Arguably one of the most recognizable historical landmarks of the city of Grand Rapids, the Meyer May House, has recently been the subject of concerns regarding its ongoing preservation. This is due to the fact that the HNI Corporation, an Iowa based furniture company, announced on August 4, 2025 that they were entering an agreement to acquire Steelcase, a furniture company based in Grand Rapids and the current owners of the Meyer May House, for a total of $2.2 billion. On December 10, 2025, it was announced they had officially completed the acquisition of Steelcase. During the acquisition process, neither Steelcase or the HNI Corporation stated if they had intended on keeping the Meyer May House and the adjacent visitor center. In light of the completion of the acquisition of Steelcase, I reached out for comment regarding the current status of the Meyer May House. In response Chiara Licari, brand communications leader at Steelcase, simply stated, “The Meyer May House and the neighboring home, which is used as a visitor center, continue to be owned by Steelcase, recognizing this important part of Grand Rapids history. There are no changes planned.”, confirming that this piece of Grand Rapidian history will continue to be preserved into the foreseeable future.
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