GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Demolition crews are tearing down two vacant buildings at the Michigan Veterans Home campus off Monroe Avenue in Grand Rapids, making way for green space as the state looks to expand veterans care facilities across Michigan.
The two buildings — one constructed in the 1940s and one built in the 1970s — have sat empty since a new veterans home opened on the same campus in 2021.
"One was constructed in the 1970s, and one was in the 1940s that I think got a face lift in the early 1980s, but they're aged old hospital-like buildings that, again, have been vacant for many years now," Michigan Veterans Home Director of Development Ryan Engle said.
The new facility cost $63 million and is home to 128 veterans and dependents in need of long-term care.
"When a veteran needs long term care services, they shouldn't feel like they're going into a hospital to spend their final years. They should feel that, 'If I'm not, can't be at home anymore. Hey, I should be at the next best thing,' and that's what we've constructed in our new building. It is a home-like environment where veterans get the respect and dignity they earned and deserve," Engle said.
Before demolition began, officials explored whether the old buildings could be re-purposed.
"We explored when we started building the new facility here on our campus, and then slowly vacated these existing buildings. We worked with community partners and other organizations to say, 'Hey, is there a way these could be re-purposed to serve another good work?'" Engle said.
No plan came out during the discussions, and demolition is now underway. Crews hope to have the site cleared by August.
Cathy Sikanas Scheibe, who grew up near the campus, said she has mixed feelings watching the work unfold.
"I absolutely love it. I used to go through it when I was a kid, and it stunk. Oh my gosh," Sikanas Scheibe said.
She also had some thoughts on the pace of the work.
"They've been at it, I swear, about a month, and like, right now it's so quiet that means they're not doing anything. Okay, maybe it's lunchtime," Sikanas Scheibe said.
Sikanas Scheibe said she hopes the changes ultimately benefit veterans in the community.
"I would like new homes for the veterans," Sikanas Scheibe said.
The demolition is part of a broader long-term strategy to expand veterans care throughout Michigan.
"The long-term plan is to build more state veterans homes throughout the State of Michigan. So instead of having huge, mega facilities that, quite frankly, no one's building anymore in the long-term care industry. (Instead) have these home-like facilities on a smaller house model, that are closer throughout the state to where veterans have spent their adult life," Engle said.
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