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Company working to replace smashed out windows in downtown GR

Dave Turner, owner of Vos Glass, says some businesses are looking at repair costs over $100,000
Posted at 3:40 PM, Jun 04, 2020
and last updated 2020-06-05 10:07:25-04

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A local company is hard at work replacing the smashed out windows downtown following the vandalism that occurred overnight Saturday.

Violence broke out this past weekend after a peaceful protest at Rosa Parks Circle wrapped up. Destruction and vandalism happened throughout the city into Sunday morning.

Now, the folks at Vos Glass are putting in overtime to get many of the smashed out windows replaced.

“Easily we've looked at and measured over 500 broken units,” said Dave Turner, Co-owner and President of Vos Glass. “Probably several hundred thousand dollars worth of glass.”

The whole process will take several weeks time. While the company expects to finish most by June, some of the projects will trail into July.

“They're all custom. They all have their own sizing and have special orders. So it's quite a deal," Turner said.

Meaning that the manufacturing process can take some time.

“Lead times are varying right now, from typically two weeks," Turner said. "Some of the units like the art museum, Fifth third, are probably four to five week lead time items. They're just real special pieces of glass and take a long time.”

He says some of the jobs downtown have been quoted over $100,000.

And while Vos Glass did have to slow some operations in the past few months because of COVID-19, Turner says they have maintained steady business.

“We were fortunate to have a full year already. We really weren't looking for more," he told FOX 17 Thursday. "And that's why, you know, some people ask the question, do we really want to do this, but the leadership team said we have to do this.”

Turner says he has been very proud of the ways his crews have stepped up to take on these extra jobs.

“I think that, you know, what happened Sunday with so many people coming out to help clean up. I think that kind of put the hope back into it. So, it did for me, I was encouraged by that,” Turner said.