June 15, 2023, GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Grand Rapids Community College’s new Secchia Piazza and its iconic SkyCone are on the cover of a leading Michigan construction industry magazine, highlighting the opportunities the unique project created for GRCC students and the community.
CAM Magazine is the publication of the Construction Association of Michigan, the oldest and largest construction in North America. The monthly publication highlights people and projects in the industry.
The Secchia Piazza project transformed an existing outdoor patio in the Wisner-Bottrall Advanced Technology Center into an indoor multi-use space, and another opportunity to tell the stories of students’ journeys from the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education to destinations around the globe.
The article, “Changing the Grand Rapids skyline: Secchia Piazza and iconic SkyCone add pizzazz to GRCC campus,” highlights the collaboration between architects from Progressive AE, Granger Construction, and GRCC Facilities and Communications teams to create the event space and other renovations to the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education.
“This high-profile project reflects both GRCC’s and the city of Grand Rapids’ identities as cultural magnets,” the story reads. “Secchia Piazza is one of the many projects helping to reshape the campus and the city, and the entire project team is proud to have played a role in helping to make GRCC’s vision a reality.”
The cover photo focuses on the SkyCone, noting it is the first of its kind. The 31-foot wide by 15-foot-tall cone-shaped skylight feature includes 20 colorful panels with laminated glass that produce a kaleidoscope of light designed to both illuminate the space and serve as a highly visible campus beacon on the downtown Grand Rapids skyline.
The story also highlights the Tondo, a 30-foot polished concrete floor with steel inlays to create a circular art directly below the SkyCone.
“GRCC artists designed the metal panel inlays to evoke the educational pathway students take from the Secchia Institute for Culinary Education to culinary opportunities around the world.”
The story also includes the renovations to The Heritage restaurant.
“While this was a smaller-scale project based on the size and dollars, it involved complex designs and signature pieces anticipated to leave a legacy for GRCC and the greater Grand Rapids community.”
The project earned statewide honors for Granger Construction, the company that built the event space. The Washtenaw Contractors Association in March celebrated the work with a 2023 Pyramid Award in the category of Best Project Team for projects costing $3 million and $25 million.
The Secchia Piazza is a gift from the late Peter Secchia and his family, whose generosity and drive for excellence helped the Secchia Institute create state-of-the-art facilities, attract top faculty members, and prepare students for rewarding careers in the hospitality industry.
GRCC’s culinary program was renamed after Secchia and his wife, Joan, in 2007. The Pietro and Regina Amphitheater, named after Peter Secchia’s grandparents, was added in 2012. Peter’s Pub was launched in 2016 as part of GRCC’s Fountain Hill Brewery, tapping into the demand created by Grand Rapids’ growing craft beer industry.