Heartside

The place where art, entertainment, charity, and good eats converge, Heartside is located just southeast of the central city. The historic district features a number of Grand Rapids' most popular destinations. The Van Andel Arena hosts major concerts, and is home to the Griffins hockey team, an affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. Ionia Avenue is known for its vibrant nightlife. Avenue for the Arts, which runs along Division Avenue, showcases local artistic talent in shops and galleries. And the new Downtown Market, just South of Wealthy Street (not technically in Heartside, but close enough) provides a large selection of year-round produce and food options.Housing in Heartside is on fire, where hundreds of repurposed industrial and early 19th Century commercial spaces have been converted into some of the best residential projects in the Midwest.Heartside is recognized and celebrated for its compassion. So amidst the wi-fi coffee shops and modern lofts is a number of upstanding community kitchens, clothing banks, and other services for less fortunate citizens. Heartside joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Today, it offers some of the more fashionable shopping, dining, and entertainment in the city.

Proposed $30M downtown Grand Rapids market far from sealed and delivered, but moving forward

By Newsroom

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August 19, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodThe development of a proposed $30 million year-round urban market for downtown Grand Rapids is far from sealed and delivered, but the group behind the idea says the project is closer to being signed.The proposed project would convert six historic buildings on Ionia Avenue SW between Wealthy and Logan streets into a 178,000-square-foot mixed-use marketplace. A March 2010 public document, Grand Rapids Urban Market: Background Information, states the initial concept envisions restaurants, indoor vendor stalls for independent owner-operated businesses selling fresh produce, baked goods, cheeses and meats, and a leasable commercial kitchen incubator space. David Frey, co-chair of Grand Action with John Canepa and Dick DeVos, the group that spearheaded the development of the Van Andel Arena and DeVos Place, says architects are drawing up preliminary plans while crews are busy cleaning up the property.The Downtown Development Authority owns the property, the site of the old Sonneveldt Produce Company. Frey says it "will probably be owned by a newly created nonprofit entity, but it's still in negotiation. There are no guarantees (for development of the market)." Frey estimates the project at $27 million, plus an estimated $3 million for the 3.5-acre parcel."Engineers are determining if the buildings are structurally sound," says Frey. "If you drive by this week you'll see that crews are cleaning up the site so we can see what we have to deal with.""We not only have to design a great facility we can afford to build and run, but we have to be sure the surrounding area is developed with activities compatible with an urban market and not have a contrary purpose or intent," Frey says. "The nearby Kingman's and Baker Furniture buildings would have to be developed in an architecturally- and content-compatible manner." Grand Action hired Design Plus and urban market design expert Hugh Boyd of Montclair, N.J. for the project. Frey expects to see the architects' design concept in early September.Source: David Frey, Grand ActionDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Proposed $1.5 million downtown Grand Rapids concert venue clears first major hurdles

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July 29, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodA new concert venue complex proposed for downtown Grand Rapids has received the stamp of approval from Grand Rapids' Planning Commission and Downtown Development Authority. A couple more hurdles to clear and Pyramid Scheme at 68 Commerce Ave. SW and a restaurant, brewery and pub in the adjoining 62 Commerce can begin construction for a projected 2011 opening. Pyramid Scheme is a partnership between brother-sister duo Jeff and Tami VandenBerg, owners of The Meanwhile bar, and HopCat owner Mark Sellers. They plan to develop 68 Commerce into a 400-person capacity concert venue and a neighborhood bar. The DDA awarded a $50,000 Building Reuse Incentives Program grant earlier this month toward the redevelopment of the building and also approved liquor licenses for both buildings. Mark Sellers is the sole developer of the adjoining building, 62 Commerce. He proposes development of Beatnik Brewing, which includes a restaurant, banquet facility, and, according to the brewery's Facebook page, a bowling alley. A rooftop deck atop the concert hall next door at 68 would be accessed via a door from the second level of 62.The planning commission approved the redevelopment of both buildings this week.Sellers said in an email that he still needs to procure funding for 62 Commerce and get approval for the rooftop deck from the Historic Preservation Commission (HPC). The HPC has approved the concert venue's new façade, says Tami VandenBerg. VandenBerg says the purchase and development of the concert venue will run about $1.5 million."This is something we (Jeff and Tami) wanted to do even before we opened The Meanwhile," she says. "We love music and have gone to shows in Detroit and Chicago and have always wanted to bring shows and bands here. We're doing this to bring more jobs and activity downtown, and to make the city a better place to be so that people stick around."Lott3Metz is the architect for the project.Source: Tami and Jeff VandenBerg, Pyramid Scheme; Mark Sellers, HopCatRelated ArticlesRock solid: entrepreneurs propose Pyramid Scheme for downtown Grand Rapids Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Rock solid: entrepreneurs propose Pyramid Scheme for downtown Grand Rapids

By Matthew Gryczan

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June 17, 2010

They want you to get in on the ground floor of The Pyramid Scheme, but Mark Sellers and Jeff and Tami VandenBerg are making an easy sales pitch: their proposed music venue at 68 Commerce Ave. SW has only one floor to begin with. Find out why their plan is far from inflated.

