Grand Haven Area Community Foundation moves into new home in historic setting

The long-awaited new home of Grand Haven Area Community Foundation (GHACF) is in a historic setting at 6 Sherman Ave. 

A ribbon-cutting ceremony on Aug. 20 drew residents, community leaders, and foundation supporters who had a chance to explore the contemporary design retrofitted in the former city of Grand Haven Water Filtration and Distribution Facility.

“We’re incredibly grateful for the support we received in acquiring and revitalizing this space,” GHACF President Hadley Streng said during the ceremony. “This new home gives us a much larger, more innovative space that will allow us to grow as an organization and work more collaboratively with our partners. It’s about expanding our services and programs so that we can continue to benefit the community for years to come.”

Prime location

In the early 2000s, the building was converted into office space. The foundation purchased the building in 2023, seeing it as the perfect blend of history and location. It’s across the street from the Coast Guard station and next to the basketball courts of the Tri Cities YMCA, overlooking the Grand River channel and Dewey Hill.

The new and larger location comes as GHACF has seen significant growth in staff and services. When the foundation moved into its former location at 1 South Harbor Drive, there were just a couple of employees on staff. Today, the foundation employs 13 people. 

“Our new space provides us with double the conference room space we had before,” Streng says. “That allows us to host larger meetings and events, which is important as we continue to partner with more organizations. We’ve grown a lot over the years, and this building gives us the room to continue that growth well into the future.”

The new space features an outdoor garden area and a rooftop deck, both of which will be used to host foundation events and gatherings. The goal is to make the building not just an office for staff, but a hub for community engagement.

Tool to help community

The foundation’s board chair, Keith Konarska, sees the new space as a tool to meet the foundation’s broader mission. 

“The foundation’s commitment to strengthening our community has had a lasting impact, and this new space reflects that dedication,” he says. “I’m proud to be part of an organization that continues to support and grow with the community.”

The support of donors is reflected on the engraving of glass partitions inside. Outside, the walkway is lined with bricks engraved with the names of donors. The foundation plans to continue offering engraved bricks, allowing new donors to contribute to the organization.

“The support from the community has been overwhelming,” Streng says. “We undertook a capital campaign to help with the purchase and renovation of the building, and the response was incredible. People really wanted to see us succeed in this new space, and they showed that through their generosity.”

For more information about the foundation and its work, visit ghacf.org.