About Our Home
The historic Anheuser-Busch Icehouse at 185 Oakes Street SW was originally constructed in 1905. The building was renovated and dedicated in 2008 to become the permanent home for Grand Rapids Community Foundation. The video below will show you the transformation of the building from start to finish.
The Building's History
Grand Rapids had seven local breweries in 1879, all owned by German Americans. Local thirst attracted Anheuser-Busch to begin selling its beer through Grand Rapids agents.
Anheuser-Busch built the Icehouse on Grandville Avenue in 1905 as part of a network of railside icehouses. Company historians said the beer was brewed and bottled in St. Louis, then shipped in refrigerated railcars across the nation. Railcars stopped at icehouses to unload some beer and repack the rest with fresh ice, so beer would stay fresh till the next stop.
Trains pulled into Union Station, where Van Andel Arena now stands. You can still see a rail spur east of our Icehouse—as well as terra cotta Anheuser-Busch “eagle and A” roof insignia, copper chimney crowns, a hayloft and cobblestone courtyard. Horse-drawn wagons and sleighs delivered beer in town.
Prohibition hit brewers hard, which helps explain why only two Anheuser-Busch icehouses remain, ours and what’s now a hobby shop in Van Buren, Arkansas. Fortunately, local business owners had the foresight to preserve this building.
Connection to Local Philanthropist
John E. Frey rose from salesman to general manager of Anheuser-Busch’s Grand Rapids operations. During Prohibition (1918-1933), which company historians described as the “time of troubles,” Frey found commercial tenants for the Icehouse. Selling the building to Isaac Hecht Produce provided “a necessary commodity, cash.”
Burge Chemical Products bought the Icehouse in 1966. Burgess Wisner spruced up the office but left historical elements intact. When his son Terry dissolved the business in 2006, he made sure to sell it to developers who cared about Icehouse history.
John E. Frey founded Union Bank & Trust (now Chase Bank) in 1918. His son, Edward J. Frey Sr., succeeded him and also began Foremost Insurance. Edward and Frances Frey set up Frey Foundation, now chaired by their son David G. Frey, who has served as a Community Foundation Trustee.
The Community Foundation and Frey Foundation are long-partners in supporting urban education, health and green development in Grand Rapids.
LEED Certification
In 2009, Grand Rapids Community Foundation received notification that its building was awarded Silver Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design-LEED Certification with 36 points.
The Community Foundation earned points for the selection of the building site itself, access to public transportation, bicycle storage and changing space, use of existing parking facilities, the energy efficient roofing, water use reduction in restrooms, overall energy efficiency and use of natural lighting, reuse of existing building structure, the diversion of construction waste to a recycling facility, use of regionally produced materials, use of sustainably forested materials, the air exchange system, low off-gassing paints and adhesives and innovation in overall design. The TransPoints program, by which employees earn points and awards for green behaviors, earned an extra point.
Visitors Welcome
If you’d like to learn more about our space or if you’d like a tour, we’d love to show you around. Please stop by during our office hours or call 616.454.1751 to arrange a visit.