GRAND RAPIDS | Development Thread

[DetroitMan]

Vacant Grand Rapids grocery store to be demolished, turned into 168 apartments

A vacant grocery store at 4325 Breton Road SE would be demolished and replaced by seven mixed-income apartment buildings, containing 168 units, under a proposal from East Grand Rapids-based SW Real Estate Investment.

The project, whose total cost is estimated at $36.4 million, got a boost Wednesday from the city of Grand Rapids Brownfield Redevelopment Authority. The authority signed off on SW Real Estate Investment’s request for a $14.9 million reimbursement through the city and state’s housing tax increment financing program.

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/...molished-turned-into-168-apartments.html

[DetroitMan]

Three years later: GR and state lay out plan on how to use $10M grant for Wealthy St. and US-131

The safety of this interchange has been a concern for many drivers. Three years ago, community leaders started the discussion of what to do about it. Since then, not much has changed.

“We'll really go out of our way to avoid it,” Bruce Buursma said. It's a concerning intersection for some drivers.

“It’s a short ramp, and so it backs up quickly,” Buursma said. “I can usually easily avoid it. It's a little trickier now because of the Market Street construction. So sometimes we find ourselves using the Wealthy Street ramp, although not much.” Greg Warren often travels this spot for work. He drives a semi-truck and knows it’s not easy to navigate, especially with 18 wheels. “It’s just like, oh, man, this is a lot of anxiety, but I make it work. So it's a little tight,” Warren added.

Three years ago, Grand Rapids and the state discussed revamping this area after receiving a $10 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation.

I’ve learned that these two are expected to accept a plan on Tuesday on how to use that money:

• [li]$4 million to the National Environmental Policy Act[/li]
  [li]$3 million to Design[/li]
  [li]$3 million public utility infrastructure[/li]

I asked MDOT why this process is taking so long.

“Our annual budget for everything in one year is about $100 million, and to rebuild this whole stretch is going to cost around $600-$700 million,” MDOT Grand Region Communications Representative John Richards said.

Richards adds even if they had the money now it would still take years before work starts.

https://www.fox17online.com/news/local-n...-use-10m-grant-for-wealthy-st-and-us-131

[DetroitMan]

Renderings provide first glimpse of sprawling, Michigan waterfront aquarium

On the banks of the Grand River, a sprawling waterfront aquarium, complete with wetland walkways, and space for research, education and interactive exhibits, unfolds on property that once housed a polluted landfill.

The scene, captured in new renderings, is one John Ball Zoo hopes to make a reality. The zoo is pursuing the development of a large-scale aquarium on a 190-acre site in Walker, near Wilson Avenue and Butterworth Street, that formerly housed the Fenske Landfill. Many details have yet to be worked out, including environmental due diligence and how the project would be financed, but the renderings provide a glimpse of the zoo’s ambitions for the proposed project. The zoo hopes to complete the aquarium by 2031.

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/...awling-michigan-waterfront-aquarium.html

[airforceguy]

Corewell Health to break ground this fall on 125-unit mixed-use project

Corewell Health aims to break ground in October on a mixed-use project with 125 apartment units for hospital residency and fellow programs at its Grand Rapids office park.

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/r...this-fall-on-125-unit-mixed-use-project/

[airforceguy]

Investor plans second office-to-residential conversion in downtown

CWD Real Estate Investment LLC plans its second office-to-housing conversion in downtown Grand Rapids, this time by redeveloping three floors of a historic 151-year-old building into 36 apartments.

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/r...e-to-residential-conversion-in-downtown/

[Dale]

Any word on the DeVos Van Angel high rises ?

[airforceguy]

Chicago high-rise developer joins DeVos, Van Andel families on Fulton & Market project

A prominent Chicago-based high-rise builder has joined the development team behind the Fulton & Market three towers project in downtown Grand Rapids, ahead of an upcoming vote on key tax incentives allowing the plan to move forward.

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/r...andel-families-on-fulton-market-project/

[Dale]

Thanks! Seems like good news. Hope the city is supportive.

[DetroitMan]

Grand Rapids kicks off construction on $9M Southwest Side riverfront trail

City and community leaders broke ground Tuesday on a $9 million project that will expand and renovate Oxford Trail, a pedestrian pathway that connects downtown Grand Rapids to two Southwest Side neighborhoods.

The project aims to revitalize and expand a 2.5-mile stretch of the trail, which hasn’t seen significant investment in years, through the addition of a small performance amphitheater, grills and picnic tables, bike repair stations, playground equipment and more.

