GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - Things at the Amway will be changing next year.
According to an announcement from the hotel, the exterior of the iconic glass tower will receive a $40 million facelift. The renovation project will start January 2019.
Officials say the hotel will remain open throughout the process, and largely operate as normal -- only about 55 of the hotel's 682 rooms will be unavailable at any given time during the renovations.
The Amway Grand Plaza Hotel says the plan is to completely replace the glass exterior of the building. The changes won't significantly change the shape of the structure, but there will be dramatic change to the look of the tower.
The new glass will feature lighter tinting for better energy efficiencies and modernize the tower's look. Rooms in the Amway will feature floor-to-ceiling glass -- enhancing views of Grand Rapids exponentially. The slope of the roof will remain, but the glass will look like a different color to the public and appear lighter from the street-level.
Rockford Construction of Grand Rapids will serve as the Construction Manager for the project. Gensler, based in Minneapolis, Minn. will be the architectural firm.
Construction is scheduled for completion April 2021.
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