Meijer Gardens pursues $115 million expansion

Meijer Gardens pursues $115 million expansion

GRAND RAPIDS TOWNSHIP — Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park has launched a $115 million capital campaign to fund the expansion of the art museum, outdoor sculpture park and music venue to meet growing demand.

The expansion includes plans for a new 60,000-square-foot Welcome Center, a new amphitheater, new gardens and a new “Transportation Center.”

“Our focus from the beginning has been to provide an exceptional experience for our members and guests, and we’re thrilled that we have the opportunity to build on our success with this new endeavor,” Meijer Gardens President and CEO David Hooker said in a statement. “At its very essence, Meijer Gardens is a place of joy — and a legacy of love shared by Fred and Lena Meijer, the Meijer family, and thousands of team members, volunteers and donors who have created a special place.”

New York City-based firm Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects Partners will serve as lead architect for the expansion, with Progressive AE and Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. working on the project locally, the organization said in a statement.

Construction is set to begin this fall, with completion expected in 2021.

The organization says it has already raised about $102 million of the planned $115 million for the full expansion.

“The new facilities will be an amazing expression of our mission never before imagined,” Hooker stated. “We’re thrilled with the success of the campaign but mostly, we are deeply moved by the community’s generosity toward Meijer Gardens.”