Construction to renovate three historic Grand Rapids buildings in the Heartside neighborhood into low-cost urban apartments begins on Feb. 14 with 17 Williams St. NE, the first of the three to undergo renovation. Midland-based developer Brookstone Capital, Inc., the company that dipped its toe into Grand Rapids' multi-million dollar redevelopment scene with projects like Metropolitan Park Apartments and 101 S. Division, plans to transform 209 and 217 S. Division Ave. into Division Park, with 30 one-, two-, and three-bedroom apartments, including six live/work units on the ground level. Around the corner, Serrano Lofts (17 Williams) will offer 15 one- and two-bedroom units. "209 was originally built in 1911 as a hotel for furniture buyers who came into town during the furniture boom," says Aaron Jonker, project manager for Wolverine Building Group, the company handling construction. "It was billed as having indoor plumbing because it had two bathrooms for guests."Jonker expects the renovations, which are actually two separate projects, to receive LEED Silver certification. He expects LEED points will be given for green features including the reuse of buildings in a core city, proximity to transit, renovation of obsolete buildings (brownfield), and installation of high efficiency HVAC systems. Renovation of the buildings' exteriors includes replacing the windows with historically accurate and energy efficient types and cleaning and tuckpointing the brick facades. Norton Shores-based Concept Design Studio handled the architectural design.The expected project cost is $13 million, writes Brookstone's Development Coordinator Shawna Bergman in an email dated Feb. 7. She adds that public funding (approximately $12.4 million) will come from several sources: state and federal historic tax credits; MSHDA low-income housing tax credits; brownfield tax credits; City of Grand Rapids HOME Loan monies; and Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority grants. "I think these two projects have an opportunity to be a driver for development," Jonker says. "(The business district) has had some issues with keeping businesses in the area and the more people we can bring down there, the better."Source: Aaron Jonker and Danielle Wells, Wolverine Building Group; Shawna Bergman, Brookstone Capital, LLCWriter: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News EditorRelated ArticlesMidland developer plans $13M apartment project for historic Grand Rapids buildings

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC) has awarded $200,000 in grant monies to fuel the continued development of two Grand Valley State University incubator programs for life sciences, high technology and alternative energy startups. The incubators, housed at the West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative (WMSTI) in Grand Rapids' SmartZone and the Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center (MAREC) in Muskegon's SmartZone, each received $100,000 in separate grants. "MAREC has always had incubator capacity, but it's never been fully developed, never had staff allocated," says Director Arn Boezaart. "The grant will allow us to ramp up the visibility of the incubator and the incubator capacity, and have some money to help entrepreneurs." MAREC will combine the $100,000 grant with some $90,000 already on hand to fund enhancements that include furnishings, supplies, marketing and professional consultation services for incubator clients. The largest allocation ($44,000) will subsidize MAREC's first incubator manager, a two-year part-time position. Some $13,000 will also be allocated to a seed capital fund for energy and high-tech startups. Boezaart says 60 percent of MAREC's 6,000 square feet of office and dry lab space is available for high-tech and alternative and renewable energy startups. "Right now, MAREC is the lakeshore area's only publicly operated incubator facility," Boezaart says. "Given that we're so focused on economic development and entrepreneurial activity, it seems that we can make this facility as supportive as we can possibly be to new business development."WMSTI will invest its $100,000 grant to continue development of its mini-lab incubator option for life sciences and high-technology startups, and to increase its marketing research and communications capacities to reach biotech entrepreneurs who need immediate lab space, specifically those receiving SBIR/STTR grants. Background materials provided by GVSU state that the new funding will allow WMSTI to accommodate up to five more incubator members, who will have access to over 100 pieces of shared equipment and instrumentation.WMSTI's funding will also support professional consulting services, marketing, business development and licenses for specialized management and tracking software to assist incubator clients in the development and commercialization of their product.Source: Arn Boezaart, Michigan Alternative and Renewable Energy Center; Bonnie Dawdy, West Michigan Science and Technology Initiative; Lambert Edwards & AssociatesWriter: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News EditorRelated ArticlesGrand Valley State University alternative energy center attracts another energy startup to MuskegonWest Michigan Science & Technology Initiative develops incubator labs for medical device startups

Combining a coffee shop with a children's play area, local entrepreneurs hope to find a winning combination. According the story in Mlive: A new place offers Mom or Dad a chance to relax with a latte, peruse e-mails or read while their kids jump, crawl and wind their way through a four-level play structure. Or Mom and Dad can kick off their shoes and join the fun. Laura and Matt Greene plan to open Java Gym between Feb. 26 and March 2 at 2211 East Beltline Ave. NE, Suite C, just north of Knapp's Corner. You can read the entire story here.

The Holland Sentinel reports that a Grand Rapids company will transform its O'Charley's restaurant into a Twisted Rooster, the company's new proprietary brand of casual eateries.According to excerpts from the story:The Holland restaurant at 12389 James St., at U.S. 31, is slated to be one of four Michigan O'Charley's franchises to be transformed into the new Twister Rooster brand with a menu described as "classic American with dynamic twists." The quirky menu includes "Twisted Greens" salads, burgers and sandwiches, and "Everything Else" that ranges from salmon to sirloin. The Holland location is slated to close in late April and reopen in late May, manager Kevin Norlander said.Read the complete story here.

