GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — As crews tore down the popular waterfront shopping center, Chinook Pier's displaced business owners began serving customers in another historic Grand Haven building: The Grand Trunk Depot.
"I couldn't ask for anything better," said Dave Evanoski, who opened his Grand Haven Beach Company storefront in the Grand Trunk Depot on June 5. "I'm part of the community now, and it's the best feeling."
Evanoski leased a space at Chinook Pier, expecting to open last month.
"I was really excited to be a part of the Chinook Pier family being down by the boats," he said. "Then 11 days before I got my keys, I was notified I could no longer move in. My heart was obviously broken."
Plans changed when tenants found mold in air samples of all three of the center's buildings that contractors later deemed unsafe for operation. The city spent around $25,000 trying to remedy the issue.
The cost for remediation exceeded what would be feasible for Grand Haven to invest in that facility, said Ashley Latsch, assistant to the city manager.
The city council decided to demolish all three buildings earlier this year. Crews started the demolition Monday, June 9.
Officials later accepted a proposal for some businesses to occupy the Grand Trunk Depot. Grand Haven Beach company joined Peace Frogs apparel, Dairy Creme and Temptations ice cream shops in the building.
"We anticipate being OK this year," said Kelly Larson, owner of Temptations. "Some of our other store owners were not quite so lucky. Some of them didn't land, some closed down. We had some friends end up on Washington [Avenue]."
The city is pursuing a $50,000 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and the Michigan Municipal League to initiate a community engagement and development process for the Chinook Pier property. The possibilities for the area are endless, Latsch said.
"We really want to see what the community wants to see," she said. "We're hoping to come up with the best fit for this waterfront in general, not just that property."
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