Tag Archives: Site 36

Wyoming breaks ground at future Godwin Mercado site on 36th Street

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Wyoming city officials broke ground at the future Godwin Mercado site, officially kicking off the start of construction (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


(Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Wyoming city officials reached a significant milestone as they broke ground at the future Godwin Mercado five-acre parcel of land on 36th Street.

“We are excited about this because it’s been in the works for so long, we weren’t sure it was going to come to pass,” says Wyoming Mayor Kent Vanderwood. “This is a great day.”

Godwin Mercado will be situated on the north side of the Site 36 Industrial Park.

Formerly a General Motors stamping plant, the 75-acre parcel of Site 36 was sold to commercial real estate investment company Franklin and Partners (FP) with an agreement that FP would help Wyoming develop a community marketplace on the north side.

After years of community, vendor and market research, Godwin Mercado is now under construction.

The Godwin Mercado groundbreaking took place Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2024 (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

“This has been something that residents have been asking for for years,” says Nicole Hofert, Director of Community and Economic Development for Wyoming. “To be standing here today and seeing the dirt moving and knowing that in eight months we’re delivering a promise to the community, I’m so excited right now.

“I’m very proud of the City of Wyoming team, all our partners and the ability to bring this to fruition after all this time.”

A community asset

City Manager John Shay says Godwin Mercado is part of the City’s [re]Imagined Wyoming.

“Our goal is to prioritize investments in the community that contribute to placemaking and strengthen Wyoming’s sense of identity,” says Shay, adding that this marketplace answers residents’ call for a community space to gather and hold private events.

An outdoor rendering of Godwin Mercado (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)

The 6,000-square-foot market space will provide year-round usage opportunities to support local vendors, seasonal farm and artisan markets, food trucks, community events and private events.

Market days will provide fresh and healthy food options with access to all food assistance currencies. This will fill key gaps in the area’s food system and help support the well-being of residents living in the Godwin Heights neighborhood and greater Grand Rapids area.

A rendering of the indoor event space at Godwin Mercado (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)

The Mercado space will also accommodate food education demonstrations, health and wellness programs, and more.

The marketplace will be easily accessible due to its walkable neighborhood location, the City’s reconfigured trail network, and its proximity to the highway and Silver Line bus route.

Celebrating culture

The name Godwin Mercado comes from extensive community input that included residents, community members and business leaders.

“We landed on a name that really connects us to this unique neighborhood and celebrates the community here in Wyoming,” said Krashawn Martin, Wyoming Director of Parks and Recreation.

Godwin Mercado is a celebration of the neighborhood’s rich heritage and thriving modern culture (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Godwin Mercado not only serves as a gathering space and point of pride for the greater Wyoming community, it honors the rich heritage and thriving modern culture of the neighborhood where it sits.

The story of Godwin Heights is one of perseverance, ingenuity and grit. Beginning in a one-room schoolhouse in 1867, Godwin Heights has become a thriving destination shaped by its melody of cultures.

Mayor Vanderwood hopes Godwin Mercado will create strong community bonds.

“We’re such a diverse community, and we feel it’s time we start giving recognition to that diversity,” says Mayor Vanderwood. “By naming it as part of this proud neighborhood of Godwin, and giving it the Hispanic market name of Mercado, we think it will draw from all across the city.”

True community development

Krawshawn Martin (left) visits with guests before the groundbreaking ceremony (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

“This project is really an example of true community development,” says Don Shoemaker of Franklin Partners. “We purchased this site from the City knowing that it was going to take a real community effort to get to this point.

“We’re really glad to be part of the team, and the City of Wyoming should be very proud of what they have accomplished here today because it really was a great community effort.”

Randy Thelen, President and CEO of The Right Place, agrees.

“This placemaking project with the market is going to help improve the quality of life of tens of thousands – if not hundreds of thousands – of people all across the region,” says Thelen.

“The partnership that brought this all together is powerful, and it allows for big things to happen. Our team is pleased to be a partner on this project throughout.”

It’s all about the people

State Rep. John Fitzgerald (left) greets Deputy City Manager Patrick Waterman (Courtesy, Deborah Reed)

Martin says the reaction from the community has been the driving force behind Godwin Mercado.

“The genuine excitement that Wyoming has about this project, it’s carried us through it,” says Martin. “People are just thrilled to see something happening after there being nothing here for so long.

“Feeling their excitement feeds our excitement and gets us where we need to go to make it happen. That’s what it’s all about – it’s about the people.”

