GRAND RAPIDS — Changes involving a pair of West Michigan commercial real estate brokerages could signal future growth opportunities for the firms, sources say. 

GRAND RAPIDS — The Bridge Street corridor west of downtown Grand Rapids continues to serve as a magnet for new housing options.

EAST LANSING — Martin Commercial Properties Inc., an East Lansing-based commercial real estate brokerage with a Grand Rapids office, will end its 20-year affiliate relationship with CBRE Inc. at the end of this year.

Four business expansions in West Michigan that will collectively generate $110.3 million in investment and create more than 280 jobs earned state incentives today.

Bradley Co. LLC wants to bolster its presence in West Michigan’s commercial real estate market via a new acquisition.

A recent investment in a Grand Rapids office complex could serve as the template for what executives hope will become a new platform for West Michigan real estate investment.

GRAND RAPIDS — Red Oak Capital GP LLC wants to capitalize on the strong economy by seeking investors for a new fund that will offer senior lines of credit for commercial real estate deals.

WALKER — City planners hope to encourage downtown-style urbanism in the years ahead along a key suburban commercial corridor northwest of Grand Rapids.

GRANDVILLE –– Amid an apartment building boom across West Michigan, the Grand Castle stands out in ways few other projects do.

Numerous public and private entities have turned their focus to restoring the Grand River through downtown Grand Rapids. While the new efforts remain in the early stages, they have the potential to redefine how West Michigan’s largest city interacts with its riverfront. In this multi-part report by reporter Nick Manes, MiBiz examines what the restoration process could mean for future investment, past and current projects, and a case study of how one Great Lakes city used its riverfront to concentrate redevelopment. 

West Michigan commercial real estate industry insiders see signs of a genuinely healthy market, albeit one that’s likely plateaued. 

City planners and other stakeholders are refocusing on revitalizing the Grand River in downtown Grand Rapids. However, that focus isn’t entirely new. An analysis done by MiBiz finds the Grand River corridor in and around downtown has received around three quarters of a billion dollars in public and private investment since the mid 1980s. Projects like the DeVos Place Convention Center, River House Condominiums and The Homes at River’s Edge have embraced the proximity to the river as an asset, even given its largely passive state. Here’s a look at some of the major projects. 

In anticipation of a multifaceted effort to restore the Grand River through downtown Grand Rapids, numerous public and private partners are coming together to activate a number of key sites along the riverbanks.

Grand Rapids officials contend they’re open to bringing the medical marijuana industry to the city, but the zoning proposed for businesses in the new sector seems to suggest otherwise. 

The emergence of PFAS contamination in Kent County’s Plainfield Township and at other sites in Michigan and around the world has environmental consulting firms racing to catch up. Grand Rapids-based Fishbeck Thompson Carr & Huber Inc. (FTC&H) recently opened a new division aimed at addressing PFAS issues. Dr. Fernanda Wilson, the practice’s environmental engineering lead, spoke with MiBiz about the widespread issues with the chemicals, which for decades were used for industrial purposes, fire-fighting foam and consumer goods.

GRAND RAPIDS — Amid Grand Rapids’ ongoing apartment-building boom, commercial real estate developers also are noticing demand for urban condominiums. 

News that The Hinman Co. plans to move forward with its long-planned tower in downtown Grand Rapids — albeit without 29 floors of residential units — indicated to many observers that the bottom has fallen out of the city’s apartment market.

Construction executives in West Michigan — known for its concentration of “merit shops” — generally speak favorably of the recent repeal of the state’s prevailing wage law.

GRAND RAPIDS –– New data on hotel rates across the Midwest offered some sobering analysis on the cost of a room in downtown Grand Rapids.

The uncertain future of Rivertown Crossings Mall in Grandville has cast a pall over West Michigan’s retail real estate market, where demand from new entrants is strong but places to put them remain in short supply.

A U.S. Supreme Court ruling expected this summer could either clarify or bring further uncertainty to the debate over when states can force online retailers to collect sales taxes.

It’s been a tumultuous time for large retailers as consumers gravitate to the convenience of e-commerce and consciously shift their buying habits to local options. As these shifts continue to drive change and stress in the retail industry, many stakeholders still believe it offers significant opportunity. In separate interviews, MiBiz connected with retail advisers to gather their thoughts on the state of the industry, why it’s changing and where it’s going. They were:

The local and national retail industry faces many headwinds, but reports of its death have been greatly exaggerated.

In an era of increasing labor and material costs, Michigan contractors and building owners now face another issue that is sending construction costs higher.

GRAND RAPIDS — Proposals to upzone several Grand Rapids neighborhoods in an attempt to address housing issues have exposed deep divisions among local stakeholders.

GRAND RAPIDS –– When developer Franklin Partners LLC brings its proposed seven-story downtown office tower to market in the coming years, it will offer tenants Class A office space that’s currently in short supply across the city.

GRAND RAPIDS — Demand remains strong for urban apartments, although occupancy rates for the burgeoning market have begun to slip as new units come online.