Indoor B-ball, giant Scrabble board add playful side to Lambert Edwards new $1M digs in Heartside

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June 17, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodShooting hoops and wordsmithing on a 10-foot by 10-foot Scrabble board are just two of the ways employees at Lambert Edwards & Associates can de-stress in their new office space in Heartside. In late May, the public and investor relations firm relocated from the National City Bank building on Monroe Avenue NW to an environmentally renovated former auto repair shop at 47 Commerce SW. "At first the contractors and architect thought I was joking when I said I wanted a basketball hoop in the corner," says Jeff Lambert, president. "But part of the reason for (buying) the building is about how we can really invest in the culture of our firm. You can have some great conversations around the basketball court."Lambert says they built the office around the natural light that streamed through the existing large windows by adding glass walls and skylights. The original brick walls, a media studio for producing videos and podcasts, and a blend of private offices and open workspaces give the place an air of "professional cool, a sharp-looking and creative space for clients to come in and work," he adds. The next project is to complete the 1,200-square-foot roof deck where employees and clients can take breaks or have meetings. The deck will have wireless Internet access, and Lambert says the company hopes to donate use of the space for charity events. The firm partnered with five of its clients on the renovation and relocation: Pioneer Construction, Springthrough, EPS Engineered Protection Systems, Inc., Avian and Two Men and a Truck. Lambert expects the project will receive LEED certification."We're really pleased to be part of the revitalization that's going on in Heartside with Gallery On Fulton, 38, Stella's and Viceroy," Lambert says. "Part of why we invested in the space was to be able to attract talent from other markets because we know that the environment we work in every day is very important."Source: Jeff Lambert, Lambert Edwards & Associates Related Articles PR firm Lambert Edwards hosted ArtPrize at 47 Commerce, now plans to relocate thereDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Joey Ruiter has designs on downtown Grand Rapids

By Matt Vande Bunte

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June 3, 2010

With 30 designs already on the drawing board, maybe number 31 will be the ticket for Joey Ruiter to build his office/workshop on a tiny plot of vacant land near Founders Brewing Co. But then again, maybe not.

Conduit Studios loves Heartside in Grand Rapids; moves to larger studio space close to “home”

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May 20, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodJohn O'Neill and Tim Carpenter love having the heart of their graphic design studio in Heartside. So when Conduit Studios outgrew its 700 square feet at 7 Ionia SW, the duo found triple the space that fits the company image and inspires creativity right in the same building. "When we first moved into the smaller space, it was just Tim and me, so that gave us room to collaborate, but we still had space to get away from each other and focus on work," says O'Neill. "Then we added two employees, and if you leaned back in chair you were touching someone else."O'Neill says they wanted a space that promoted more collaboration and less hierarchy; a floor plan that put the two owners squarely in the mix with employees, yet allows everyone room to work privately. "There should be a blur between what is a residential feel and what is an office feel, and we're really trying to achieve that," O'Neill says. "Our interior designer Kathryn Chaplow added a standing-height bar with bar stools which is perfect for when you're critiquing something really quick, and it serves as a kitchen metaphor, a natural gathering space."The studio's design has clients walk through the work area to reach the conference room in the back – a strategic plan that helps clients engage with the designers. O'Neill and Carpenter collect the works of local artists and wanted to bring those pieces into the work environment for inspiration. An art wall that's nearly floor-to-ceiling allows display of a disparate variety of paintings, photography and other art media. "It's filled with art that inspires us, it's not meant to be a portfolio of our own work," says O'Neill. "When we're surrounded by things that inspire us we can use that in our work and challenge ourselves by our surroundings."Source: John O'Neill, Conduit StudiosRelated ArticlesThe Prime Time to Design Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Grand Rapids’ Goodrich Apartments breaks ground on $3.1 million makeover

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May 20, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodSeventeen years ago Grand Rapids-based Dwelling Place, Inc. purchased and renovated The Goodrich Apartments – 14 affordable apartments on S. Division Ave. just south of the Avenue for the Arts. A $3.1 million project to update the units and buildings broke ground this week. The apartments are in two circa 1890 structures constructed side by side at 333 and 339 South Division Ave. – the DelaMater Building and the Schuchardt Building, respectively. "This is not a gut rehab, but the apartments will have new appliances, new cupboards and hardwood floors throughout," says Jarrett DeWyse, director of housing development for Dwelling Place. "The buildings are long and narrow and some of the apartments are kind of dark. We're reconfiguring those apartments to have lower interior walls so natural light from the windows can travel deeper into those apartments." The apartments will get complete overhauls, including new bathrooms and some skylights. The shared spaces, such as hallways and stairwells, will be repainted and carpeted. The residents in the five occupied apartments at 339 S. Division agreed to a temporary "apartment swap" to the building next door. Once their apartments are renovated, the residents will move back in and work will begin on 333 S. Division. Dwelling Place waited for months for approval of historic preservation tax credits from the state of Michigan and the federal government. DeWyse says the approvals came through recently for nearly $2 million in tax credits. Dwelling Place has to prove that it fulfilled its promise to keep certain renovations historically accurate once the project is completed at the end of the year. "We can't remove the wood staircases, we have to replace windows with windows of similar construction, and we'll restore all the exterior cornices and window ledges," DeWyse says. The project also received $700,000 from the city of Grand Rapids, which Dwelling Place will repay after a 15-year compliance period, provided there is enough cash flow. Source: Jarrett DeWyse, Dwelling Place, Inc.Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Heartside’s $30M Heart of the City Health Center breaks ground on national healthcare model

