Michigan Strategic Fund Board Supports 109 Apartments in Grand Rapids' Westside Neighborhood

LANSING, Mich.  – Today, the Michigan Strategic Fund (MSF) Board approved support for the creation of 109 housing units in the City of Grand Rapids’ Westside neighborhood, helping address the city’s housing gap in a neighborhood of growing interest for residents.

“We are pleased to support the creation of additional housing units in the growing, vibrant city of Grand Rapids,” said Quentin Messer, Jr., CEO of the Michigan Economic Development Corporation and chair of the MSF Board. “By helping the city’s risk-taking developers create housing, commercial options, and overall walkability, this project is a clear demonstration of Team Michigan’s commitment to helping everyone ‘Make it in Michigan’ by delivering economic development solutions for People, Places, and Projects.”

OVERVIEW: The MSF Board approved a Michigan Community Revitalization Program (MCRP) performance-based loan up to $4.75 million for Abode Fulton, LLC, a project that will be strategically situated at the gateway of Grand Rapids’ Westside neighborhood on West Fulton, centrally located among major entertainment and dining options.

The project intends to create 109 market-rate units consisting of studio and one-bedroom configurations, along with three commercial suites in the West Fulton corridor of Grand Rapids.

"The City of Grand Rapids celebrates the partnership with the MEDC and Construction Simplified to activate an underutilized site through Community Revitalization Program dollars,” said Grand Rapids Economic Development Director Sarah Rainero. “These state resources are critical to advancing brownfield redevelopment projects and will complement the momentum already underway to bring new amenities to the West Fulton business district. Redeveloping this site will strengthen the City’s overall economic vitality, including adding vibrancy to a walkable mixed-use district, where new residents, businesses, and visitors can enjoy this great city.”

The investment is also located near Grand Valley State University’s rapidly expanding downtown campus and is a short walk to the Acrisure Amphitheatre and Professional Stadium developments.

In addition to the MCRP, the project expects to receive support from the City of Grand Rapids in the form of a Neighborhood Enterprise Zone valued at about $2.46 million and local portion of a Brownfield TIF valued at about $1.14 million. Even so, a significant financing gap remains due to high costs associated with urban redevelopment and the construction of a mixed-use building that aligns with the city’s broader revitalization goals.

WHY IT MATTERS: In addition to helping address Michigan’s housing needs, the mixed-use component of the Abode Fulton project intends to enhance overall vibrancy of the neighborhood and improve walkability in a rapidly growing city attracting new talent.

“As a West Michigan business, Construction Simplified, the developer leading Abode West Fulton, has made a deliberate and continued investment in the Westside corridor we call home, something we believed in long before its current excitement and momentum Brent Gibson, president of Construction Simplified. “We’re grateful for the support from the Michigan Strategic Fund, MEDC, and the City of Grand Rapids to help move this vision forward. Abode West Fulton is about adding energy, housing, and walkable retail that contributes to the long-term vitality of a growing and evolving Westside.”

The MSF Board also approved Strategic Site Readiness Program (SSRP) funding for projects in Muskegon and Ottawa counties, which will help advance business expansions by fairlife and La Colombe. The MSF Board also approved support for each of those expansions today.

NOTE FROM THE MEDC: Investment and job numbers represent the commitment made by the business to the state of Michigan. Terms will be formalized in a performance-based project agreement, with funds disbursed as reimbursement based on eligible expenditures, and are subject to amendment or cancellation if the commitments are not met due to risks or uncertainties. The Michigan Economic Development Corporation provides a public annual report on agreements and their status to the state legislature. 

About Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC)

The Michigan Economic Development Corporation is the state’s marketing arm and lead advocate for business development, job awareness and community development with the focus on growing Michigan’s economy. For more information on the MEDC and our initiatives, visit www.MichiganBusiness.org. For Pure Michigan® tourism information, your trip begins at www.michigan.org. Join the conversation on: Facebook Instagram LinkedIn, and Twitter.