Piazzano’s Pizza shows off attractive new facade

TUESDAY, Oct. 15 — The family restaurant “where good friends meet,” officially unveiled recent façade improvements to its location at 1825 N. Grand River Ave. The updated façade was made possible by a special grant from the city of Lansing. 

In front of a crowd of local dignitaries, Piazzano’s owner Jim Farhat gave a short and sweet speech, thanking all the partners that made the grant possible as well as the regular customers and families who have kept his business alive for 22 years. 

 Farhat was joined Tuesday by Lansing Mayor Andy Schor, representatives of the Lansing Economic Development Corporation and the Lansing Economic Area Partnership as well as the architects on the project to cut the ribbon on the renovated site.  

 “It’s not just Downtown, REO Town, we are doing work all over the city,” Schor said. “Now we are in the north side and we are happy to assist where we can.” 

 Architect Bill Arens noted that the old building, which dates to 1958 when Grand River was still the main highway to Grand Rapids, had an “unsightly” roof and pointed out the new chimney-like structures.  

 “Previously those were exposed HVAC ducts that climbed over the building, so they were kind of unsightly,” Arens said. He resolved the aesthetic issue by sealing the heating, ventilation and air-conditioning ducts and covering them with short stacks.  

 Piazzano’s was granted the maximum $20,000 grant, which renovated the entire exterior of the building. Arens added that there was room in the budget to add 32 new seats in the dining area. The updated family restaurant now comfortably seats 146 people.