By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Fifteen businesses received nominations in the Best New Construction and Best Re-use of a Building categories for the 18th Annual Neighborhood Business Awards. The awards, sponsored by the Neighborhood Business Alliance and Neighborhood Ventures, honor businesses contributing to the City of Grand Rapids' vitality and success.
Rapid Growth readers Readers can vote for their favorite businesses online by clicking here.
Among the nominees for Best New Construction, Uptown Village is a new $5 million mixed-use development at Wealthy and Diamond. The development features affordable living in six townhomes and 18 apartments, and 6,000 square feet of retail space. Limited on-site parking allowed the developers room to create a lawn and courtyard area for future playground equipment, picnic tables, and grills for tenants.
"The thing I’m excited about is that it’s kind of a rebirth of the area," says Chuck Hoyt, spokesperson for developer Lighthouse Communities. "It was blighted so long I think people had just kind of given up on it. Now it’s something the neighborhood can be proud of, and in these tough economic times, people need an affordable place to live."
Nominees for Best New Construction are:
- 1423 Grandville, Alejandro Martinez, Sr.
- 629 Michigan, Lacati Group
- Alger Hardware, 2400 Eastern SE
- The Green Well Gastro Pub, 924 Cherry
- Icon on Bond, 538 Bond NW
- Metropolitan Park Apartments, 350 Ionia NW
- Midtowne Village, 545 Michigan
- Uptown Village, Wealthy and Sigsbee Streets
- Verne Berry Place, 60 S Division
The Douglas J. Aveda Institute had its plate full when it took on the restoration of a former post office turned parking garage, a 14,000-square-foot facility. The $3.5 million dollar investment transformed the structure into an upscale teaching salon with glass garage doors opening to the outdoors, wood veneer finishes, a manicure/pedicure spa room, and 60 styling stations.
"We went as far as to source out a manufacturer to provide historically correct windows for the building," says Gina Lisenby, Aveda spokesperson. "It’s such an amazing building, with the renovations and staying true to its historic integrity it’s beautiful."
Nominees for Best Re-use of a Building are:
Winners will be honored on November 8 at a gala event at the Wealthy Theatre from 5 PM to 8 PM. The gala is free and open to the public. Stay tuned to Rapid Growth next week for the last of our Development News series on the nominations.
Source: Neighborhood Business Alliance; Neighborhood Ventures; Chuck Hoyt, Lighthouse Communities; Gina Lisenby, Douglas J. Aveda Institute
Source: Rebekka Kwast, Neighborhood Ventures; Neighborhood Business Alliance
Photographs by Brian Kelly
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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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