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Grand Rapids seeks $3.8 million in legacy funds to renovate Old Central School
Summary
City officials told a Senate committee the 1895 Old Central School in Grand Rapids—an arts hub with Richardsonian Romanesque architecture—needs a new roof, structural trusses, HVAC and ADA upgrades; Senate File 575 was laid over for possible inclusion.
Senator (name on record) presented Senate File 575, an appropriation request for $3,800,000 from the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund to the Historical Society for a grant to the city of Grand Rapids to preserve and renovate Old Central School, an 1895 Richardsonian Romanesque building that now houses arts spaces and studios.
Rick Blake, a Grand Rapids city councilor, told the committee the building is an iconic local landmark listed on the National Register of Historic Places and serves as a center for pop-up galleries, student art displays, a residency program and summer concerts. “This facility is a very important part of the arts community in Grand Rapids,” Blake said, and described the building as “in desperate need of repair and restoration.”
Tom Pagel, city administrator, described structural needs including a replacement roof and structural trusses, rotted sill plates, failing HVAC equipment for which parts are no longer available, leaking rock-and-mortar foundation footings, poor ADA access and elevators needing upgrades. Pagel warned that the roof’s current condition presents elevated risk if snow accumulates: “If that roof ever accumulated snow, the likelihood of it structurally failing is very high.”
Committee members asked whether bonding had been considered. Pagel and Senator (presenter) said they reviewed bonding but felt the Arts and Cultural Heritage Fund was the most practical route for this preservation work, in part because continued artist tenancy is a consideration. The bill was laid over for possible inclusion.
