World’s second-largest castle ‘has everything you could want in an apartment’

The Grand Castle by Matt Vande Bunte March 27, 2020

Anyone driving by The Grand Castle gets a sense of the building’s momentous size. Construction materials for the 522-unit apartment community off I-196 west of Grand Rapids included 200 million pounds of concrete, 900 tons of steel and 320,000 kilograms of granite.

The Grand Castle is indeed grand. In fact, at 1.2 million square-feet, it’s the second largest castle in the world!

But you have to tour The Grand Castle to get a full appreciation of how grand it really is.

The Grand Castle is a pet-friendly apartment community featuring an outdoor dog park with two separate fenced-in areas and several play elements. Taryn Willett visits the dog park with her shepherd mix ‘every day, multiple times. There’s always a dog to play with,’ she said.

How each apartment has brand-new stainless-steel appliances, granite countertops, full washer and dryer and its own water heater, plus high nine-and-a-half-foot ceilings.

How there’s a variety of floor plans that fit a variety of living situations and budgets, and more than 90 percent them get at least one covered parking space.

How the extraordinary architecture is complemented by unparalleled amenities:

Outdoor swimming pool and clubhouse
Castle-themed playground for kids
Two-story library with a “Beauty and the Beast”-style twin staircase
On-site gym with cardio and weight training equipment
Game room with ping pong, shuffleboard and arcade games
Spacious outdoor terraces and sun decks
23-acre lake for fishing and kayaking, with a waterside walking trail
Covered loading docks for easy move in
Expansive courtyard with outdoor seating and water fountain
Fenced-in dog park
Fitness classes, watch parties and other organized social events
Conference rooms for personal parties

A two-story library at The Grand Castle features a twin staircase, a la ‘Beauty and the Beast.’

“It has everything you could want in an apartment,” said Taryn Willett, 27, who lives on the sixth floor with her fiancée, dog and cat. “We like it for a lot of reasons.

“It’s newer, cleaner. It has a fresh feel. And it’s actually a really good price for the area considering it’s very close to downtown. We’re actually paying less money (than we were at our previous apartment) for a new building, and it’s closer to the highway. That’s a really huge plus because you can get anywhere in 10 minutes.”

Neuschwanstein Castle in Germany is the inspiration for both Sleeping Beauty’s Castle at Disneyland and The Grand Castle outside Grand Rapids. The 19th-century palace includes a copper lion standing guard atop its turreted roof, just like The Grand Castle.

There are a lot of apartments in West Michigan, but there’s only one castle. The Grand Castle was inspired by a similar marvel in southern Germany.

The Neuschwanstein Castle itself was a monumental feat of construction for its time, requiring more than 500 tons of marble, over 1,700 tons of sandstone and some 400,000 bricks. It also featured then-innovative amenities including central heating, running water and toilets with automatic flushing.

The Neuschwanstein Castle attracts upwards of 1 million visitors per year. Yet, only 522 tenants get to call The Grand Castle home.

“I teach dance at night and once my little dancers found out I lived at The Grand Castle they were like ‘Are you a princess?’” said Brooke Hanges, who lives in a 2-bedroom apartment on the fourth floor with her puppy.

“My nephew is 3 and he thought that was the coolest thing to have Aunt Brooke live in The Grand Castle. He even put together a Lego structure of the Castle for me.”

Apartment in the Grand Castle in Wyoming, MI

‘It’s all updated and new,’ said Brooke Hanges, who moved into The Grand Castle last year. ‘Everything is open, and the high ceiling is huge. I don’t feel like I’m in an apartment. I feel like I’m in a home.’

A year after opening, The Grand Castle is more than 70-percent occupied. Studio apartments rent for as little as $730 per month, while three-story penthouse suites have more than 4,000 square-feet. One-, two- and three-bedroom floor plans also are available ranging in size from 712 square-feet to 1,500 square-feet, with rents from $930 to $1,770 per month. The apartment community also includes several accessible units with barrier-free features.

Preferred employer discounts of 5 percent or more are available to employees of many of the Grand Rapids-area’s largest employers.

The Grand Castle is proving to be a great fit for people of all ages. In addition to 20-somethings just starting out and mid-career professionals, many residents age 55 and up are finding a home at The Grand Castle, too.

“It’s no maintenance,” said John Green, 72, who moved into a two-bedroom apartment with his wife after downsizing from a 4,900-square-foot home on 18 acres. “We love it here. It has so many things that make it worthwhile as far as things to do.”

As for The Grand Castle’s distinctive architecture, Green loves it.

“Whenever we have somebody come to visit, we never get the excuse that they couldn’t find it.”

: Located off I-196 just west of Grand Rapids, The Grand Castle is close to the Grand River, Kent Trails and Millennium Park. It also features a 23-acre lake for fishing and kayaking along with a waterside walking trail. ‘It’s super nice having the water right there,’ said Brooke Hanges, 27, who keeps kayaks in a storage unit by her covered parking spot.

: The game room at The Grand Castle features shuffleboard, ping pong, pinball and hundreds of classic arcade games including Ms. Pac-Man and Golden Tee Golf.

: The Grand Castle has two adjacent fitness rooms with cardio and weight training equipment. ‘I like how the gym is right there and the pool is right there,’ resident Brooke Hanges said. ‘I’ve had gym memberships before. I was going every day, driving there and driving back. That can add up. I like that I can walk around the corner and head to the gym. It’s just easy. It saves about 20 minutes.’

: Large bathrooms with granite countertops and walk-in closets are a hallmark of the apartments at The Grand Castle. ‘The overarching feedback from the people who live here is that they really love their apartment,’ said Aaron Dood, property manager.

: Kitchens at The Grand Castle come with brand-new stainless-steel appliances and granite countertops. ‘I really liked the fact that I would be the first one living in my apartment,’ said Brooke Hanges, who moved into the apartment community a year ago.

: A pet-friendly apartment community was a must for Brooke Hanges. The Grand Castle goes above and beyond with an outdoor dog park that has two separate fenced-in areas and several play elements

: Second-floor residents at The Grand Castle have doors leading to an expansive courtyard where they set out tables and chairs for summertime relaxation.

: The expansive courtyard in the interior of The Grand Castle features a regal water fountain befitting a fairytale castle.

: The eighth floor at The Grand Castle features spacious outdoor terraces and sun decks for casual gatherings and organized events. ‘We love the rooftops on the 8th floor,’ said Taryn Willett, who lives in a 1-bedroom apartment with her fiancée, dog and cat. ‘We use those probably once a week in the summer. We meet a lot of people.”

: Social events such as a Game of Thrones watch party with catered food are common at The Grand Castle. ‘This place is like a whole town or village in one,’ said Aaron Dood, property manager.

: Located off I-196 just west of Grand Rapids, The Grand Castle is a short drive or an $8 to $12 Uber ride to downtown. It’s also close to the Grand River, Millennium Park and Kent Trails. On-site bike storage is available for residents.

: The Grand Castle has 522 apartments including studios that rent for as little as $730 per month and three-story penthouse suites of over 4,000-square-feet. ‘It’s actually a really good price for the area considering it’s very close to downtown,’ resident Taryn Willett said. ‘We’re actually paying less money (than we were at our previous apartment) for a new building, and it’s closer to the highway. That’s a really huge plus because you can get anywhere in 10 minutes.’