Inside Grand Castle apartments, the massive 522-unit building that rises nearly 200 feet into the air near I-196 in Grandville, there's no shortage of flourishes designed to make tenants feel like they're living in royalty.

There are plans for two fountains, one of which, near the building's entranceway, is expected to be topped with a large, glowing flame. The other, inside the building's courtyard, is expected to be 20-feet tall, carved from marble.

Elsewhere in the building, work is underway on a library, complete with a two-sided staircase, which, according to developer Roger Lucas, is modeled after one found in the Walt Disney classic film Beauty and the Beast.

On a nearby wall, there are plans for an 8-foot digital cuckoo clock.

Those quirky features will join other modern amenities, including a pool, fitness center, coffee shop, clubhouse and public lounges.

Lucas, a partner at Land & C0., the Wyoming-based firm leading the project, highlighted those features and others during a recent tour of the building, which is expected to begin accepting its first tenants by early- to mid-October. Initial plans called for the building to be completed last summer, but construction delays have pushed back the opening.

Despite the approaching move-in date, construction remains ongoing on a significant portion of the building. On a recent afternoon, workers could be seen installing insulation and dry wall on some units, while others worked on the building's smoke alarm system.

The building has not yet received its certificate of occupancy. And several of the signature amenities highlighted on the building's website are not finished. The project's overall cost is more than $50 million.

"The reality is we haven't finished it yet, and every day I have new problems," Lucas said. "It is nice to be this far, though. Being this far is a big deal. We're really down to the last pieces."

Between 80 and 90 people have reserved one of the 222 apartments that are expected to be completed within the next few weeks.

Completion dates for the remaining units, including a dozen top-floor, multi-story penthouses, some of which boast private decks with sweeping views of the Grand Rapids skyline, have not been set.

Grand Castle is one of the most unique residential developments to be built in the Grand Rapids area in recent memory. And residents have no shortage of strong opinions about it.

Many who have taken to social media have called it an "eyesore" that few people will want to live in.

Others, though, have praised the castle, saying it provides another housing option near downtown Grand Rapids and could help revitalize the nearby section of 28th Street SW. The apartments are aimed at middle-income residents and young professionals.

Lucas dismisses the criticism the project has generated.

"Don't move here, I don't care," he said, when asked about those who have mocked the building's design. "I don't like every building in Grand Rapids, but I don't tell them it's ugly. I just say I don't like it."

Pricing ranges from $700 to $875 for a studio apartment; $915 to $1,435 for a one-bedroom apartment; $1,380 to $4,500 for a two- bedroom apartment; and $1,650 to $2,200 for a three-bedroom unit.

The project has been a significant undertaking, Lucas said.

Once completed, the building -- modeled after the famed Neuschwanstein castle in southern Germany -- will be the second biggest castle in the world, he claims.

The structure is completely comprised of concrete -- more than 200 million pounds in all -- and steel. The inner walls were poured in place last using a proprietary method that required him to import a crew of 50 workers from Miami, Florida.

It includes a 750-space parking garage, and was built with some 2,700 "geo-piers" that were sunk up to 20 feet deep around the site to keep it from sinking more than 1.25 inches.

A life-size lion statue is expected to be mounted atop the peak of the castle, just shy of 200 feet. And Lucas also wants to build a stable on the grounds that would house miniature horses.

"I just think people would like that," he said. "It would be a fun amenity without too much hassle."

Lucas has long been a fan of castles, and has visited several throughout Europe. He has visited Neuschwanstein castle 11 times. He loves the history, the detailed architecture, the sense of wonder the buildings inspire.

His goal is to replicate, as much as possible, that experience with the Grand Castle.

"Every time I toured Europe, I always thought it was painful that they had all the castles and we didn't," Lucas said. "To me, that doesn't make sense."

Later, he added: "I think there's a huge selling thing here, and the huge selling thing is that girls want to be a princess and guys, well - the power thing."

Construction on the castle started in June 2016, with the initial opening date set for last summer. But that opening date has been pushed back multiple times, most recently to mid- to-late October.

The delays, in part, were caused by the expansion of the project. Initial plans called for 400 units but was later expanded to include 522 units, Lucas said.

"When you add 120 units, it takes a few minutes longer," he said.

Troy Zapolski, executive vice president of finance at Land & Co., added: "It's very complex construction, and Roger has delayed to make sure everything is right, to make sure everything is perfect."

As for when everything will be perfect and the whole building will be ready for occupancy -- that remains an open question.

"I'm sure we'll get done," Lucas said, "it's just a question of when."