Development News

Craig Clark is a firm believer that having an office presence in downtown Grand Rapids elevated others' perception of his public relations company, Clark Communications, and propelled the company's growth. Some 18 months after relocating from downtown Rockford to 25 Ottawa SW on the edge of Center City, Clark has moved again – to MoBevy, a new collaborative space for creatives, in the core city at 40 Monroe Center, Suite 201.

"I moved from my home to an office in Rockford for a year," Clark says. "I was coming to downtown Grand Rapids for clients and networking events and noticed that because I was in the suburbs, I was perceived to be a freelancer rather than a valid emerging marketing firm. When I moved to 25 Ottawa, people perceived me as being a serious business, and that has propelled me to grow the business and take it to the next level."

That next level includes a 2,000-square-foot private office and a new public relations associate, Jennifer Luth.

"It's a strange time to be growing my business in this economy," Clark says. "Public relations is a lower cost alternative to full marketing, and, as companies see their competition shrinking, they're ready to get on board with full public relations strategies."

Clark says he envisions a lot of benefits to being in a space designed to bring creatives downtown where they can work collaboratively in open offices and shared meeting spaces

"With up to a dozen other communications professionals here it's going to benefit me in ways I don't even know yet," Craig says. "This is ideal for the emerging company: pay for what you need and focus on growing the business."

Source: Craig Clark, Clark Communications

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

The official kickoff to open East Grand Rapids High School's new $12.5 million football field and athletic facility is just weeks away. Once it opens on August 26, East will have the physical capacity and high quality facility to host championship playoff and tournaments in volleyball, swimming, wrestling and track – something they've not been able to do in the past.

The 8,000-square-foot auxiliary gymnasium's lights, floor and spectator seating are installed – just the overhead mechanicals remain. The gym features a Kalwal, a translucent wall that allows daylight into the space and retains the sun's heat.

Elevated seating in the pool area is in place, providing space for an additional 400 spectators. In the new 6,000-square-foot fitness centers everything is complete and awaiting the July delivery of ten core strength training platforms, recumbent bikes, stair steppers, treadmills, dumbbells and 15 multi-joint machines.

"I feel real excited about all of it," says Scott Robertson, athletic director. "I think it's important for people in our community to experience it, to come and watch ball games and make their own judgments. We worked real hard to give the community the most bang for their buck and I think they'll agree that we did a great job investing their money wisely."

Outside, a new field events center with locker rooms, new bleachers and a new press box are amenities that will welcome visiting teams and spectators.

Green features include four banks of energy efficient stadium lighting (instead of six banks of non-energy-efficient lights), and the new turf on the football field is padded with crushed recycled tires.

"There's an aesthetic appeal, it's nice looking in a real classy way," Robertson says. "But the biggest benefit to the whole school system is that we won't need to bump elementary school activities anymore in order to have practice places."

URS designed the facility. Owen Ames Kimball is the construction manager.

Source: Scott Robertson, East Grand Rapids High School

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

For the past year, Third Coast Development Partners has been doing behind-the-scenes renovations for a handful of tenants at the former Hart & Cooley industrial building just east of downtown Holland.

This summer, renovations are making their way to the forefront with the announcement of the development’s first commercial tenant, Tulip City Beauty College.

Third Coast acquired the 625,000-square-foot building in 2006, and Hart & Cooley moved out in 2008. The building, 500 Eighth Street, is intended for industrial and commercial space, which includes retail and office, says Dave Levitt, a partner with Third Coast Development.

“So far, the back side of the building was where the major construction was taking place, literally behind the scenes,” Levitt says. “Now we’re demonstrating the commercial [aspects] of the building.”

Last year, Charter House Innovations, which owns City Flats Hotel in downtown Holland, purchased a section of the building as non-commercial industrial space. Levitt says there are currently six tenants, including furniture maker Herman Miller Inc., which uses the space for warehousing.

Approximately 450,000 square feet of the building is occupied. Levitt estimates that Third Coast Development has invested roughly $2 million into the project so far.

Although Tulip City Beauty College will be the seventh tenant in the development, Levitt says the activity in renovating space for the beauty school is the first visible change to the front of the building.

“Now that the front is being renovated and changed, it’s bringing life to the Eighth Street side of the project,” he says.

In the near future, the developer hopes to have a sign identifying the building as the Federal Square Business Park, which pays homage to the neighborhood north of the project called the Federal District.

