By: Deborah Johnson Wood
The West Michigan Strategic Alliance (WMSA) needed more room. That was the primary reason for moving from its cramped offices on GVSU’s Pew Campus.
But the reason WMSA chose Grand Rapids' East Hills for its new home is the organization’s commitment to the revitalization of urban neighborhoods.
“Our organization is actually a lot of neighborhoods connected across a large region,” says President Greg Northrup of the group that serves eight counties with initiatives such as green infrastructure and sustainable manufacturing. “This is a neighborhood that’s in transition, and it’s good for us to have an idea of how neighborhoods evolve. We needed to get a feel for how that works here.”
The build out of the 2,000-square-foot space in the circa 1918 Helmus Brothers Building at 951 Wealthy St. SE includes a conference room that accommodates 25 people.
“We have lots of meetings and needed the space, Northrup says. “We got 10 Steelcase conference tables that seat two people. They’re on rollers and we can configure them to make one large table or smaller clusters. It gives us great flexibility.”
The renovation preserved the 15-foot-high ceilings. An office, two workstations and a small kitchen/storage area complete the layout.
The organization still has access to office space at GVSU’s Annis Water Resources Institute in Muskegon to maintain a central location in the region it serves: Kent, Ottawa, Ionia, Montcalm, Allegan, Barry, Muskegon and Newaygo counties.
Source: Greg Northrup, West Michigan Strategic Alliance; Rebecca Howe, Lambert Edwards & Associates
Photo by Brian Kelly
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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