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/...-9m-southwest-side-riverfront-trail.html

[airforceguy]

Vacant Eastown buildings to be torn down for new apartments

Two vacant buildings in Grand Rapids’ Eastown neighborhood are slated to be torn down for new apartments. Grand Rapids-based Fulton Group LLC plans to demolish the buildings at 1225 and 1237 Lake Drive SE and construct a three-story building with 30 residential units. The Grand Rapids Planning Commission approved the site plan for the project on Sept. 11.The two buildings were originally residential before being converted to commercial use and are now connected by a passageway and tunnel. They have operated as a single building for many years and have previously been used as a hospital, a funeral home and office spaces.

The building at 1225 Lake Drive SE is a five-story, 10,783-square-foot building built in 1906, according to property records. The 1237 Lake Drive property is a four-story, 2,914-square-foot building built in 1908.

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/...-to-be-torn-down-for-new-apartments.html

[DetroitMan]

2 new developments to bring 115 new townhomes to northeast Grand Rapids

Two new housing developments are being planned on Grand Rapids’ northeast side that will add 115 townhomes to the growing area.

The Grand Rapids Planning Commission approved the site plans for the two new developments in September, allowing both projects to move forward. Both housing developments, located about a mile apart, will be less than five minutes away from the growing Knapp’s Corner area.

Grand Rapids-based Wheeler Development Group, LLC is building a townhome development called Knapp Hills Townhomes on Dean Lake Avenue, right by the intersection with Knapp Street. The project will build 38 townhomes, which will all be for rent, said developer Jason Wheeler. Just a mile southeast of there, Brave Development LLC is planning to build a new cul-de-sac with 77 townhomes on roughly nine acres of wooded property at 1644 Ball Ave. NE.

There will also be two single-family home sites built on the property, facing Ball Avenue. The project will be called Parkside Townhomes, according to site plans.

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/...townhomes-to-northeast-grand-rapids.html

[airforceguy]

East Grand Rapids narrowly approves Gaslight Village concept plan

A controversial project that would transform Gaslight Village has narrowly passed the first round of approvals from East Grand Rapids city officials. The East Grand Rapids City Commission approved the concept plan for the Gaslight Village project in a 4-3 vote on Monday, Oct. 6, in a three-hour meeting. The commission heard extensive public comment from residents both opposing and supporting the development, citing concerns over density, traffic, parking and more. A protest petition was submitted to the city on Monday seeking to raise the required vote for the project from a simple majority (requiring four affirmative votes) to a two-thirds majority (requiring five votes).

City Attorney John Huff advised the commission that the petition was not valid, and the commission ultimately proceeded with a vote, which passed 4-3. The project will add six new buildings to Gaslight Village, the quaint shopping district located in the heart of East Grand Rapids. The new buildings will include commercial and residential spaces, as well as a new parking garage to replace the one that was demolished last year.

The project has gone through multiple iterations based on public feedback. The current version of the plan would add six new buildings to Gaslight Village, featuring 147 residential units and 32,000 square feet of new commercial space. It also includes a proposed open social hub and a “multipurpose commercial incubator.”

The city commission has been discussing the Gaslight Village project at length for months. At the heart of that discussion is the question of whether the size and scale of the proposed development matches the city’s beloved small-town charm.

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/...roves-gaslight-village-concept-plan.html

[airforceguy]

Development updates...

Magnus starts $78M phase adding 200 units to HoM Flats in Wyoming

Magnus Capital Partners will break ground this month on a $78 million apartment complex in Wyoming, the third phase of the HoM Flats at 28 West project the developer started in 2019.

First piece of $147M Factory Yards project set to break ground next year

Construction on the first new building at Grand Rapids’ $147 million Factory Yards development will begin in the second quarter of 2026, marking a key milestone for the sprawling Roosevelt Park project that has faced financing delays.

https://www.crainsgrandrapids.com/news/r...s-project-set-to-break-ground-next-year/

[airforceguy]

Corewell Health breaks ground on 118-unit housing complex for medical residents

Medical school graduates who are completing training at Corewell Health will have a new housing option in Grand Rapids starting in 2027.

The health system is set to break ground Tuesday, Oct. 21 on the Karl and Patricia Betz Resident Physician Living Center. The six-floor, 118-unit apartment building with ground-floor retail space will be located at 648 Ottawa Ave. NW.
Candace Smith-King, vice president of academic affairs at Corewell, said finding housing can be challenging for resident physicians moving to Grand Rapids. The new building is designed to make the process easier.

“By addressing one of the most immediate challenges for residents and fellows, we are creating a smoother, more supportive experience to pave the way for a physician’s life-long career in Michigan,” Smith-King said.

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/...using-complex-for-medical-residents.html

[DetroitMan]

Proposed data center could bring $1B investment to West Michigan

Officials in Lowell City and Lowell Township are considering a proposal to allow construction of a data center in Covenant Business Park.

