
Construction workers are turning back time as they peel away the modern facade of an office building in Michigan to reveal the historic architecture underneath.

Three buildings, dating more than a century old, were merged in the 1980s and covered with aluminum, reflective glass and gray panels to create a bland office space at 50 Monroe Avenue in Grand Rapids.

The original stonework in one corner of the building is now seeing the light for the first time in decades, revealing an extraordinary juxtaposition in style.

Construction workers are peel away the facade of an office building in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Pictured left, work that began this week showing the century-old brick and stone work underneath, and right: a TGI Friday's as part of the 1980s build

The original architecture in one corner of the building is now seeing the light for the first time in decades, revealing an extraordinary juxtaposition in style

Archival photos show what's underneath. Three buildings, dating more than a century old, were merged in the 1980s and covered with aluminum, reflective glass and gray panels as a cost-effective way to modernize the structure

CWD Commercial Real Estate Investments purchased the 160,000-square-foot building in 2012, which once housed banks, financial companies, several radio stations and a TGI Friday's at the street level.

But the majority of the space was unoccupied, and Sam Cummings, managing partner at the largest property owner in Grand Rapids, told mlive.com: ' Over the last 20 years, it hasn’t lived up to the potential of the site.

CWD has already restored several other buildings in Grand Rapids and Cummings said: 'It has the potential to be one of the coolest things we've done downtown yet.'

But he was not ready to make any promises yet, saying the construction work that began in the past week was merely a preliminary investigation.

The unveiling has started off in one corner, showing arched windows that had long been boarded up, stonework dating between 1890 and 1911, and painted signs that had chipped away.

CWD Commercial Real Estate Investments purchased the 160,000-square-foot building in 2012 with an interest in restoring the original buildings (pictured)

The modern office space was home to Huntington Bank, Wells Fargo Advisors, Ameriprise Financial, Veolia Energy, Hilco Industrial and several radio stations, but about 60per cent remained empty

CWD, the largest property owner in the city, has already restored several buildings downtown. It's still too early for the company to make any promises for 50 Monroe (pictured, the arched molding above the windows still intact)

Archival photos of the seven-story Helmer Building - one of the three that were covered up- show the building in its original grandeur, and the idea of a restoration has garnered the enthusiastic support of residents.

Historian Gordon Olson, who encouraged architects to consider the history of a neighborhood rather than adding a jarring addition, seemed to welcome the idea.

Acknowledging the urban renewal that took over the city after the 1960s, Olson told WOODTV: 'This is a classic example of the two cities.'

While the fate of 50 Monroe still hangs in the balance, the building offers an unusual look behind the curtain by embodying both the distant past and an outdated vision of modernity.

Archival photos show company names painted along the side of one building (left). Right, the University of Cosmetology has remained largely intact (right)

Sam Cummings of CWD said: 'It has the potential to be one of the coolest things we've done downtown yet'