Grand Rapids seeks partners to develop mixed-use downtown parking project

Grand Rapids seeks partners to develop mixed-use downtown parking project

GRAND RAPIDS — The city of Grand Rapids is seeking development partners for a downtown mixed-use structure that includes retail, parking and possibly housing or commercial development. 

The City Commission on Tuesday approved the economic development department to seek proposals for the purchase and development of the wedge-shaped lot at the northwest corner of Ionia Avenue and Fulton Street.

The preliminary design for the proposed building at 22 Ottawa Ave. NW includes ground-floor retail along Fulton Street, across from the Van Andel Arena; 200 parking spaces that can be built by the city or the partner, and additional commercial or residential development atop the parking ramp.

The city is seeking construction that allows for the conversion of the parking structure to residential or office space in the future if needed, and the option to include the conversion of the ground floor of the existing Fulton-Ottawa parking ramp.

The proposals will be reviewed by a committee that includes the economic development department, the Mobile GR parking services and planning departments, as well as staff from Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., representatives from the Brownfield Redevelopment Authority, Downtown Development Authority and Mobile GR Commission. 

The committee hopes to bring a recommendation to the city commission in January.

The request for proposals comes after Grand Rapids’ budget conversations included expanding downtown parking options, as MiBiz previously reported. The city’s early discussions included converting the 18-space surface parking lot at Fulton and Ionia into a five-level parking deck with 165 spaces.