GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Grand Rapids officials announced they plan to demolish the Martin Luther King Park Lodge on Wednesday.
This announcement comes after a few delays to start the construction of a new lodge at the park.
The Parks Department is planning to spend $19.7 million to build a new lodge, pool house, playground and fitness loop at Martin Luther King Park.
“The new 25,000-square-foot lodge will be double the size of the existing lodge. The new lodge will feature offices, a rentable multipurpose room, gymnasium, rentable classrooms, and a fitness room for recreation classes. The history of the lodge and community will be preserved in [a] hallway gallery that showcases historic photos and community art,” Grand Rapids said in a press release.
READ MORE: MLK Park Lodge to be demolished, rebuilt as part of $18M project
The city purchased MLK Park in 1911. Then, in 1919, the Parks Commission added the lodge and swimming pool. The building has stood tall for more than 100 years, but it has started falling apart.
Officials have told FOX 17 that the project could take about 60 weeks.
They added that the new facility could be opened sometime in the spring or summer of 2025.
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