You’re now standing in front of Plaza Towers-one of Grand Rapids’ sky-high soap operas in glass and steel. Imagine it’s 1991: the city is buzzing, and this brand-new, 345-foot marvel has just opened its doors as Eastbank Waterfront Towers. At that moment, this place towered over every other building in sight-Grand Rapids’ very own skyscraper, standing tall thanks to $60 million and a handshake between Amway and a Japanese bank. But, like many soap operas, the drama was just beginning.
On the outside, you’d see sleek cement panels, but inside, things were less glamorous. Just five years after the grand opening, water was leaking in, carpets were soaked and molding, and the air ducts were busy spreading not-so-fresh aromas. Pipes corroded, and, if you listened carefully, you might hear the groaning of frustrated maintenance crews. In 1995, 250 residents, 160 employees, and a handful of very soggy carpets were forced to pack up and move out while the whole building was re-skinned-a two-year repair costing another $36 million, much to Amway’s chagrin.
During all this, the Radisson hotel chain decided to “check out,” and “Eastbank” became “Plaza Towers.” Add some bonus drama: court battles, financial losses, and plenty of headlines. Amway ended up losing over $31 million, calling it a “philanthropic gesture,” which is what you call it when your investment goes sideways but you still want to sound generous.
But the saga doesn’t end there! Fires-sometimes just the burnt-toast variety, other times on the 17th floor-triggered evacuations in 1996, 2001, 2002, and 2010. And in 2013, the Grand River itself tried to move in, flooding the basement with seven feet of water and 80 unlucky cars bobbing like apples. Maintenance crews kept the security doors closed tight until the river calmed, and the building finally reopened weeks later, a bit weatherworn but still standing tall.
So, take a moment to look up-Plaza Towers is living proof that even skyscrapers can have wild midlife crises!
