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Transcript of 2014 RC Newsletter
C O M P A N Y R E V I E W 2 0 1 4
R O C K F O R D C O N S T R U C T I O N
LE
TT
ER
As we worked to compile this Review, we had an
opportunity to reflect on this past year and what we
accomplished. 2012 was our 25th anniversary, but it
is 2013 that has set the stage for the next 25 years of
Rockford Construction.
This summer, we moved into our new home at 601
First Street. Rockford has a great group of creative
professionals, and our new office is an opportunity to
display our culture and talents to our clients and the
community. If you have not already toured our space,
I encourage you to do so. You will find the office is
a reflection of our commitment to Grand Rapids,
and an example of how Rockford is Building for a
Changing World.
All my best,
Mike VanGessel, CEO
1
And our world is changing - fast. New improvements
in sustainability and technology, combined with shifts
in demographics and the global economy, have
brought about new ways of living and working. Our
new office illustrates our understanding of new trends,
technologies, and innovative construction techniques.
This understanding and our commitment to creativity,
innovation, and excellence will position Rockford to meet
the challenges of the next 25 years.
This year was truly a blessing for our team and our
company. For that, I thank our clients, subcontractors,
suppliers, and partners. On behalf of Rockford’s Board
of Directors, we are excited about the future of Rockford
Construction.
TA
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ON THE COVER:
New Holland Brewing Development
MULTI-UNITPAGES 11 - 12
EDUCATIoNPAGES 13 - 14
INITIATIVESPAGES 3 - 4
REAL ESTATE & DEVELoPMENTPAGES 5 - 6
RETAILPAGE 15
TRADESPAGE 16
AWARDS PAGE 18
UPCoMINGPRoJECTSPAGE 17
WEST SIDEPAGES 9 - 10
HEALTHCAREPAGES 7 - 8
C O M P A N Y R E V I E W 2 0 1 4 2
A fully-integrated and highly-adaptable living
space system, URBANEER is designed for today’s
urban pioneer and tomorrow’s standard of
urban living. URBANEER was created by Rockford
to provide the optimization of compact living
spaces. The integrated products and technology
of URBANEER work together to provide space
optimization and convenience.
ADAPTABLEINFASTRUCTURE
URBANEER’s infrastructure features a movable
wall system to accommodate various uses of
a unit’s space. Users can expand, collapse, or
move elements to change the space to meet
their needs. URBANEER infrastructure is also built
with inductive power throughout - in furnishings
and across the floor - for wireless charging of
electronic devices.
INTEGRATEDFURNISHINGS &
TECHNOLOGY
The URBANEER system features furnishings and
technology that work together to support the
adaptability of the unit’s main infrastructure.
These furnishings include a hideaway wall bed
with sofa integration, a moveable island with
inductive power, and a digital interface with the
unit, building, and neighborhood via LP Connect.
URBANEER marks Rockford’s first venture into
patented, trademarked product development.
Two URBANEER units already exist within Living
@ 600 Douglas, with more units planned for The
Morton and for apartment complexes for other
developers. Rockford understands the need
to build for the changing world, which is why
URBANEER is flexible, adaptable, and supportive
of changing housing trends and lifestyles.
R O C K F O R D C O N S T R U C T I O N3
INIT
IAT
IVE
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IRIS, designed and developed by our in-house IT team,
is on-line project management software. This proprietary
system provides both our clients and our project team
with a dashboard of real-time information that supports
decision making and early identification of outstanding
items, thus preventing a slow in the construction process.
First Street offers small lease spaces to those focused
on bringing innovation to the built environment. The
innovation hub brings together both large and small,
local and international companies focused on product
development related to energy and construction.
Rockford created the hub by
LoWELL ENERGY ANAERoBIC DIGESTER
LOWELL, MICHIGAN
After three years of funding, developing, preconstruction, and planning,
Lowell Energy Anaerobic Digester (LEAD) is constructed and gearing up for
energy production. LEAD was developed by Sustainable Partners LLC (Spart),
with Lowell Light & Power as purchaser of the 800 kilowatts of electric power
the plant will produce.
LEAD was built within an existing building and will use up to 4,000 tons of cow manure from Swisslane Farms, 1.5 million
gallons of fats, oils and greases diverted from landfills, and up to 22.5 million gallons of liquid waste from Litehouse Foods
in Lowell.