Integrated Architecture (IA) has been selected to design Gordon Food Service's new Wyoming, MI headquarters building. The 382,000 sq. foot facility will be the home to over 1,000 employees and will be designed to enhance productivity and inspire innovation.   The GFS project is one of several that is keeping IA busy and growing according to Mike Corby, FAIA Executive VP. The increased workload has led to several recent hires, "mostly professionals, engineers, architects and designers," and the firm is still in need of a few more designers. Corby cites IA's reputation as an award-winning, sustainable design firm as one the keys to attracting talent to West Michigan.   "We look for designers who are very passionate about their work and love what they do," he says. Corby elaborates, saying that IA is very finicky when recruiting talent. More specifically, he says they look for "professionals with similar passion and a strong focus on design based on user experience and what makes people more productive -- not just doing interesting architecture, but what makes the experience better for the user." To learn more about IA, you can visit their website here. Source: Mike Corby Integrated Architecture Writer: John Rumery, Innovation and Jobs editor

Planning began in 2004, construction in 2005 and this summer and fall will mark the opening of the final piece of the $225 million Michigan Street Development Project -- a project that has been a driving force behind the creation of a healthcare Mecca along Grand Rapids' Medical Mile. Since breaking ground in 2005, Michigan Street Development Corporation, a 50/50 partnership of RDV Corp. and The Christman Company, has constructed the $90 million Secchia Center campus of the Michigan State University College Of Human Medicine, the $92 million Lemmen-Holton Cancer Pavilion, 25 Michigan, and now 35 Michigan, which will house outpatient services and labs for Helen DeVos Children's Hospital.With 200,000 square feet spread over seven levels, 35 Michigan will consolidate pediatric outpatient services that now extend over a two-mile stretch of Michigan St., says Bridget Menzel, who oversees operations of the children's hospital substations. The hospital, located across the street, connects to 35 Michigan via an elevated, enclosed pedestrian bridge over Michigan Street. "(The building) will have administrative space for physicians and their support team, an outpatient lab and a pediatric sleep studies area," Menzel says. "Plus we'll have neurology, nephrology, infectious disease, pulmonary, rheumatology and orthopedic practices. We (want) to bring everyone together so we can have our consultative physicians in one area for patients who access multiple practices."Joe Hooker, development services manager for The Christman Company, says 25 Michigan and 35 Michigan connect via a two-story atrium that will be a gathering point for a food court serving patients, visitors and medical staff. Six retail bays provide space for various restaurants to offer their wares. "The building will be completed in phases from July through the third quarter of the year as we bring in the tenants," Hooker says. "The first to open will be the food court in July. Right now, we're excited about putting these final pieces of this entire project together."URS is the architect. The Christman Company is the construction manager. Source: Bridget Menzel, Helen DeVos Children's Hospital; Joe Hooker, The Christman CompanyWriter: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News EditorRelated Articles The Helen DeVos Children's Hospital is the New Kid on the Block

Grand Rapids' Madison Square business district at the corner of Madison Avenue SE and Hall St. SE could be on the verge of getting its only sit-down eatery, part of a coordinated response to neighborhood demand. The proposed B & W Breakfast Bar could open in April as part of a $1.7 million renovation of a century-old storefront at 1167 Madison. The project, spearheaded by LINC Community Revitalization, Inc. (formerly Lighthouse Communities), includes LINC's Development Center containing administrative offices, a retail incubator, a co-working space and a community police station. Robert Ball, owner of Grand Rapids' Southern Fish Fry and a partner in the new venture, will manage the restaurant, says spokesperson T. A. El Amin, a consultant on the project."We're aiming for a home-style place, kind of a combination of Waffle House and Cracker Barrel," El Amin says. "We're looking at breakfast and lunch to start, and we'd like to be open from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. If it goes well, we could add dinner hours, and if that goes well, it could become 24-hour."El Amin says the focus will be a country-style breakfast and lunch menu with favorites like waffles, bacon and eggs, southern grits, and "a little bit of soul food," as well as heart healthy choices such as turkey sausage, fresh salads and homemade soups. The 1,500-square-foot space will seat 40. Attracting a sit-down restaurant to Madison Square is part of a broader push to fill gaps in the business district's offerings, an initiative that began with a neighborhood charrette in 2005. "This is one of the fastest growing areas around and the region is well thought out and well planned, except for the core city," El Amin says. "If we can get something going in the neighborhoods around the core city, we're going to have something really great. "The next generation will inherit whatever we do now," he adds. "We'll teach them how to grow it and expand it and there'll be no stopping us with what we can accomplish."Source: T. A. El Amin, El Amin Associates; LINC Community Revitalization, Inc.Writer: Deborah Johnson Wood, Development News EditorRelated ArticlesMadison Square takes next step toward Corridor Improvement DistrictMadison Square business incubator has community backing for $1.7M project