Godwin Mercado

Godwin Mercado is funded in part by a $1.5 million contribution from real estate development firm Franklin Partners, assistance from The Right Place in securing a $450,000 RAP  2.0 grant from the Michigan Economic Development Corporation, a $50,000 grant from Consumers Energy, and city funds from sale proceeds of Site 36.

Learn more about Godwin Mercado here.

City of Wyoming to infuse new life into land sitting vacant for 15+ years

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Benteler Automotive’s proposal to build a new battery components assembly plant on Site 36 was approved at a recent City Council meeting (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)


By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org


The Wyoming City Council recently approved a $150 million investment project that will bring new life to the long-vacant former General Motors stamping plant.

The GM plant opened in 1936, closing operations in 2009. Over the years, the city worked to prep the land for redevelopment. Benteler Automotive’s proposal to build a new battery components assembly plant on Site 36 was approved at a recent City Council meeting. The plant will focus production of a battery tray, tray cover and charging modules weld vent for the V801 Ford Transit Van.

“We are really excited to have them,” said Nicole Hofert, Director of Community and Economic Development for Wyoming. “It’s a huge investment in the community. They already have a location in Wyoming, and it’s always great to see a local business grow.”

City documents show the project includes a 299,845-square-foot facility and an additional 17,120-square-foot single-story office area. Site plans include access off 40th Street and Stafford Avenue, a shared drive off Buchanan Avenue, and loading docks adjacent to the railroad.

City officials estimate the Benteler plant will generate 150-170 new jobs.

  • Benteler Automotive Rendering (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
  • Benteler Automotive Rendering (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
  • Benteler Automotive Rendering (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
  • Benteler Automotive Rendering (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
  • Benteler Automotive (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)

But wait – there’s more!

The Benteler plant is one of three developments coming to the 75-acre parcel of land that was sold to commercial real estate investment company Franklin and Partners in 2022.

In March 2024, the Wyoming City Council approved Corewell Health’s proposal for a 296,515-square-foot consolidated service center.

“All of their medical supplies for all their hospitals throughout the region will have a centralized location, and that will take place here in Wyoming,” said Hofert.

The development project will provide space for Corewell Health’s supply chain offices, document and mail services, a 36,000-square-foot shell space and a dedicated parking area for lab courier fleet vehicles. EV charging stations will also be included.

This development will generate an estimated 240 new jobs.

Corewell Health will also develop a non-motorized path along the east edge of the property to provide residents a direct path to the new 36th Street Marketplace.

  • Corewell Health Rendering (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
  • Corewell Health Rendering (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
  • Corewell Health Rendering (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)
  • Corewell Health Rendering (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)

The third and final section of Site 36 has garnered notice by other businesses.

“Franklin Partners still retains ownership of this third parcel, but they are in conversations with a business,” said Hofert. “We’re hoping that we’ll be able to hear some good news about that shortly.”

Turning the page…

City officials have seen an abundance of support for the Site 36 revitalization.

“It’s no secret that when the GM stamping plant closed, Division Avenue and that surrounding neighborhood suffered because a lot of the people who worked at the plant lived in that neighborhood and patronized the shops on Division Avenue,” said Hofert.

Hofert went on to say that when she spoke with city residents during the Wyoming master plan efforts, she noted enthusiasm and support for bringing more industry to Site 36.

“What we saw during the Corewell approval process and the Benteler approval process is that the community is really excited for these developments, and excited to be turning the page into something new,” said Hofert.

(Courtesy photo)

Hofert believes the infusion of Corewell Health, Benteler Automotive and additional area developments will also bring more business investments along the Division Avenue corridor.

“I see a very positive trajectory based on the types of development that we’re seeing in Wyoming,” said Hofert.

Though the former GM plant property sat vacant for 15 years, Hofert said city officials have never stopped striving to develop Site 36 and the City Center project. That dedication, she said, is the product of Wyoming’s city leaders.

“We really believe in this community and want to continue to see advancement,” said Hofert. “Some of these projects take time, but now we’re seeing something happen.

“We’re really lucky to be a community that’s a little bit more forward-thinking and wants to make sure that we’re making investments into our community.”

Though Benteler Automotive has not revealed a construction timeframe for the new plant, they hope to break ground this fall.

Stay in the know

For more information on Wyoming happenings, visit the city website.

Wyoming 36th Street Marketplace planning continues, aims to be community hub

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A satellite view of Site 36 shows location of the forthcoming 36th Street Marketplace five-acre parcel of land (Courtesy, City of Wyoming)

By Deborah Reed

WKTV Managing Editor

deborah@wktv.org

The City of Wyoming is making steady progress with plans regarding the forthcoming local marketplace at Site 36 Industrial Park.

