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Grand Rapids planning commission approves housing plan for shuttered Stocking school

Grand Rapids planning commission approves housing plan for shuttered Stocking school

Built World Grand Rapids, MI local

Former school site to become 48 affordable apartments; construction hinges on tax credits

September 12th, 2026: Developer outlines tax credit financing plan

Overview

Updated Sep 15

The shuttered Stocking school cleared a major hurdle on September 10, when Grand Rapids' planning commission unanimously approved a 48-unit affordable housing development. The $19 million project depends on Commonwealth Development Corporation winning federal low-income housing tax credits; a decision is expected in late January or early February.

Commonwealth agreed to buy the property from Grand Rapids Public Schools for $1 million after the school closed in June 2024. The approved plan turns the old school into 24 apartments, a community room, a fitness room, and a preserved gymnasium. Two new buildings add 24 more units, and construction could begin in late 2027 or early 2028 if tax credits come through.

Why it matters

The project's fate rests on a tax credit decision due early next year; 48 affordable units hang in the balance.

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Key Indicators

48
Planned affordable housing units
48 income-restricted apartments planned across three buildings on the Stocking school site.
$1M
School site purchase price
Commonwealth Development Corporation's agreed purchase price for the former Stocking school.
2024
Year Stocking school closed
The school closed in June 2024 amid declining neighborhood enrollment.
7
Proposals received for school sites
Total proposals GRPS received across the Alexander and Stocking properties.
$19M
Project cost
Estimated cost of the Stocking school housing development.

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People Involved

Dr. Leadriane Roby
Dr. Leadriane Roby
Superintendent, Grand Rapids Public Schools
Active — leading the district's surplus property sales
 José Rodriguez
José Rodriguez
President, Grand Rapids Board of Education
Active — board president during the sales approval
SW
Sam Warshauer
Development Associate, Commonwealth Development Corporation
Active — leading the Stocking project's financing effort
 Annette Vandenberg
Annette Vandenberg
Executive Director, West Grand Neighborhood Organization
Active — raised concerns about green space at the Stocking site
 Justin Mitchell
Justin Mitchell
Senior Project Development Manager, Commonwealth Development Corporation
Active — said firm would explore adding a basketball court

Organizations Involved

Commonwealth Development Corporation
Commonwealth Development Corporation
Real Estate Developer
Developer — approved for special land use; seeking tax credits

Developer purchasing the former Stocking school for affordable housing, community space, and a health center.
Grand Rapids Public Schools
Grand Rapids Public Schools
School District
Seller — offloading surplus school properties

School district selling closed school buildings under its Reimagine GRPS with Us! initiative.
Grand Rapids Planning Commission
Grand Rapids Planning Commission
Municipal advisory body
Regulator — approved the project's special land use request

City body that approves special land use requests for developments that need added review.
West Grand Neighborhood Organization
West Grand Neighborhood Organization
Neighborhood Organization
Community group — raised concerns about the approved plan

Neighborhood group that sought to buy Stocking school for a community hub and later raised concerns about green space.

Timeline

June 2024 September 2026

5 events Latest: September 12th, 2026 · 1 month ago
Tap a bar to jump to that date

  1. Developer outlines tax credit financing plan

    Latest Announcement

    Commonwealth said it will apply by Oct. 1 for federal low-income housing tax credits. Without them, construction won't start this year; a decision is expected in late January or early February.

  2. Planning commission approves 48-unit housing project

    Regulatory Approval

    Grand Rapids Planning Commission approved the special land use request for the Stocking school affordable housing development.

  3. GRPS board approves Stocking site sale

    Decision

    Board voted to sell Stocking to Commonwealth Development Corporation for $1 million for affordable housing, community space, and a health center.

  4. Neighborhood meetings shape school reuse plans

    Community Engagement

    GRPS held neighborhood meetings to shape requests for proposals and evaluation criteria for surplus school properties.

  5. Stocking school closes

    Closure

    The school shut down in June 2024 amid declining neighborhood enrollment.

Scenarios

1

Stocking housing project breaks ground

Likely Resolves by Q3 2027

Discussed by: GRPS officials and the developer, who framed the planning commission vote as a key step toward construction

Commonwealth Development Corporation secures construction financing, wraps up remaining approvals, and pulls a building permit for the 48-unit project. Given the planning commission approval and the district's stated support, this is the expected near-term path.

2

Project stalls on financing or approvals

Possible Resolves by Q3 2027

Discussed by: Analysts of affordable housing development, who note that rising construction costs and financing gaps often stall such projects after initial approvals

The developer delays because of higher interest rates, a construction cost overrun, or a financing shortfall. The special land use approval stays in place but construction doesn't start, leaving the school site vacant longer.

3

Neighbors appeal the planning commission decision

Deadline passed (Oct 15, 2026)

Discussed by: Local news accounts of similar special land use approvals, where nearby residents often file appeals within a short window

Neighborhood residents or a community group files a formal appeal of the special land use approval with the city's zoning board of appeals, contesting density, traffic, or parking. This would pause the project pending a hearing.

4

State denies October tax credit application

Possible Resolves by Feb 15, 2027

Discussed by: Commonwealth development associate Sam Warshauer, who said the project would not proceed this year without the award

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority turns down Commonwealth's October application for low-income housing tax credits. The developer would reapply in the agency's April 2027 round, pushing any construction start further out.

Historical Context

2 moments from history that rhyme with this story — and how they unfolded.

2010s–2020s

Detroit's $1 school sales (2010s–2020s)

Detroit Public Schools sold dozens of closed school buildings, some for as little as $1, to developers and nonprofits betting on neighborhood revival. The city's enrollment collapse left more than 100 buildings empty.

Then

Some buildings became housing, community centers, and commercial space. Others sat vacant for years, turned into blight magnets that the district struggled to maintain.

Now

The mixed record showed that cheap sales alone don't guarantee redevelopment, and that financing and neighborhood demand decide which projects actually get built.

Why this matters now

Grand Rapids is following the same playbook — selling surplus schools cheaply to spur affordable housing — and faces the same risk that a low sale price doesn't ensure the project closes.

May–June 2013

Chicago's mass school closures (2013)

Chicago Public Schools voted to close 50 elementary schools in one year, most in Black and Latino neighborhoods, after enrollment fell districtwide. The closures sparked intense community opposition and years of debate over what would replace the empty buildings.

Then

Many closed buildings were mothballed while the district sought reuse plans; some became community-run spaces and housing, others remained shuttered for years.

Now

The closures embedded deep distrust of school district decisions in affected neighborhoods and shaped how other districts approached surplus property sales.

Why this matters now

Like Chicago, Grand Rapids closed Stocking with limited public input at first, then tried to rebuild trust by holding neighborhood meetings before selling. The outcome depends on whether the housing actually gets built.

Sources

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WOOD TV Grand Rapids Public Schools MLive FOX 17 FOX 17 MLive