founders taproom expansion rendering.jpg

A rendering of the expanded Founders Brewing Co. taproom at 235 Grandville Ave SW.

(Courtesy Photo)

Founders Brewing Co. 15th Anniversary Party 12 Gallery: Founders Brewing Co. 15th Anniversary Party

Update: Renderings show layout of expanded facility

GRAND RAPIDS, MI — There could soon be more space in which to quaff a brew and learn about the beer-making process at Founders Brewing Co.

The company is scheduled to appear before the city planning commission on Thursday, March 14, on a special land use request to increase the size of the brewery’s popular taproom at 235 Grandville Ave. SW.

The current 8,000-square-foot taproom, which features a long curved bar, stage area, open floor table seating and outdoor porch, would be expanded by 5,425 square feet.

The plans also include construction of a 3,975-square-foot beer garden, educational facility for beer tourists, additional offices, an enlarged deli kitchen and company store.

The educational aspect is an extension of the brewery tours, which Founders debuted in January. Eventually, the brewery plans to offer classes for people interested in learning more about the brewing process, and to teach things like how to identify different styles of beer and other advanced beer education.

“Our industry continues to flourish and, as a leader in the industry, we feel that we have a responsibility to educate our staff, wholesaler and retailer partners and beer enthusiasts,” said brewery co-founder Dave Engbers.

Assuming city approval, the brewery expects to break ground on the expansion in April with the space ready by fall 2013.

The project will cause the brewery to lose about 15 parking spaces in front of the building, but city planning director Suzanne Schulz said the company already satisfies the city's parking requirement with the spaces in the back lot.

"They are bringing the building out to the street edge, which is what we look and hope for with new projects," she said. “We are trying to create, especially in the downtown area, a pedestrian-oriented environment."

The taproom expansion follows construction on a multi-million dollar expansion of the Founders cellar at the northwest corner of the Grandville Avenue facility. The company has received a $2 million state economic development grant and $300,000 in tax breaks from the city on the multi-phase expansion project.

The brewery is in the midst of a $26 million total expansion project at its Grand Rapids taproom and production facility. When it's complete, the new space should yield the brewery an additional 165,000-some barrels of annual production capacity, which would boost Founders’ total annual beer output to about 340,000 barrels per year.

Founders said that 85 percent of the capital investment in the total expansion project is earmarked for brewing, fermenting and packaging equipment.

Upgrades also will be made to systems and software, and Founders says a focus will be put on energy-efficient investments, including initiatives such as heating the new office building from a chiller on the brewery’s north cellar.

The expansions are expected to create 52 new jobs over the next three years.

Related Stories:

• Expansion positions Founders for national impact

• Founders expanding into Canada, Texas, Maryland, Florida

• Near bankruptcy forged Founders into craft beer titan

Email Garret Ellison or follow him on Twitter.