Project Highlight: Lyon Square – Grand Rapids, MI
Tucked between the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and DeVos Place, Kent Companies’ crew has been (literally) laying the foundation for a vibrant gathering spot in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids.
Lyon Square is the first in a series of park and trail improvements planned for the Grand River. The projects are designed to activate and revitalize the undervalued and underused riverfront. Discussions for the project date back to 2009.
Rockford Construction turned to Kent Companies to perform an extensive concrete scope. Kent Companies crews began work in the Fall of 2023 on removing the existing amphitheater, a poured retaining wall, and flood wall extensions. These changes accommodate a cantilever slab that will extend over the river.
Lyon Square’s cantilever concrete slab is arguably the most challenging feature of the project. Kent Companies proposed the use of a suspended Doka formwork solution which protected the riverbed from construction disturbance. Our crew overcame logistical and engineering challenges, combined with pouring and finishing concrete in and around the suspended form system, to deliver on Kent’s Four Hallmarks.
In total, Kent Companies installed 36 tons of rebar and placed 310 cubic yards of concrete at Lyon Square. Kent’s site crew will install the curb and sidewalks later this spring.
