834 Lake Drive - Bethel Church Conversion to Apts

[GRDadof3 2743]

From a press release from Wolverine Construction:

 

January 18, 2013 (Grand Rapids, MI) – Brookstone Capital, Wolverine Building Group, and Progressive AE are pleased to announce an adaptive re-use renovation that will  transform the Bethel Pentecostal Church at 834 Lake Drive SE, Grand Rapids, MI 49506, into a 37-unit apartment building.

 

Originally constructed in 1923 and expanded in 1967, the church was home to several congregations throughout its 90-year history.  The adaptive reuse renovation will retain the main façade including the exterior brickwork and columns of the original building, and add a contemporary-style two-story addition on top of the existing 1967 addition for a total of four stories.  Construction will begin February 2013; completion of the 51,000 square foot residential building is anticipated at the end of this year, December 2013.

 

Located in the East Hills neighborhood, future residents will be within walking distance of local parks, schools, retail stores, and restaurants.  “This is a great use for the church building, and it will be good for the area,” says Wolverine’s Senior Project Manager Aaron Jonker. “It’s a progressive neighborhood, with a number of retail, office, and service establishments and variety of dining destinations within a very walkable distance of the newly renovated building.”

 

Construction trailer on site:

 

https://sphotos-a.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-snc7/376546_10151216994023244_2136604181_n.jpg

[RegalTDP 346]

Not bad!    Interesting that they will be adding 2 stories.

 

Question:  Are all the adjacent surface parking lots part of the old church's property?  If so, I wonder what will become of them.

[GR_Urbanist 560]

That big one to the west would make a great infill opportunity, extending the retail portion of E. Hills to the NW, or just some new residential would work too.

 

Are there any renderings of what the finished project is expected to look like?

[GRDadof3 2743]

That big one to the west would make a great infill opportunity, extending the retail portion of E. Hills to the NW, or just some new residential would work too.

 

Are there any renderings of what the finished project is expected to look like?

 

I've been asking....

[GRDadof3 2743]

Not bad!    Interesting that they will be adding 2 stories.

 

Question:  Are all the adjacent surface parking lots part of the old church's property?  If so, I wonder what will become of them.

 

 

It shows the church, and the two lots next door to the East, are owned by the same LLC.

 

If you ever want to know who owns what parcels in Kent County, gvmc-regis.org is a great resource. Scroll down to "Parcel Finder" and a map will come up. You can either zoom in or enter the address you're looking for. 

 

You can then take the permanent parcel # (or address) and then go to here: https://www.accesskent.com/Property/ and look up tax records, sale records, lots of interesting stuff.

[jas49503 62]

you can get the same info off access kent. if you pull up the map of a parcel, any parcel, there is an option to get info on any parcel that you click on. all you need to know is a location somewhat  near what you are looking for. I guess that you could use any parcel at all, even your own, but if it isn't near by what you are looking for then you will have to pan over to the desired parcel.

 

there is a lot more information on the grand rapids tax assessors site than on access kent.  several of the surrounding areas have similar websites. they all seem to be run  by the same company as it has a very similar look and feel to grand rapids.

[GRDadof3 2743]

you can get the same info off access kent. if you pull up the map of a parcel, any parcel, there is an option to get info on any parcel that you click on. all you need to know is a location somewhat  near what you are looking for. I guess that you could use any parcel at all, even your own, but if it isn't near by what you are looking for then you will have to pan over to the desired parcel.

 

there is a lot more information on the grand rapids tax assessors site than on access kent.  several of the surrounding areas have similar websites. they all seem to be run  by the same company as it has a very similar look and feel to grand rapids.

 

I hate the interactive map that the city of GR has. It never seems to work right.

[Raildudes dad 19]

I hate the interactive map that the city of GR has. It never seems to work right.

Try Kent County Geospatial - same mapping info as Regis but with a direct link to AcessKent for parcel info. I haven't used Regis in a long time.

[jas49503 62]

Try Kent County Geospatial - same mapping info as Regis but with a direct link to AcessKent for parcel info. I haven't used Regis in a long time.

I think that's the one i was talking about. I usually access it through the accesskent website. I have never used the GR one.

[GRDadof3 2743]

Try Kent County Geospatial - same mapping info as Regis but with a direct link to AcessKent for parcel info. I haven't used Regis in a long time.

 

Regis did a redesign just recently, it's pretty good (looks a lot like Geospatial, thanks for the tip).

[GRDadof3 2743]

Designs are out, and they're...interesting.

 

http://www.rapidgrowthmedia.com/devnews/BethelApartments0124.aspx

[GR_Urbanist 560]

If the developer of this thing happens to read UPGR, can you please post and tell us that the front of that building is just some sort of joke?

 

Seriously, what were you drinking that caused you to think that this actually was "good"? Is it just a lack of skill or money with developers/architects in GR where they keep churning out this crap?

[tSlater 200]

This reminds me of a photo I saw on facebook today.

 

[SupercityGR 84]

The pics are to vague to tell how its going to look. It might end up looking better in person!

[GaryP 0]

I bet it will look just like Brookstone's Metropolitan Park apartments down on ionia, built on top of the church. I tought that building looked okay when it was new, but now I think it looks kind of dirty; like it needs a power wash or something.

 

I'm glad to see Brookstone do a project outside of downtown. It will be nice to have some LIHTC apartments in this neighborhood, however I am definitely in the camp that believes downtown is becoming overwhelmed by income restricted apartments.

[RegalTDP 346]

Interesting color scheme, to say the least.

 

I was wondering what they were going to do about resident parking... Are they going to use a surface lot?  That'd be kind of weird, to have a lot of residents' cars sitting there on Lake Drive, next to the building.  Even if they put a gate around it.

 

I was hoping they would build a gated garage into the ground floor of the contemporary side of the building.  Pretty far fetched, but it'd be cool.

[gvsusean 45]

What the cluster f&^! is that?

[Veloise 46]

... I was wondering what they were going to do about resident parking... Are they going to use a surface lot?  That'd be kind of weird, to have a lot of residents' cars sitting there on Lake Drive, next to the building.  Even if they put a gate around it.

 

I was hoping they would build a gated garage into the ground floor of the contemporary side of the building.  Pretty far fetched, but it'd be cool.

Surface lots are in abundance.

[RegalTDP 346]

Surface lots are in abundance.

 

I was also hoping they would get rid of those lots.  What I meant was I didn't think using one of the lots facing Lake Drive for resident parking is attractive to renters.  If the basement-level garage is out of the question, maybe they can fit parking it behind the building, and put up a gate.

[CarpenterJoseph 1]

The buildings kind of reminds me of Sloth from the Goonies, with his weird shaped head and all. 

[wingbert 619]

This reminds me of a photo I saw on facebook today.

 

 

Are we referring to the same treatment that the building at 203 (?) Monroe - Reserve Wine Bar received? Also, that old school storage building or whatever it was just West of Ada on Ada drive?

[joeDowntown 966]

I personally like the Reserve building and the building in Ada. The church looks pretty hideous though.

 

Joe

 

Are we referring to the same treatment that the building at 203 (?) Monroe - Reserve Wine Bar received? Also, that old school storage building or whatever it was just West of Ada on Ada drive?

[tSlater 200]

I don't recall the building in Ada, and the Reserve building is at least not as extreme (and somewhat more tasteful) than others.  The image itself is from an international classic architecture group and was coincidentally posted that day.