Coca-Cola Demolishes Vacant Building for Truck Parking Expansion

Coca-Cola Bottling's southwest Grand Rapids site is set to expand its truck parking facilities. The company, Reyes Coca-Cola Bottling, has been granted a special land use request by the Grand Rapids Planning Commission to demolish a vacant office building.

The 7,100-square-foot, two-story building at 1208 Butterworth St. SW near Garfield Avenue SW has sat vacant for years despite efforts to lease or utilize it, according to company representative Eric Mark. The site is nearly at capacity with only 84 truck parking spots available, and the company needs more space for safety and wellbeing reasons.

The planning commission voted 5-2 in favor of the request on August 13, adding a condition that the company must add a 'substantial landscape feature' at Butterworth and Garfield. The other auxiliary building on the site will continue to be used for office space.