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May 13, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodA new integrated approach to health care for low income Kent County adults and children could break ground this Friday on more than just a bricks-and-mortar facility – it could also set a national model for integrated healthcare. The Heart of the City Health Center, 100 Cherry St. SE, Grand Rapids is a $30 million project that will combine services from Touchstone Innovare, Proaction Behavioral Health Alliance and Cherry Street Health Services."There are programs that integrate care to a limited extent in many places of the nation," says Chris Shea, executive director of Cherry Street Health Services. "But they're not as intense in their integration as we expect this program to be. Here we have staff who are mixed on the medical and behavioral sides, and the transition of care will be almost invisible to the patient as to whether we're working on medical or mental issues."The facility will provide health care to low income residents, with a focus on creating a new pediatrics center where Cherry Street Health's Grand Rapids Pediatrics will offer pediatric medical, dental and vision services. When completed in 2011, the 79,300-square-foot facility will create:• A central location for an estimated 27,000 patients per year• 119 new health care jobs• About 100 construction jobs The groundbreaking ceremony takes place May 14 at 2 p.m. Source: Chris Shea and Emily Vander Woude, Cherry Street Health ServicesRelated ArticlesProposed $25M health care facility to serve 17,000 Kent County residents annuallyDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Adtegrity readies for move from the burbs to new building in Heartside

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April 29, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodAdtegrity, an online advertising network for advertisers and web site publishers, will be moving its offices and 26 employees from Cascade Township to 38 Commerce in Grand Rapids in a few weeks. "We're purchasing the whole second floor of 38," says Scott Brew, Adtegrity's president and CEO. "Things are proceeding very rapidly and we're in that last stretch where we're really excited and time seems to slow down."38, a mixed-use development by Locus Development, offers apartments, residential condominiums, commercial units and an attached parking ramp. The building is under construction on the corner of Commerce and Weston.With 20-foot-high ceilings, the Adtegrity space has enough room for a mezzanine level with private offices and a conference room with glass walls that overlooks the area below. The main level of the space will have traditional workstations, but will be open to the high ceiling. A glass curtain wall overlooks Weston Street SW and part of the Heartside business district to the north and east. "The curtain wall has a curved corner at Commerce, and that's part of our social area," Brew says. "When you're in it, it feels like you're hanging over the corner of Commerce and Weston."The social area includes a ping pong table, equipment to play X-Box and Wii, and there's an adjacent kitchen. The buildout will be LEED certified. "I've watched forward-thinking people like John Green, Andy Winkel (Locus Development) and Sam Cummings (CWD Real Estate Investment) do really cool stuff downtown and I wanted to be part of it," Brew says. "I believe it's necessary to have a vibrant urban core, and I need to put my money where my mouth is." Source: Scott Brew, AdtegrityRelated ArticlesDowntown conveniences attract first tenant to innovative Heartside developmentDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Grand Rapids new bar, Viceroy – no secret password, but you’ll have to ring the bell if you want in

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April 29, 2010

Deborah Johnson WoodViceroy won't have an outdoor sign – just a light above the door like a Prohibition-era speakeasy. But, unlike those covert establishments, you won't need a secret password to get in – if the light's lit, just ring the bell. Owners Mark and Michele Sellers have designed the new bar at 53 Commerce to emulate bars from the 1930s, with an emphasis on classic handmade cocktails. And ringing the bell for entry is a strategic measure. "The reason is because the classic cocktails are time and labor intensive," says Mark Sellers. "It will take three minutes to make some drinks because we'll have to chop a block of ice, and layer the ingredients in the right order. Egg whites will have to be shaken up to a foam for the tops of some drinks. If we had so many customers it was standing room only, we'd never be able to keep up. That manner of entry will limit the number of people we let in at one time.""We'll make all of our own infusions," says General Manager Garry Boyd. "If a drink requires blackberry brandy, we'll infuse the brandy with blackberries. And we'll have homemade tonic, which has flavor. I think that once people have a gin and tonic or vodka tonic made with it, they won't go anywhere else."Boyd says Viceroy will offer a simple but enjoyable beer and wine list, but "flips, rickys, fizzes and smashes" will be king. Hungry patrons will have an assortment of appetizers to choose from, with specialties like Scotch eggs, homemade port wine cheese, spicy nuts, a trio of bruschettas, and zucchini and eggplant chips with Greek scordelia sauce. Sellers expects the bar to open a few weeks after Stella's Lounge May 1 opening. Source: Mark Sellers and Garry Boyd, Viceroy Related ArticlesGrand Rapids' new Stella's Lounge to feature 200 whiskeys, vegetarian menu Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com. Development News tips can be sent to info@rapidgrowthmedia.com.