The Kentwood office is one of two locations for Armbrecht & Wierenga Orthodontics, a practice that specializes in braces and Invisalign.  When the doctors decided the 3,000 square foot office on 43^rd street was in need of a major renovation, they chose First Companies for the job. Operating out of their Grandville office while the work was underway, the project wrapped up in just 5 weeks, one week ahead of schedule.  First Companies completely transformed the space beginning with a complete demo of the existing office.  Walls were moved and re-framed to meet the doctors’ goal of a better workflow.  In addition to new furniture, dental equipment, cabinets, flooring, walls and finishes throughout, the beautiful, modern space features a unique coffered architectural detail in the ceilings with LED lighting underneath.  Patients now have a much larger and comfortable waiting area, while the staff enjoys a larger breakroom with nicely equipped kitchen area.

“Our goals for the project were to modernize our space and adapt it to fit our current workflow. One key to a successful project is communication between everyone involved. With First Companies, the communications throughout were outstanding. I am a self-proclaimed perfectionist and First Companies hit every curveball I threw at them. Our experience with the company was excellent and they even finished a week ahead of schedule! When asked what advice I’d give to other doctors looking to undertake a similar remodel, I’d say, ‘Go with First Companies!'” Mark Wierenga, DDS, MS

Our detailed case study tells the full story.

Anticipating the end of their lease, the partners at BRAINS asked First Companies to help them find a new, more suitable facility for their growing practice. Initially, they looked to purchase and remodel an existing building; however, BRAINS’ practice utilizes a wide range of testing and counseling methods to effectively care for their broad client base. The ideal location required controlled lighting and sound-proofed rooms, as well as office areas appropriately furnished for testing, and a gym for physical activities. Each member of the practice needed something different to create the ideal treatment environment for their clients – presenting a unique challenge for the First Companies real estate team.

After an exhaustive search, the team came to the conclusion that constructing a new facility on North Evergreen in Grand Rapids would best meet their current and future needs. In addition to managing the construction, First Companies also assisted BRAINS with financing the project. BRAINS Ventures was established whereby the partners were able to join First Companies and other investors to purchase the land and construct their perfect building.

“Our practice is multi-disciplinary. We are not a typical office and we wanted to create an environment as conducive to the needs of our clients as possible. With First Companies we were able to work right alongside the team so that it felt like our building from the start. They really cared about making it right. First Companies helped us meet our goals in two ways: First, was the financial part. They helped us find a creative way to fund the project through BRAINS Ventures. Second, is that they listened to our every need and every request. If it was in the budget, it happened – even down to the smallest details like positioning the pattern in the carpet, and finding toilets that were water efficient, but not loud.” – Rochelle Manor, Ph.D. – BRAINS Co-Owner