The doorman personally brings Sheila Grant a cart when she returns home from the grocery store.
When Alison Albright's friends visit, sometimes they have to pay…for parking.
Such is life living in downtown Grand Rapids. There are some real perks. And some real inconviences. Just like life anywhere else.
Sheila Grant, a graphic designer and Kendall College grad, was looking to simplify her life when she moved into Plaza Towers four years ago. She also wanted the downtown experience and easy access to a wider variety of hot spots.
She gladly traded yard work and snow shoveling in her two-story Eastown home for a two-bedroom, 1,000-square-foot condominium with a view of the city. The perks, she says, include a high level of security, close proximity to entertainment and Tre Cugini, her favorite restaurant. She also has a doorman to help with groceries which, she says, is much nicer than the back and forth fiasco of haulings bags from the trunk to the front door.
What’s more, the Urban Mill coffee shop is on the first level of her building, providing a convenient to meet with clients.
"You do have to be aware that if you're accommodating a larger group of friends, parking will be an issue. Also, you don't have a lot of storage. And I hadn't thought about groceries before," says Grant. But all in all, she says, "I guess I didn't know I'd like this as much as I do. You really have to downsize, but it has been such a pleasant surprise."
Change of Venue
Dowtown Grand Rapids has experienced an influx of condos, apartments, and tenants in recent years. The lifestyle has its drawbacks– visitor parking, for instance, or the lack of a full service grocer. But there's an incremental yet ongoing rise in the number of people who choose to live there. The lifestyle, it seems, is becoming more popular.
Alison Albright was 30 years old and newly divorced two years ago when she took an active interest in downtown’s revitalization. She decided to trade life in the Cascade suburb – complete with comfortable house, a big yard, and dogs – for a 740-sqaure-foot spot on the third floor in the historic Peck Building on Monroe Center.
"I wanted to do something fun,” Albright says. “This lifestyle isn't ideal for pets or gardening. But it gives me a lot of freedom.”
Gathering Spots
Downtown offers some basic amenities that support year-round activity and living. Grant, for instance, opts to take the heated pedestrian tubes that connect her building with events at Van Andel Arena or DeVos Performance Hall. And many of the city's downtown sidewalks, including those on Monroe Center, are heated to make winter time foot travel more expedient.
But things really heat up in the summer. Both women say their homes have become staging areas for outdoor activities like Blues on the Mall, Festival of the Arts, and Celebration on the Grand. Grant's building has a private rooftop deck that’s ideal for such gatherings. Albright says anywhere she wants to go is a short walk.
"Before, a trip downtown was fun, but a hassle” Albright says. “Now that I live here, I spend the majority of my time here." She says living in the thick of things has opened her eyes to all the city has to offer. Prior to moving into her condo, for example, she had never visited the public museum or the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum. Now, she recommends both highly.
The windows in Sheila Grant's high-rise give her a bird's eye view of the Van Andel Arena, skaters circling the ice rink at Rosa Parks Circle, the new Grand Rapids Art Museum, and distant church steeples. Albright watches the comings and goings at Marado, her favorite sushi restaurant, and the Grand Rapids Police Department, both located on Monroe Center.
Business as usual
Beyond the views, amenities, and freedom from yard work, living downtown Grand Rapids – at this stage in the game – requires many of the same daily rituals performed by people who dwell in the burbs.
With limited opportunities in the city to tackle the shopping list, Albright and Grant both venture to Meijer or Family Fare on a regular basis. They hit the mall during the holiday shopping season. And both need to get behind the wheel each day for their respective jobs, too. Albright says it's a pain to drive out to the airport each day, where she is a Client Services Manager for Rapid Air, but she tries to kill two birds with one stone by running the necessary errands on the way home from work.
While downtown doesn't currently offer a plethora of city markets and department stores, and having a personal vehicle still is the most convenient option for residents, both Albright and Grant couldn't be happier with their choice to move downtown, and see good things on the horizon for the city.
Looming potential
"Grand Rapids is a good size,” Albright says.
While, she says, it is more expensive, square foot for square foot, the lifestyle she can enjoy as a result of her choice makes it worth it, and she only sees things getting better in the city center. Whether she will continue to live in it or not, Albright plans to hang on to her condo for years to come.
Grant also is excited about the possibilities: "Grand Rapids is certainly growing and has a lot more happening than it used to, from the brand new art museum to the medical facilities and condos. It's becoming more residential, and more and more people enjoy being downtown. The momentum is building, and for a downtown resident, that's exciting. The more residents we have the more business will be able to support.”
Photos:
Sheila Grant in her Plaza Towers condominium - Center City
Sheila Grant's living room
Sheila Grant's dining area
Sheila Grant's home office
Sheila Grant's living room
Photographs by Brian Kelly - All Rights Reserved
Brian Kelly is managing photographer of Rapid Growth. You can view more of his work here and his blog.