Planning commission approves CoreWell Health sign program amendment for Bradford Street ambulatory surgery center

The Grand Rapids City Planning Commission approved on Jan. 23 an amendment to the plan sign program for CoreWell Health’s new cardiovascular ambulatory surgery center at 2984 Bradford Street Northeast that allows two larger wall signs than typically allowed in the site’s assigned Neighborhood Office Service (NOS) district.

Planning staff (Elizabeth) explained the parcel sits inside a large planned redevelopment district (PRD) that originally anticipated a hospital campus and spans multiple properties. Staff told commissioners three proposed signs were under consideration: a ground sign (which meets current NOS limits), a north‑facing wall sign at roughly 57 square feet (exceeding the NOS 32‑square‑foot limit and the east‑beltline overlay 40‑square‑foot limit), and a south/expression‑way‑facing wall sign at about 57 square feet (which exceeds NOS allowances but would fall within the east‑beltline overlay allowance of up to 100 square feet if the overlay were assigned).

CoreWell’s sign contractor Steve Field (Valley City Sign) and the applicant said the signage was sized for brand recognition and to serve an older patient population who need clearly legible identification. Staff and commissioners discussed whether to reassign the parcel to the east‑beltline overlay (which allows larger signs but prohibits electronic message centers) or to retain the NOS assignment and grant a plan sign program amendment just for this building.

Commissioners discussed precedent across the larger PRD — a roughly 78‑acre campus that will include multiple buildings — and whether allowing larger signs for this building could obligate similar allowances for future buildings on the campus. After discussion, the commission approved the amendment as presented, adopting findings that account for the campus scale, building massing and nearby travel speeds and added conditions, striking certain standard resolution conditions (items 3, 5 and 7) and making the approval effective immediately.

Why it matters: The decision allows CoreWell Health to proceed with building signage sized for patient recognition while keeping the parcel under the NOS zoning assignment rather than rezoning to the east‑beltline overlay. The commission emphasized that PRD‑level approvals and subsequent individual building approvals create recurring opportunities to consider appropriate signage for each building and that plan sign program amendments are evaluated on a case‑by‑case basis.

Votes at a glance: The motion to approve the plan sign program amendment carried by voice vote; the transcript records support and aye votes without a numeric roll call tally.