Heartside

The place where art, entertainment, charity, and good eats converge, Heartside is located just southeast of the central city. The historic district features a number of Grand Rapids' most popular destinations. The Van Andel Arena hosts major concerts, and is home to the Griffins hockey team, an affiliate of the Detroit Red Wings. Ionia Avenue is known for its vibrant nightlife. Avenue for the Arts, which runs along Division Avenue, showcases local artistic talent in shops and galleries. And the new Downtown Market, just South of Wealthy Street (not technically in Heartside, but close enough) provides a large selection of year-round produce and food options.Housing in Heartside is on fire, where hundreds of repurposed industrial and early 19th Century commercial spaces have been converted into some of the best residential projects in the Midwest.Heartside is recognized and celebrated for its compassion. So amidst the wi-fi coffee shops and modern lofts is a number of upstanding community kitchens, clothing banks, and other services for less fortunate citizens. Heartside joined the National Register of Historic Places in 1982. Today, it offers some of the more fashionable shopping, dining, and entertainment in the city.

Community Partners Medical Clinic at Mel Trotter: Unique collaboration serves GR’s homeless

By By Estelle Slootmaker, Interim Innovation News Editor

●

General

●

August 17, 2020

Mel Trotter Ministries is partnering with three hospital systems and two universities to offer free medical services to its clients who are experiencing homelessness. Community Partners Medical Clinic at Mel Trotter has brought together Mercy Health Saint Mary’s, Metro Health – University of Michigan Health, Spectrum Health, Michigan State University – College of Human Medicine, and Grand Valley State University’s Kirkhof College of Nursing to treat acute and chronic conditions with the goal of reducing both gaps in care and unnecessary EMS and emergency room use.

Published Together: Indie venues working hard to make sure the show can go on with #saveourstages

By By Scott Hammontree, Managing Partner, The Intersection

●

Dining & Nightlife

●

August 10, 2020

"When the Coronavirus pandemic hit, our venues were among the first to close and will absolutely be the last to reopen." In this thoughtful op ed, Scott Hammontree, Managing Partner, The Intersection explores how independent music venues are working to save their industry with the Restart Act and the Save Our Stages Act.

When staying home is not an option: How Grand Rapids homeless navigate the COVID-19 pandemic

By By Michelle Jokisch Polo

●

General

●

July 8, 2020

When one is experiencing homelessness, abiding by social distancing guidelines can be extremely difficult, and not having a place to live makes quarantining nearly possible. Local individuals and nonprofits share how COVID-19 is affecting the homeless population, and the unique challenges they seek to overcome.

Received your absentee ballot application? City has mailed them to all registered voters

By By Estelle Slootmaker, Development News Editor

●

General

●

June 9, 2020

Grand Rapids City Clerk mailed absentee ballot applications to all of its registered to voters for the August 4 primary and November 3 election. Here's why it's a secure way to vote.

Temporary Heartside health center offers COVID-19 care to those experiencing homelessness

By By Estelle Slootmaker, Development News Editor

●

General

●

April 1, 2020

A homeless gentleman with a bright idea inspired Guiding Light to offer its 255 S. Division Avenue facility as a temporary coronavirus isolation center in collaboration with Kent County Health Department.

Tommy Allen, left, and Hugo Claudin, right.

G-Sync: Multi-disciplinary artist Hugo Claudin reflects on how art transforms a community

By Tommy Allen, Publisher

●

Arts & Culture

●

February 13, 2020

Part of the charm of many of our modern cities is that within each are indicators of their overall health. One of those areas that we often survey is a city’s artists and the community their presence can enable to happen for the area residents. One such person is Hugo Claudin.

Activating Heartside: Downtown organizations implement new solutions to revitalize S. Division Ave.

By Kendra R. McNeil, Innovation News Editor

●

General

●

December 5, 2019

With results in from the City of Grand Rapids’ Heartside Quality of Life Study, leading organizations have shifted to implementing the study’s recommendations with innovative, community-based solutions that directly address problems identified; specifically, activating vacant spaces along South Division Avenue.

New Studio Park is so much more than a movie theatre

By By Lauren Fay Carlson, Managing Editor

●

Arts & Culture

●

September 26, 2019

The new $160 million, 62,500-square-foot mixed-use development project Studio Park opens this fall and will include Celebration Cinema, One Twenty Three Tavern, The Listening Room, and so much more.

Kids, pets, and pollinators play it safe at Grand Rapids’ organic parks

By By Estelle Slootmaker, Development News Editor

●

General

●

September 26, 2019

Grand Rapids is implementing organic methods at Heartside, Highland, Ted Rasberry Field, and Kensington parks. In place of chemicals that cause cancer, asthma, and bee colony collapse, these parks will boast turfs grown with organically composted, aerated soils that create a healthy medium for grass to grow without synthetic chemicals.

Soul of the city: Retail and small business breathe life into Grand Rapids

By By Ricky Olmos

●

Entrepreneurship

●

April 25, 2019

Despite retail giants like Toys “R” Us and GR-based MC Sports closing their doors, GR recently took second place in the category of “Best Cities for New Small Business” in a LendingTree report. In this installment of Making it in GR, Rapid Growth observes the relationship between the current state of national retail and the local retail climate, as well as the effects of e-commerce on local business.