Eastown Could Be Getting a Grocery Store

A grocery store in the Eastown neighborhood of Grand Rapids would be a welcomed thing by residents and it's a possibility that could become reality.

A Grand Rapids-based firm, Metric Structures, has proposed a two-story building which would include a grocery store at the corner of Wealthy and Fuller. This is a new concept and was proposed at the Historic Preservation Commission meeting on May 15th.

The 4,300 sq-foot building would be mixed-use with the first floor being the market and a part of the second floor occupied by the grocery retailer. The rest of it could be used for offices and/or a couple of residential spaces. The exterior of the building would be "art deco-inspired."

The site, located at 1201 Wealthy St. SE, hasn't been occupied since the 1970's. According to the Historic Preservation Commission, Ohio Oil purchased the lot in 1960 and put a two-bay service gas station there which then closed in the late 70's.

If approved by the city, construction would take about six to eight months.