GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Some new life is coming to the Burton Heights area of Grand Rapids as The Diabtribe works to restore an old, vacant building.
The local nonprofit says the building is going to be its new headquarters. If you're on Division, south of Burton, you'll see a dedication to bringing new life into the neighborhood.
"From here over all the way to the back is going to be the coffee shop and bookstore, and the back is going to be a visual arts studio," The Diatribe Chief Inspiration Architect Marcel Fable Price told FOX 17.
Price gave FOX 17 a tour of the space Wednesday, explaining the layout of this 20,000-square-foot building that will soon be their new HQ.
"The future home of the Emory Arts and Culture Hub," Fabel added.
The hub will focus on the people who live, work and play in Burton Heights. It will also give the community's youth a place to go after school.
"There's gonna be a lot of soft seating for people to be able to hang out, TVs that will have Xboxes and Playstations, so people can just play and hang out during the day. Because play is an important part of work rest, a number of spaces where people can sit in conference rooms, that are more quiet spaces for people to be able to congregate," he said.
Creating a space like this one is all part of The Diatribe's mission. Fable describes the nonprofit as using restorative art to disrupt historical systems of oppression, with the group being run by members of the Black, Brown and queer communities.
"The basement of this building will be an all-ages venue. That means people of all ages will be able to go see a stand-up show, people of all ages will be able to go see a spoken word event and people of all ages will be able to go see live music," Fable said.
Another way of creating a stronger community is by providing affordable housing. Fable says they'll have eight apartments upstairs.
"This development will hopefully be an example to all developers who come into Grand Rapids that buildings can be environmentally conscious, that buildings can be culturally conscious," he said.
The Diatribe is still fundraising for this project. Fable says they've committed half of the needed $6 million.
"There's going to be people of all ages shopping and eating and coming to Burton Heights for an experience that you get in no other part of Grand Rapids. That's what I see happening here," Fable said.
The Diatribe plans to start construction this year and be done by the end of 2024. If you would like to donate to this project, click here.
Check out our list of community resources available to help in West Michigan.