Amway Grand Plaza Hotel
| Amway Grand Plaza Hotel | |
|---|---|
The Old Front Door
|
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| Former names | Pantlind Hotel |
| General information | |
| Type | Hotel |
| Architectural style | Beaux-Arts |
| Location | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Address | 187 Monroe Ave NW |
| Owner | Amway Corporation |
| Design and construction | |
| Architect | Warren & Wetmore. |
| Renovating team | |
| Architect | Marvin DeWinter & Associates |
| Amway Grand Plaza Hotel Tower | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| General information | |
| Type | Hotel |
| Location | Grand Rapids, Michigan |
| Address | 187 Monroe Ave NW |
| Completed | 1983 |
| Owner | Amway Corporation |
| Height | 318 ft (96.9 m) |
| Technical details | |
| Floor count | 29 |
Amway Grand Plaza Hotel is located in Grand Rapids, Michigan and is named after Amway Corporation, which is based in nearby Ada Township.
Originally known as The Pantlind Hotel (founded in 1913), Amway Grand Plaza Hotel reopened in 1981 after extensive renovations done by Marvin DeWinter & Associates including the addition of a 29 story glass tower. The Pantlind's designers Warren & Wetmore were inspired by the work of the Scottish neoclassical architect Robert Adam; in its prime the hotel was rated as one of the top ten hotels in the US.
The hotel is owned by Amway Hotel Collection, a subsidiary of Amway's holding company Alticor. Amway Grand Plaza Hotel is a member of the Curio Collection by Hilton, an affiliation which began in December, 2015.
In the early 1900s, Grand Rapids was growing rapidly, the population reaching over 112,000 in 1910. As the city grew, iconic grand scale buildings began to arise.
When the hotel opened in 1913, the Beaux-Arts architecture attracted many, with visitors convening in Grand Rapids choosing the Pantlind Hotel during the city's furniture shows. The Pantlind featured one of the largest gold leaf ceilings in the world, with the hotel having a Mediterranean atmosphere that was seen in its classical columns and terra cotta designs. A two-story bank was also originally located on the corner of Monroe and Pearl.
Ten years later in 1923, a 189-room addition was made to the hotel on Lyon Street. By 1925, the Pantlind Hotel was gaining national recognition after it was named as one of America's top 10 hotels.
In 1954, Queen Juliana and Prince Bernhard of Lippe-Biesterfeld of the Netherlands stayed at the hotel, with a "royal luncheon" that included 250 people occurring at the facility.
The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel Tower is a 29-story, 318 foot tall tower that opened in 1983. The tower was constructed following a renovation project of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel initiated by Rich DeVos.
In the 1970s, the suburbs of Grand Rapids, such as Wyoming, enjoyed a great retail environment with many new developments happening along the 28th Street corridor. In 1979 after many turned towards the suburbs, the Pantlind Hotel was purchased by Amway, with Amway funding a $60 million renovation project that was described by The New York Times as being "extensive".
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Wikipedia