GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- The Grand Rapids Planning Commission has approved a special land-use permit for a proposed outdoor amphitheater along the east bank of the Grand River.
The voice vote was unanimous. More approvals will be required before the project can begin.
The resolution also allows for alcohol sales and an outdoor pedestrian plaza. The Whitmer Administration budgeted more than $30 million for the project last year.
The amphitheater will include 7,000 fixed seats and room for 5,000 people on the lawn next to the Grand River, along Market Avenue. Private economic development group Grand Action 2.0 is collaborating with the City of Grand Rapids and the Grand Rapids-Kent County Convention/Arena Authority (CAA) on the project. It will cost more than $120 million. Private and donor investment will cover much of the remaining cost, along with $15 million from a property sale to private developers on Market Avenue. Up to $20 million may be borrowed to help finance the project, either by the Downtown Development Authority or by the city's Brownfield Authority.
Some planners had said they need more parking than what is required in the Traditional Neighborhood zoning district south of Cherry Street.
Bill Culhane is the executive architect for the nonprofit group behind the amphitheater project, Grand Action 2.0. He addressed several concerns expressed by citizens at a recent public hearing and by commissioners. One of them had to do with the loudness of rock concerts and how that might impact the surrounding neighborhood. Culhane said industry standards show the average concert sound level is around 105 decibels. A citizen refuted that, saying it averages between 120 and 129 decibels.
"And you can see that a significant amount of that sound is absorbed or mitigated by that hill," Culhane said while showing an architectural rendering to the commissioners.
"We really wanted to open that up to the public," Culhane said. "We really wanted to create an opportunity for people to access the river in a meaningful way. We wanted a world-class entertainment venue. We wanted it to be more than an entertainment venue. And this is feedback from the groups that we met with."
Planning Commissioner Susan Shannon said she realizes finding a parking space might be difficult once the amphitheater opens.
"But I'd rather see that kind of environment downtown than what I remember 40 years ago when - as Mayor (John) Logie would say - 'You could roll a bowling ball down Monroe Avenue and nobody would know the difference at 5 o'clock at night, because it was empty.'"
Also on the agenda at Thursday's planning commission meeting was the proposed renovation of some industrial property at 1340 Monroe Avenue. That is north of Leonard Street. A vacant industrial building would be replaced with two residential buildings of 260 units each, with a three-level parking garage. A waiver will be required regarding the density of the dwelling units in the zoning district there.
The property is envisioned as a mixed-use riverfront area under the city's 2002 master plan.
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[Image: Grand Action 2.0 rendering]