Van Andel Arena Plaza and Alley Grand Rapids, Michigan

Services Provided

Plaza & Streetscape Design
Public Realm Design
Landscape Architecture
Documentation

People Involved

Andy Knight
Casey Elmer
Ryan Blume

Award

2024 KYASLA Merit Award

Transforming an underutilized plaza and alleyway into a vibrant and sustainable public space.

MKSK led the redesign and construct the main entry plaza and adjacent alley for the 12,000-seat downtown Van Andel Arena. Located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids, Van Andel Arena serves as the major entertainment and sports venue in the region, and the surrounding district is experiencing a growth in development with new bars, nightlife, and multi-story mixed-use developments

Working closely with Downtown Grand Rapids, Inc., MKSK is crafting a vision that will not only satisfy the project goals of safety and accessibility but also represent both the plaza (Phase 1) and the alley (Phase 2) as destinations within the city’s growing entertainment district. Recommending both short-term and long-term improvements, the plaza and alley will transform the district’s public realm into a beautiful and sustainable landscape, designed with the flexibility and comfort to serve daily, event, and seasonal activity and programming.