WOOD Radio Local News

WOOD Radio Local News

WOOD Radio Local News

 

Unique cross-cultural community center about to open in Grand Rapids

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The first phase of a cross-cultural community center is set to open in Grand Rapids on June 22nd.

It will be at Treeptops Collective, which is at 906 S. Division Ave., south of Martin Luther King Jr. Street. There will be a 9 a.m. ribbon-cutting celebration that day. Abigail Punt is the development director for Treetops Collective. She says the renovation will provide a more vibrant, connected community for immigrant and refugee neighbors.

"It's a place where people from different backgrounds can come together, can learn from one another, can share the resources that they have and just be better neighbors to one another. So, we're really excited to have this be an offering to our Grand Rapids community," Punt said.

The total project cost is estimated to be $2.6 million when it is completed next year. Treetops has raised $1.5 million, so far. That covers the first half of the renovation. The remaining amount will help Treetops pay off the building itself, and to establish a retail space and coffee lounge area for the community to use. They hope to have that completed by the summer of 2024.

Wolverine Building Group is the general contractor. And and revisioning is led by Grand Rapids-based r.o.i. Design.

According to a Treetops news release:

This renovation furthers Treetops Collective’s vision of a more vibrant, connected community in which immigrant and refugee neighbors have opportunities to flourish and find true belonging.

“At Treetops we have a value of Celebration that reminds us to pause and recognize the successes and joys of the present even as we continue to work toward a better future,” said Tarah Carnahan, Executive Director and Co-Founder of Treetops Collective, “We are so grateful for the opportunity to celebrate the work that has been done to bring this community center to life, and to share the vision we have for the next phase of renovations with our community.”

This phase of renovations included the completion of an event center, children’s play space, catering kitchen, and co-working offices of various sizes. These spaces are essential to pursuing the mission of Treetops Collective and bringing neighbors together cross-culturally to pursue goals, build relationships and co-create West Michigan communities in which true belonging can be found. 

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