The former 1931 Grand Rapids Christian High School was transformed in partnership with Madison Square Church and ICCF Community Homes. The finished space honors its history and is now home to 41 affordable housing units, an early childhood center, community spaces, Madison Church’s Franklin Campus and ICCF’s offices.

The former three-story school sat vacant for 12 years. Now, floors two and three contain 41 apartments – each features a unique, historic element such as original classroom cabinetry, historic windowsills, wood trim and flooring. ICCF also occupies a portion of the first floor for their new headquarters. The office space features a live wall and solid southern red oak doors – a prominent feature throughout. The first floor originally contained an outdoor courtyard which now boasts an atrium with terrazzo and parquet flooring, glass ceiling and a large planter bed. In the first-floor sanctuary, Rockford repaired and refinished the detailed plaster ceilings; plaster crown molding was hand-troweled and sculpting by hand. All windows were completely replaced throughout the building, five in the sanctuary were historical so they were refinished and reglazed.

This project received the 2022 Michigan Historic Preservation Network’s Building of the Year award.