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Consultants propose sunken plaza, river promenade and underpass trail to integrate former Tuffy site into Tassel Park
Summary
Design team presented a scaled design concept to incorporate the former Tuffy property into Tassel Park that preserves existing park features, improves riverfront access and safety, adds a sunken plaza and river promenade, and explores a trail under the Cascade Road bridge. Floodplain permitting and interagency review will shape timing.
A team from Troyer Group, Native Ed and Fleece & Vanderberg presented a draft concept to the board to integrate the former Tuffy parcel into Tassel Park focused on enhancing riverfront access, improving safety and creating more usable park space without replacing existing historic features.
The consultants described site constraints: a steep slope from Thornapple River Drive down to the river, heavy traffic at the Cascade Road/Thornapple River Drive intersection and dense vegetation near the dam that limits access and sightlines. Their concept emphasizes honoring donors and existing park structures, improving accessibility (including an under-bridge trail using the Verberg property), minimizing vehicular-pedestrian conflict by reorganizing parking, and restoring riverfront access with an upper promenade and lower boardwalk.
A central design element is a sunken plaza at the busy corner of Cascade Road and Thornapple River Drive. The scheme would create a small upper plaza at the road and then arc down to a larger sunken plaza with planted terraces, an integrated water feature and natural-play elements. The lowered grade and vegetation would reduce road noise and visually nestle the plaza into the landscape, the team said. The plan preserves the park’s eastern and southern areas and calls for targeted restoration near the dam, additional overlooks and small kayak launch and beach access points.
Consultants said the former doctor’s office footprint could be reused in concept but noted structural and floodplain constraints that likely require a new, code-compliant building with a finished floor elevation above floodplain levels. They reported an initial procedural meeting with EGLE and indicated floodway permitting will be a major schedule factor; the team estimated permitting and final design could push some construction into 2027.
Board members and nearby residents focused discussion on parking counts, preserving the doctor’s-office character if feasible, and minimizing large splash-pad treatments in favor of more naturalized water features. Township staff noted future changes as the plan advances through DDA review, permitting and public engagement. The consultants said the concept will be presented to the Downtown Development Authority at its next meeting and then to the public for additional feedback.
