Whitmer unveils $874K grant to revitalize Grand Rapids building
Posted By: WZZM13 on March 5, 2025. For more information, please click here to read the source article.
Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer announced Wednesday that Grand Rapids will receive a $874,000 grant through the state’s Revitalization and Placemaking (RAP) program to transform a “functionally obsolete” building into a mixed-use development.
The project will create 17 new residential rental units for the Cesar E. Chavez corridor, generating a total capital investment of over $3.9 million.
“We need to ‘build, baby, build’ so every Michigander has a safe, affordable place to call home,” Whitmer said. “This year, we’ll make the largest investment to build housing in Michigan and continue charging ahead with programs like RAP to increase supply, drive down costs, and make Michigan a better place to live, work, and invest.”
The development will convert a former one-story building into a three-level, mixed-use structure designed to increase residential density while enhancing walkability in the community. The building will be all-electric to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
First-time developer Juan Lopez, a long-time Grand Rapids resident, is partnering with Cella Building Company on the project. Lopez attended Grand Rapids’ Developer Day seminar and the Michigan Economic Development Corporation’s Emerging Developer Roadshow to prepare for the development.
“This project will leave a long-lasting impact on the area and help create future jobs and housing that will strengthen our community,” Lopez said.
The grant is part of broader revitalization efforts in Grand Rapids. In August 2024, the Michigan Strategic Fund approved a Transformational Brownfield Plan expected to bring $700 million in investment to the Grand Rapids riverfront, creating 735 residential units and supporting 250 new jobs.
Sarah Rainero, Grand Rapids Economic Development Director, said the city is committed to providing equal access to tools and resources for emerging real estate entrepreneurs.
“We are working to deliver more opportunities to emerging real estate entrepreneurs,” Rainero said. “We want to see the momentum of activating property in neighborhood corridors continue.”
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