A triangular, three-story building nicknamed the “Flatiron” is headed for Headley Street in downtown Ada, and neighbors could start noticing site activity as early as the end of this month. The mixed-use project will stack commercial space and indoor parking on the ground floor, offices on the second floor, and residential condominiums on top, with the building situated near the Amy Van Andel Library.
The project follows a decade-long effort to reshape the village center. Ada Township’s 2013 Envision Ada plan set out to activate downtown and improve pedestrian and vehicle connections, including rerouting local roads. The resulting growth brought new businesses and housing to a walkable district that now draws visitors to its library, shops, restaurants and community events—while most visitors still arrive by car.
The project's distinctive shape, according to FOX 17, is what earned it the Flatiron nickname. Ada Township Planning Director John Said referenced similarly shaped buildings in downtown Grand Rapids and in New York City when discussing the design, though he said he could not recall ever reviewing a triangular-shaped building plan for the township before. The station reports the building will include 15 indoor parking spaces and roughly six or seven outdoor spaces.
Parking numbers tied to the broader development have varied across reports. FOX 17's account states the development process is expected to create an additional 21 parking spaces behind the building on township property, while an MLive report on the April 2026 revised plans said six new parking spaces would be added next to the library. The two figures have not been reconciled, and it is unclear whether they describe the same parking area or separate additions.
From Four Stories to Three
The Flatiron's path to approval wasn't a straight line. MLive reported that the Ada Township Planning Commission tabled an earlier four-story version of the project at a public hearing on February 19, 2026, asking the developer to do more work on building height and parking plans.
The developer returned with a scaled-back design. Per the same MLive account, the Planning Commission approved revised site plans on April 16, 2026, for a three-story, 26,916-square-foot building after removing one story and a basement parking garage, trimming the total size by 16,763 square feet.
The revised plan also sits within a zoning framework that accounts for shared downtown parking. Ada Township’s planning staff review says the Village Center rules allow a 60% reduction in required parking for commercial and residential uses, based on shared public parking, mixed uses and pedestrian facilities. The proposal included 15 spaces in the building and six additional public spaces on library property; staff said the driveway connection through the library lot would require a separate township access-easement approval.
Construction Timeline and Street Impacts
Site activity could begin as early as the end of November, FOX 17 reports, with township officials saying the project could be underway by early spring 2027 depending on weather and construction conditions. Construction itself is expected to take roughly a year to a year and a half once it gets going.
Drivers and pedestrians near the site should expect some disruption. The station's report notes that some sidewalk access and parallel parking in front of the site will be restricted during construction, though Headley Street itself is expected to remain open throughout the process. Downtown Development Authority Director Kevin Austin said substantial downtown parking will remain accessible to the public during the build.
A Downtown Already Studying Its Parking
The Flatiron arrives as Ada Township has been examining its downtown parking supply more broadly. A Fishbeck parking study, conducted with sub-consultant Mckenna, cataloged both public and private parking throughout the downtown district and tracked actual occupancy across four different days, according to a separate FOX 17 report on the township's parking plan presentation.
That study found downtown Ada has 1,799 parking spaces in total, including 1,434 off-street spaces split between 221 public and 1,213 private spots. The study concluded downtown has adequate parking to meet the needs of businesses and organizations overall, though some visitors may need to walk farther to reach their destinations, and it recommended focusing on making better use of existing spaces rather than building new lots.
The overall supply figures mask localized crunches at popular times. Fishbeck’s downtown parking study found most blocks were 35% to 70% occupied in typical conditions, but some reached 93% during the Farmers Market and 98% during weeknight concerts, even as nearby blocks retained open spaces. The study recommends quarterly occupancy counts and shared-parking coordination, with a goal of keeping utilization near 80%.
Austin has indicated the township is weighing a range of approaches going forward, saying officials could construct more parking or, creatively, find a way to introduce policy changes rather than relying solely on physical infrastructure. The parking study also included a section specifically focused on future development and long-term planning, the station reported.
Mixed Reactions From Downtown Voices
Reaction to the Flatiron and the broader development push has been generally supportive, with some caveats. Alison Kraai McKee, who serves on the Ada Business Association board and organizes community events, said development can help connect village areas and bring people to local businesses.
Kristyn Brady offered a more measured take, saying she supports development when it's done well but believes investment should reach areas beyond the village core. Brady said long-term planning should consider both access to downtown and benefits to the broader community as the Flatiron and future projects move forward.
