The Right Place and CWD partner with OVD Insurance on its acquisition of 7-story downtown Grand Rapids office building

Today, The Right Place, Inc., in collaboration with the Michigan Economic Development Corporation (MEDC), announced that locally-owned insurance brokerage OVD Insurance is partnering with CWD Real Estate Investment to purchase the 7-story, 99,000 SF office building located at 37 Ottawa Avenue Northwest in downtown Grand Rapids for its new headquarters. OVD, with offices in Grand Rapids, Pittsburgh, and Raleigh, as well as partnerships in Dallas and Nashville, plans to add 131 jobs over the next five years as part of this project.

The MEDC supports the project with a $1m Michigan Business Development Program grant.

OVD will become the anchor tenant at 37 Ottawa, occupying 30,000 square feet across the third and fourth floors, while continuing to lease out the remaining space to existing tenants. OVD is projected to occupy the space later in 2025, they plan to begin making significant investments in the new building soon.

“Investing in this downtown location is more than just raising the profile of OVD Insurance — it’s a physical expression of our launch into the next phase of our company,” said Josh Van Vels, President of OVD Insurance. “As a privately owned firm, we remain deeply committed to investing in our communities, and there’s no better place to do that than in the heart of Grand Rapids. This space will enhance our professionalism and culture, reinforcing that this is a people business — one where attracting and retaining top talent is key to our success. We’re incredibly grateful to the partners who helped us reach this milestone, including CWD, The Right Place, The City of Grand Rapids, and the MEDC."

Founded in 1982, OVD Insurance is a full-service insurance brokerage that focuses on, but is not limited to commercial insurance, employee benefits, personal lines, and risk management solutions. OVD's growth is unique in that it has been entirely organic, with the brokerage doubling in size over the past five years making it one of the largest independent brokerages in the country. The firm is committed to remaining privately owned and believes the new office location reinforces its dedication to both its people and the community.

“We believe this move enables us to further invest in what truly matters: our culture, our people, and our clients,” Van Vels added. “We look forward to attracting more like-minded individuals to our world-class team."

“When we originally acquired the Helmer Building (37 Ottawa) in 2012 and brought it out of its aluminum skin back in 2018-19, this is the result that we were hoping for—to attract a great corporate HQ to our downtown,” said Sam Cummings, CWD Managing Partner. “We are thrilled to bring all the great people and culture of OVD to the City and specifically downtown Grand Rapids—and we are grateful to them for partnering with us on their new home. CWD will continue to manage the 37 Ottawa building as part of our ongoing partnership with OVD.”

OVD and CWD partnered with Macatawa Bank to finance the purchase of 37 Ottawa.

The Right Place worked closely with the MEDC to ensure the company's continued growth in West Michigan. They offered support by effectively organizing state and local resources, including the Michigan Business Development Program Incentive.

“We’re excited OVD Insurance has chosen to grow their headquarters in the heart of Grand Rapids,” said Andria Romkema, Senior Vice President of Business Development at The Right Place, Inc. and project lead. “OVD’s decision to locate their corporate HQ in the city will bring more energy to an already vibrant downtown and speaks to the region’s ability to attract the highly-skilled talent our companies need to thrive.”