GRANDVILLE, Mich. — The Rivertown Crossings Mall in Grandville will soon see new updates and improvements on the former Younker Department Store. The Younkers Department store closed a few years ago and the city said a local developer is now trying to refine the old space.
"He's trying to improve that tenant space, and create smaller tenant areas to attract new tenants to the mall" said Grandville City Assessor, Charlie Decator.
The former Younkers department store at Rivertown Crossings is set to be transformed in the next few months. According to the Grandville City Assessor, a local developer is reconstructing the site.
"So it's really exciting. A developer bought the former Yonkers space, and he's redeveloping that into three different tenant spaces. And part of the process for that was he wanted to, he was concerned about the property taxes going up after the remodel of the space. And he, you know, was trying to make a building that's a little bit functional, has a little functional obsolescence to it" said Decator.
After granting the developer his certificate, the Grandville City Council finalized and approved the new plan for reconstruction last week.
"We've been working with him through the State of Michigan tax abatement program, which is called a commercial rehab certificate. We also granted that certificate for him, which is a tax abatement on the building, so he can make those improvements to the building and the taxes are frozen for up to 10 years. He would still pay property taxes on the land to the City of Granville," said Decator.
Rivertown Crossings Mall has been a staple in Grandville for 25 years—that's why the city said now more than ever, its important to renovate stores in the mall.
"Our mall here in Granville has been struggling a little bit. We have a vacant former Younker and we also have a vacant Sears building. To occupy these spaces with tenants, we're hoping and some tax abatements is going to you know, encourage investment into that anchor store and we're hoping that it'll encourage investment in other places of the mall" said Decator.
The city says there will also be a new trampoline park on the upper level of the former Younkers Space. Construction on that will start in the next few months.
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