CEO's Message

On behalf of Dwelling Place, I want to welcome you to our website. We want your experience on our website to be as easy to navigate and informative as possible. To that end, if you have any suggestions for how we might improve the website, please feel free to share your ideas and comments through the website or by contacting our office directly at 616-454-0928. 

In February of 2012 Dwelling Place began its 33rd year of offering affordable housing, supportive services and neighborhood revitalization programs across West Michigan. From its formative years in the Heartside Neighborhood in Grand Rapids, Dwelling Place has extended its programs to other Grand Rapids neighborhoods and other communities like Holland, Rockford, Wyoming, Hesperia and Whitehall, Michigan. 

We are proud of what has been accomplished in just over 3 decades but we also know that none of  this would have possible without the continuous encouragement, generosity and support we have received from the communities where we work. We thank you for taking the time to visit us on this website to explore who we are and what we do. Whether you are new to the website or a regular visitor, please know that we will continue our efforts to maintain this site with timely and relevant information about our organization and the communities we serve.

It has been my tradition, in this letter, to share a few stories about new and significant development efforts. I am pleased to offer a brief summary below but we would welcome any inquiries or comments about these projects.  

GOODRICH APARTMENTS - Dwelling Place recently completed more than $1 million dollars of renovation of one of our older and smaller mixed use apartment communities in the Heartside neighborhood.  Goodrich Apartments, which was originally renovated in 1992, is located at the intersection of Goodrich Street and Division Avenue. The 14 apartments located in the two buildings that comprise this project received a major upgrade, such that the property achieved a silver LEED certification by the United States Green Building Council this year. The commercial spaces in this building are occupied by Senior Neighbors and Pine Rest.

REFLECTIONS, A Senior Housing Community - On the near southeast side of Grand Rapids, Dwelling Place is working towards a complete transformation of the former Madison Square Senior Housing Apartments at 500 Hall SE.  Dwelling Place purchased this tired and dilapidated apartment community in 2011. We responded to a request from the Michigan State Housing Development Authority and the City of Grand Rapids to preserve these 60 affordable housing units that was seen as important for the community. We believe our efforts will substantially improve the quality of life for residents living there. Residents of the apartments were temporarily relocated during the renovation and will all be returned to their renovated homes during this year. This $6 million project is also special because a large addition was added to the project allowing the addition of 3 large community spaces as well as 24 enlarged apartments for caregivers to support residents aging in place. A large outside deck, gazebo and garden beds have been created in the rear of the building for use by residents. We are looking for volunteers who know something about gardening to assist us in the development of a community gardening program for residents. Perhaps you are interested!  

MIDTOWN VILLAGE APARTMENTS - In Holland, Dwelling Place responded to a request for assistance from Jubilee Ministries to help with the revitalization of an entire city block. Dwelling Place completed this $6,000,000 renovation of the historic EE Fell Junior High School building for 30 senior housing units in late 2011. In 2012 we are quickly leasing the remaining housing units, 3 of which are serving formerly homeless seniors from the Holland community. An adjacent gymnasium building was sold to Evergreen Commons, a Senior Services agency in Holland. That building is scheduled to receive a major renovation in 2012 to allow Evergreen Commons to relocate its Senior Day Center in order to expand other programs within their existing building. Completion of this project is expected by Fall of 2012.

WEALTHY HEIGHTS REVITALIZATION - We are in the final stages of a project, in conjunction with the East Hills Council of Neighbors, Habitat for Humanity and the City of Grand Rapids to revitalize a 40 parcel section of this neighborhood through rehabilitation and new construction of as many as 10 homes for home ownership. Major street reconstruction will also occur as part of this undertaking. Several single family homes, previously owned by Dwelling Place, were sold to Habitat for Humanity and historically renovated for sale to lower income families. Six (6) more homes are scheduled to be completed in 2012 in this joint venture with Habitat for Humanity as well as more than $2 million from the City of Grand Rapids for new streets and sewers. 

HERKIMER APARTMENTS RESTRUCTURING - In 1994, Dwelling Place acquired the former Herkimer Hotel and completed a $5 million renovation of the building following historic renovation standards. While the entire building and all of the 122 hotel units were renovated with kitchenettes and showers, most of the apartment units were very small, having been designed from the former hotel rooms. Nearly 20 years later, Dwelling Place has decided that it is time to revisit the needs of this apartment community in order to expand the unit sizes into one bedroom apartments and provide some major updates in all of the apartment units. In order to accommodate the increase in apartment sizes, a new infill building will be constructed on the parking area in the rear of the Herkimer along Commerce Avenue to accommdate the 67 apartment units that will be lost within the old Herkimer building. Dwelling Place will also be adding substantial common areas to this apartment community to provide a stronger focus on serving homeless populations and persons with disabilities. These programs will become a collaboration between Dwelling Place and mental health service agencies in Kent County. More than $3 million in philanthropy will be needed to complete this $27 million project. Construction is expected to get underway late in 2012.  

These examples describe just a fraction of  the programs and services offered through Dwelling Place. Take a moment and explore the many other programs and services offered through Dwelling Place that have affected the lives of so many people and so many neighborhoods.

Thank you and enjoy your visit!