By Joe Boomgaard | MiBiz
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GRAND RAPIDS — Crews from Wolverine Building Group and their subcontractors are hard at work gutting the interiors of three historic structures just south of downtown Grand Rapids in the Division Avenue corridor, part of a $6.1 million construction project for Brookstone Capital, a Midland-based developer with several previous successful redevelopment projects in or near downtown.

The two adjoined buildings at 209 and 217 South Division, built in 1911 and 1888, respectively, will be combined to form Division Park Avenue, a 30-unit apartment facility featuring 1- to 3-bedroom units, said architect Gary Breen of Concept Design Studio Inc. of Norton Shores. While the levels of the two structures are off by about 6 inches in places, the crews planned to connect them.

Breen said a secure, fenced parking structure for tenants will be created in the lower level of the building, which is at ground level on the side opposite Division Avenue. The sidewalk level will feature 2-story, 3-bedroom townhouse live-work units, ideal for artists to have a gallery storefront and live upstairs.

The brick building at 209 had been originally built as an overnight stay hotel and features a central light well for the second and third floors, which will be “returned to its original state to bring in natural light” to the units on those floors. The former design had small studios connected with common bathrooms, but the renovation calls for converting the floor into more modern 1- or 2-bedroom apartments, complete with individual amenities.

Wooden staircases and some metal ceilings will be retained where possible, Breen said, but some modification will be needed to bring the buildings up to code for barrier-free access.
The 2-story adjacent cement building to the south at 217 South Division, will require considerable exterior work.

“It was from a period when they were just getting into poured concrete, and there’s a lot of work to be done to fix it. But we can fix it,” Breen told MiBiz, noting that the structure might not have been saved had it stood on its own. Since it was “interconnected” with the two other adjacent or nearby buildings, it made sense for the developer to renovate it versus build new, he said.

The 17 Williams Street building, formerly a tire installation garage, will be transformed into Serrano Lofts, a 15-unit apartment building. Aaron Jonker, project manager for Wolverine Building Group, said the garage floor was removed and will be replaced. The rest of the facility will feature sandblasted wood floors, exposed brick and 12-foot or 13-foot ceilings from the original structure, built in 1917. Crews cut into the floors at the center of the building to create a central access, and some exterior walls will be modified to make way for period-looking, energy efficient windows.
Parking for Serrano Lofts will be across Williams Street.

The main challenge to date with the Serrano project, other than the tight 9-month project timeline, has been removing lower level floor to make way for new footings and mechanicals. Crews had to rip out the Williams Street sidewalk and then make an earthen ramp to get equipment down into the lower level, where the offices, storage units and mechanicals will be placed once the project is complete.

“With the garage floor, not knowing how the building was built, we thought it would be a clean, 1-week project,” Jonker told MiBiz. “We didn’t think the soil would be an issue, but you can only tell so much from (borings).”
Instead of stable soil under the lower floor, crews found a wet and peaty mess. Jonker said about 12-18 inches of the “urban fill” would have to be removed and backfilled with sand to ensure no later problems with the floor.

“One nice thing about (Serrano) is that it was built like a fortress,” Breen said, noting the structure had 22-inch thick walls at the lower level that tapered to 16 inches at the top. “It was built solid.”
The developers will be seeking LEED certification for the projects, Breen said, noting high efficiency HVAC systems, windows and lighting are all part of the process.

“This is very suitable for going LEED so these buildings do not end up in a landfill,” he said.
Both Serrano Lofts and Division Park Avenue will be aimed at working class tenants. Most apartment units will range from 700-900 square feet.