Charley’s Crab, which first opened its doors in 1982 along the Grand River, had served as a downtown dining staple for over three decades. According to a permit filed on November 22nd, the property is currently owned by RDV Corporation.
The restaurant shut its doors in 2020 at the beginning of the Covid pandemic and never reopened. Since then, the building has been condemned and sits vacant.
The building sits between US-131 and Market Avenue with a parking lot along the Grand River. The property makes up a 31-acre stretch of land that the city of Grand Rapids and Grand Action 2.0 are considering for mixed-use development to coincide with the planned $184 million dollar Acrisure Amphitheater project.
About 11 acres are slated for the amphitheater itself. Recent renderings of the area show a possible high-rise structure being built on the land currently occupied by the former restaurant.
Nick Wasmiller, Spokesperson for RDV states: “We continue to be excited by the community’s visioning work for sites along the riverfront, including the potential for 63 Market SW. We are exploring opportunities for development and will share additional details as they become available.”
