Located on the flatlands of the lower West Side, the Stockbridge district is located immediately west of the Grand River and Center City. The area is known for its working-class attitude, rich European traditions and, above all, resilience. The construction of the US 131 highway and Interstate 196 in the 1960's destroyed hundreds of homes and businesses in the area. It also scarred the heart and soul of a community. But today the Stockbridge district is emerging as a much stronger and vibrant place than it was before the bulldozers. With a growing selection of pubs, restaurants, and locally-owned specialty shops, as well as aggressive investment in unique urban housing ventures, the Stockbridge area now stands on the leading edge of Grand Rapids' evolution into a thriving 21st century city.
The West Michigan Chapter of the US Green Building Council kicked off its NaturalTalent 2007 Design Competition this week in Grand Rapids. The competition, which aims to showcase the talents of leaders in the green building movement, focuses on the principles of integrated design, sustainability, innovation, and social consciousness; all of which are components of […]
High-tech manufacturing requires skilled R&D employees to keep innovation alive and companies moving forward in the competitive marketplace. Several companies are offering scholarships with the hope that the future workforce will stick around.
Creating a place where black professionals can come together to develop professionally, socially, and personally in a primarily white community is the goal of a newly-formed Grand Rapids network. Beyond that, developing black culture in the region and using it to spur economic growth is one goal to building and strengthening a diverse Grand Rapids workforce.
Residential new construction sales is down over 40% and local builders are taking the brunt of the impact. New leadership in the local HBA is looking to change consumer confidence and encourage them to step into ownership of new homes across the region.
The sustainability movement is commercializing new ideas, generating jobs, and fueling economic expansion from Arizona to Japan. How long before Michigan takes it seriously?
At the close of 2006, Grand Rapids dispatched a small party of civic leaders to learn about mass transit in Portland. They came back with news of a streetcar revolution.
Well, there's no snow on the ground yet. But, like rappers Run DMC caroled, "it's Christmas time and we got the spirit." So we're taking a break for a couple weeks. But we'll be back January 11, 2007 to bring you a new year of stories about growth, investment, and unique stories of urban life on Michigan's west coast.
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