$1.6M family counseling center expansion planned for NE neighborhood

On January 11, The Arbor Circle Corporation received the go-ahead from the Grand Rapids City Planning Commission to build a 15,475-square-foot office building and 79-space surface parking lot at 1115 Ball Avenue and 1125 Edith NE, adjacent to The Bridge, a center for homeless youth operated by The Arbor Circle.

Arbor Circle is a non-profit agency dedicated to family counseling, substance abuse services, and outpatient health services. The new building will provide counseling and staff offices.

A house at 1125 Edith NE will be demolished to make way for the new facility. Site plans call for the preservation of an existing playground, basketball court, and gazebo area used by residents of The Bridge.

“We have discussed green building and LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certification,” said William Brunner, vice president of Paradigm Design, the civil engineers and architects of the project. “Because of costs, Arbor Circle doesn’t want to go through the paperwork to get LEED certification, but we’re trying to do as many LEED things as we can.”

Plans include a shower for employees who ride bikes to work, natural ventilation, windows designed to provide as much daylight as possible, and three rain gardens to handle storm water runoff.

A big part of the planning has been collaboration with the owner of a nearby office building to enlarge an existing retention pond on his property and add a rain garden there.

“Their cooperation,” Brunner added, “makes this little storm system work without having to cut down the mature shade trees on the site.”

The new facility with have 30 private counseling offices with special insulation for soundproofing to guarantee client privacy, six meeting rooms, and a reception area. While final figures are not yet in, expected cost is about $1.6 million.

Groundbreaking is scheduled for early April, with building completion expected in September.

Rendering Courtesy of Paradigm Design

A.J. Veneklasen, Inc. will handle construction.