Frederick Meijer Gardens Begins $115M Capital Campaign for Expansions

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Grand Rapids-based Frederick Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park today announced the launch of a $115 million capital campaign entitled “Welcoming the World: Honoring the Legacy of Love,” to fund expansions and improvements to the campus.

Since opening in 1995, Meijer Gardens’ growth in attendance, membership, art collections, art collections, dedicated garden spaces, and educational programs, has catalyzed the group’s need for additional space and updates.  Construction is scheduled to begin this Fall and is expected to last four years.

The project will include construction of a 60,000-square-foot welcome center, a 20,000-square-foot Covenant Learning Center, and a new Peter C. Emajean Cook Transportation Center. The Meijer Gardens Ampitheater will also be expanded and upgraded, and a new sculpture will be added in the Garden Entry Plaza. The Bissell Scenic Corridor will also be renovated and expanded, and a new outdoor pavilion will be created, as well as new rooftop sculpture garden and more accessible parking and urban gardens.

“Our focus from the beginning has been to provide an exceptional experience for our members and guests, and we’re thrilled that we have the opportunity to build on our success with this new endeavor,” says David Hooker, Meijer Gardens’ president and CEO. “At its very essence, Meijer Gardens is a place of joy – and a legacy of love shared by Fred and Lena Meijer, the Meijer family, and thousands of team members, volunteers and donors who have created a special place. The name of our capital campaign reflects the love that Fred and Lena had for each other, for this community, and for sculpture and gardens. We strongly believe the growth of Meijer Gardens will continue and that the organization will thrive for generations to come.”

New York firm Tod Williams Billie Tsien Architects and Partners has been selected to re-envision and expand the facilities. The firm is known for their design of the Barnes Foundation in Philadelphia and the Barack Obama Presidential Center in Chicago.

The capital campaign has raised nearly $102 million.