GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — West Side neighbors weighed in Thursday on a proposal to demolish St. James Catholic Church on Bridge Street to make way for a new mixed-use development.
WATCH: Neighbors split on proposal to demolish St. James Catholic Church
Beckett Industries, a Grand Rapids-based investment firm, recently announced plans to demolish the 150-year-old building and build a $55 million, 240-unit mixed-use development.
Developers have spent the past two years working with the Diocese of Grand Rapids to purchase the property and come up with a plan. Neighbors at Jackson Street Hall on Thursday got a chance to learn more and ask questions about the project.
A former parishioner at the church, which held its last Mass in June 2022, was disappointed in the project. Ed Kettle said tearing down the church would mean losing a piece of the city's history.
"It's a jewel. It needs to be saved. It represents the very fabric of this city," Kettle said.
Kettle and other neighbors at Thursday's meeting called for the building to be saved and converted into a health clinic or given to another nonprofit.
The founder of Beckett Industries, Danny Beckett Jr., was at Thursday's meeting. He said developers first explored other ways to save the church. He said they explored opening a food hall or wedding venue at the location, but found those options weren't financially viable.
Beckett said, however, they do plan to preserve as many of the church's artifacts as possible, including some of the stained glass and the bricks.
"We're gonna look at everything. We're gonna listen to everything, and and we want to do this together," Beckett Jr. assured.
Other neighbors in support of the project say they've watched the church begin to slowly collect graffiti and fall into disrepair. Adam Budnick, who has lived near the church for nearly 30 years, said he's concerned about what could come if the property continues to sit vacant.
"If they didn't come along, 10 years from now, I think it'll still sit there just like it is today," Budnick predicted.
And while neighbors like Budnick did give some support, they also had concerns about the impact the project would have on parking. Early plans show the 240-unit building could feature just 179 parking spots or fewer.
"The only downfall I think is that they've got to figure out the parking. Every day I've got to fight for a spot," Budnick explained.
Developers will take the community's feedback into account.
Beckett Industries is working with the city's planning department to refine the application and plans for the project. Once the plans are finalized, the city will decide if the project will require consideration from the Planning Commission and City Commission.
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