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Old Posted Feb 28, 2013, 4:16 AM
JonathanGRR JonathanGRR is offline
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Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: London
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Thanks! What is really amazing is that the city's downtown area is actually getting larger. First, it was north-west expansion with the Medical Mile, GVSU helped start a western expansion, and now the downtown is expanding southward (there are some interesting articles on MLive about this)! Grand Rapids is indeed doing very well.

More News:

Quote:

Cory Morse

Downtown scaffolding alert: McKay Tower façade renovations will ramp-up in March
Garret Elliot | February 26, 2013

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Expect to see some scaffolding begin to crawl up the façade of McKay Tower this spring as exterior renovations on the venerable high-rise begin in earnest.

Cleaning and rust-proofing of the structural steel behind the terra cotta exterior on the fourth floor water table will begin in March and run through late summer, said building owner Steadfast Properties LLC.

The work will necessitate protective walk-through canopies over the building’s public entrances for the project duration. Retail tenants will operate as normal during the renovations to the historic building located at 146 Monroe Center NW in downtown Grand Rapids.

The work is part of the new owners long-term interior and exterior renovation and ongoing maintenance plans. The city shut down Pearl Street at Monroe Avenue NW last Friday, Feb. 22, while a crane installed new cooling units on the roof.

Inside, the old second floor Grand Rapids National Bank lobby is being converted into a ballroom event facility, and the upstairs condominium units are being converted into luxury apartments. New elevators and are being installed as well.
http://www.mlive.com/business/west-m...l#incart_river

Quote:


Rockford Construction Co. gets $1 million grant from the state for its new corporate headquarters
Jim Harger | February 27, 2013

GRAND RAPIDS, MI – The Michigan Economic Development Corp. (MEDC) has approved a $1 million grant for 614 First Street Partners, LLC, the entity that is converting the former Miller Products Corp. factory into a new headquarters for Rockford Construction Co. on Grand Rapids’ West Side.
The Community Revitalization Program “performance based grant” was one of eight grants totaling $6 million approved by the MEDC on Wednesday, Feb. 27. An expansion of Herbruck's Poultry Ranch in Ionia County received a $500,000 grant.

The state agency also approved nearly $5 million in loans to projects in Kent and Muskegon counties. Those projects included a $3 million loan for the Downtown Market being built south of Wealthy Street along Ionia Avenue SW and a $1.95 million loan for Parkland Muskegon, Inc., which plans to renovate an eight-story building in downtown Muskegon into a residential apartment development.

The projects are expected to generate up to $95.8 million in new capital investments and add 789 new jobs in Michigan, according to an MEDC news release.

In Grand Rapids, Rockford Construction Co.’s new headquarters will transform a 70,000-square-foot industrial building west of downtown Grand Rapids into corporate offices, a general trades yard and warehouse.

The $7.9 million project also will include commercial retail space for rent, an open-air courtyard and a community room. The project is expected to support about 85 full-time jobs when completed.

Rockford Construction is moving into the city from its current headquarters at 5540 Glenwood Hills Pkwy. SE in Cascade Township.
http://www.mlive.com/business/west-m...l#incart_river

Quote:

Founders Brewing Co. plans taproom expansion, beer garden, educational facility
Garret Ellison | February 27, 2013

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — There could soon be more space in which to quaff a brew and learn about the beer-making process at Founders Brewing Co.

The company is scheduled to appear before the city planning commission on Thursday, March 14, on a special land use request to increase the size of the brewery’s popular taproom at 235 Grandville Ave. SW.

The current 8,000-square-foot taproom, which features a long curved bar, stage area, open floor table seating and outdoor porch, would be expanded by 5,425 square feet.

The plans also include construction of a 3,975-square-foot beer garden, educational facility for beer tourists, additional offices, an enlarged deli kitchen and company store.

The educational aspect is an extension of the brewery tours, which Founders debuted in January. Eventually, the brewery plans to offer classes for people interested in learning more about the brewing process, and to teach things like how to identify different styles of beer and other advanced beer education.

“Our industry continues to flourish and, as a leader in the industry, we feel that we have a responsibility to educate our staff, wholesaler and retailer partners and beer enthusiasts,” said brewery co-founder Dave Engbers.

Assuming city approval, the brewery expects to break ground on the expansion in April with the space ready by fall 2013.

The project will cause the brewery to lose about 15 parking spaces in front of the building, but city planning director Suzanne Schulz said the company already satisfies the city's parking requirement with the spaces in the back lot.

"They are bringing the building out to the street edge, which is what we look and hope for with new projects," she said. “We are trying to create, especially in the downtown area, a pedestrian-oriented environment."

The taproom expansion follows construction on a multi-million dollar expansion of the Founders cellar at the northwest corner of the Grandville Avenue facility. The company has received a $2 million state economic development grant and $300,000 in tax breaks from the city on the multi-phase expansion project.

The brewery is in the midst of a $26 million total expansion project at its Grand Rapids taproom and production facility. When it's complete, the new space should yield the brewery an additional 165,000-some barrels of annual production capacity, which would boost Founders’ total annual beer output to about 340,000 barrels per year.
http://www.mlive.com/business/west-m...l#incart_river
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