“You know, this building has been in this neighborhood 115 years, and I don’t know that we’ve ever been on the tour.”
Derrick Martin is principal at Grand Rapids’ Innovation Central High School. Martin himself graduated from the school in 2001. He says he’s excited to present to the community building improvements during the historic Heritage Hill Tour of Homes.
“Innovation Central High School is really a jewel of this neighborhood. Man, people walk by all the time. I see them getting out of my car and they’re like, ‘Man, is that a gargoyle on top of the building?’ So, we know the interest was there to see what we’ve done with the building.”
Innovation is Michigan’s oldest continuously operating high school. A $40 million renovation included 400 new, larger windows, new classroom tech and HVAC system, and a $3 million renovation to the historic Betty Bloomer Ford Auditorium.
“This building was really the center of this community when it was built in 1909. It was one of the biggest buildings in Grand Rapids. It had the largest auditorium in Grand Rapids. Several presidents visited here and spoke because this was really the only place to go to speak to a large crowd.”
The Heritage Hill Tour of Homes is May 16th and 17th. Tickets can be purchased online from the Heritage Hill Association website.
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