77 Monroe Center (Former Grand Rapids Trust Company)

      During the early twentieth-century, Grand Rapids was already a city bustling with activity. Furniture manufacturers concentrated on the Grand River employed a majority of the workforce, and by 1920, the region had almost 140,000 residents. The city's growth during this period spurred development downtown, as architecture firms came in from Chicago and Detroit to create hotels and banks in the burgeoning west Michigan city.
     

      Among the architects coming to Grand Rapids was Wirt Rowland, famous for the Guardian and Penobscot buildings in Detroit. Following the Art Deco style that was in vogue during the twenties, he designed the Grand Rapids Trust Company building (now 77 Monroe Center) at the corner of Monroe Center and Ionia Avenue. Constructed in 1926, the thirteen-story building was a prominent addition to downtown and today is used as a hotel and mixed office use.

      77 Monroe Center is perhaps the best example of Art Deco architecture within downtown Grand Rapids and its preservation has only enhanced the amount of intriguing buildings the city has to offer.