Construction on Thirty-Eight in Grand Rapids clears milestones on its way to completion

The mixed-use development under construction at 38 Commerce has cleared some major milestones, according to the project manager leading the job for Pioneer Construction.

The $26 million project known simply as Thirty-Eight includes a $16 million LEED-certified building with 43 new residences, as well as commercial, retail and restaurant spaces, and an adjacent $10 million parking ramp.

Project manager Scott Veine says the construction team has completed topping out concrete for the Commerce Avenue side of the building and has started steel erection for the top two floors, as well as columns for the commercial space on the west end of the building.

Also complete is the framing out of all 35 apartments and eight condos, Veine says. Mechanical, engineering and plumbing systems are now being installed in those suites.

Locus Development is the owner and developer of the mixed use component. The attached city-owned parking deck provides parking for residents and patrons of Thirty-Eight. Veine says it is 100 percent erected in terms of precast for the deck, with pouring of floors now underway.

The parking decks are slated to be open and operational by December 15.

"By March 1, 2010, we’ll be completed with the [residences]," Veine says.

Veine also indicated that, even at this stage of the development, Thirty-Eight would meet LEED standards, an important goal of the project.

"If we would take everything on March 1 that we had on August 31, we would get a minimum of LEED certification, so we’re maintaining what our intent was as far as keeping it green."

Source: Scott Veine, Pioneer Construction; Locus Development

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth. She can be contacted at [email protected].