By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Since only 2006, the Grandville Avenue business district has seen a $1.3 million renovation of the Hispanic Center of Western Michigan, construction of a new $1 million Grandville Avenue Neighborhood Library, the $735,000 Grandville Avenue streetscape improvement project, and six mosaic sculptures created by ArtWorks students. And now the $5 million renovation of the former Hekman Biscuit Company building into apartments promises to bring a crucial element into the heart of the Roosevelt Park Neighborhood commercial district — people.
Roosevelt Park Lofts at 1363 Grandville Ave. SW welcomed its first tenants last Monday. The 21 affordable-rate apartments (ranging from 600-square-foot studios to 1,400-square-foot, three-bedroom living spaces) leased for $375 to $705 a month and could be a catalyst development revitalizing a neighborhood and its businesses.
“Seven units were pre-leased, of those the three studios went immediately, and they were showing units this week,” says Jeremy DeRoo, executive director of Lighthouse Communities, the project’s developer. “We expect the building to be fully occupied by Christmas.”
DeRoo says there’s a lack of new affordable apartments in the neighborhood. Thus far, most of the new tenants work in the neighborhood.
A second building on the property fronts Grandville and is available for commercial or retail, with on-street parking and parking in the rear of the building.
“It’s one of the few new commercial spaces in the area,” DeRoo says. “We’re currently negotiating with a national retail business for 1,500-square-feet of the space. That leaves another 600 square feet that would be perfect for a startup business.”
Bravo Architects, Rockford Construction and Progressive AE all worked on the project.
Source: Jeremy DeRoo, Lighthouse Communities
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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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