Grand Rapids, Mich. (Wood) – Kent County is considering a plan for the construction of a new building and moving the bigger part of its staff outside the center of Grand Rapids.
The plan would demolish this former building at the Kent Hospital of Avenue Fuller, north of I-196. The property is close to the health department of Kent County, an animal shelter and sheriff office.
Now the free site can become a major center for district services.
Al Vandergg, the administrator and controller of Kent County, says the proposals are still in the planning stages.
“This is the third iteration of variants we have looked at for the construction on Fuller’s campus. We have looked at a new building that will be probably a story longer,” Vanderberg said.
Kent County is considering destroying the former community hospital in Kent as part of a plan for the construction of a new administrative building. (13 June 2025)
The county also looked at the possibility of renovating the existing hospital building, but it is several challenges.
“As we looked at this and realized that there were 85 pillars and this type limits the use,” Vanderberg said.
The building also has more ceilings than what is used in the modern construction.
“We thought it might be better to look at this type of building on the same site, and then we can also move it and improve the road in and out of campus,” Vanderberg said.
He said they had looked at the cost of updating compared to the construction of a new one.
“The price was approximately the same, or at least cost estimates are approximately the same,” Vanderberg said.
Kent County is considering destroying the former community hospital in Kent as part of a plan for the construction of a new administrative building. (13 June 2025)
The 125,000 -foot building is estimated to cost $ 83 million for the building itself and a total of $ 130 million for the entire project.
The county is looking to make the meeting room on the ground floor so that it is easier for people to find and attend meetings on board.
“It will be funded through our strategic capital fund, and then bonding will be the other basic piece for it,” Vanderberg said.
About 175 employees will be moved from the building in the center of the new building, plus 10 from another site.
Vanderberg says the project would facilitate access to services.
“We will move the clerk, registration and cashier, so we have over 30,000 residents who come to do business with these two offices,” Vanderberg said.
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Conceptual presentation that was presented to the County Executive Committee in June 2025 (with the kind assistance)
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Conceptual presentation that was presented to the County Executive Committee in June 2025 (with the kind assistance)
He says many residents find the current building, which is difficult to navigate and has problems with parking.
“One of our main customer service goals is that you can pull, look at the building, enter, do your business, go back, not pay for parking and continue your day,” Vanderberg said.
The county will keep the building in the city center to use for the prosecutor’s office, a court friend and the probation service. The plan will move the officers closer to the city center.
Currently, their offices are in the building of 82 Ionia Ave, which the county owns and will be sold.
Vanderberg says the county is working to include the community in planning.
“The process will be, we translate it into a full work session later this summer, and then we hope that we made it for a decision this fall, and then we look at two and a half to three years, I think before we are in the building,” Vanderberg said.
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