New West Michigan Technology and Innovation Hub “The Next Center Announced
Three-story downtown Holland office building will serve as center for business incubation, economic development and community collaboration
HOLLAND, Mich. – On May 24th, 2023, Lakeshore Advantage, the economic development organization serving Ottawa and Allegan counties, announced its plans to build the ‘Next Center’ for entrepreneurship and innovation at their 20th Anniversary Celebration presented by Pioneer Construction. More than 250 business and community leaders were in attendance.
The Next Center will serve as a hub for innovation and business growth to strengthen West Michigan’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. This three-story, 20,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art office building will be owned and operated by Lakeshore Advantage. The Center will house a business incubator, community education space, and the offices of Lakeshore Advantage.
“The startup community is important to the ecosystem of even mature businesses,” said Neil Boehm, Chairman of the Board for Lakeshore Advantage. “We work with startups all the time. Many times, they are thought leaders in technology. I think it’s going to add so much into the community.”
The Next Center, located at 65 East 7th Street in Holland’s SmartZoneSM, will feature a multifunctional first-floor business incubator with room for up to 50 tenants. The center’s second floor will serve as the new headquarters for Lakeshore Advantage and as a home to second-stage startup companies. The top floor will house an anchor company and partner to incubating startups. Construction is expected to begin this fall and be completed by the end of 2024.
“This Center will be a visible, accessible technology hub in the heart of downtown Holland,” said Jennifer Owens. “It will allow us to accelerate our next generation of business but also our established employers. To bring this dream to a reality and ensure it is world-class, we need to secure our final foundational funding.”
To finalize this project, Lakeshore Advantage is seeking to raise $2.3 million in funding. The total construction and operational cost are estimated to be $15.3 million. EV Construction and GMB Architecture + Engineering are leading project design and construction.