Planning commission approves conversion of office space to 13 apartments at 614 1st St. NW

The Grand Rapids City Planning Commission on June 11 approved a minor amendment to an approved planned redevelopment district to convert existing office space at 614 1st Street Northwest into 13 dwelling units.

Staff said the building meets many site-layout and transparency requirements for residential use and recommended the commission consider entrances, screening and landscaping to provide privacy for ground-floor units. Mike Maraz of Rockford Construction told the commission the conversion is supported by a $1.3 million MISTA MyNeighborhoods grant that will fund part of the work and that three of the new units will be income-restricted at 60% AMI. "We were able to achieve a Mista grant from the My Neighborhoods program. So they're supplying $1,300,000 of grant funding for this that is already approved," Maraz said.

Commissioners asked about access to Hendrick building amenities, provision of bike parking and opportunities for interior bike storage. Staff and the applicant said residents will have key-card access and that residents will be able to use shared amenities with the adjacent Hendrick building; on-site parking will be provided in the existing parking deck. Commissioners requested landscaping that is shade-tolerant with irrigation to screen the ground-floor units from the sidewalk; the commission included that direction in the conditions of approval.

The commission approved the amendment with standard conditions and immediate effect. The approval was supported by commissioners who described the project as an activation of underused space and a contribution to downtown-area housing supply.