As far as catalysts for downtown development go, new breweries seem to have led the charge in many West Michigan cities like Holland, Hastings and Grand Rapids. As construction teams broke ground on the site of the future
Cedar Springs Brewing Co. on Tuesday, its owner David Ringler was optimistic in his brewery's potential to do some of the same.
"There's a strong track record for these kinds of projects being a catalyst, I think. If you look at Brooklyn, New York; nobody was around, Brooklyn Brewery was in danger of being priced out of their own neighborhood when their lease came up," says Ringler, who cited Founder's Brewing Co. and Brewery Vivant in Grand Rapids as local examples of anchor breweries leading to more development in their neighborhoods.
"I think there's also a good track record of these types of businesses as good community partners and it attracts tourism, it attracts dollars from outside the community to come and visit," he says.
Located along the White Pine Trail trailhead, the 5,700-square-foot brewery will have an outdoor biergarden that Ringler hopes will attract more customers with now-easy access from cities north of Cedar Springs. With large windows for maximum natural light, the steel, brick and glass building was designed to accommodate further expansion and fit in aesthetically with its existing neighbors.
Construction teams with developer
Orion Construction finished demolition on the crumbling 1890s storefront at 95 North Main Street last month before construction began this week on the new building. Both the city's Mayor Mark Fankhauser and district Rep. Peter MacGregor gave congratulatory speeches at Tuesday's groundbreaking event, among other city officials who came out to support the new development.
City Manager Thad Taylor says Cedar Springs Brewing Co. will be an anchor for the north end of Cedar Springs' business district and is in line with other proposed development in the few blocks immediately surrounding the site.
"I think once Cedar Springs Brewing Co. gets up and running it'll bring a spotlight on our community and will hopefully attract some additional investments in our downtown area from current businesses expanding or new business coming into town," Taylor says.
Inspired by the four years Ringler spent working as an apprentice with local brewmasters in Germany, the restaurant and brewery will have a full food menu, in-house made spirits, wine, and non-alcoholic beverages along with a variety of craft beers with a focus on the German styles that inspired the new business.
Though he has already hired a brewmaster and chef, Ringler expects Cedar Springs Brewing Co. to create an additional 30 new full- and part-time jobs upon its scheduled completion in fall 2015. He isn't sure when they'll be making those hires quite yet, but says interested applicants should check Cedar Springs Brewing Co.'s website for hiring announcements in the coming months.
"I'm just excited to get this going," Ringler says. "It's been what I've wanted to do for a long, long time and it's almost a bit of a relief; even though I'm working 12-16 hour days, it's fun and it doesn't feel like work."
Written by Anya Zentmeyer, Development News Editor
Images and renderings courtesy of Orion Construction
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