Source: Dave Levitt, Third Coast Development Partners LLC

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

When Miller Johnson PLC offered Cheyne Scott a clerkship last summer, she wanted the opportunity, but wasn't sure she'd like living in Grand Rapids. Scott, a 24-year-old African American, had grown up in Ann Arbor and was living in Lansing attending Cooley Law School. She had visited Grand Rapids a few times and didn't see it as a good fit for her – at least, not at first.

High gas prices convinced her to get a temporary apartment rather than commute, and her job at Miller Johnson inspired her. When they offered her a part-time position during the school year, Scott decided to transfer to Cooley's Grand Rapids campus.
 "There's something about Grand Rapids that you don't get in a big city, and that's that you get to have a life here," Scott says. "In a big city, you don't get as much time to yourself."

Bike trails, the Riverwalk, Festival of the Arts and the nightlife are some of the things that attracted Scott, she says. Lansing students are younger, Scott says, and she's found that Grand Rapids has more people her age. She meets other young minority professionals through BLEND and through the Chamber of Commerce Multiracial Association of Professionals (MAP).

On June 4, MAP welcomed 32 minority interns to the city with an annual dinner. MAP has over 340 members and a section just for minority interns with a web site featuring videos, chat and an interactive event calendar. There is also a Facebook page.

This year, Miller Johnson has nine interns; three of them are minorities.

"Miller Johnson's purpose is to recruit and retain. We're looking at people who can come in and become productive associates and ultimately become our partners," says Tom Wurst, professional development. "We attract them to the lifestyle of West Michigan."

Source: Cheyne Scott, Miller Johnson and Cooley Law School; Tom Wurst, Miller Johnson; Sonya Hughes, Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

It's bustling at the corner of Monroe Center and Ottawa in downtown Grand Rapids and the owners of the new Parsley Mediterranean Grille hope that the busy-ness will drive sales.

Ruby Kaskorkis says he and his brother Zaid launched the restaurant in Grand Rapids rather than their hometown of West Bloomfield because "when you look at the downtown city of Grand Rapids, you can only see positives and only see the city growing."

Ruby, 27, and Zaid, 21, hail from an entrepreneurial family and operated a deli in their parents' West Bloomfield-based Middle Eastern market – the precursor to Parsley Mediterranean Grill.

Set up in a cafeteria style, the restaurant aims to serve healthy food quickly for downtown workers who need to get back to work. The menu includes both chicken and beef kebobs, kafka, skewered beef shawarma, grilled and sliced chicken shawarma, falafel and seafood. Meals come with a choice of salad and a choice of rice, French fries, hummus or baba ganoush. A typical entrée is $8.99.

The restaurant seats 52 inside and 16 in the Monroe Center sidewalk dining area.

"We will have delivery and catering from day one," says Ruby. "Fast, healthy and affordable is our slogan for this restaurant."

"We actually live in downtown, we moved a few weeks ago," he adds. "We rented a condo for a year and it's very close to the store. We're not familiar with the Grand Rapids area and being a block away from the store will get us pretty familiar with the downtown."

Parsley Mediterranean Grille will be open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m., seven days a week.
 
Source: Ruby Kaskorkis, Parsley Mediterranean Grille; Ann Marie Bessette, Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

OST (Open Systems Technologies), an IT services company, moved to the second floor of Grand Rapids' Brassworks Building in 2003 because the growing company needed more space. In 2007, company leaders opted to knock a hole in the floor and add a spiral staircase to connect the first and second floors into a cohesive 5,300-square-foot unit.

Now OST is putting the finishing touches on a 1,400-square-foot first-floor expansion to accommodate more employees.

"We were 11 employees in 2007," says Meredith Bronk, vice president of internal operations. "Now we're 48, and we're planning to add more."

The casual atmosphere follows OST's philosophy that people work better and enjoy work more when they have creative opportunities to let off steam.

"There's a dartboard upstairs, we have a Wii, three big screen TVs and an Xbox," Bronk says. "We have remote control helicopters, and the dartboard gets used all the time for tournaments and twosomes. It's a good way to distract your mind with social interaction that doesn't take too long. We opened an office in Minneapolis last year and sent them a dartboard as a gift."

"Hoteling" spots – small, semi-private office spaces – enable out-of-town employees and customers to tap into the wireless and catch up on calls.

The first floor encompasses a former condo model. OST kept the kitchen, with its cherry cabinetry and black granite countertops, intact. Morning meetings often include freshly baked cinnamon rolls; oven-fresh cookies are a frequent afternoon pick-me-up.

