Eric Doyle, a former resident of San Francisco, knew exactly what he wanted as he searched for a home in the City of Grand Rapids: easy access to recreation. The Creston-Cheshire district, then, was an obvious choice for a guy who likes to knock off work early once in a while and pound out a few miles on the road bike.
The neighborhood encompasses Riverside Park which, at 250 acres, is the city’s largest expanse of green space. The park offers soccer fields and baseball diamonds; a challenging Frisbee golf course; two miles of Grand River frontage; and extensive pathways to walk, roller blade, or bike. It’s also the perfect spot to embark on a long biking trip, as its path connects to the White Pine Trail, which runs 100 miles north to Cadillac, Michigan. That sealed the deal for an avid bicycler like Doyle.
“I knew when I was looking for a neighborhood my desire was to be more active,” he said. “The choice was simple. I wanted to live close to Riverside Park.”
With Riverside and seven other urban parks, one of three operating city pools, and professional baseball just miles away, Creston-Cheshire certainly is the City of Grand Rapids’ unofficial playground. But the district also offers a wide array of basic residential services – restaurants, schools, pharmacy, grocery, etc. – in a stable neighborhood setting. Today, it is quickly becoming a choice place to live for young urbanites and families looking to move closer to the central city.
Big, Safe, and Diverse
Originally absorbed by the City of Grand Rapids in 1857, Creston-Cheshire has grown over the years into the largest geographic neighborhood in the city. The district’s boundaries are loosely defined by Four Mile Road to the north, Fuller Avenue to the east, the Grand River to the west, and Leonard Street to the south.
Despite its size, the area boasts one of the lowest crime rates of any neighborhood in the city. Mary Bueche, a crime prevention specialist with the Creston Neighborhood Association, attributes that remarkable achievement to active community participation from local residents.
“This drop in crime is really the by product of people becoming involved and caring about their neighborhood,” Bueche said. “Statistics have shown that crime goes down when people take the time to get involved in a neighborhood.”
In addition to safety, diversity is another characteristic that increasingly defines the Creston-Cheshire district. Hardworking Dutch, Polish, German, and Irish immigrants originally settled this part of town. And whites continue to makeup the bulk of the population today. But African America, Asian, Native American, Latino populations are growing rapidly. What’s more, the city’s Second Ward, which includes the Creston-Cheshire area, is the only district ever to elect a woman to serve on the City Commission. In fact, voters have done it twice.
“Creston is a neighborhood where diversity works,” said Paul Haan, a Creston resident for over 15 years. “Walking the streets of Creston, one will pass people of all races, ages, and incomes.”
To Rent or Own
Housing stock in the area also reflects the theme of diversity, Haan said. Creston offers both homes and apartments in a wide variety of prices, styles, locations, and amenities. Potential homebuyers can secure a smaller, two-bedroom house in the district for as low as $60,000. But larger brick ranch style homes can range as high as $250,000.
“There are homes in a wide variety of sizes and values,” Haan said. “Some fit for first-time homeowners. Some are more geared to established families. And still others for families without children.”
Creston also offers plenty of opportunities for renters in both residential neighborhoods and apartment complexes. One of these complexes is Hidden Creek apartments located near Huff Park. Amenities include an outdoor pool and an exercise room and pets are allowed. Another popular complex is Wyndham Hill, which offers free cable, central air, and spacious deck or patio space. Potential residents can also choose units with a gas fireplace and cathedral ceilings. Rents at both complexes range from $599 to $935 per month.
New residential space also is coming online in the Creston-Cheshire district. DeVries Companies currently is renovating the city’s former water filtration plant into offices and six luxury apartments. Amenities will include exposed steel, loft style ceilings, and Jacuzzi baths.
The Creston Neighborhood Association is a good resource for prospective renters and home buyers.
The School Scene
The Grand Rapids Public School system operates 5 elementary schools, 1 middle school, and a high school in the Creston-Cheshire district. And, in the fall of 2006, Grand Rapids City High, a school for gifted students, will relocate in the community. The GRPS offers bussing for elementary kids. But, in an effort to control costs and improve service, high school kids typically are given vouchers for the city’s award-winning bus system.