“We’re very excited about it,” said Nicole Hofert, Wyoming’s Director of Community & Economic Development. “I think that we are going to be creating a really nice hub for families. Somewhere where they can feel safe and want to be.”

Formerly a General Motors stamping plant, Site 36 North is directly adjacent to the Godwin High School athletic field (Courtesy, Deborah Reed WKTV)

Site 36 Industrial Park is an 80-acre parcel of land with 75-acres on the south side of 36th Street, and an additional five acres on the north side.

The 36th Street Marketplace will be located on that five-acre parcel.

Formerly a General Motors stamping plant, the 75 acre parcel of Site 36 was sold to commercial real estate investment company Franklin and Partners (FP) with an agreement that FP would help Wyoming develop a community marketplace on the north side.

“What’s also fortunate about this property is that Godwin High School sits just across the street, and their athletic field sits directly adjacent to the site,” said Hofert.

Hofert went on to say that the City has acquired a parking agreement with the school that will benefit both school and marketplace events.

Marketplace planning sneak peek

The marketplace design incorporates a long rectangular building with a flexible layout that will allow for up to 24 vendors.

Farmers markets have become increasingly popular and offer more than just fresh produce (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

“You could have a farmers market one day and then maybe an artisan market later in the week that requires a slightly different layout,” said Hofert.

Garage doors on all sides can be raised or lowered as needed, allowing the market to function year-round.

Programmable outdoor space is also included in the design.

A designated food truck parking area will allow food truck and other similar events to proceed even when the market isn’t in operation. A smaller outdoor space on the front of the market will allow for music events and other outdoor activities.

“We’ve had a tremendous team working on it,” said Hofert. “We’ve been very lucky with our internal partners as well as our external partners, and they were very thoughtful in a lot of their recommendations.”

Hofert went on to say that the City did a large amount of market research leading into the planning process. They also traveled to several farmers markets, which led to the rationale for the garage doors.

36th Street Marketplace planning has involved large amounts of research, including on-location visits to similar venues (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

With West Michigan’s variant weather, Hofert said the question was how the City could “bring something to the community that they can ultimately embrace, and is available to them 365 days out of the year and not just a limited 3-month window.”

Conversations with local entrepreneurs provided feedback on what would be helpful for vendors. The City also sought support and feedback from the Division Avenue Business Association.

“Hopefully we’ve designed something that’s reflective of their needs to really maximize the benefit of this,” said Hofert. “There are opportunities to expand beyond just fresh fruit or vegetable offerings, and we really wanted to make sure that we were providing for those opportunities.”

Once the marketplace is built, leadership of design and vendor needs will pass to Krashawn Martin, director of the Parks and Recreation Department.

A family and community hub

The City’s goal is to make the marketplace a venue where people want to spend time and that is accessible from every direction.

Families and other community members will be able to access the marketplace from multiple routes (Courtesy, www.pxhere.com)

Marketplace planners hope that the south side of Site 36 develops quickly, creating a natural magnet that will draw people to the north side.

“It’s also an area of the community that still has a very tight grid system,” said Hofert. “We have a very walkable neighborhood surrounding it and we are hoping…it becomes part of the neighborhood’s aesthetic.”

The Silver Line runs along Division Avenue, creating broader access for neighborhoods. Site 36 and the Silver Line are only a quarter mile apart, allowing visitors to easily walk to the marketplace.

A reconfigured trail network will bring the non-motorized trail off of Buchanan to Site 36 and also around the site.

“Anyone using the trail is going to have to go through the marketplace,” said Hofert. “You now have families that can bike to the marketplace, get some fresh fruits, vegetables, some artisan goods, maybe a cup of coffee, and then head home.”

Timeline and extra perks

Farmers Market (Courtesy, pxhere.com)

“I am hopeful that we will be breaking ground late this year, into early next year,” said Hofert. “We’re finishing up due diligence. We have to complete a Brownfield Work Plan, and then obviously construction will have to begin.”

Hofert is remaining conservative in the City’s expectations on project completion, however, knowing that there are often delays in the current construction industry.

A generous grant will provide an extra marketplace perk once construction is complete.

“We received a $50,000 grant from the Consumers Energy Foundation for public art on the site,” said Hofert.

The City plans to solicit a local artist to place public art that will honor the site for what it is.

Community renewal and healing

Hofert said the loss of the GM stamping plant was significant for Wyoming and greater Grand Rapids families who worked there.

