Westside
Community Cleanup champions placemaking, neighborhood love, inclusive growth
by (Holly)
Submitted 05-05-2015 under INNOVATION-SPOTLIGHT
Placemaking and neighborhood improvement can take many innovative forms- from City governments creating improvements to large development companies creating gathering spaces in a neighborhood... to neighbors deciding to pick up a little trash....
WinterWest to return to West Side
by (erictank)
Submitted 01-20-2015 under NEWS
On January 23-25, WinterWest festival will return to Grand Rapids' west side for its fifth year running. The event, which encourages families and children to come out and enjoy city parks and winter activities, will be held at Richmond Park (...
Story Matters: Ralph Koll shares memories of living on Westside
by (Elevating Voices)
Submitted 12-09-2014 under NONPROFITS
We build community when we share our stories - whether they be a memory, an experience or just simply telling what we think is great about this place. The Elevating Voices project is collaborating with 12 local nonprofits through the summer and fall...
Story Matters: Terrell Cornelius shares what it's like to live on the West Side
by (The Rapidian)
Submitted 07-25-2014 under NONPROFITS
We build community when we share our stories - whether they be a memory, an experience or just simply telling what we think is great about this place. STORY MATTERS. is a story collecting project from The Rapidian and GRTV. The Rapidian's...
Cupcake shop opens brick and mortar across from Pew Campus
by (erictank)
Submitted 07-22-2014 under NEWS
Scrumptious Cupcakes and Sweetery has recently opened a retail storefront on the corner of Lake Michigan Drive and Seward Avenue across the street from Grand Valley State's Pew Campus on the West Side. Scrumptious has been open at the new...
Long Road Distillers advocates west side revitalization
by (erictank)
Submitted 07-01-2014 under NEWS
This fall Long Road Distillers, Grand Rapids' first and only craft distillery, will join the ranks of established and upcoming businesses peppering the Leonard Street corridor. The two story brick building, a former clothing store at 537...
Neighbors prepare to clean up Westside, Heartside
by (erictank)
Submitted 04-22-2014 under NEWS
On Saturday, April 26, residents are encouraged to get out and help clean up the sidewalks and streets. This year two locations are available to choose from. Westside Volunteers for the Westside Community Cleanup will organize at St. Mary's...
Developing the West Side
by (mikevangessel)
Submitted 10-29-2013 under PLACE-MATTERS
When Rockford Construction moved into our new offices last month, the headlines were about economic redevelopment – how we were turning a once-blighted factory on the West Side into a catalyst for growth in a potentially dynamic neighborhood....
Con Artist Crew brings activism, visionaries to art scene
by (empichot)
Submitted 07-09-2013 under NEWS
Vivid black and white painted walls greet me as I enter the Con Artist Crew gallery space one afternoon. Despite the distraction of noisy traffic outside and the loud, color-rich art that adorn the walls, the soft-spoken voices of Magdalene Law and...
Rockford Construction works to practice what they preach in new headquarters on West Side
by (eschroeder)
Submitted 06-04-2013 under INNOVATION-SPOTLIGHT
This July, Rockford Construction will be moving their headquarters to the West Side, from Cascade Township where they resided for eight years. President and CEO Mike VanGessel explains that they were able to redevelop a long disused paper factory...