"This atmosphere is consistent with our business culture in that we pride ourselves in providing an open, friendly environment, yet it's professional," Bronk says. "We have a formal entry area because the first impression is important, but when you walk into someone's home, that's when you really get to see how they live."

Source: Meredith Bronk, OST

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Downtown Zeeland business owner Jackie Bordner recently opened her much-anticipated MainStreet Sweets candy store at 150 E. Main. The shop offers chocolates, novelty and bulk candies, peanuts and has a unique candy-themed décor.

Bordner, who also owns Clothes Junkie at 141 E. Main, says shoppers have been asking for a specialized candy store.

“I’ve been getting great feedback,” she says. “I did the front windows of the store right away so people knew we were opening. It’s fun to hear kids outside say, ‘Oooh, a candy store!’ People kept trying to come in the store when we were working on it.”

Bordner chose a different route for her candy store décor than just shelves and bins of sweets. She has been working for a month on an interior that features seven bold, primary colors and fun accents that create a candy fantasy world in her 1,050-square-foot shop.

“Even during bad times,” she says, “there’s something about a candy store. People still come.”

Zeeland City Marketing Director Abby deRoo says MainStreet Sweets is a welcome addition to the downtown business district.

“The candy store is really filling a niche in the community,” she says.

The downtown district has seen growth in the past several months from both new and not-so-new business owners.

“We are definitely seeing current business owners reinvest in their community with second businesses,” deRoo says.

Bordner says she chose to open her businesses in Zeeland because of the community’s support of its hometown entrepreneurs.

“My heart is here,” she says. Bordner opened Clothes Junkie six years ago. Since then, she also opened and closed a gift basket business. It had a candy component, but that wasn’t enough for Bordner.

“I wanted a store with a more overt candy theme,” she says. “I think it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

Source: Jackie Bordner, Clothes Junkie and MainStreet Sweets; Abby deRoo, City of Zeeland

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

After nearly eight years of anticipation, Opera Grand Rapids (OGR) broke ground yesterday on its first rehearsal hall since the organization's inception 42 years ago. The $2.25 million Betty Van Andel Opera Center (BVAOC) is a 14,000-square-foot facility that will finally give the opera company a place to rehearse, store props, create and store costumes and establish permanent offices.

OGR adopted a nomadic style when it came to rehearsal space, moving stage props, musicians and instruments in and out of any location that was large enough and available.
"For the last two performances, they rehearsed at the empty Dunham's Sports store next to the mall on 28th Street," says Executive Director Michael Havlicek. "If you went to look at it, you'd say 'Whoa!' The first time I went, the place was full of lawn chairs they'd brought with them to have a place to sit instead of on the floor."

The BVAOC at Carlton and Fulton NE provides a basic 60-foot by 80-foot rehearsal space with a two-story-high ceiling, a flat floor and no stage. Portable seating accommodates up to 300 people.

An adjacent costume shop provides a convenient place to alter, repair and store costumes. OGR offices, a large meeting room and three practice rooms for vocalists occupy the rest of the building.

"These are difficult times, and we held our own feet to the fire and said we aren't going to start construction until every penny of the $2,250,000 has been raised, and we've raised it," Havlicek says.

OGR named the center for Betty Van Andel, a nine-year OGR board member. Nearly eight years ago, Betty and her husband, Jay, pledged $1 million for the project.

Beta Design designed the facility. McGraw Construction is the construction manager. OGR hopes to achieve Silver LEED certification.

Source: Michael Havlicek, Opera Grand Rapids

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Despite the recent launches of a handful of new retail businesses in downtown Zeeland, some storefronts remain vacant. A new nonprofit organization made up of Zeeland business leaders aims to change that by awarding cash grants to help future Zeeland retailers pay their rents or other startup expenses.

The group, Zeeland Investment Partners (ZIP), launched the idea a year ago to establish an incentive program that, in conjunction with the city of Zeeland's facade grant program and grand opening marketing grant program, would attract three to four new retailers a year. The goal is to establish an annual operating budget of some $25,000 to $30,000 and offer qualifying businesses monthly grants in the $500 to $1,000 range.

"It really needs to be the type of business that fits our current mix, perhaps a business looking to open a second or third location," says David Wilson, owner of Generational Wealth Management and a ZIP board member. "But if someone with a new business idea has a good business plan and financial backing, we'll take a look at them."

