Coca-Cola Bottling Company Tearing Down Vacant Building in Grand Rapids

Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling has plans to knock down a vacant office building on its southwest Grand Rapids site. The company, which employs nearly 220 people at its main bottling plant, needs more truck parking space.

The 7,100-square-foot office building at 1208 Butterworth St. SW near Garfield Avenue SW has been empty for years. Company representative Eric Mark noted that the structure has visible cracks and bricks ready to fall off.

The Grand Rapids Planning Commission approved a special land use request for the project in a 5-2 vote on August 13, with some conditions added, including asking the company to add a 'substantial landscape feature' at Butterworth and Garfield.