Former Huntington Bank building gets new look, new occupants on Grand Rapids' northeast side

Deborah Johnson Wood

A $1 million-plus renovation is transforming a former Huntington Bank building on Grand Rapids' northeast side, preparing it as permanent offices for the Michigan nonprofit Migrant Legal Aid.

"For 37 years we've rented space and moved three times," says Executive Director Teresa Hendricks. "We've outgrown our space at 648 Monroe NW. Our office is hard to find because it's a suite within a downtown building and our clients speak very little, or no, English. They find it intimidating to navigate cities."

The new location at 1104 Fuller NE has on-site parking and is accessible with only one turn off either US-131 or I-196.

Migrant Legal Aid provides civil legal services to migrant workers across Michigan. Hendricks says they serve clients at the office and at the camps where the attorneys monitor the workers' living conditions, help them maintain their income, find health care, and get food, shelter and clothing.

The nonprofit intervenes to prevent crises between the workers and the farmers, police, schools and others, and represents the migrant workers in court when needed.

"We've seen families living in chicken coops, sleeping on a mattress covering the drain on the bathroom floor, and open sewer pits," says Hendricks. "Some of the women want to speak to us about their rights when it comes to domestic violence. They're afraid of the police, of their husbands, of the system."

The new offices include "an extremely private office designated for domestic violence cases, so we can address the problem out of earshot of the husband," Hendricks says.

The former drive-through banking area is now a learning center for tax clinics, immigration clinics and employee training.

A combination board room/conference room/legal library incorporates an existing vaulted ceiling and skylights. Eight offices will provide enough extra space for the firm to bring on an immigration attorney and a paralegal.

Hendricks says the building will be LEED certified.

A $1.9 million capital campaign goal is underway.

"By owning the building, we will save about $50,000 annually in rent," Hendricks says. "That's money we can put into programming instead."

Source: Teresa Hendricks, Migrant Legal Aid

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].