Third Coast In The News

Retired exec comes forward as secret developer Edward Levitt says similar medical projects have done well in suburban Chicago. Chris Knape, The Grand Rapids Press - Grand Rapids, Mich. A7, Mar 14, 2003

The man behind plans to build a $27 million medical complex near Spectrum Health Butterworth hospital has no ties to local health care; he just sees an investment opportunity.

Edward Levitt, a retired Chicago businessman, has been trying to buy homes in a three-block area to accommodate a medical office complex on the Michigan Street NE "medical mile" near downtown Grand Rapids.

Levitt, 67, on Thursday identified himself as the developer. His name until now was not disclosed.

Levitt is trying to acquire properties bordered by Int. 196 to the north and Michigan Street to the south between Paris and Union avenues NE because similar medical developments have done well in suburban Chicago, he said.

"In Evanston and Highland Park, Ill., there have been a lot of these medical office buildings put up adjacent to, or a block away from the hospitals there," Levitt said in a phone interview Thursday from Boca Raton, Fla.

S.J. Wisinski & Co., a Grand Rapids commercial real estate firm representing the developer, has said Levitt did not want to be identified until now. That secrecy, and the methods of acquiring some of the land, have angered residents.

Levitt, who splits his time between a summer home outside Chicago and his winter retreat in Florida, began acquiring options on properties along Union, Paris and Dudley avenues this winter. So far, he has half of the 44 properties under contract, but they are too scattered for development to proceed.

Plans calls for demolition of all or most of the homes to make room for three 55,000-square-foot, three-story medical office buildings. That may be changed if Levitt can't buy all the sites, he said.

"It's all really in the planning stages based on what we're able to acquire," Levitt said. "Everybody's got their own piece of land there that they own that they will or will not sell, depending on what their perspective is."

Levitt selected Grand Rapids because of the potential of the property and its proximity to Spectrum Health Butterworth hospital and the Van Andel Institute.

S.J. Wisinski representative Brad Rosely said negotiations with property owners continue. Levitt said he has not set a deadline for acquiring the land.

Some residents in the homes Levitt wants to buy have resisted his efforts, accusing the developer of making low-ball offers or, worse, planning to destroy a neighborhood they cherish.

Bill Kubiak, who lives at 539 Michigan St. NE, said he's not moving unless Levitt makes him an offer that's too good to refuse. So far, the offers have been too low, he said.

"I hope they do develop it," said Kubiak, 73. "If I have a heart attack now, I can just drop over the fence, and they'll pick me up."

A self-described "senior gentleman," Levitt said he understands the desire of some residents to stay put -- particularly seniors.

"There are people, especially people in my age group that will decide, 'You know I was born here, I was raised here, and I'll die here,'" Levitt said. "That's fine." Levitt said he retired two years ago after shutting down Levco Transport, a trucking company in Chicago. He also ran American Truck Leasing, a company that closed about 10 years ago.