Summit Landscape Management, Inc.

• Construction of rain gardens (filter fabric, soils, mulch and plant material).
• Sod installation
• Landscape
• Volleyball and Basketball pole installation
• Site furnishings
• Maintenance of site until substancial completion

Due to the increased demand for space in the current Fieldhouse, the Laker Turf building was designed to provide more recreational opportunities to our student population. With the growth of GVSU came the growth of Fieldhouse programming. The Movement Science Department, Campus Rec. Department, Club Sport teams, ICA athletics, and general student recreation participation have all increased significantly. With the addition of the turf building comes more space opportunity for a variety of recreational use within the turf building as well as the current Fieldhouse.
 
When did it open?
Fall 2008
 
What are the amenities of the turf building?

• 138,000 gross square feet    
• 6 lane 300 meter indoor track with 9 sprint lanes     
• Long jump and triple jump lane and pits     
• Indoor pole vault, shot put, and high jump
• 100 yard indoor sport turf field   
• Multi-purpose rooms for various student activities  
• Day use student locker/shower rooms        
• Public restrooms  
• Athletic Training room  
• Concession area
• Bleacher seating for 800 spectators  
• Field level bleacher seating for 260 student athletes   
• ADA accessible features        

LEED Certified

Crews completed the two-level green roof on Grand Rapids Community College’s Applied Technology Center at 151 Fountain Ave. in August, making this year’s students have been the first to learn about green roof science up-close and personal.

Level one of the roof creates a unique al fresco dining area for The Heritage Restaurant, part of the school’s culinary institute. The second level features an outdoor observation deck.

“We made a conscious choice to educate our students, staff and the public about what the roof is and how it works,” says Jim VanDokkumburg, director of facilities. “All areas of both roofs are accessible, with associated signage telling how a green roof works, the plant names, bloom times, and the benefits of green roofs.”

Those benefits include insulation, preserving the roof from sun damage, and better acoustics inside the building.

Besides the 20 different sedums that bloom throughout the year, the roof offers space for an herb garden where the culinary students can grow fresh spices for the restaurant.

“The restaurant has had a plaza for 20 years, but it was always cold feeling and sterile,” says David Wilkins of Holland-based GMB Architects-Engineers, designers of the project. “We created low walls that double as benches. The vegetative roof modules sit in those.”

The atrium runs through the building’s core and used to overlook an ugly flat roof. The new design includes three six-by-six-foot observation windows cut into the exterior wall and a new door that leads to the observation deck.

Originally, the second-level green roof was to cover all but 3,300-square-feet, but because the project came in under budget the rest of the roof will be “greened” next summer.

The roof came from LiveRoof of Spring Lake. Grandville-based Summit Landscape Management handled the installation. TerHorst & Rinzema of Ada was the general contractor.

Source: Jim VanDokkumburg, Grand Rapids Community College; David Wilkins, GMB Architects-Engineers, Courtesy Photos

Summit Landscape provided all landscape services including the installation and construction of the rain garden areas.