A renowned ballerina and Grand Rapids native has reached out to a reality TV star, asking her to save the West Side house where she grew up. A city zoning board approved its demolition last week.

Maria Kowroski, who is a principal dancer with the New York City Ballet, posted a heartfelt plea to Nicole Curtis on Facebook. Curtis fixes up old houses for the DIY Network show “Rehab Addict”. Kowroski was raised in the home that she refers to as a “beautiful old farm house nestled on top of a little hill”. The home is located at 2500 Lake Michigan Drive NW.

In a 5-4 vote last week, the Grand Rapids Board of Zoning Appeals reversed the city Planning Commission’s denial of a permit to tear the house down.


Kowroski’s family owned the home until shortly after her mother died from breast cancer in 2005. In 2006, Covenant Village of the Great Lakes bought the land with plans to expand at some point in the future. They say the cost to make the house suitable for senior housing and all of the needs the residents would have would be far too high.

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