An internationally renowned researcher who was recruited from Chicago to West Michigan last year has now helped bring with him a reproduction and infertility research center to Grand Rapids

Deborah Johnson WoodThree graduating students of the innovative Grand Rapids Area Pre-College Engineering Program (GRAPCEP) have earned Gates Millennium Scholarships – the highest number awarded to any Michigan school in 2010. A program of Davenport University, GRAPCEP was launched in 2004 with partners Grand Rapids Public Schools, Grand Valley State University and Van Andel Research Institute. For the 2009-10 school year, the program added Ferris State University, Kettering University, Michigan State University and Michigan Technological University to its planning, advisory and support consortium. The program operates at Creston High School. Students attend regular high school academic classes in the high school building and college-prep classes in math, science and English in a separate building on-campus outfitted with a biochemistry laboratory and a physics lab. "Our first priority is to give students such a strong high school education that they can handle the different laboratory courses and calculus in college without any remediation," says Sandra Burmeister, GRAPCEP executive director. "Our second priority is that they go to college and succeed there," she adds. "We hope that a good percentage will continue in the science and engineering fields. Most of our students are economically disadvantaged and are ethnic minorities, so we're teaching those students who are traditionally under-represented in those fields."Graduating seniors Storee Harris, Darrartu Ali and Saul Balle achieved national recognition recently when they earned coveted Gates Millennium Scholarships. The scholarships cover 100 percent of the students' undergrad education, personal expenses and room and board, says Burmeister. Students who maintain a satisfactory academic level are eligible for renewable awards and graduate funding in the areas of computer science, education, engineering, library science, mathematics, public health or science. "Over ten years that could average out to about $300,000 per student," Burmeister says. "Our students graduating in May have already accumulated over $1 million in scholarships and with the Gates awards it approaches $2 million, which is huge."A GRPS press release reports that 99 percent of GRAPCEP students graduate high school; over 90 percent enter college. Burmeister adds that an average of 60 percent of those who attend college pursue science, technology, engineering and mathematics studies. Source: Sandra Burmeister, Davenport University; Grand Rapids Public SchoolsDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].

Deborah Johnson WoodAdtegrity, an online advertising network for advertisers and web site publishers, will be moving its offices and 26 employees from Cascade Township to 38 Commerce in Grand Rapids in a few weeks. "We're purchasing the whole second floor of 38," says Scott Brew, Adtegrity's president and CEO. "Things are proceeding very rapidly and we're in that last stretch where we're really excited and time seems to slow down."38, a mixed-use development by Locus Development, offers apartments, residential condominiums, commercial units and an attached parking ramp. The building is under construction on the corner of Commerce and Weston.With 20-foot-high ceilings, the Adtegrity space has enough room for a mezzanine level with private offices and a conference room with glass walls that overlooks the area below. The main level of the space will have traditional workstations, but will be open to the high ceiling. A glass curtain wall overlooks Weston Street SW and part of the Heartside business district to the north and east. "The curtain wall has a curved corner at Commerce, and that's part of our social area," Brew says. "When you're in it, it feels like you're hanging over the corner of Commerce and Weston."The social area includes a ping pong table, equipment to play X-Box and Wii, and there's an adjacent kitchen. The buildout will be LEED certified. "I've watched forward-thinking people like John Green, Andy Winkel (Locus Development) and Sam Cummings (CWD Real Estate Investment) do really cool stuff downtown and I wanted to be part of it," Brew says. "I believe it's necessary to have a vibrant urban core, and I need to put my money where my mouth is." Source: Scott Brew, AdtegrityRelated ArticlesDowntown conveniences attract first tenant to innovative Heartside developmentDeborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].

Deborah Johnson WoodViceroy won't have an outdoor sign – just a light above the door like a Prohibition-era speakeasy. But, unlike those covert establishments, you won't need a secret password to get in – if the light's lit, just ring the bell. Owners Mark and Michele Sellers have designed the new bar at 53 Commerce to emulate bars from the 1930s, with an emphasis on classic handmade cocktails. And ringing the bell for entry is a strategic measure. "The reason is because the classic cocktails are time and labor intensive," says Mark Sellers. "It will take three minutes to make some drinks because we'll have to chop a block of ice, and layer the ingredients in the right order. Egg whites will have to be shaken up to a foam for the tops of some drinks. If we had so many customers it was standing room only, we'd never be able to keep up. That manner of entry will limit the number of people we let in at one time.""We'll make all of our own infusions," says General Manager Garry Boyd. "If a drink requires blackberry brandy, we'll infuse the brandy with blackberries. And we'll have homemade tonic, which has flavor. I think that once people have a gin and tonic or vodka tonic made with it, they won't go anywhere else."Boyd says Viceroy will offer a simple but enjoyable beer and wine list, but "flips, rickys, fizzes and smashes" will be king. Hungry patrons will have an assortment of appetizers to choose from, with specialties like Scotch eggs, homemade port wine cheese, spicy nuts, a trio of bruschettas, and zucchini and eggplant chips with Greek scordelia sauce. Sellers expects the bar to open a few weeks after Stella's Lounge May 1 opening. Source: Mark Sellers and Garry Boyd, Viceroy Related ArticlesGrand Rapids' new Stella's Lounge to feature 200 whiskeys, vegetarian menu Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected]. Development News tips can be sent to [email protected].

If Michigan lawmakers promise to give Grand Valley State University the same level of funding as they give other Michigan universities, GVSU promises to reduce tuition 5 percent immediately. According to excerpts from the story:Grand Valley State University would immediately lower tuition by 5 percent, if lawmakers pledge to give the school the same level of funding the other state universities get, President Thomas Haas says.Haas was scheduled to testify today before the state House Higher Education Appropriations Committee, arguing the state needs to hold the line on cuts to colleges to help create an educated work force and help the state's financial rebound.Haas said the state House and Senate for the past two years agreed on a funding "floor" for colleges at $3,775 per student, but Grand Valley is still well below that amount."Our students are fully deserving of the state's minimum funding level. Should Grand Valley be funded at the floor of $3,775 ... I will immediately reduce tuition by 5 percent," he said in remarks prepared in advance. Read the complete story here.

Developers say the market for newer apartments and condos in downtown Grand Rapids is starting to improve, based on the rising number of housing market deals. The developers say most of the interest has been in the lower end of the market for rentals and condos.

It's much welcomed news for those who have invested millions of dollars with the vision that downtown living in River City would be a big hot spot for young professionals and baby boomers.

According to excerpts from the story:

While increased interest in urban living has been a force for helping absorb units, several canceled developments and one large project that turned around after going into receivership may have, in an odd way, helped the market by taking away some uncertainty.

Read the complete story here.

A Grand Rapids-based cancer research and education program reports good news in the fight against breast cancer on the effectiveness of two preventative drugs following a clinical trial that lasted nearly seven years.