Grand Rapids, Mich. (Monday, Feb. 3, 2014; 12:01 AM) – CWD Real Estate Investment plans to bring a hotel to the core of downtown Grand Rapids. The hotel will be built on the surface parking lot located north of 50 Monroe (corner of Monroe Ave. and Louis St. NW) with construction to commence fall 2014.
“This site, which is literally in the center of our City, has been a parking lot for at least 30 years,” notes CWD co-managing partner, Sam Cummings. “We are thrilled with the prospect of adding an iconic structure to this important location and we hope to submit plans to the City of Grand Rapids Planning Department by late spring for construction to begin later this year.”
CWD is in discussions with Amway Hotel Corporation regarding management of the hotel. A hotel brand will be announced at a later date.
The hotel, which likely will include extended stay rooms, will be the first of its kind in the downtown market. By definition, an extended stay hotel hosts guests who stay five nights or more in a room that includes a kitchen area. The development will also likely include retail, restaurants, and potentially residential units as part of a mixed-use project.
“Place-making is more than just the current buzz word; it’s a real movement with real momentum here. This mixed-use development will further solidify that the core of our city is the place to work, live, and be entertained,” says CWD co-managing partner Scott Wierda.
CWD has engaged Founding Partner and Creative Director of wHY Design, Kulapat Yantrasast, to design the building. Mr. Yantrasast is better known as the architect of the Grand Rapids Art Museum—the first new art museum in the world to receive a LEED Gold certification for environmental design. (See attached rendering and bio.)
This is the first hotel project for CWD and will come on the heels of its renovations to three significant downtown historic buildings: the Ledyard Building (125 Ottawa), Trust Building (40 Pearl), and 50 Louis – which includes CWD’s new headquarters. CWD has owned the property at 50 Monroe since March 2012.
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CWD Real Estate Investment is the leading real estate investment and property management firm in Grand Rapids. Formed in 2008 by partners Sam Cummings, Scott Wierda, and Dan DeVos, CWD Real Estate Investment commits to strengthening the urban center and community of Grand Rapids by making strategic investments that provide high-quality places to live and work.