The group's first objective is to attract an upscale restaurant that would draw diners downtown in the evenings.

ZIP board members represent seven downtown businesses and the Zeeland Chamber of Commerce. Each business contributed seed money to the fund. Wilson did not know the fund's total to-date, but said ZIP looks to secure donations from other downtown businesses, building owners and interested residents.

On June 25, ZIP hosts a fundraiser Open House & Vision Walk to show potential investors several of the downtown buildings available for rent and to showcase some of the second-story downtown apartments. The event starts at At The Diner, 126 E. Main. For more information or to RSVP, contact David Wilson, (616)931-1270.

Source: David Wilson, Generational Wealth Management and Zeeland Investment Partners

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

A handful of businesses have set up shop in downtown Zeeland in the past seven months, and although its most recent addition, Marc Photography, is new to Main Street, owner and photographer Andrew Kraker began the venture in 2007.

Kraker had been operating out of his home in Zeeland, and grew his business by word-of-mouth, mainly in the Grand Rapids area. When the business outgrew his home, Kraker settled on a storefront in downtown Zeeland, hoping to attract a more local base.

“I was looking for spaces all over,” Kraker says. “I came across this place in downtown and it came at a good price. There’s good traffic here, and I decided it was better to get a place where people can see your name.”

Kraker opened Marc Photography, which derives its name from Kraker's middle name, at 111 E. Main St. on May 26. With help from family and friends, Kraker renovated the 1,000-square-foot former coffee shop. He employs two office workers, and his wife, Tiffany, works as a second photographer when needed.

Marc Photography offers photos for weddings, engagements, senior portraits, family and lifestyle portraits. Kraker calls his style of photography “photojournalistic,” capturing moments that often appear to be candid, even when they are posed. But no matter what style someone is looking for, he says it all comes down to the connection between client and photographer.

Kraker also says Marc Photography has competitive prices when compared to other local photographers.

Zeeland City Marketing Director Abby deRoo says downtown draws for business owners include the price for a location, marketing that the city does to promote downtown Zeeland and a sign grant program that pays up to 50 percent of storefront signage.

“We’re fortunate,” deRoo says. “We’re filling gaps and adding new businesses.”

Source: Andrew Kraker, Marc Photography; Abigail deRoo, City of Zeeland

Suzanne Vier and Randy TenBrink met at Grand Valley State University in the early 90s, became good friends and then lost track of each other when they went their separate ways. About a year ago, the two friends found each other on Facebook and immediately decided to get together in person. When they did, TenBrink, who is known among friends and family for his homemade granola, asked Vier to taste it and offer an opinion.

"I took one taste and said 'This is too good to keep to yourself,'" says Vier. "That night we went out to HopCat and discussed how we could start a business."

May 28 the duo launched Randy's Granola in Original and Lotsa Chocolate flavors, which they create, package and ship using The Starting Block, a regional nonprofit kitchen and entrepreneurial incubator in Hart. They market the product from company headquarters in Marne.

The granola contains maple syrup and brown sugar produced in Michigan, rolled oats, peanuts and cinnamon, and is available in three sizes: a two-ounce re-sealable Pocket Pack, a 12-ounce bag and a 72-ounce family size. Each two-ounce serving contains eight grams of protein, four grams of fiber and is gluten and cholesterol free.

Vier says they decided to target three markets: online, retail and restaurant. Fittingly, HopCat is the first area restaurant to offer Randy's Granola on its menu – by the bowl and as a crunchy topping on a specialty spinach salad.

"Our hope is that we show that granola is not just a great source of nutrition, but that we take it to the next level," Vier adds. "The New Yorker magazine touted granola as the cupcake of '09, and the new way it's being thought of is not just as a breakfast cereal but as a healthy wholesome snack as well."

Source: Suzanne Vier, Randy's Granola
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Photo:

Misc oats and spices offered by Randy's Granola -Courtesy Photo

Hundreds of Grand Rapids Christian Elementary School students equipped with small shovels broke ground last week for their new elementary school at 1501 Fisk SE in Ottawa Hills. Grand Rapids Christian Schools (GRCS) plans to close four existing elementary schools and consolidate the preschool through fourth grades in the $11.5 million, 74,000-square-foot facility.

The new school replaces the original Ottawa Hills High School building. School leaders expect enrollment of some 625 students. Fundraising efforts allowed the school to increase its tuition assistance program by $500,000 per year through 2020.

