Brownfield authority approves downtown conversions and five emerging-developer grants

The Grand Rapids Brownfield Redevelopment Authority on the morning of the meeting approved a set of redevelopment and grant requests intended to spur housing and ground-floor commercial reuse across the city.

Staff presented a resolution to support the 125 Ottawa Northwest project, an adaptive reuse of Floors 2–4 of the Ledyard Building to create 36 residential units, including eight units targeted to households earning at or below 60% of Kent County area median income. "If you approve the work plan, before you this morning, then we would be authorized then to work and draft and execute a development and reimbursement agreement prior to sending off to the state of Michigan," city staff member Mackenzie said during the presentation. Commissioners asked about income targeting and funding; Mackenzie said the project is pursuing Michigan State Housing Development Authority missing-middle funding to support the deeper affordability.

The board also approved…