New Pharaohs of GR: Steelcase Pyramid May Host SUPERNAP Data Center

Posted on by farlane

Steelcase Pyramid Grand Rapids Data Center

Squished Pyramid, photo by Gary Syrba

Fox 17 reports that a Nevada-based company has chosen the former Steelcase pyramid as the site for a large data center.

Switch will build a $5 billion, 2 million square-foot SUPERNAP data center at the former Steelcase office building.

The deal is contingent on the passage of three bills currently in the Michigan state legislature.

The $5 billion reflects the costs for both the data centers and the computer servers that will be placed inside the buildings over a multi-year period, according to the company.  SUPERNAP Michigan will be the largest data center campus in the eastern U.S. and will serve Switch’s current and new clients.

Switch says that have 1,000 clients, including eBay, Intel, Shutterfly, Amgen, HP, JP Morgan Chase, Google, Amazon, Fox Broadcasting and many more.

Read on for more and get the details on the legislative changes the deal hinges on at the Freep. Here’s some cool drone footage of the Steelcase Pyramid as well. Site Selection Magazine has a writeup on the building with the tale of the tape to one of Michigan’s most iconic structures designed by Grand Rapids architectural firm The WBDC Group:

In addition to its pyramid-shaped design, the Steelcase Corporate Development Center offers several other unique amenities. The central atrium features a five-story rotating pendulum suspended over a reflective water pool. Vaulted ceilings and expansive windows throughout the building, combined with exterior balconies, provide an open and spacious workplace that makes liberal use of natural light.

The building has 333,000 sq. ft. of office space and 242,000 sq. ft. of research and development space.

Other on-site amenities include a 14,995-sq.-ft. full-service cafeteria, 12,500-sq.-ft. data center, 8,351-sq.-ft. two-story photo studio, exercise and locker rooms, card-access security, on-site video surveillance and 1,014 parking spaces.

View Gary’s photo bigger and see more in his In the City (Grand Rapids) slideshow.

More buildings & architecture on Michigan in Pictures.

Artprize 2015 and the Sands of Time

Posted on by farlane

Sands of Time

The Sands of Time, photo by Tony Reidsma

Tony Reidsma is one of the photographers I’ve featured on Michigan in Pictures who has an ArtPrize exhibit this year. His entry at ArtPrize says:

This exhibit focuses on the ever-changing shape of the shores of Lake Michigan. The lakeshore is currently experiencing erosion similar to that of the mid-1980’s and late-1990’s. At that time those dwelling on the lakeshore hastened to build the seawalls and jetties which would fortify their properties and homes from the obliterating effect of the waves pushing out of the rising water. Eventually, as the water receded, the sand returned to build up the shoreline and bury the wooden structures that were erected there.

Now, as Lake Michigan moves through its rhythms once again, the water is advancing and the sands retreating, exposing the old, decaying seawalls. I have created a photo-journal of this changing shoreline scenery, featuring the old seawalls and jetties as aged reminders of the cycles which are characteristic to our natural world.

You can watch an interview with Tony at WOOD-TV, learn more at the ArtPrize page on his website and check the exhibit out in person at Crossroads Bible Church (800 Scribner NW).

 

Hot Air Balloon Glow

Posted on by farlane

Hot Air Balloon Glow

Hot Air Balloon Glow, photo by diane charvat

Diane took this last weekend at the Grand Rapids Balloon Festival (which I hadn’t heard of).

Check it out bigger and see more in her Hot Air Balloons slideshow.

More balloons on Michigan in Pictures.

 

ArtPrize 2014, now with Fish on Rocks!

Posted on by farlane

Catfish

Catfish, photo by Robert Bradley

ArtPrize returns to Grand Rapids for its 5th year next Wednesday and runs September 24 – October 12th. The 19 day event turns downtown Grand Rapids into a free & open art competition for hundreds of thousands of dollars in prizes. While you can certainly debate the merits of ArtPrize and the art displayed, there’s no question that this is one of the most engaging and immersive art events in the country.

You can check out the 2014 entries right here, look back through the years on their History page, and also see a video from 2013 that captures some on the flavor and fun. The only way to really experience it is to go, something that I heartily recommend!!

This is part of Kevin Sudeith’s Contemporary Petroglyphs installation along the Grand River.

View Robert’s photo background bigtacular and see more in his ArtPrize 2014 slideshow (which I expect will grow in the weeks to come).

Lots more ArtPrize on Michigan in Pictures!

