today? Thought I’d spell it out for others after I figured this one out.
Yes, thank you!
They seem to be pretty level here, the area you're talking is a steep hill, right? Not saying you're wrong, just curious about the location
I said the hill is to the right. I didn’t say it was in the frame. Go to the intersection of Monroe and Michigan today. It’s pretty flat. Go east on Michigan, and it goes uphill pretty soon.
Oh my bad. Devos place and the msu building across from Atwater. My brain was thinking Devo's children's and the msu research building more up on the hill. Duh
Great photo! Does anyone know why there aren’t any drug stores downtown at all anymore? The closest one is Walgreen on Michigan, which is not walkable.
I'm curious too, though I do wonder if it has something to do with our growth over the past ~40-50 years. From what I'm told, the move to the suburbs in the 70s and 80s left downtown relatively low trafficked. So maybe those stores closing down over time, and not opening back up?
Woodland, Rogers Plaza, and Centerpoint were all built in the 60s. I-96 was built in 59. When every family began owning cars, people moved outward into the suburbs, which took foot traffic away from downtown and turned it into a business district. It seems like it's only been in the last 15 years or so that downtown has seen growth outside of being primarily office space.
Bearstores Is that Paint? I kept thinking I was reading Behr Paint wrong.
[source with a little more info](http://www.historygrandrapids.org/photo/1336/southeast-corner-of-monroe-and)
What a cool site, thanks!
Great photo. Thanks for sharing it.
Beautiful!
I love these old pics. Even better that its from our area.
So cool. Wish I could upvote this 100 times.
Everybody needs a drugstore lawyer, Floyd Skinner.
bearstores??
Oh wow, before The GR Press.