A skyscraper developers planned to build in downtown Grand Rapids might be downsizing by quite a bit.
Portage-based company, Hinman Company, originally proposed a 42 story tower at 10 Ionia Avenue Northwest.
According to documents sent to the Grand Rapids Historic Preservation Commission, the developer is requesting the height be reduced to 13 stories.
The documents say the building will look the same in all other aspects. A 12 story structure previously stood in the proposed location, but it currently serves as a parking lot. The Historic Commission will consider the change at a meeting on June 20.
“We continue to be committed to developing a great project on the 10 Ionia site. Many factors impact the potential development of any property and 10 Ionia is no different.
After several years of planning and due diligence, the apartment portion of the 10 Ionia project is being removed from the building. With thousands of apartment units recently built, under construction, or planned, it was necessary to revisit this part of the project in response to market pressures. We evaluated a reduction in apartment floors or alternate uses, but the size and shape of the site does not work well for office and we lost the benefit of cost efficiencies of providing a second set of infrastructure (elevators and building systems) when we reduced the number of apartment floors.
Our focus today is on developing a thirteen-story building for a hotel with ground floor retail. The building’s exterior design will be slightly adjusted to better fit its revised scale but the building will fill the property’s unique and iconic “flatiron” shape. The parking garage at 30 Ionia will remain for now.
We remain committed to developing the site and doing our part to positively impact downtown Grand Rapids.”
Roger Hinman, The Hinman Company
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