Construction begins on new Sovengard building

Construction begins on new Sovengard building
<strong> Rendering courtesy Create3 </strong>

A revered Grand Rapids restaurant is back on its path to reopening.

A groundbreaking was held last week for the new The Sovengard building at 1232 Bridge St. NW. The restaurant closed in late 2022 with plans to move further down Bridge Street before running into logistical issues.

The new development is a joint partnership between Ben Muller Realty Company and The Sovengard, as the restaurant sought an equity partnership in its real estate situation. A timeline for opening was not disclosed.

“We’ve made the West Side our business home for the past six years and are beyond excited to revive the historical building at 1232 Bridge in the heart of one of our vibrant neighborhoods,” said The Sovengard owner Rick Muschiana. “Community has always been a huge part of Sovengard, and this feels like a natural step further into the ideals that are so important to what we do.”

The renovated building is 5,000 square feet and provides the restaurant an opportunity to grow into its future. The indoor dining room features room for 125 diners, while the new outdoor biergarten can accommodate 100.

Visser Brothers Construction is the general contractor, while Create3 was the architect.

Sovengard opened in 2016 focused on bringing the philosophies of the New Nordic Movement to Grand Rapids with menus focused on seasonal foods and utilizing ingredients from around the region. The restaurant received numerous accolades from Grand Rapids publications, including 2020 Restaurant of the Year from Grand Rapids Magazine.

“This will feel a little bit like Sovengard grew up — it’ll have a very familiar vibe, but we have a very cool blank canvas to creatively explore,” Muschiana said. “We love the neighborhood feel of the new spot and strive to be an asset for the community around us. We’re working toward adding a min-market inside the restaurant and some other ideas to bring additional vibrancy to this area of Bridge.”