By: Deborah Johnson Wood
At one time, the second floor of the storefront building at 444 Bridge Street was a brothel. More recently, it was a 2,200-square-foot apartment. And by February it will be a five-bedroom, three-bath student residence.
Blue Tiger LLC, a partnership between John Green of Elevation Group and Andy Winkel of Kelwin Properties, plans to develop a space geared for students with a common living room and kitchen but private bedrooms and study areas—and the lease agreement is per bed, so there's no need to adjust the rent if someone moves out unexpectedly. Beds will lease at $475 each.
"It's a neighborhood that has a unique feel to it," John Green says. "We feel that there's a sense of culture and history that are unique to Grand Rapids. There are a lot of great buildings in that neighborhood, and it's close to GVSU as well as all the medical developments up on Michigan Hill.”
Besides two new bathrooms and a new roof, the building will get new HVAC, electrical, and plumbing.
On the main floor, Signs By Tomorrow just moved into 1,200 square feet. The remaining 1,000 square feet of commercial space is available for lease.
"We'll refinish the original wood floors and preserv the original tin ceiling," Green says. "We're giving it new front doors and in spring we'll make significant facade improvements in keeping with the building's history."
Source: John Green, Elevation Group; David Wiener, CB Richard Ellis
Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
Photograph by Brian Kelly
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