GRAND RAPIDS, MI — The push to transform a dumpster-lined alleyway next to Van Andel Arena into a pedestrian plaza with greenery, outdoor dining and other amenities is being tweaked after two downtown restaurants that championed the project closed.

The Van Andel Arena alleyway project, under development since 2021, is being led by Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. (DGRI). The goal is to create an enhanced, more pedestrian friendly connection between the arena and Studio Park to the south.

This week, DGRI said plans to move the alleyway’s dumpsters to a new location near Weston Street, freeing up the alleyway for renovations and the installation of outdoor dining tables, has been scratched.

The reason: two of the project’s biggest supporters, Grand Rapids Brewing Company and Bar Divani, have cl

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