Grand Rapids Boys and Girls Club getting $4.5 million makeover

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — The Boys and Girls Club is planning a $4.5 million renovation of one of its locations in Grand Rapids.

The Seidman Club on Crofton Street SE near Jefferson Avenue has been serving Grand Rapids children since the 1950s.

“It’s a really important fixture in this community,” CEO Patrick Placzkowski said.

He said the project will update the entire facility.

“The space is going to be modern and have all the modern amenities that kids need and deserve,” he said.

The gym will see major improvements, including a new floor and baskets. Old locker rooms no longer in use will become a space, probably for younger kids.

The addition of a commercial kitchen will allow the club to prepare food in a more centralized location. The meals now have to be prepared offsite and shipped in.

“We’re going to be able to do that here in town as opposed to out at our camp, Camp O’Malley, which is out on the Thornapple River,” Placzkowski said.

About half of the funding is already raised.

“We got a good head start with an appropriation — that came through (U.S.) Sen. (Debbie) Stabenow’s office, so that’s coming through (the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development) — of a million dollars. The state of Michigan also contributed $750,000,” Placzkowski said.

The club serves 75 to 100 children on any given day, with about 600 participating over the course of a year.

The project looks to allow the club to keep making an impact for future generations.

“We remember those teachers or those coaches that were really important people besides our parents in helping us discover who we are and be our best self,” Placzkowski said.

The Boys and Girls Club hopes to start construction in March 2025 and finish by the end of the year.

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