ISS Flyover and Flythrough

Posted on by farlane

Downtown Flyover

Downtown Flyover, photo by Kevin’s Stuff

The other night I came across an incredible video tour of the International Space Station by Commander Sunita Williams of NASA before she departed for Earth. It’s one of the most amazing things I’ve ever seen and does so much to make the experience of living, working and moving in space a lot more tangible.

Commander Williams is a big part of what makes this video so engaging. She guides you through the corridors of the space station with a skill for explanation that I have seldom (if ever) seen. If she were born a hundred or so miles to the east, she’d be a Michigander. She wasn’t though, so I guess it might not be true what my grandmother told me about Ohio. Read her blog of the mission at NASA. (great photos)

Kudos to Commander Williams, and to everyone who worked across national and other divisions to make the ISS a reality. This video really made my day and I hope it makes yours – click to watch on YouTube!

About the photo, Kevin writes:

The International Space Station flies through the constellation Orion in the skies over downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan on a chilly and windy October evening.

This was a low pass in the southern sky (maximum altitude 34 degrees) so I decided to drive downtown to see if I could get a shot as the spacecraft flew over the buildings. I had done something similar in March of 2010, and figured if I could do it once, a second time wouldn’t be a problem.

Using timings and coordinates from Heavens Above  via their Android app, I was able to determine where the flyover would begin and end. I set up my camera and did a few test shots before the actual time, and was ready by the time ISS was visible over the south-southwestern horizon.

I timed it so the light from the station would already be in the FOV of the lens, and opened the shutter until it disappeared a short time later. Then it was home to the computer to see if I could make anything out of the image. I guess I did.

Who says you can’t do astrophotography from the city? :)

View his photo bigger and see more in his ISS slideshow.

More nighttime photos on Michigan in Pictures.

Small Business Saturday Flashback

Posted on by farlane

Downtown shopping 1978

Downtown shopping 1978, photo by creed_400

Small Business Saturday is a campaign backed by American Express to keep your holiday dollars local. It really seems to have some traction this year (unlike most of the cars in the pic above). I hope you’re shopping with your neighbors where you can!

creed’s grandfather took this photo on Monroe Center in Downtown Grand Rapids in 1978. While I couldn’t find a photo from the same vantage, a look at his pics on Monroe Center will tell you that this is a vibrant area today. View this photo background big and see more in his Grandpa Molt’s slides slideshow!

Clouds over Grand Rapids

Posted on by farlane

Untitled

Untitled, photo by photofrenzy2000

An amazing shot of Michigan’s second largest city.

Check it out bigger and see more including some more incredible cloud shots in Gary’s slideshow.

More Grand Rapids on Michigan in Pictures.

Grand Rapids Flood of April 2013

Posted on by farlane

Waterwindows

Waterwindows, photo by Canon Screwdriver (gary syrba)

This mLive article on the historic Grand River flooding in Grand Rapids explains that April 2013 is now the third wettest month on record for the city:

Evan Webb with the National Weather Service in Grand Rapids said 10.57 inches of rain had fallen in the city this month as of 8 a.m. Wednesday, its wettest month in 17 years. That should come as no surprise to West Michigan, which saw weeks of heavy rainfall caused widespread flooding and led the Grand River to crest at record levels.

Grand Rapids already had shattered its longstanding April rainfall record, but just crept into the top three wettest of any month of the year.

The No. 1 spot goes to June 1892, when 13.22 inches of rain fell. Second place belongs to September 1986, when 11.85 inches doused the city.

Webb said it is possible Grand Rapids could see enough rain to put it in the No. 2 spot, but it is unlikely with only a week and a half left in the month.

mLive also has some crazy pictures of the flooding including some great aerial photos and a timeline of the flooding.

View Gary’s photo on black and see more in his Water, water, everywhere … but not a drop to drink slideshow. He writes:

All the rain we have had, and the heavy winter added to the water levels a bit around here. The floods are near records. The Grand River, which goes through the heart of the city and ends at Lake Michigan hits the flood limit at 18′. We went 3 1/2 feet over that. Many buildings flooded, many roads were covered for days, and many, many basements flooded. Our sump pump has been running non-stop for two weeks. We have been lucky… we only had about 20 gallons of water that got into the basement… though the sump pump has siphoned thousands of gallons from around our house. Many neighbors had a few inches of water in their basements. A lot of homes have dumpsters in the driveway. Pretty sad. Still… the crowds downtown looking at the floods and taking photos are amazing. People are everywhere, and most are fine.

You might also be interested in the Great Michigan Flood of 1908.