GRAND RAPIDS, MI - Downtown planners are taking their first steps to make the riverfront more accessible with a redesign of Lyon Square, a little-used amphitheater at the west end of Lyon Street NW between the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and DeVos Place convention center.

The Downtown Development Authority has approved spending $120,000 towards a $480,000 redesign of the park, which currently features a small amphitheater overlooking a concrete floodwall and boardwalk some 20 feet below.

The remaining money for the redesign will come from philanthropic contributions, Downtown Grand Rapids Inc. President Kristopher Larson told the DDA board.

The redesign proposed by Bishop Land Design LLC would install a series of steps and ramps designed to create a terraced approach to the river while maintaining the flood controls mandated by the Federal Emergency Management Agency.

The DDA voted to move ahead with the design last week despite losing a federal grant which they hoped would have paid for it as part of the Grand Rapids White Water plan to naturalize the riverfront and restore the city's namesake rapids in the downtown area.

"I think this is a key site that can be a testament to the creative things we can do along the river," said Larson, noting they have identified 28 "opportunity sites" along the river as part of the GR Forward planning process that worked to create a new master plan for the downtown.

Larson said they hope to begin work on the project later this year and complete most of the work next year, paving the way for a 2018 opening. He said a decision about who will maintain the park has not yet been made.

Rick Winn, president of Amway Hotel Corp., said the hotel was one of the contributors to the design process and looks forward to working with the city on developing the park.

Bishop Land Design was chosen because its principal, Scott Bishop, helped develop ideas for the riverfront as a consultant to GRForward.

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Jim Harger covers business for Mlive Media Group. Email him at jharger@mlive.com or follow him on Twitter or Facebook or Google+.