GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — A home in Grand Rapids now is at the center of some controversy when it comes to events being held on its property. It's an issue neighbors say has been going on for more than a year.
Recently, following another event on the property, the city sent a violation to the owners of the "Vander Jagt" historical home.
Owners TJ and Max Budzynski bought the home on Plainfield Avenue in 2021. They say they've put in hundreds of thousands of dollars to restore it.
"We were afraid because it was a large investment and there was a lot of work that needed to be done. But I was never fearful of making that choice of trying to restore this house. I love this house, ever since I was a kid," Max Budzynski said.
The Vander Jagt home is not the couple's primary residence, so many people in the neighborhood are questioning the property's future and the Budzynskis' intentions.
Some of the neighbors have even made signs.
"It just says 'shut down the Vander Jagt. Keep our neighborhood residential.' When it says 'shut down the Vander Jagt,' it just means keep it residential — don't have it be an event space or something," neighbor Kevin Riley explained.
The home was completed in 1940. It's located in the Creston Neighborhood and also backs up into the Riverside Gardens Neighborhood, which is zoned "low residential."
"I like the trees, the sycamore trees; the trees line the street. It's just a peaceful, nice neighborhood. I mean, everybody's pretty friendly," Riley said.
Riley lives kitty-corner from the house. He says earlier this month, that peace was interrupted by a wedding on the property, with dozens of people in attendance.
"I had to turn the TV up because you could hear music and people and stuff like that," Riley said.
The Budzynskis explained to FOX 17 that the wedding was for their cousin, not strangers or customers.
"We're not opening up a wedding venue," Max said.
"Because we live in the neighborhood, we're not here for a party palace. That's been one of the gossips that go around. A party palace would insinuate trashing the house that we're restoring," TJ Budzynski added.
The city of Grand Rapids is also involved now. City officials tell FOX 17 that the homeowners have held several events over the past year. The Budzynskis say these events have been community based.
"The code simply states that, as a resident, you are allowed to have four functions a year for events, as long as you don't make money on it and it benefits a nonprofit or the community," TJ said.
The city doesn't agree, and after several violations, the Budzynskis got a civil infraction in June. The city says because the wedding was an additional event, it issued the Budzynskis a second infraction; however, the city told FOX 17 it can't provide any further comments on this "pending litigation."
"Apply for a permit for a private party," TJ said.
"So, that's what's hard for us. We're being told, 'You got to apply for a permit.' And then it gets rejected. And then we get told, 'You can have a private party,' and then we didn't apply for a permit," Max added.
While the city will not specify to FOX 17 how many people constitute a "large event," it did issue the following statement:
"While residents are allowed private events at their homes, enforcement actions are fact specific and based on the totality of circumstances."
Riley explains he wants to avoid this happening every weekend.
"I can speak for everyone that's kind of up in arms about it: if it's three or four times a year, two times; if there's something that's there and we're aware of it, okay. But, it's every weekend," he added.
So, FOX 17 asked the owners about the future of this home, and they have a lot of possible ideas moving forward.
"What if we just restore it and get it operational again, and then people would like to stay here?" Max said.
"Or visit and just be a part of it. It's been locked behind a gate for so long," TJ said.
"For 80 years, we're the first ones to technically open up the doors because two previous owners were widows," Max added.
"And to share it, or to be allowing to say, 'Hey, CNA reached out to us in 2022 to ask if we could host their pancake breakfast,' and we said, 'Sure, we can do that,'" TJ said.
The Budzinskis say they plan to fight the city's most recent violation against them.
