Fifth Third Bank sells historic downtown building for $4.4M, but plans for the space remain unannounced

Cassandra Lybrink, The Holland Sentinel
·2 min read

HOLLAND — Fifth Third Bank has sold its historic building in downtown Holland.

Holland Lakeview Holdings LLC purchased the property for $4,425,000 on Friday, June 17. The LLC shares an address with Warner Norcross and Judd, a corporate law firm with locations in Holland and Grand Rapids.

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Holland Lakeview Holdings LLC purchased the building at 36 E. Eighth St. — plus two additional parcels — for $4,425,000 on Friday, June 17.
Holland Lakeview Holdings LLC purchased the building at 36 E. Eighth St. — plus two additional parcels — for $4,425,000 on Friday, June 17.

Plans for the three-story office building at 36 E. Eighth St. remain unclear. The sale included two additional parcels behind the building, which hold a parking lot and a drive-thru that exits on Ninth Street, according to reporting from MiBiz.

The Michigan Department of Licensing and Regulatory Affairs shows Holland Lakeview Holdings is owned by Corporation Service Company. The president, treasurer, secretary and director of Corporation Service Company is Bruce C. Young, a partner at the firm.

The historic property was listed in October 2021 by NorthStar Commercial LLC. The listing was removed from the company's online property inventory by February.

The decision to list came after years of consideration by Fifth Third Bank over what to do with the space. The building is known as one of Holland's architectural gems.

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The building at 36 E. Eighth St. began its life as People's State Bank, which opened two days before Christmas in 1905 at 29 E. Eighth St. before moving to its permanent location in 1928.
The building at 36 E. Eighth St. began its life as People's State Bank, which opened two days before Christmas in 1905 at 29 E. Eighth St. before moving to its permanent location in 1928.

The space began its life as People's State Bank, which opened two days before Christmas in 1905 at 29 E. Eighth St. before moving to its permanent location in 1928. The ornate building "reflected the lavishness of an Italian palace with an Art Deco-style," according to research by local historian and Holland resident Steve VanderVeen.

The founding directors of the bank were W.C. Walsh, John H. Kleinheksel, George P. Hummer, Douwe B. Yntema, Arend Visscher, C.J. Lokker and Bastian D. Keppel.

The building is listed by the city as a landmark property.

— Contact reporter Cassandra Lybrink at cassandra.lybrink@hollandsentinel.com. Follow her on Instagram @BizHolland.

This article originally appeared on The Holland Sentinel: Fifth Third Bank finds buyer for historic building in downtown Holland