By: Deborah Johnson Wood
The site of the former 300,000-square-foot Whitehall Leather Company tannery may soon be 200 lakeside condominiums. Grand Rapids-based Eastbrook Homes purchased the 33-acre waterfront parcel on the east end of White Lake and, with the help of a variety of grants and tax incentives, plans to clean up the contaminated Brownfield site and begin construction.
"We're excited about taking something that is blighted and turning it into something that's a point of great pride for the community," says Bob Sorensen, Eastbrook spokesman. "It'll require a lot of good things to happen but we'll make it happen."
Plans to-date remain fluid, but Sorensen hopes to soon have a name for the development and architectural drawings. He expects plans will include both attached and stand alone condominiums, beachfront units, and about 150 boat slips for residents.
Walkability, close proximity to downtown shops and eateries, the nearby Hart-Montague bike trail, city parks, marinas, and a 3,000-foot beachfront are some reasons for the location's appeal.
Sorensen expects to raze the tannery buildings within the next three months. Construction could begin early next year and completed in phases. Completion of the full project could be five years off.
"There's a lot of effort being put into this from a design perspective and investment perspective," Sorenson says. "We're looking to do it as reasonably as we can and leave the property better than we found it."
Source: Bob Sorensen, Eastbrook Homes
Photo courtesy of Eastbrook Homes
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Enjoy this story?
Sign up for free solutions-based reporting in your inbox each week.