The biodigester is the first in the United States to use the upflow, downflow, reflow technology from enco2. Rockford
and the project team also used an innovative tank construction method from Lipp, a German company. The tank was
created on-site by adding strips of steel to the bottom and spinning the whole tank upward in one long spiral.
FIRST STREETINNOVATING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT
4C O M P A N Y R E V I E W 2 0 1 4
R O C K F O R D C O N S T R U C T I O N
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Like most notable landmarks, The Morton’s history is rich
with seasons of great success and times of struggle.
Blueprinted by the same architects who designed the
Palmer House in Chicago, the 13-story structure was built
as The Morton Hotel more than ninety years ago, and
was considered to be the most luxurious hotel in the City.
As the local economy experienced highs and lows
throughout the next four decades, so did The Morton
Hotel. During that time it opened its doors to a variety
of tenants including the notorious Burleson Sanatorium
and later, a gentleman’s establishment called “The
Kitten Club.” Eventually the changing economy took its
toll, forcing The Morton Hotel to close its doors in 1970.
Rockford Development bought the property in 2011
after a 40-year U.S. Department of Housing and Urban
Development contract expired. Remediation work
began in 2014 to abate lead and asbestos from the
building, followed by demolition, window and roof
replacement, and exterior masonry work. Now, Rockford
is working to rebuild and create more than 100 market-
rate apartments and dynamic ground-level restaurant
and retail spaces.
Opening in 2015, the apartments will offer modern
amenities and spacious floor plans, while maintaining
the building’s structural integrity and unique historical
features.
With twelve stories of residential and mixed-use space,
The Morton will combine the convenience of City living
with the comfort of home; offering a truly distinguished
downtown living experience.
THE MoRToNINTEGRATED ARCHITECTUREGRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
DOWNTOWN LIVING. UPTOWN STYLE.
There is nothing Rockford Development loves more than
to breathe new life into an urban landmark. Rockford
Development partnered with Haworth to create Blue35,
a creative use for a downtown building that has been
empty since 2002.
The 64,000 sq. ft. building, which was built as a hotel in
1914 and then became a boarding house, has been
gutted and remodeled. An addition was also built to
accommodate the building’s main lobby, elevator,
and stairs. Rockford Construction had the challenge
of staging on a busy city corner, removing major earth
retention systems, and placing a tower crane during the
City’s ArtPrize® event.
Now known as Blue35, the building at 35 Oakes provides
unique coworking and conference space. With short and
long-term lease rates, tenants work independently but
share space and enjoy the synergy that can happen from
working alongside talented people from other companies.
Rockford Development provides on-site full-time program
management to care for member needs and customize
social, educational, and networking events.
Combining Haworth’s ability to create dynamic
work environments and technology with Rockford
Development’s experience in creating exciting urban
buildings, Blue35 represents a new approach to the
urban work environment.
6
BLUE 35VIA DESIGN
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
C O M P A N Y R E V I E W 2 0 1 4
The 70,000 sq. ft. Mercy Health Rockford Campus opened
in October 2014. This regional care facility, centered in
the Rockford community, is an example of the shifting
paradigm in healthcare construction. For many years,
the sign of a strong healthcare system was full bed
counts in large, destination hospitals. Today, there is a
larger focus on wellness and preventative medicine, and
national trends are showing that more new healthcare
construction is taking place in community neighborhoods
to offer easier access to individualized care.
MERCY HEALTH RoCKfoRDINTEGRATED ARCHITECTURE
PLAINFIELD TOWNSHIP, MICHIGAN
R O C K F O R D C O N S T R U C T I O N
HE
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C O M P A N Y R E V I E W 2 0 1 4
SHWEDEL DENTALSTUART J. FINE & ASSOCIATES, INC.ROCKFORD, MICHIGAN
Currently underway is a 99,403 sq. ft., three-phase
expansion of the Professional Office Building at Metro
Health. The project - which is targeted to achieve LEED
Certification - consists of a one-story addition to the
surgical suite located on the first floor of the existing
hospital building, as well as equipment storage, a
vendor entrance, changing rooms, new state-of-the-
art surgery lounge, male and female locker rooms,
C O M P A N Y R E V I E W 2 0 1 4
Rockford completed a 2,543 sq. ft. office addition
in Taylor, MI for Dr. Steven Shwedel. The project was
completed in two-phases - during which the existing
office remained occupied - and allowed for the
addition of a lab, three operatory rooms, and a
sterilization room.
