150-Year Old Grand Rapids Church May Hit the Wrecking Ball
It was 1876, 150-years ago that St. James Catholic Church opened its doors to worshipers on Grand Rapids West Side and has stood as a testament to the West Side's strong Catholic tradition.
Flash forward to 2022 when the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids decided to close its doors. Fewer members, aging facilities and expense, all entered into the decision to consolidate the Diocese with fewer facilities. The building has sat empty and alone since then.
Today, 2026, Crain's Grand Rapids reports a Grand Rapids-based investment firm is nearing a deal to buy St. James Catholic Church on Bridge Street, with plans to demolish the 150-year-old building.
👇 BELOW: SEE GRAND RAPIDS 100-YEARS AGO! 👇
The Church is in the Stockbridge Business district, west of downtown, and there is a lot of emotion regarding, not only the closure, but the proposed demolition of a church that has meant so much to that community. The developers of the $55 million dollar project are working closely with the Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids and neighborhood leaders to build support for the project.
WHAT ARE THEY PLANNING?
Crain's Grand Rapids said: "Development plans call for a new housing project with two buildings totaling about 177,000 square feet. Both buildings would be four stories tall, with a mix of studios, one-bedroom, two-bedroom units." The buildings would also include 1,000 square feet of retail, with 149 surface parking spaces in the middle of the property.
The Catholic Diocese of Grand Rapids plans to save some of the stained glass windows from the church, and Beckett Industries plans to distribute bricks from the building to people who used to worship at the church.
A West Grand Neighborhood Organization meeting to inform neighbors about the project and gather community feedback is scheduled for 6 p.m. on Nov. 12 at Jackson Street Hall.
