The 10-story tower at 111 Lyon St. NW opened its doors to residents on June 1, 2026, six decades after the building was constructed in 1966 as part of the Vandenberg Center complex. The project was proposed as a $31.7 million renovation by developers CWD Real Estate Investment and Orion Construction, transforming the structure’s upper seven floors into 140 apartments, while Fifth Third Bank’s regional headquarters continues operating out of the lower three floors.
According to WGVU, the finished project includes 105 one-bedroom and 35 two-bedroom units ranging from 600 to 1,000 square feet. Rents run from $1,500 to $2,500 a month, and 28 units are set aside as income-restricted housing for households earning up to 100% of Area Median Income, according to WZZM13. Fifth Third Bank’s lease on the lower floors runs through 2031, the station reported, letting the developers stabilize an existing corporate anchor while converting the mostly empty space above it.
Crain’s Grand Rapids Business reported that CWD is converting the seven upper floors of 111 Lyon St. from commercial space into the 140 residential units, framing the project as part of a broader push lifting downtown’s commercial real estate market, according to Crain’s Grand Rapids Business.
A Social Club’s Second Act
Developers also repurposed lower-level space into what they call The University Club, an amenity hub with an indoor pool, pickleball court, saunas, fitness center, and golf simulator. The name nods to the century-old social club that once occupied the building’s top floor before closing in 2023, per the same WGVU account…