GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — Demolition at the old Michigan Veterans home in Grand Rapids is almost finished, with plans for the site to become a “clean slate,” by the beginning of October.
Crews demolish old Michigan Veterans Home in Grand Rapids
The project site, off Monroe Avenue NE, has had a 140-year history of serving local veterans, but developers say that their accommodations were becoming outdated.
“Long hallways, dim lights. When a veteran enters long-term care, they shouldn’t feel like they are going into a hospital for the rest of their life. They should feel like, ‘I’m not going home, but it is the next best thing,” Ryan Engle, director of development for Michigan Veterans Home said.
Demolition half complete on old Michigan Veterans Home in Grand Rapids
Crews have been tearing down the old Michigan Veterans home since February and finished the last portion of demolition in late August after its buildings have sat empty since the newly-constructed veterans home opened nearby in 2021.
New Grand Rapids Home for Veterans set to welcome residents
Throughout the summer, the project even amassed onlookers, oftentimes members that enjoyed sitting outside to watch the progress. Engle says that contractors are on schedule to have grass seed laid by October and the site’s fountain back up and running next year.
“Many of our residents are excited for the extended green space in the front of the building and for the fountain to be running come spring/summer ’27,” Engle said in a statement to News 8.
Long-term plans for the site have not been finalized, but developers say that it will continue to serve the veterans living at the facility…