East Hills-Cherry Hill Investing Guide

Buoyed by an influx of new residents and a reenergized civic spirit, the commercial districts in the East Hills-Cherry Hill area are attracting a wide variety of original small businesses, many of them locally owned.

More importantly for investors: residents are genuinely dedicated to helping these businesses succeed. So new storefronts now open regularly. And they tend to stay open.

But anyone looking to this part of the city to either open a business or buy a home should act quickly, according to Diane Griffin, a realtor with Keller Williams.

"The time to get in is now," Griffin says. "This neighborhood is the hottest market in the entire city. But the secret is getting out and the deals will not last long. People are beginning to take notice of the many good things happening in East Hills."

The list of early birds to the area includes some of the city's leading urban redevelopment firms. .

In the wake of such an aggressive reinvestment strategy, the area is seeing a flood of new eateries, boutiques shops, and art galleries to serve residents and visitors alike. But it is also drawing architects, lawyers, nonprofit groups, banks, builders, and other entrepreneurs who aim to capitalize on East Hills' growing popularity.

The citizen activism has not only set in motion tens of millions of dollars in private investment, it is also leveraging a significant amount of public funding to reshape how the district looks, feels, and functions. This past summer, for example, contractors launched a major reconstruction of a significant stretch of Wealthy Street. The project involved upgrading sewers, widening sidewalks to stimulate pedestrian traffic, and resurfacing the roadway with brick pavers. Similar efforts have dramatically overhauled public spaces in the Fulton Street business district as well.

A place for entrepreneurs
The East Hills-Cherry Hill district is actually made up of seven neighborhoods, each with its own unique charm and character. They include:

• Wealthy Heights (south of Cherry, north of Wealthy, east of Diamond, west of Fuller)
• Fairmount Square (south of Cherry, north from Wealthy, east from Eastern, west of Diamond)
• Cherry Hill (north from Wealthy, south from Cherry, east of Union, west of Eastern).
• Fitch Corners (Union, Fulton, Eastern, Cherry)
• Diamond Gate (Diamond, Fulton, Fuller, Lake)
• Congress Park (Eastern, Fulton, Diamond, Cherry)
• Orchard Hill (Diamond, Lake, Fuller, Fairmount)

The area also includes three distinct business districts, East Hills, East Fulton, and Wealthy Street, all of which are flourishing in the wake of the growing housing market. The newest businesses include a wide selection of restaurants, art galleries, antique shops, and boutique shops. A growing number of offices also are locating in the area.

But whether it's restoring an old historic home or starting a new business, at least on common value unites the residents and proprietors in this reinvigorated quarter of Grand Rapids.

Directions to East Hills-Cherry Hill

From the North:
Take US-131 South and merge onto I-196 via Exit 86A on the left toward Lansing. Continue to Exit 78 College Ave and turn right onto College Ave NE. Turn Left onto Fulton St E and then turn slight right onto Lake Drive SE. Arrive in East Hills-Cherry Hill.

From the East:
Take I-96 West toward Downtown Grand Rapids and take Exit 79 for Fuller Ave. Turn left onto Fuller Ave NE and then right onto Michigan St NE. Turn left onto Diamond Ave NE and arrive in East Hills-Cherry Hill.

From the South:
Take US-131 North toward Grand Rapids and take Exit 84B for I-131-BR toward Downtown. Turn left onto Ionia Ave SW, then right onto Fulton ST E. Turn slight right onto Lake Dr SE and arrive in East Hills-Cherry Hill.

From the West:
Take I-96 East toward Grand Rapids and merge onto US-131 South via Exit 31A toward Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo. Continue and merge onto I-196 via Exit 86A on the Left toward Lansing. Take Exit 78 for College Ave and turn right onto College Ave NE. Turn left onto Fulton St E and then slight right onto Lake Dr SE. Arrive in East Hills-Cherry Hill.

Take I-196 East toward Grand Rapids. Continue to Exit 78 for College Ave and turn right onto College Ave NE. Turn left onto Fulton St E and then slight right onto Lake Dr SE. Arrive in East Hills-Cherry Hill.