8
METRO HEALTH PROFESSIONAL OFFICE BUILDING EXPANSIONINTEGRATED ARCHITECTUREROCKFORD, MICHIGAN
a seating area, dining room and kitchen area, a
conference room, and support spaces. Rockford is also
expanding the existing parking lot to accommodate
additional visitor and staff parking.
Through Rockford’s detailed safety and planning
protocol, the building has remained open and fully
operational throughout construction.
Ferris Coffee asked Rockford to help with a four phase project to increase
their production and customer spaces. The projects involved a cold storage
addition, garage addition, office renovation, and creation of a new café
and retail space to better serve the community.
FERRIS COFFEE & NUT INTEGRATED ARCHITECTURE
Harmony Brewing has turned a unique corner property into a first-class
restaurant and brewpub, the Brewery’s second location. Featuring a menu
with items inspired by the neighborhood and the building’s original use as
Rauser’s Sausage Factory, Harmony Brewing serves homemade sausages
from local Mexican, German, and Polish cultures of the West Side.
HARMONY BREWINGLOTT3METZ ARCHITECTURE
Rockford’s office complex at 601 First received LEED
Platinum level designation this fall. Catalyst Partners,
our neighbor on Second Street, worked with Rockford
and the design team to create the highest performing
building possible, as proven through this LEED
Platinum certification. Rockford’s other projects on
the West Side will also focus on energy conservation
and sustainable design.
601 FIRST STREETINTEGRATED ARCHITECTURE
Trovati is a retail/e-commerce office/studio space that is part of the First
Street innovation hub. Owned by Paula Murphy, the e-commerce company
features one-of-a-kind items from around the world that cannot be procured
anywhere else – everything from household items and furniture to gourmet
foods and clothing. Trovati seeks to redefine the shopping experience by
curating brands of high quality and exceptional craftsmanship.
TROVATI
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R O C K F O R D C O N S T R U C T I O N
The West Side’s first new housing development in almost two decades opened
in 2014. Bringing 18 ultra-modern apartments to the neighborhood, Living
@ 600 Douglas replaced an abandoned warehouse-style building on an
otherwise residential street. The development is home to an ecelectic mix of
residents, from empty-nesters that want an urban lifestyle to college students
and young professionals.
LIVING @ 600 DOUGLASINTEGRATED ARCHITECTURE
Design and planning are underway for the New Holland Brewing building,
which will occupy the block of Bridge Street between Broadway and Turner
Avenues. Rockford’s development will feature commercial and residential
space, while New Holland Brewing will include a new taproom, restaurant,
and brewing and distilling operations. The project will have an enormous
impact on the neighborhood, not only visually but also economically as New
Holland officials say they expect to bring about 150 jobs to the new location.
NEW HOLLAND BREWINGGMB ARCHITECTS + ENGINEERS
C O M P A N Y R E V I E W 2 0 1 4 10
R O C K F O R D C O N S T R U C T I O N11
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A unique design of separate buildings surrounding a community courtyard,
Living @ 600 Douglas is a community within a community. Sitting on only
four-tenths of an acre, the modern, 15,000 sq. ft. complex has three two-
story buildings and one three-story building, nestled in the Stockbridge
neighborhood. Each building offers a mix of apartment styles to suit a wide
variety of tenants.
LIVING @ 600 DoUGLASINTEGRATED ARCHITECTUREGRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
COMMUNITY WITHIN A COMMUNITY
Starting with the 23rd floor and working down, Rockford
has been working throughout 2014 to renovate the
tower of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel. Beautiful,
high-end finishes and furnishings now grace the 261
tower guest rooms, 24 hospitality and specialty suites,
and the corridors. The end result is a modern and chic
design Amway’s guests will truly enjoy.
AMWAY GRAND PLAZA HoTELGOOCH DESIGNGRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
C O M P A N Y R E V I E W 2 0 1 4
GENESIS WESTDESTIGTER ARCHITECTURE AND PLANNINGGRANDVILLE, MICHIGAN
A housing development for Genesis Non-Profit
Housing Corporation was completed in 2014, in
order to provide affordable housing for income-
qualified individuals with special needs. The
development includes ten separate buildings with
a total of thirty-three living units, multiple storage
buildings, and a community building.
