Baker culinary arts school OK'd

February 15, 2008
By Robert C, Burns
Muskegon Chronicle

Baker College's $11 million cooking school is set for a downtown Muskegon groundbreaking in mid-April.

Nearly 17 months later, in September 2009, the Baker College of Muskegon Center for Culinary Arts is scheduled to welcome its first students.

The three-story building at Third Street and Clay Avenue, along with an adjacent parking lot and a second student and faculty parking area at Clay and Terrace Street, were approved by the Muskegon Planning Commission Thursday.

The college's trustees approved the move downtown last September. Except for some minor tweaking of its site plan, Baker College has passed its tests with city planners with flying colors and will soon proceed to the building stage.

Work will begin on the foundation and underground utilities as soon as weather permits, said Patrick J. Kopytek, the college's director of facilities, under the management of Muskegon's Buck Construction Co.

The 58-space parking lot just east of the building will be next, followed by a much larger 258-space parking lot that was once used mainly for the former Muskegon Mall's Sears store.

Under its new master chef, Alex Erdmann, the facility will be a high-tier culinary training center. But it's also going to be something of a tourist attraction.

As described for planning commissioners by David Mayville of Bosma Architects, the all-masonry exterior of cast stone will resemble limestone used in older buildings, and will have the kind of ornamentation of older buildings as well. The landscaping and walkways will be pedestrian friendly, he said. A fountain and sculptures are also planned around the entrance area, and the building will have nighttime exterior lighting.

Once inside the main entrance, visitors will find an 88-seat restaurant, a bakery and student-run retail shops on the first floor.

Looking upward, they'll see a 16-by-16-foot skylight, an atrium and a circular staircase taking the public up to observe what goes on in the college's teaching kitchens on the second floor.

The building's third floor will be devoted mainly to three large classrooms and offices, and demo kitchens equipped with audio-visual equipment for making demonstrations.

"We think it's going to be a great asset to the future of the downtown," Mayville said.

Looking at color views of different building elevations, City Manager Bryon Mazade agreed. "It's beautiful," he said.