Editor's note: This story is part of Southwest Michigan Second Wave's On the Ground Battle Creek series.

BATTLE CREEK, — The heart and soul of a repurposed building in downtown Battle Creek will be the organizations that inhabit it and community residents who take advantage of the opportunities awaiting them when they walk through its doors.

That building, known as the Battle Creek Innovation Hub (BCIH), will be occupied by Battle Creek Unlimited (BCU) which owns it, and Grand Valley State University (GVSU). It formerly housed Western Michigan University’s Kendall Center. 

On Wednesday, an invitation-only hard hat tour of the Innovation Hub, expected to be open and operational in September, was hosted by GVSU’s President Philomena V. Mantella. 

The establishment of the Innovation Hub will more than quadruple GVSU’s physical footprint in Battle Creek, unlocking unlimited opportunities to offer programming to a wide range of community interests, says Kara Van Dam, Vice President and Chief Executive of GVSU’s Omni initiative.

GVSU Omni is built on strategic alliances that bridge education and industry, Van Dam says.

“GVSU Omni has grown GVSU’s physical presence across the state, ensuring that more students across Michigan have access to a GVSU education. GVSU Omni is based in community partnership and innovation, and we tailor our presence in each location to meet that community's need,” she says. “BCIH is a perfect example of this, with services tailored to the entrepreneurial and innovative spirit, particularly towards food innovation, that is core to Battle Creek's DNA.”

In addition to expanded academic programming, internships, as well as community and youth programs, GVSU Omni is partnering with GVSU’s Richard M. and Helen DeVos Center for Entrepreneurship & Innovation to bring entrepreneurship services to Battle Creek. 

“GVSU Omni has also supported the center’s efforts to bring the Michigan Veteran Entrepreneurship Lab (MVE-Lab) to Battle Creek, Detroit, and Traverse City,” Van Dam says.

Located at 50 W. Jackson Street, the majority of the three-story, 31,169-square-foot BCIH building will be occupied by BCU. GVSU will use about 11,000 square feet of renovated space split between the first and second floors, says Al Shifflett, Director of GVSU Omni Southwest Michigan Region.

The first-floor space will house two classrooms, a student lounge, and staff and faculty offices for GVSU. Shifflett says there also is a commercial kitchen to support a café operated by Battle Creek Food Reimagined that will be open to the public and a Welcome Center.

The second floor will have an event space to accommodate 100 people and will be open for use by the community. BCU’s small business development groups will occupy the majority of this floor.

The third floor will likely have food-related tenants.

Van Dam says the overarching goal of the BCIH is to serve the entire community.

“We are excited to expand our youth programming, to include summer camps and other immersive opportunities. The presence of GVSU's Center for Entrepreneurship and Innovation at BCIH will help entrepreneurs grow their ideas into solid businesses,” she says. “The space unlocks the potential for expanded internship opportunities as well as the offering of academic degrees tailored to working adults.”

Each of the classrooms on the first floor is designed to accommodate up to 25 student learners. A partition separating the two rooms can be removed to serve a total of 50 students at one time.

GVSU’s target audience is working adults, “people in careers or in industry who are looking at upscaling or looking at getting into different careers and where they want to be,” Shifflett says. “We’re also going to serve students who after earning their Associate’s degree experience barriers to attending a university. They can build their bachelor's degree here.”

Many of the BCIH programs happen on evenings and weekends, which makes them more available to working people. Shifflett says GVSU is offering courses that could lead to undergraduate certificates and/or bachelor’s degrees. He says GVSU is also considering potential graduate degree programs and credit and non-credit learning focused on skills.

“We’re still building our portfolio of programs. This is all really meant to serve Omni programming and the BCIH will be a major hub for that,” Shifflett says. “This facility will expand our portfolio and bring in more courses and classes. We’re responding to the community and asking them what they want.”

In addition, GVSU is looking at high-demand industries and how manufacturing and mid-level management can be supported.

“We’re working within STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) and food innovation and health services. We’re looking at building portfolios around these industries,” Shifflett says.

Creating opportunities through partnerships

Van Dam says GVSU wanted to be part of the BCIH because it enhances the school’s continued commitment to community partnerships resulting in increased access to education. 

“Our longstanding relationships with the WK Kellogg Foundation (WKKF) — which has provided generous financial support — and with Battle Creek Unlimited created the opportunity to think bigger and increase our collective impact through the Innovation Hub.”

WKKF contributed $10.3 million which covered the cost of renovation work to the BCIH and the implementation of some programming.

“The W.K. Kellogg Foundation was founded in Battle Creek and we remain committed to its growth and success,” says Jenefer O’Dell, who leads WKKF’s Battle Creek team. “We believe that our city has tremendous economic potential that we can harness by partnering on catalytic investments, like GVSU’s Innovation Hub, supporting small businesses and attracting well-paying jobs to the area, which in turn attracts more investment into housing and infrastructure, creating a thriving and vibrant community. “      

“This renovation contributes to the larger revitalization of downtown Battle Creek,” Van Dam says.

WKKF is supporting the BCIH because, “It is important to provide Battle Creek residents with a variety of opportunities to build strong careers that empower them to support their families,” O’Dell says.

In addition to GVSU’s presence, she says WKKF also has supported Legacy Scholars for BCPS (Battle Creek Public Schools), Calhoun Community High School, and Lakeview Schools students that provide access to two-year degree programs at Kellogg Community College, as well as apprenticeships and skilled trades programs. 

“This facility will give GVSU the opportunity to expand its presence in the region, providing more opportunities for Battle Creek residents to further their education, and to access resources like commercial kitchens and entrepreneurial support services. All of this will help to build a downtown where people want to live, where businesses want to relocate and grow, and where stores want to open, all of which is essential for the future success of Battle Creek,” O’Dell says.
 
Besides the Innovation Hub, she says WKKF’s investments in the Milton and DoubleTree Hotel help to bring people to the downtown area and support “our local, small businesses, which is key for the revitalization of downtown. We are proud to partner with Battle Creek Unlimited and Grand Valley State University. It is exciting to create an innovative approach for the future of Battle Creek to support the city’s economic growth and build a prosperous future.”