The city and township are holding open houses to answer residents’ questions and explain the impact of data centers on the community. Local officials said the project could bring up to $1 billion in investment as the project is built over the course of three to five years.

Data centers have run into opposition in some rural areas – particularly in Southeast Michigan – where tech giants such as OpenAI, Oracle and Meta have pushed for approval of projects to power artificial intelligence and cloud-computing technologies. Opponents worry about water use, electricity rates, and environmental and groundwater quality.

The centers use significant amounts of water for cooling.

Data centers are essentially warehouses of computer hardware for servers, data storage and network equipment that are used to power artificial intelligence and cloud computing.

“Lowell Township and the City of Lowell remain committed to gathering public input and acting transparently as the project is considered to ensure this proposed use meets the needs of the community,” Lowell Township Supervisor Jerry Hale said in a statement.

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/...ring-1b-investment-to-west-michigan.html

[airforceguy]

Rockford tapped to explore mixed-use housing tower near Amway Stadium in Grand Rapids

The Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority has tapped Rockford to explore the construction of a mixed-use housing development, partly funded through a Transformational Brownfield tax incentive, adjacent to Amway Stadium.

On Wednesday, the DDA approved a letter of intent that would provide the Grand Rapids-based construction firm, which is also building Amway Stadium, with up to 12 months to conduct due diligence and evaluate market conditions for the project. “This is just sort of the next step in moving that development forward,” said Tim Kelly, president and CEO of Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., which oversees the DDA. “It gives Rockford a chance to start doing some due diligence and understand what’s going to be possible on that site.”

Rockford declined to discuss its next steps and vision for the site, referring questions to DGRI.

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/...-near-amway-stadium-in-grand-rapids.html

[DetroitMan]

Massive development backed by DeVos and Van Andel families gets tax incentive

The three-tower riverfront development proposed in downtown Grand Rapids, backed by the DeVos and Van Andel families, has landed a nearly $561 million state tax incentive package as the project team aims to start construction this summer.

The Michigan Strategic Fund Board, which is the governing body for the Michigan Economic Development Corp., approved the transformational brownfield plan for the Fulton & Market project during a special meeting Monday. The tax increment financing will be reimbursed over 30 years. The MSF Board also approved another transformational brownfield plan this morning for a multi-site project in downtown Kalamazoo.

The $796 million Fulton & Market project is proposed for a 6.9-acre site along the Grand River, part of which was formerly occupied by the Charley’s Crab restaurant. Site plans call for three newly constructed buildings: an apartment tower, hotel and condominium tower, and office tower for a company’s headquarters.

Grand Rapids Mayor David LaGrand said during the MSF Board meeting’s public comment period ahead of the vote that the project will help activate the river and bring in more downtown residents.

The 700 housing units proposed in the project will “achieve an objective that’s near and dear to my heart, which is to get people living in our downtown core,” LaGrand said.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/real-estat...-incentive-downtown-three-towers-project

[airforceguy]

Corewell Health plans major expansion at its downtown Grand Rapids campus

Health system executives say the project is conceptual and in the planning stages at this point but would involve building a 621,000-square-foot facility on property at 230 Michigan Street and 330 Barclay Avenue. The site is occupied by existing Corewell Health facilities and sits across Barclay Avenue from the Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center. The size of the new patient tower that Corewell Health envisions would exceed the 440,000-square-foot Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital, which rises 14 stories along Michigan Street on the Butterworth campus, and the 10-story, 332,000-square-foot Meijer Heart Center.

The project would require demolishing about 270,000 square feet of existing ambulatory care offices and administrative space to make room for the new construction.

https://www.crainsdetroit.com/health-car...pansion-its-downtown-grand-rapids-campus

[robk1982]

The buildings that would be torn down are the 3-story buildings in the foreground of that picture. They are VERY strangely designed (inside and out) and contain an odd mix of clinics and offices.

Butterworth has been operating at over 90% capacity for at least a year. They have expanded ER capacity multiple times and still don't have enough beds there. This also causes the other hospitals in Corewell Health West to get backed up because they can't send patients to Butterworth.

[DetroitMan]

Grand Rapids to transform northeast downtown neighborhood with $13M project

The city of Grand Rapids is making big improvements to the northeast side of downtown in an effort to make the area a better place to live and attract more residents.

The city recently received a $4.3 million grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation to bring some of those plans to fruition. The Monroe North project, expected to be complete by 2029, will be centered around improvements on four acres at Division and Ionia avenues near the Belknap Hill area. The $13 million project will include the rehabilitation of the stairs on Belknap Hill and the addition of safer pedestrian crossings aimed at making the area more walkable and accessible. The goal is to attract and retain more residents, especially young professionals who bring valuable talent to the workforce.

https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/...ntown-neighborhood-with-13m-project.html