A Famous Intersection in Grand Rapids Sure Has Changed!

Do you recognize this popular intersection of Grand Rapids back in the day?

The first picture is roughly 1905, and the two buildings on the left are the merchant exchange and the Wonderly building.

As Grand Rapids was emerging as the main economic hub of West Michigan, it was growing at a pretty fast clip. Trolley cars were running through the downtown streets which was not only a West Michigan business center but retail center as well.

GRAND RAPIDS NATIONAL BANK 1920

But, by about 1915 or so, banking was a huge part of the Grand Rapid economy and the old buildings  would be replaced by the beautiful National Bank of Grand Rapids, a grand building indeed.

But, Grand Rapids needed more, and a few years later in the early 1920s, 11 stories were added to the National Bank building.

In the early 1940s the building was sold to businessman and politician Frank D. McKay who renamed the building as we know it today, McKay Tower. McKay later added two more stories to make the Grand Rapids National Bank building, rather the McKay Tower, the tallest building in West Michigan with 16 stores.

MC KAY TOWER TODAY

It remained the tallest for 40-plus years, that is until the Amway Grand Plaza Tower opened in 1983. 

AMWAY GRAND PLAZA

With its 29 floors, the Amway Grand Plaza tower was then the tallest building in Grand Rapids for several years.

GRAND RAPIDS PLAZA TOWERS

But then the Plaza Towers was built and opened in 1991. It became the tallest building in Grand Rapids with 32 stories. 

It seemed there was then a contest for the tallest building in Grand Rapids because the River House Condo building was constructed in the mid-2000s.

RIVER HOUSE CONDOS AND BRIDGEWATER PLACE

As a part of Bridgewater Place, River House opened with 34 floors, thus it became, not only the tallest building in Grand Rapids but the tallest in Michigan outside of Detroit.

And to think, it all started in 1915 with the Grand Rapids National Bank!