Creston-Cheshire showcases some of GRPS’s more successful programs. Class A Creston High School, for example, offers advanced scientific courses that provide students with college-level experience in the field of biomedical research. And Palmer Elementary, a choice institution due to its exceptional staff and collaborative Parent Teacher Association, uses a waiting list to manage student enrollment. Cathy Mueller, a member of the Grand Rapids School Board, says the success is due to the “community forming good connections with their schools.”
Other schooling options in the area include a charter academy, three Catholic schools, a Baptist school, and a Christian Reformed school.
Good Eats, Tunes, and Baseball
Retail business in the Creston-Cheshire area tend to be locally owned and geared toward providing basic services to residents. Kingma’s, for example, is a small but well stocked grocery that offers a full service meat counter, plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, and an extensive selections of cheeses from local and international cheese makers. Kay Pharmacy is the place to go for prescriptions and other health care products. Additional local services include a barber shop, a book store, and banking.
There are plenty of spots in the neighborhood to grab a bite to eat, catch a beer, or hear a local band. Popular breakfast spots include the Cheshire Restaurant, Susie’s Donuts, and the North Park Café. Fat Boys and the Choo Choo Grill serve all-American burgers for lunch. While Graydon’s Crossing offers a unique blend of English-Indian fare for dinner, a wide variety of local and international brews, and an extensive wine list.
Other bars in the area include Quinn and Tuite’s, which regularly features authentic Irish music, and the Sazerac Lounge, which hosts a weekly poetry slam every Wednesday, an open mic night on Thursdays, and locals bands on the weekend.
Baseball lovers also can catch a beer and some sun at Fifth-Third Ballpark, the home of the West Michigan Whitecaps baseball club, a minor league affiliate of the Detroit Tigers. The park is just north of the Creston-Cheshire boundary, an easy walk or bike ride from the neighborhood.
“I am not a huge fan of baseball,” said Eric Doyle. ‘But I do love that when we go we can bypass taking our car and ride our bikes the few miles north to the stadium. It is actually faster than taking a car.”
For more information about Creston-Cheshire visit the:
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Visiting Guide
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Investing Guide
Directions to Creston-Cheshire
From the North:
Take US-131 South toward Grand Rapids and take Exit 87 toward US-131 Business/Leonard St. Stay straight to go onto Turner Ave NW and turn left onto Leonard St NW/ US-131 BR. Continue to follow Leonard St NW. Turn left onto Plainfield Ave NE and arrive in Creston-Cheshire.
From the East:
Take I-96 West toward Grand Rapids and merge onto I-196 West toward Downtown Grand Rapids/Holland. Continue to US-131 North via Exit 77A toward Cadillac and take Exit 87 toward Leonard St. Stay straight to go onto Scribner Ave NW and turn right onto Leonard St NW/US-31 BR. Continue to follow Leonard St NW. Turn left onto Plainfield Ave NE and arrive in Creston-Cheshire.
From the South:
Take US-131 North toward Grand Rapids and take Exit 87 toward Leonard St. Stay straight to go onto Scribner Ave NW and turn right onto Leonard St NW/US-31 BR. Continue to follow Leonard St NW. Turn left onto Plainfield Ave NE and arrive in Creston-Cheshire.
From the West:
Take I-96 East toward Grand Rapids and merge onto US-131 South via Exit 31A toward Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo. Continue to Exit 87 toward US-131 Business/Leonard St. Stay straight to go onto Turner Ave NW and turn left onto Leonard St NW/ US-131 BR. Continue to follow Leonard St NW. Turn left onto Plainfield Ave NE and arrive in Creston-Cheshire.
Take I-196 East toward Grand Rapids and merge onto US-131 North via Exit77A on the left toward Cadillac. Take Exit 87 toward Leonard St. Stay straight to go onto Scribner Ave NW and turn right onto Leonard St NW/US-31 BR. Continue to follow Leonard St NW. Turn left onto Plainfield Ave NE and arrive in Creston-Cheshire.
Photographs by Brian Kelly:
Cape Cod Meets Creston
Walking Bridge - Riverside Park
Creston Home
Playground - Riverside Park
Kingma's Produce
Quinn and Tuite's Irish Pub