"If Grand Rapids Christian Schools is going to remain viable in the city of Grand Rapids, we needed to raise tuition assistance and that will result in ethnic and socioeconomic diversity because of the number of new families that will attend a core city school," says Superintendant Tom DeJonge. "Often, private parochial schools look to move outside the city, perhaps because they're following their constituency to the suburbs. This is our commitment to the city."

Plans for the 28 classrooms and two common areas include $150,000 in technology: integrated projectors, interactive white boards, audio enhancement via speakers in the ceilings and wireless Internet access. Plus there will be a computer lab attached to a central media center.

Designers incorporated several architectural elements salvaged from the original high school, including decorative facade tiles, decorative entryways, marble bathroom partitions, outdoor lampposts and a fish pond. A working fireplace, also from the kindergarten room, will become part of the new media center.

The $2 million purchase of the property includes the adjoining 4.5-acre Pontiac Park, which will be restored.

To-date GRCS has raised $13 million of the $14 million needed for the property purchase and completion of the school.

Source: Thomas DeJonge, Grand Rapids Christian Schools

Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

For 20 years, Kent County government leaders have wanted to construct a facility where county residents can access a variety of human services in one location. Last week, the waiting ended when the $27 million Kent County Human Services Complex, 121 Franklin SE, Grand Rapids, opened for business.

At the complex, Kent County residents can now visit a number of county agencies that used to be scattered throughout Greater Grand Rapids: ACSET-Michigan Works, the Sheldon Health Clinic, Department of Human Services, Child ren's Protective Services and Adult Protective Services.

Services range from job training and Hispanic Senior Meals to daycare vouchers and emergency utility services.

"We did a geo-map study prior to presenting the plan to the board of commissioners in Lansing, to identify where the client base is located. Seventy percent are within a three-mile radius of the former Human Services location, 415 Franklin, just two blocks away," says Wayman Britt, assistant Kent County administrator.

The added convenience means that many clients are now within walking distance, and two bus routes bring clients within two blocks of the complex.

A permanent nine-foot-tall, 16-foot-long glass exhibit inside the north lobby honors 30 of Kent County leaders who have " have led efforts to improve the human condition of Kent County residents," Britt says.

"We had a 20-year wait for this facility because of a big bottleneck between us and the State of Michigan that we finally overcame," he adds. "At a time like this when we have more people out of work and a greater demand for services, it couldn't have come at a better time."

The complex is the first LEED certified building constructed by Kent County.

Source: Wayman Britt, Kent County; Kate Washburn, Wondergem Consulting

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Photo:

Kent County's Human Services building 121 Franklin ST SE

Photograph by Joshua Tyron -All Rights Reserved

There are 11,000 children within a one-mile radius of the Salvation Army's Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center under construction at 2500 South Division, Grand Rapids. And plans to build a place where they and their families can learn art and dance, or blow off steam at the ropes course, swimming pool or fitness center just got a big boost of energy.

The Kresge Foundation has awarded the Kroc Center a $1 million challenge grant that could wrap up fundraising for the $25 million capital campaign. To get the money, the Kroc Center has to raise $2.5 million by March.

"There are tremendous needs in the neighborhood," says Major Roger Ross, Kroc Center administrator. "We have an excellent mix of diversity and our programs will be designed to address the needs within that diversity."

A recent demographic study determined that the neighborhood's ethnic diversity is 37 percent Hispanic, 30 percent African American, 29 percent White and four percent Asian.

Charrettes, interviews and door-to-door research revealed residents' top concerns: childhood obesity, lack of organized positive activities for children and teens, lack of English as a second language education and inadequate social skills development. 

Kroc Center members will have the opportunity to grow produce in a community garden, then bring it into a commercial teaching kitchen to learn how to can it, make jams and jellies and cook.

Other features of the 20-acre property include hiking trails, tandem 500-foot zip lines connecting two ropes courses, a performance/worship center, a lazy river, a 28-foot spiral water slide, a three lane lap pool, a 20-person hot tub and a full gymnasium with lockers, showers and changing rooms.

"To walk through the structural steel and to see it rising up from the foundations is an absolute thrill," Ross says. "I go there almost every day and I can just envision the children whose lives are going to be changed because of this building."

Source: Major Roger Ross, Ray and Joan Kroc Corps Community Center; Brian Burch, Lambert, Edwards & Associates

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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at deborah@rapidgrowthmedia.com.

Photo:

Construction begins at The Salavation Army's new site -South Division

Photograph by Joshua Tyron -All Rights Reserved