Arena Place project in GR adds 6 stories

A rendering of the new 11-story Arena Place. (Courtesy Orion Construction - Jan. 7, 2014)

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) - A plan to construct a new building in downtown Grand Rapids' arena district has doubled in size after gaining a new tenant.

The Arena Place building will now have 11 stories and cost about $45 million.

Arena Place, located at what is now a parking lot on Ottawa Avenue SW between Weston and Oakes streets, was initially envisioned as a $28 million, five-story building.

The expansion is because law firm Miller Johnson now intends to move into the building.

In total, the new Arena Place will measure more than 60,000 square feet, according to a Tuesday release from Orion Construction and DO MORE GOOD | Hanon McKendry. That includes 10,000 square feet of street-level retail space and a restaurant, as well as 101 housing units and additional office space. There will also be 250 above-ground parking spaces on three levels.

Miller Johnson, which as been located in four floors of the Calder Plaza Building on Monroe Avenue, will occupy the top four floors of the new Arena Place.

DO MORE GOOD | Hanon McKendry, MINDSCAPE at Hanon McKendry and Meritage Hospitality Group will each occupy one floor of office space.

Groundbreaking is scheduled for this spring and the building should open in the summer of 2015, Orion Construction said. Miller Johnson will move in during the summer of 2016.

The Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authorities still needs to approve the changes to the project. Orion Construction said that could happen Wednesday.

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Arena Place project in GR adds 6 stories