Pull to refresh
Logo
What Changed
Following Why Sign Up
Kent County buys downtown Grand Rapids office building to house prosecutor's office

Kent County buys downtown Grand Rapids office building to house prosecutor's office

Money Moves Grand Rapids, MI local

Commissioners approved $18.5M for the 300 Ottawa Ave NW building; a committee advanced funding Nov. 2 and the full board was set to vote Nov. 5

November 2nd, 2026: Committee advances 300 Ottawa funding

Overview

Updated Oct 23

Kent County will pay $18.5 million for the 138,000-square-foot office building at 300 Ottawa Ave NW in downtown Grand Rapids, buying it from DP Fox Ventures, a DeVos family real estate company. Commissioners approved the purchase Oct. 22, and the county says the money comes from its Strategic Capital Fund.

On Nov. 2, the county's Finance and Infrastructure Committee approved transferring $18.5 million for the purchase and $3.5 million to start design work, and assigned project management to the Kent County Building Authority. The full Board of Commissioners was scheduled to take up the project Nov. 5; the county has not reported the outcome. About 250 employees would move from 82 Ionia Ave NW, which the county plans to sell, with a target of late 2027.

Why it matters

Kent County is committing up to $33.5 million of taxpayer money to own a downtown office building instead of renting space.

Last Monday's email for Grand Rapids, MI

Sent Nov 9. It carried:

Get next Monday's: one short email a week. Free. Unsubscribe in one click.

Questions about this story

Free account needed to ask — your question is kept and asked for you right after sign-up. Answers are public.

No questions yet — be the first to ask.

Key Indicators

$18.5M
Purchase price
Approved price for the 138,000-square-foot building at 300 Ottawa Ave NW, sold by DP Fox Ventures.
$13M–$15M
Renovation estimate
County estimate for work that includes carpet, paint, heating and cooling upgrades and a roof replacement.
$33.5M
Total potential cost
Purchase price plus the top of the renovation range; the county puts the total at $31.5 million to $33.5 million.
$3.5M
Design funding
Approved by the Finance and Infrastructure Committee on Nov. 2 for early design and budget work.
138,000
Square feet
Building size in the county's announcement and WOODTV reporting.
154
Additional parking
Additional parking spaces for county staff and tenants, according to the county.
250
Staff to relocate
County employees expected to move from 82 Ionia Ave NW.
8
Building height
Stories in the office building at 300 Ottawa Ave NW, constructed in 1967.
End of 2027
Target move-in
Date county officials gave for having staff working from the renovated building.

Voices

Curated perspectives — historical figures and your fellow readers.

Sign up to generate historical perspectives on this story.

Log in Sign Up

People Involved

Al Vanderberg
Al Vanderberg
Kent County Administrator/Controller
Backed the $18.5M purchase; the county's Finance and Infrastructure Committee advanced funding Nov. 2 and the full board was scheduled to vote Nov. 5.

Organizations Involved

Kent County Board of Commissioners
Kent County Board of Commissioners
County legislature
Approved the $18.5M purchase Oct. 22; its Finance and Infrastructure Committee approved $18.5M and $3.5M in funding Nov. 2, and the full board was scheduled to vote Nov. 5; outcome not yet reported.

The elected body that governs Kent County and controls its budget.
KC
Kent County Prosecutor's Office
County Prosecutorial Agency
Slated to move into 300 Ottawa Ave NW, with county officials targeting the end of 2027

The county's chief law enforcement office, responsible for prosecuting criminal cases in Kent County.
KC
Kent County Building Authority
Public building authority
Assigned to manage design and bidding for the 300 Ottawa renovation

A Kent County authority that will manage the 300 Ottawa project within county guidelines.

Timeline

October 2026 November 2026

2 events Latest: November 2nd, 2026 · 1 week ago

  1. Committee advances 300 Ottawa funding

    Latest Government Decision

    The Finance and Infrastructure Committee approved transferring $18.5 million for the purchase and $3.5 million for early design work from strategic capital funds. It assigned project management to the Kent County Building Authority; the full board was scheduled to vote Nov. 5.

  2. Kent County approves $18.5M office building purchase

    Government Decision

    The Board of Commissioners approved buying the eight-story building at 300 Ottawa Ave NW from DP Fox Ventures, a DeVos family company, for county offices including the prosecutor's office. The county said it will pay from its Strategic Capital Fund, spend $13 million to $15 million on renovations, and move about 250 staff from 82 Ionia Ave NW, which it plans to sell.

Scenarios

1

County closes purchase, prosecutor's office moves in

Likely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: County officials who backed the purchase; MLive reporting

The county completes the deal, renovates the building, and moves the prosecutor's office and other operations into 300 Ottawa Ave. This validates the consolidation strategy if costs stay near the $33.5 million combined estimate.

2

Renovation costs exceed the $15M estimate

Possible Resolves by Q2 2029

Discussed by: Public construction analysts and county budget watchdogs

Renovating an aging occupied office building often surfaces surprises: asbestos, outdated mechanical systems, code upgrades. Costs could push past the $15 million estimate, adding pressure to the county budget.

3

Purchase is delayed or derailed by challenge

Unlikely Resolves by Q2 2027

Discussed by: Local taxpayers and potential legal challengers

A resident or group could file suit over the spending, or a budget shortfall could delay closing. County boards in other Michigan counties have reversed similar decisions under public pressure.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2020-2024

Post-pandemic downtown office glut (2020-2024)

COVID-19 emptied urban offices, remote work took hold, and commercial vacancy rates climbed to record highs in cities across the United States. Downtown property values dropped as landlords competed for fewer tenants.

Then

Some governments and investors bought buildings at reduced prices. Others waited for values to fall further.

Now

Lower commercial values made ownership more attractive to public agencies that had long leased space.

Why this matters now

Explains why Kent County may be getting a relatively inexpensive downtown property, and why owning can look better than leasing in a soft market.

2010s

Grand Rapids' downtown development wave (2010s)

Grand Rapids poured investment into downtown amenities. The Downtown Market opened, housing projects like the $18.5 million Baker Lofts renovation of a former furniture warehouse took shape, and the medical and tech sectors grew.

Then

Downtown Grand Rapids attracted more residents, visitors, and businesses.

Now

Public and private investment raised the area's profile and property values.

Why this matters now

The county's purchase extends a longer pattern of public investment in the downtown core, where $18.5 million has been a typical price point for major redevelopments.

Sources

(10)
+4
MLive Grand Rapids Rapid Growth WZZM 13 Crain's Grand Rapids Business Hoodline WOODTV.com Kent County Govly CivicIQ Kent County