Auto Shop will get new life with stores, apts

[joeDowntown]

Business Makeover

Auto Repair Shop will get New Life with Stores, Apartments

by Chris Knape

The Grand Rapids Press

It doesn't look like much now, but the old Kramer building on Wealthy Street SE likely will turn heads come December when a trendy redevelopment is completed at the former auto repair shop.

Development Advisors Equity Corp. purchased the Kramer Property, 920 Wealthy St. SE, for $180,000 from a private owner and an adjacent vacant lot from the city for $21,400 last year.

"It's part rehab, part new construction" said James Reminga, who partnered with his Development Advisors Equity Corp. co-owner Mark Muller on the project.

"The Kramer building stays, gets rehabbed, windows will get brought back to the retail storefront."

Plans also call for constructing an attached two-story building on the vacant lot next door.

It will be used for apartments and retail.

A 2,245 sq. ft. storage building at the rear of the property is expected to be upgraded and used for retail or studio space, Reminga said.

The $750,000 project is inside a Grand Rapids Renaissance Zone, which eliminates most state and local taxes for property owners and tenants until 2009 when taxes begin a three year phase in.

The plan is similar to the Chesire Market Square retail and residential development off Plainfield Avenue in north Grand Rapids that DAEC almost has completed, Reminga said.

The new building on Wealthy is expected to include two apartments along with two retail store fronts. The restored Kramer building will include either one or two storefronts depending on tenant interest. Retail spaces are priced $7 to $14.25 per sw. ft.

So far Young Life, a Christian Youth Fellowship group, has signed on for one of the storefronts, Reminga said. The others remain available.

-- This is another great addition to Wealthy street. Up until the mid/late nineties, this section of wealthy was frequented by gangs and drug dealers. It is pretty amazing to see the money that has been dumped into this part of town. I see it as one of the streets on the rise that make up what they are calling "Uptown". The Kramer building is a really cool neglected building. I'm glad to see it get rehabbed.

[Allan]

It's great to see yet another rehab in downtown GR!

[joeDowntown]

I drove past this building the other day and was very dissapointed that they used painted cinder block. Now the building looks like a fish out of water. Why would they use such crap materials in a historic district (and get away with it for that matter).

If you get a chance, drive by. The building fits the area but the cinder block looks awful. They might as well have vinyl sided it.

Joe

[GRDadof3]

I drove past this building the other day and was very dissapointed that they used painted cinder block. Now the building looks like a fish out of water. Why would they use such crap materials in a historic district (and get away with it for that matter).

If you get a chance, drive by. The building fits the area but the cinder block looks awful. They might as well have vinyl sided it.

Joe

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I see what you mean Joe. You have to walk to see the building due to construction. Maybe because it is new construction, they don't have to comply with historical standards quite as much??