The drywall is up at the soon-to-be home of the
Grandmont Rosedale Development Corporation on Grand River, and painting will soon commence. The organization plans to be moved in by May 1, in time to host the Neighborhood Open House scheduled for May 4.
The 2,800-square-foot building might first be noticed for the colorful Barney Judge mural on its western face, but some of its most notable features lie below the surface. It was renovated with an extreme eye towards energy efficiency: it is highly insulated, its windows are high efficiency and its roof is light-colored and reflective in order to reduce the cooling load in the summer.
Skylights are being installed to maximize natural light and low-VOC paint is being used. Light fixtures and heating and cooling equipment are high-efficiency and material with recycled content is being used as often as possible.
Another key feature of the space is the Maryann Mahaffey Community Room, which will be used to host a variety of events.
GRDC executive director Tom Goddeeris is thrilled to be moving into such a visible location. "We've been around for 19 years now, and we've never had an office of our own," he says. "This gets us right where the action is, and it is making us more accessible to the businesses and residents that we're trying to serve."
This accessibility will serve GRDC well when it becomes an outpost for
Southwest Housing Solutions' Housing Opportunity Center. A staff person will be on-site to provide one-on-one counseling about foreclosure avoidance and home buying. "We wouldn't be doing it if we weren't in this space," says Goddeeris.
Source: Tom Goddeeris, GRDC
Writer: Kelli B. Kavanaugh
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