Holland Township eyes turning Younkers store into recreation center

HOLLAND TWP. — Holland Township is assessing the feasibility of converting a former Younkers department store at The Shops at Westshore into a community recreation center.

The township has $9.5 million set aside in its capital projects fund to build a recreation center, which would include basketball courts, a walking track and multipurpose space.

The project, talked about for decades, is currently planned for 2023 in the township's municipal capital improvement plan, the plan for the township's next six years of big-ticket expenditures.

After several studies in the mid-2010s that revolved around a plan to build it in Quincy Park the project has made little public-facing progress, but township manager Steve Bulthuis said the township is in talks with the ownership of The Shops at Westshore to site the recreation center there instead.

"We're still actively pursuing that project," Bulthuis told the township board Thursday when they reviewed the capital improvement plan.

"We're patiently impatient," Bulthuis told The Sentinel later, explaining the township is working on a study of the feasibility of renovating the 70,000 square-foot former department store.

The Younkers store was one of the mall's anchor stores before closing its doors in 2018 as the company went through a bankruptcy and restructuring.

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"Once we have the feasibility study, then we can put numbers to it," Bulthuis said.

The Shops at Westshore has been undergoing dramatic redevelopment in the last two years, attracting Grand Rapids Community College's Lakeshore campus, which opened last year, and a number of offices, retailers and entertainment spots. The mall's management has put forth plans to build residential units, senior housing and a nursing home and rehabilitation center around the mall.

"We think it (the rec center) will really complement the other uses in the mall," Bulthuis said, "and the great momentum the Shops at Westshore has seen with the addition of GRCC and other new tenants."

Bulthuis said it remains to be seen what kind of arrangement the township would have with The Shops at Westshore to either lease or buy the space.

The Shops at Westshore did not respond to a request for comment from The Sentinel.

Several years ago, the mall ownership had sought to bring a YMCA to Holland in that same location, the former Younkers building, confirmed Scott Lewis, president and CEO of the YMCA of Greater Grand Rapids.

Under that plan, Holland Township would have partnered to lease some of the YMCA space to use as a community center, Lewis said. The YMCA spent several years looking at the site and preparing for a potential fundraising campaign, but after the COVID-19 pandemic struck and closed fitness centers all over the state, the plan to expand to Holland was taken off the table.

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"It's unfortunate that we weren't able to get going on a campaign, but it's great that the township was able to pick up and carry the ball forward," Lewis said. "We're really supportive of the township moving forward with their plan, and we really wish that this comes together quickly so the community can enjoy this amenity."

Lewis said the YMCA remains open to a Holland location, but there are no immediate plans. New YMCA builds need to start with a strong community interest because they are donor-funded.

"We would love to have an opportunity in Holland, but communities have to invite us in," Lewis said.

— Contact reporter Carolyn Muyskens at cmuyskens@hollandsentinel.com and follow her on Twitter at @cjmuyskens. 

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Recreation center could be coming to Holland's The Shops at Westshore