Loeks Theatres, parent corporation to the Celebration! Cinema family of theatres across the state including on Cinema Way in Benton Harbor, is another step closer to advancing their dream for what they call their “Studio Park” project in the heart of downtown Grand Rapid, just blocks away from where they got their start way back in 1944.
Celebration! is seeking final approvals to move the project forward following a spring census by that city’s The Right Place which revealed that downtown Grand Rapids is the fastest growing region in all of Michigan. Celebration’s downtown theatre project is on course and will add another layer to Grand Rapids’ already vibrant urban core. Today the Grand Rapids Downtown Development Authority voted unanimously to move forward with the project.
J.D. Loeks is President of Celebration! Cinema. Pointing to the many and varied layers of the city’s growth and vibrancy, Loeks says, “We see this as another vital step in the development of Grand Rapids thriving urban core. People have been asking us to bring one of our theatres downtown for years. With the increasing number of residents in the downtown area and the desire for people all around metro GR to orient their lives around life in the city, the time has finally come for us to create this exciting new space.”
Loeks quotes the corporate mission, saying they are “in the business of creating space where story happens.” He adds, “We are doing that with this project. What we’re creating here is a mixed use space in the truest sense. With retail, residential and other conveniences, this will be another reason that Grand Rapids continues to have an outstanding local, regional and national attraction.”
The project, which may exceed $140 million in total investment, is expected to include a nine screen movie theatre with recliner chairs, unique programming options, a liquor license and expanded food menu. It will also feature 40,000 square feet of retail, approximately 250 residential units (built over two phases), Class A office space, a four star hotel, and a 750-plus space parking ramp. The ramp will provide convenient and affordable parking to theatre goers and expands the overall parking supply in the area. The project will also feature a large public piazza designed for year round use.
Jeff Olsen of Olsen Loeks Development, which is the entity coordinating the development of the project, says, “What sets the Studio Park Development apart from any other projects downtown is the design of a public space at its center.” Olsen says, “This piazza will be programmed 12 months of the year to act as a central gathering spot for the community and our guests. Our goal is to get people excited about being outside in Michigan in February.”
The project could begin in the fourth quarter of this year. Getting started this year could mean opening the theatre in as soon as mid-to-late 2019.
Olsen reports, “This development will be a central hub for residents and visitors to Grand Rapids.” Of those residents, Olsen says, “They want to be surrounded by increasing numbers of restaurants, bars and shops, many of which are locally owned. We see this development, and our theatre’s role in it, as another essential piece to the lifestyle we want to have available in Grand Rapids.”
J.D. Loeks cites the privilege of working with “some great groups” on the project, adding, “It’s no small task to get so many entities to work together and that’s what we’ve spent the past several months focusing on. The spirit of collaboration has been a key to getting this far. We believe in the development of an urban core that is vital, energetic and dynamic. And we work with companies who share the same belief.”
John D. Loeks owns and operates Celebration! Cinema movie theatres in Grand Rapids, Kentwood, Gaines Township, Grandville, Lansing, Muskegon/ Norton Shores, Okemos, Kalamazoo/ Portage, Benton Harbor/ St. Joseph, and Mt. Pleasant. Celebration! Cinema is a state-of-the-art shared entertainment experience with first rate amenities at each location.
Olsen Loeks is a real estate development and development services company based in Grand Rapids, which was founded by partners Jeffrey Olsen and J.D. Loeks, the firm focuses on transformative projects that have a meaningful positive impact on the surrounding community.
