2500 Lake Michigan Drive was built in 1875 by architect Calvin Rodgers for Alfred and Harriet Gill and was constructed in the Italianate style. The home was sold to S. A. Sheldon and then to Reuben C. Dayton. The Kowroski family owned the house from 1954 to 2006 when it was sold to Covenant Village of the Great Lakes.  It was only modified slightly over the years but maintained its original charm. The house was in no need of repair at the time of the sale. The family also claims that Covenant Village promised to reuse the home in some meaningful way at the time of purchase. There are few homes this old left in Grand Rapids and even fewer of the Italianate style. It has become an icon of the west side.

Now Covenant Village plans on tearing it down to create a green space that will not be open to the public. The neighborhood already has a green space (Shawmut Hills Park) across Lake Michigan Drive. Covenant Village have been denied this permit twice before. When directly asked about this during a 2014 meeting with the city zoning board, the lawyer representing Covenant Village said “I’m not sure if it was always the plan to purchase and demolish.” They are looking to possibly expand but have no firm plans at this time. This would be consistent with how they expanded in the past. Another single family home property was purchased by Covenant and the home was torn down. At that time it was promised to be left as a green space and then later they obtained permission to build a new group-housing unit. In response to the request to demolish the Iconic west side home Grand Rapids City Commission put together a five member team to study the house. The study found that the home should be preserved because it’s "a fine example of Italianate residential architecture that has survived the transformation of its surroundings from farm land to city suburb."

If the city grants their request it would be rewarding a company who purchases properties, neglects them to the point of acute deterioration, only to make promises they don’t intend on keeping. This sets a dangerous precedent for other companies to make similar requests for other properties. Grand Rapids has become a city that embraces its historic culture and is becoming a city renowned for embracing its history. Historic places of preservation in the city like Heritage Hill are prime examples of this. If this house is destroyed that goes against all the work the city and its citizens have put into preserving their history. Mayor George Hartwell doesn’t seem to be in support of this initiative. When asked about the fate of the iconic West Side home he is quoted as saying “the owner can do as they wish” when.

Ideally the City of Grand Rapids should uphold the Commission’s findings and designate the home as a historic property. Since that does not seem likely I’ve created this petition, a GoFundMe, and a Facebook group to get support in preserving this historic home. Covenant Village should not be allowed to destroy this home but let us move it to a location where it will be preserved.

Links:

https://www.gofundme.com/save2500LMD​

https://www.facebook.com/groups/442838275920776/