Rivertown Mall’s Infamous ‘Speedbump’ Parking Ramp To Be Demolished

I am born and raised here in Grand Rapids. My family used to attend church in Grandville, and our Sunday routine was always to go from church to Rivertown Mall to play on the forest-themed play equipment for hours. I miss that tree.

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But the other part of the tradition was to park on the ramp outside of Barnes and Nobles which was atrocious to drive on but was fun for us to drive fast on and send all of us in the backseat flying. Now, no one will ever experience that speed trap again because the parking ramp is getting demolished after months of being closed off.

Rivertown Mall's Next Chapter

It's no secret that Rivertown Mall has been in a weird spot for years, with many storefronts vacant and long-time staples like TGI Fridays shutting its doors. The mall struggled before the COVID-19 pandemic and seemingly never got back on its feet afterward. However, a new investor is working to bring this area's largest mall back on its feet.

READ MORE: You Could Live At RiverTown Mall In The Near Future |

A new trampoline park in the old Younker's building has been hit for the mall, and now on the other side of the mall, the investor is tearing down the upper level of the parking ramp to make room for further expansions in the future. The investor, Poag Development Group, claims the lot takes up 2.63 acres of land that can be better utilized in the future.

Demolition is expected to start in the spring and be done by the summer. In the meantime, the lower level parking is still open and the elevator is still functioning for those wanting to visit Barnes and Noble.