12
R O C K F O R D C O N S T R U C T I O N13
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AQUINAS COLLEGE ALKSNIS ATHLETICS & RECREATION BUILDINGINTEGRATED ARCHITECTUREGRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
Named after lead donors Greg (’71) and Sally Alksnis, the Alksnis
Athletics and Recreation Building completes the College’s
athletic complex. Rockford completed the Sturrus Sports and
Fitness Center in 2010, and now this second phase opened for
student athlete use in October 2014. The 70,000 sq. ft. offers a
great venue for students to play, practice, and compete, with
a 200-meter NCAA-certified track, a turf infield with portable
courts for multiple uses, and an extensive curtaining system for
concurrent indoor practices and track events.
PLAY. PRACTICE. COMPETE.
C O M P A N Y R E V I E W 2 0 1 4 14
AQUINAS COLLEGE STUDENT HOUSINGPROGRESSIVE AEGRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
LAKEVIEW COMMUNITY SCHOOLSGMB ARCHITECTS + ENGINEERSLAKEVIEW, MICHIGAN
Rockford’s second student housing project for
Aquinas College opened in August 2014. Each brand
new apartment-style suite features a full kitchen and
common area. Suites feature either four bedrooms
and two full baths, or two bedrooms with one bath.
The building itself is three stories high with a fully built
out lower level for a total of four floors of suites.
Lakeview Community Schools’ 2013 bond program
provided the opportunity for many district-wide
improvements, including security entrances, new
windows and doors, and technology upgrades. In
time to open for the 2014-15 school year, Rockford
built additions to the former Bright Start Elementary
building, which provided 9 more classrooms and a new
gymnasium and allowed for elementary consolidation.
Work continues as upgrades in technology, HVAC
controls, and infrastructure are made at the Middle
School and High School, and the old elementary
building is demolished.
R O C K F O R D C O N S T R U C T I O N
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Completed in 2014, the Merrillville store was
the first in the U.S. to receive the new Verizon
prototype design and graphics package. As a
first phase, Rockford renovated a vacant tenant
space and then moved Verizon Wireless into
the space. After the neighboring space was
renovated, the wall dividing the space was
removed to open the fully completed remodel.
Rockford worked with the Verizon team to
ensure that business was not affected during
the remodel.
VERIZON WIRELESSEXCEL ENGINEERING INC.MERRILLVILLE, IN
DESIGN AND GRAPHICS
BLOOMIN’ BRANDSCONCEPT DESIGN
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
Rockford Trades worked closely with the Wege
Foundation and family members during the build-out
to create the Foundation’s new offices. From design
through to finishes, the Foundation team stayed
actively involved. The 4,000 sq. ft. space includes all
of the latest Steelcase furniture, including treadmills in
two of the offices, a “living wall” system, up-to-date IT
capabilities, and modern finishes throughout.
WEGE FOUNDATION OFFICESELEVATE STUDIO
GRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
Bloomin’ Brands is one of the nation’s largest casual
dining companies, and Rockford began working
for the brand in 2013. To date, Rockford Trades has
remodeled five Bonefish Grills, one Carrabba’s Italian
Grill, and 40 Outback Steakhouses. Two new Bonefish
Grills and two new Carrabba’s Italian Grill were built
in 2013 and 2014. Rockford Trades’ team travels to
the locations in Michigan, Indiana, Wisconsin, and
New Jersey and provides efficient carpentry and
subcontractor management to quickly help the
restaurant serve its customers.
GRAND RAPIDS PUBLIC MUSEUM PLANETARIUM RENOVATIONGRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGANROI DESIGN
The original Roger B. Chaffee Planetarium was built
in the early 1990’s and was still using carousel slide
projectors. After receiving an educational grant
from the Wege Foundation, the Public Museum
proceeded with an update and refresh of the
original space, including a digital projector system,
TR
AD
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C O M P A N Y R E V I E W 2 0 1 4 16
coordinated LED lighting, new seating, acoustic panels,
and a digital surround sound system. During the design
phase, Rockford, ROI Design, and the Public Museum
coordinated with GVSU nursing students to evaluate
design decisions so as not to affect people with special
needs, autism, or disabilities. The end result is a space
that is welcoming to all.
17 R O C K F O R D C O N S T R U C T I O N
TANGER OUTLETSA new 80-store Tanger Outlet
center in Byron Center will open
in 2015. This project, which will
consist of ten buildings in total,
will be Tanger’s third location in
Michigan and will feature food
vendors, a children’s play area,
and two 65-foot towers with a
waterfall at the main entrance.
