Why do loyal residents often say the west side is the best side? Maybe because the area just across the Grand River from downtown Grand Rapids is filled with a thriving museum district, the John Ball Zoo, neighborhood corner pubs, beloved Polish meat markets, and beautiful cathedrals. Encompassing the Stockbridge neighborhood and the West Fulton business district, among others, the northwest side skews working class and is filled with residents and businesses who are investing aggressively in building urban community.
UICA's Exit Space Project is about to debut something truly amazing at the street level, but G-Sync Lifestyle Editor Tommy Allen asks if we're ready as a community for what these new murals, a form of street art, will signal within our region. Hold the spray paint and read on.
If we only observed the press headlines or the names that dot the buildings high above our heads, then it would be daunting to think any of us below could make a difference in the course of a city. That is, until we get to the life of Danny B - our city's bartender and quiet placemaker.
Design thinking is a critcal but often overlooked piece of any new startup's puzzle -- and it can make or break an idea's evolution. Lifestyle Editor Tommy Allen looks at what the soon-to-debut AIGA of WM's Design Briefs has to offer the entrepreneurs of our region.
What happens when we only give lip service to a civil rights matter? G-Sync's Lifestyle Editor Tommy Allen finds out it means absolutely nothing and, on the heels of the Mackinac Policy Conference, calls for our state lawmakers to pass important legislation.
Spring is a season of hope and this year Lifestyle Editor Tommy Allen suggests we emerge from winter's grip and attempt some bold moves. Inspired by City Hall's recent move to repeal a few pesky outdated ordiances that have run their course, he says it's time to shake off a few more this week.
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