Masterplanning
Thanks to The Pioneer Group newspaper for including thorough coverage of the master planning meeting at Westshore Community College led by our own Tom Mathison.
"The West Shore Community College Board of Trustees and administration heard a report on Monday from Mathison Architect’s Tom Mathison, who handles the college’s Facilities Master Plan which has to be filed with the State of Michigan giving them the opportunity to secure funding for building projects.
Mathison has handled this duty for the college for the past 18 years, since 2000 when he was with the TowerPinkster Firm. He continued to provide those services when he established his own firm and annually reviews WSCC’s facilities and infrastructure for the Facilities Master Plan.
“I appreciate the opportunity to work with the college on its facilities master plan,” said Mathison. “We have seen the college grow and mature in the time we have worked with you.”
Thanks to the Grand Rapids Historical Society for inviting our own Tom Mathison, along with Gene Hopkins from HopkinsBurns to discuss the story of transforming the historic Federal Building to the Woodbridge Ferris Building in downtown Grand Rapids.
The Western Michigan Federal District Court was created by act of Congress in late 1863. But it was not until 1872 that efforts to build a federal courthouse started. Site selection was in 1873, and Congress appropriated $70,000 for the site. The site required a lot of filling because it was partially in a low, swampy area. Excavation for the foundation was finally completed in 1876, and the building was completed in 1879 for $212,000. The first court session was held on October 7 of that year. This courthouse served well for about twenty years, when the growth of the district and the growth of the agency staffs in the building demanded more space. Finally, in 1909, the red brick building was demolished. …/p>