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WHIRLPOOL CORPORATION PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT CENTERA 172,014 sq. ft. warehouse
in Benton Harbor is under
renovation to become a high-
tech research and development
center for Whirlpool Corporation.
The transformed facility will house
Whirlpool’s Refrigeration Product
Development Center when it
opens later this year.
HILLSDALE COLLEGE SEARLE CENTERWith extensive interior and
exterior renovations, the Curtiss
Dining Hall and Phillips Auditorium
will open as part of the new Searle
Center in 2015. The expansion
will add over 24,000 sq. ft. to
the dining hall and auditorium,
increasing capacity to 850 and
800 respectively.
MARY fREE BED YMCAThe Mary Free Bed YMCA will
move its current location into
a newly-built 122,856 sq. ft.
branch, upon completion in the
fall 2015. The new building will
replace the existing 30,000 sq.
ft. facility, allowing the YMCA to
offer a wider range of services
including a farm and a healthy
living center.
STRYKER CORPORATE OFFICESStryker Corporation is expanding
the company’s corporate offices
on Romence Road in Portage, MI
by an additional 82,335 sq. ft. This
project follows the 96,000 sq. ft.
renovation completed for Stryker
by Rockford in 2011.
PLEASANT PRoSPECT HoMESFifteen buildings are being
constructed for residential
housing along Lafayette and
Cass Avenues in Grand Rapids.
The project, which also entails
the demolition of existing
structures and landscaping, is
Phase III of the Pleasant Prospect
Homes which will be completed
early 2015.
CoCoNUT PoINT SENIoR LIVING CoMMUNITYRockford is working in Estero,
Florida to construct a new three-
story senior living facility. The
project, which will be built on 13.85
acres, will total 174,000 sq. ft. and
include 194 units of independent
living, assisted living, and memory
care.
GRAND RAPIDS CHRISTIAN MIDDLE SCHooL Grand Rapids Christian
Middle School will relocate
approximately 450 middle school
students to the former Grand
Rapids Public Schools’ Shawnee
Campus, upon the completion
of building renovations in summer
2015. The building, which has
been vacant for more than a
year, sits on 11 acres.
Renovation has begun of the
former Klingman Building on
Ionia Avenue in downtown Grand
Rapids. Rockford is working with
LC Companies to renovate the
warehouse into 83 apartments
with first-floor retail and elevated
parking.
KLINGMAN LOFTS
ArtPrize® is a radically open, independently organized
international art competition held annually in downtown
Grand Rapids. One of the annually most-anticipated
venues for ArtPrize®, SiTE:LAB creates temporary site-
specific art projects aimed at facilitating dynamic
collaborations between the art, design, education,
business and cultural communities of Grand Rapids.
This year, SiTE:LAB took over three floors of The Morton,
Rockford’s building at 72 Monroe Center for their venue.
The grand lobby, basement and bank vault, one of
the ballrooms, and other spaces showcased the site-
specific installations curated by Paul Amenta. And for
a third year, SiTE:LAB won the outstanding venue juried
award. Rockford’s team worked alongside the SiTE:LAB
team and their artists to create a venue that was also
a work of art, pausing renovation during ArtPrize® and
displaying the former Morton Hotel to the public for the
first time in decades.
The unique spaces in the Morton were able to inspire
the 13 artists, along with more than 50,000 visitors to the
space throughout the 19 days of ArtPrize®.
SITE: LABGRAND RAPIDS, MICHIGAN
18C O M P A N Y R E V I E W 2 0 1 4
AW
AR
DS
After ten years on Engineering
News-Record’s list of Top 400
Contractors, Rockford is again
on the list but now falls within the
top 200 contractors in the nation for 2014. Engineering
News-Record ranked Rockford #197 on the national top
contractor list, #98 on the national Top 100 Construction
Management-at-Risk Firms list, and #24 on the Midwest
Top Contractors list.
ARTPRIZE oUTSTANDING VENUE
RoCKfoRD oN ToP CoNTRACToR LIST
6 01 F I R S T S T R E E T N W
G R A N D R A P I D S , M I 4 9 5 0 4
616 . 2 8 5 . 6 9 3 3
I N F O @ R O C K F O R D C O N S T R U C T I O N .C O M
W W W. R O C K F O R D C O N S T R U C T I O N .C O M
B U I L D I N G F O R A C H A N G I N G W O R L D