“It was a tremendous loss to the area when that plant left,” said Hofert. “To be able to bring something to the community, that’s for the community and not just a development asset for a private company, is something that we at the City are really excited about.”

Lead marketer for Site 36 purchases 74 acres of the property

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It was announced that a large portion of the former GM Fisher Body stamping plant has been sold to Franklin Partners LLC. (WKTV)

By Joanne Bailey-Boorsma
joanne@wktv.org

Mayor Jack Poll hinted at it in his Feb. 7 State of the City address and today, Franklin Partners LLC made it official: Site 36 has been sold.

Franklin Partners, which is based in Grand Rapids and Oak Brook, Ill, has purchased a large portion of the site, 74 of the approximate 92 acres, from the City of Wyoming. The purchase became official at the end of February.

“Wyoming thriving business community continues to grow as well,” Poll said in his Feb. 7 address. “Nicole Hofert, director of planning and economic development has lead serval exciting initiatives.”

One of those initiatives has been the sale of Site 36, located at 300 36th St. SW, just east of Clay Avenue on 36th Street with an eastern border of Buchanan Avenue. The property has been vacant since 2009, when General Motors closed its stamping plant.

“The developer hopes to be announcing businesses that will be coming to Wyoming in the coming weeks,” Poll said.

City staff indicated the city has retained the northern portion of the site which includes the former parking lot which is separated from the main property by 36th Street. This is where Godwin Heights Public Schools recently added its new athletic entrance which was completed last year.

Franklin Partners, which has been the main marketer for the property, said in a news release that the firm is looking to build manufacturing plants on the site, ranging in size from 150,000 square feet to more than one million square feet. City officials stated that the site will be broken into four or five parcels for development.

 

The former GM plant, which started as the GM Fisher Body stamping plant, also known in its early days as Plant No. 1, was built in 1936 on the former site and helped to push the construction of much of the city’s infrastructure. At one point, more than 2,000 people were employed at the plant. After 72 years of operation, GM decided to close the plant in 2009 citing the plant was too far away from GM assembly plants, driving up shipping and related costs.

 

The site was cleared of the two-million-square-foot plant a few years after the plant closing, but much of the infrastructure was retained including onsite utilities and the railway. The proximity of the site to US 131 is another added bonus.

“The day has been a long time coming, and we appreciate the confidence and faith Don (Shoemaker) and his team Franklin Partners have shown in Wyoming, in manufacturing and in our greater West Michigan community,” Wyoming City Manager Curtis Hold said in a statement. “We have long recognized what a jewel this property is – and what tremendous potential it has to attract manufacturers looking for a place to expand or consolidate operations.”

City goals unchanged as Wyoming Site36 project gains new partner

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The mostly empty Site36 industrial area off 36th Street SW in Wyoming, from the marketing material of Franklin Partners. (Supplied)

By K.D. Norris

ken@wktv.org

 

Late last year, the City of Wyoming signed an agreement with Franklin Partners, based in the Chicago area but with an office in Grand Rapids, to ramp-up redevelopment of an abandoned General Motors metal stamping plant, the Site36 industrial area off 36th Street SW just east of Highway 131.

 

One of the possible layouts of Site36 site off 36th Street SW in Wyoming, from the marketing material of Franklin Partners. (Supplied)

While the company is pushing forward with a marketing campaign, including drawings depicting multiple possible industrial uses and building layouts for possible sales or lease of portions of the about 92-acre property, Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt says the city’s goals have not changed — they want the land redeveloped into industrial uses to take advantage of already in-place infrastructure.

 

The city also continues to be motivated to work with businesses looking at the site, including tax incentives and other actions.

 

Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt. (WKTV

“We are not looking for leasing options; we are looking for sales,” Holt said this week. “That doesn’t mean the Franklin Partners will not offer that as an option with them holding ownership of a particular site. The purpose of the marketing material is more about showing people what is possible and opening potential owners eyes to ideas that they may not have considered.”

 

Also according to Franklin Partners marketing materials, “The City of Wyoming is motivated to attract new jobs and can offer significant state and local tax incentives to attract large users to the site. … The City has also indicated that it is willing to provide an industrial facilities tax abatement (IFT) for future industrial development. This allows for a nearly 50% abatement of future property taxes on new buildings for up to twelve (12) years. The existence of both a brownfield plan and the City’s expressed willingness to work with future owners/tenants on these and other incentives sets this site apart from others.”

 

Holt says the incentives are also nothing new, as far as the city’s efforts to redevelop the site.

 

“This city has a track record of being very supportive of our business community,” Holt said. “We all have maintained the same principles about Site 36 from the very beginning. Our main goal is jobs, specifically quality jobs available to our residents. With jobs, other indirect benefits will be realized by the city.”

