A former Ryder Truck maintenance and storage facility on the west riverbank of the Grand River is a prime location for 93 affordable- and market-rate apartments in Grand Rapids.
Woda Group, a multi-family housing developer based in Westerville, OH, received
Grand Rapids Planning Commission approval to move forward on GrandView Place on the corner of Front St. NW and Tenth St. NW.
The development will be
Enterprise Green Communities certified and could bring 20 waterfront townhouses to the west side, along with another 60 apartments, which will be mostly waterfront, and 13 townhouses along Front St. NW.
"Part of the reason to come to Grand Rapids is because Grand Rapids is a city on the move with a significant investment in jobs and development," says VP of Development P. Craig Patterson. Patterson lived in the area for 22 years before relocating to Ohio to be closer to the company.
About 75 percent of the units will have water views, Patterson says. Plus, 25 feet of river frontage is set aside for a walking/biking path that will connect to a path proposed by the city, park benches, and natural gardens.
"We are setting aside 24 of our family units to take care of the needs of homeless and disabled veterans, which is a very, very important part of this," Patterson adds. "We consulted with the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and did market research to determine there was a need for this type of housing."
Community Rebuilders will be a lead agency to provide services and referrals for veterans who need housing, Patterson says.
The market-rate apartments will be on the market for anyone to rent. The affordable-rate apartments will be available for persons earning 60 percent of the area median income or below.
A study is underway to determine if the site is contaminated and needs remediation. If all goes according to plan, Woda Group will close on the property by the end of 2013 and construction will begin in January 2014.
Architect:
Hooker DeJong
Construction: Woda Group
Source: P. Craig Patterson, Woda Group
Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News Editor
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