Grand Rapids, Michigan (Wood) — A permanent food truck court is coming to Bridge Street in Grand Rapids.
The City Planning Commission formally approved the plans on Thursday afternoon.
Bars and restaurants with partially enclosed food truck courts are located at 648 Bridge Street and 345 Lexington Avenue.
It used to be Dassler’s Family Foods closed in 2017Before that I was a Ford dealer. The original building was constructed in 1917 as an automobile service station.
The developer plans to remove the roof and rebuild the surrounding walls to create an enclosed courtyard. The walls and design are also reminiscent of the original building. We will renovate the interior space.
No more than 4 food trucks at a time. They operate off the court for six months at a time, then rotate. There are a total of 58 parking spaces on the Bridge Street lot and the Lexington lot.
“This is a rare opportunity,” says Ben Franceschi, architect and principal of Mathison Architects, the group that designs the space. “We were very excited when we saw the photos of the original Ford dealership. I have.”
Lauren D’Angelo, vice president of the Food Truck Association of Grand Rapids, opposed the project. .
“All the food trucks here are open every day,” says D’Angelo. “We are on wheels so we can move. Being tied to a six-month contract is going to hurt food truck operations in the area.”
“We currently have between 15 and 18 trucks operating in the winter looking for opportunities to park during the winter,” she added.
The track may not operate during the coldest months of the year, but the outdoor areas remain open. Meikle even suggested adding fire pits and planting trees to keep the area warm and cozy during the winter months.
The owner of Maggie’s Kitchen also expressed concern about the project during public comment, concerned about the lack of parking in the area.
Planning Commission members called the project a great project and said it was a “great asset” for the neighborhood and the city as a whole. No member objected to the project and it passed quickly.
Meikle, who declined an interview request, did not have a timeline for when construction would begin and when the restaurant would open.