 

The site, with about 80 acres of  “contiguous, shovel ready, manufacturing infrastructure,” according to Franklin Partners, is between Clay and Buchanan avenues south of 36th. According to multiple sources, it was purchased by the city’s Brownfield Redevelopment Authority in 2010, after GM closed the plant in 2006 ending nearly 70 years of operation.

 

According to Holt, the City Council has had no additional discussion with Franklin Partners “since the agreement was executed to work with them as the developer of the site,” but “I know that Franklin Partners is continuing to work on marketing, site preparation and generating potential contacts as they begin to market the site.”

 

Franklin reportedly plans to remove a pedestrian bridge over 36th Street, built to connect the GM plant to a parking lot north of 36th Street, as well as to clean up the site after years of accumulated undergrowth and debris.

 

One of the possible layouts of Site36 site off 36th Street SW in Wyoming, from the marketing material of Franklin Partners. (Supplied)

According to Franklin Partners marketing materials, the site — in addition to its access to US-131 and the Grand Elk Railroad yard — has its own Consumers Energy sub-station with up to 41 megawatt of dedicated power at T-1 rates, and can accommodate new facilities from 100,000 square feet up to 1,000,000 square feet. High-pressure natural gas and municipal water and sewer are also available on-site.

 

The city had been working with local entries The Right Place and NAI Wisinski, but, after being on the market for about four years, leaders expect that bringing Franklin Partners into the mix will get the effort moving once again.

 

“Franklin Partners’ history and reputation in West Michigan are very good,” Holt said. “We have worked with Franklin Partners on several projects and found them to be professional, knowledgeable and well connected. They have experience working with us and the projects we have worked together on have been extremely successful. We believe that relationship will assist us in redevelopment of the site.”

 

Wyoming Welcomes Kendall Electric

Local Business, Our Cities, , , ,

Former GM Employee Parking Lot will See Changes

by Terri Yochum

Former GM employee parking lot sits waiting to be transformed.
Former GM employee parking lot sits waiting to be transformed.

After four years of vacancy, the former General Motors property on Clay Avenue in Wyoming claims its first new resident: J.O. Galloup and Smith Instruments, subsidiaries of Kendall Electric. The combined Kendall Electric businesses will occupy one state of the art facility on a seven acre parcel of the old GM plant, now referred to as Site 36.

Martin Ranly, Kendall Electric president and chief executive officer was quoted in the Southwest Advance as saying, “We are extremely excited to continue investing in the West Michigan business market by relocating our J.O. Galloup operations to Wyoming.” He continued to say that he hopes the many customers they have here will see this move as an investment in the future of all companies involved.

According to Ranly, the location fits perfectly with the needs of the business expansion because of its infrastructure and accessibility. In addition to housing 95 J.O. employees, the 100,000-square-foot facility will be eligible for a 12 year tax exemption and brownfield redevelopment dollars of up to $250,000.

J.O. Galloup is a premier distributor of pipe, valves, fittings and associated materials. Their mission, according to a company spokesperson, is to be the first choice as an employer, as a supplier, and as a partner to their vendors. Smith Instruments, also a subsidiary of Kendall Electric, is a leading representative of industrial and automation products. Spokespeople from both companies believe this venture will be a wise union.

Meanwhile Wyoming City Manager Curtis Holt says that the city is committed to growing companies locally through a system of ‘Economic Gardening.’ “This is a process by which big employers help smaller, existing businesses to grow. We want to see our local businesses do well.”

According to Holt, Economic Gardening helps promote the growth of existing local business in three ways:

First, by providing critical information needed by businesses to survive and thrive;  second, by developing and cultivating an infrastructure that goes beyond the basic physical infrastructure and includes quality of life, a culture that embraces growth and change, and access to intellectual resources, including qualified and talented employees; and third, by developing connections between businesses and the people and organizations that can help take them to the next level such as business associations, universities, roundtable groups, service providers and more.

“If your local business is growing, we can help you and want to work with you,” Holt said.

The City of Wyoming, together with development companies Lornax Stern and The Right Place, are working to redevelop and market the Site 36 property. “We are expecting to announce the inclusion of one more company very soon,” added Holt.

The vast majority of business owners in the surrounding area are excited about the Kendall project because the new addition will fill in some of the existing emptiness. “We’re pleased to see development picking up in the Wyoming area,” Roger Morgenstein, senior public information director for Consumers Energy said. “We are eagerly awaiting this first arrival.”