Grand Rapids Real Estate Resource  Grand Rapids MI (Michigan) Grand Rapids, MI, is a city in Western Michigan on the Grand River, west northwest of Lansing. Built on the site of an Ottawa village, it has been a furniture-manufacturing center since the mid-1800s. Population: 195,000.   Grand Rapids, city (1990 pop. 189,126), seat of Kent County, southwest central Michigan, on the Grand River; incorporated in 1850. The second largest city in the state and the anchor of a metropolitan area of nearly a million people. It is the principal city in the region of West Michigan and is a distribution, wholesale and industrial center for an area that yields fruit, dairy products, farm produce, gypsum, and gravel. Furniture manufacturing (begun in 1859) remains important. Among the city's other manufacturers are appliances, electronic equipment, automotive parts, aircraft and space navigation systems, and paper products. It has the Gerald R. Ford Museum, art and furniture museums, the Frederick Meijer botanical garden, the Grand Rapids Symphony, the Grand Rapids Ballet (Michigan´s only professional ballet company), Grand Rapids Civic Theater and the Opera Grand Rapids company. Also in Grand Rapids MI are Aquinas College, Calvin College, and several seminaries.   History   The Grand Rapids MI area was first settled in the 1820s by missionaries and fur traders, who generally lived in reasonable peace alongside the Ottawa tribes people who had their settlements near the Grand River.   The official founder of Grand Rapids itself was Loius Campau, who arrived in November 1826 to trade with the Native Americans. Yankee immigrants and others began immigrating from New York and New England in the 1830s.   The city of Grand Rapids was officially created on May 1, 1850 when the village of Grand Rapids voted to accept the proposed city charter. The population at the time was 2,686.  During the second half of the 19th century the city became a major lumbering center and the premier furniture-manufacturing city of the United States. For this it was nicknamed "Furniture City". The city also became a center of Dutch immigration in the 19th century. In 1881, the country's first hydro-electric plant was put to use on the city's west side. Grand Rapids was home to the first regularly-scheduled passenger airline in the United States when Stout Air Services began Grand Rapids-to-Detroit service on July 31, 1926. In 1945, Grand Rapids became the first city in the United States to add fluoride to its drinking water. Grand Rapids has several large ethnic communities. It is home to the headquarters of the Christian Reformed Church and is a center of the Reformed Church in America, both because of the presence of a large group of Dutch Americans. Grand Rapids is also home to large Polish-American and African-American communities and growing Hispanic and Asian communities.   Law and government The Commission-Manager plan Grand Rapids voters adopted the Commission-Manager form of municipal government in1916. Under this system, the political responsibilities are divided between an elected City Commission and a hired City Manager. Two Commissioners are elected to four-year terms from each of three wards, with half of these seats up for election every two years. The Mayor is elected every four years, by the city at large, and serves as chair of the Commission. The races -- held in odd-numbered years -- are formally non-partisan, although the party affiliations of candidates do sometimes come up during the campaign period. The Commission sets policy for the city, and is responsible for hiring the City Manager and other appointed officials.   George Heartwell, current Mayor   George Heartwell was elected mayor of Grand Rapids after long-serving mayor John H. Logie declined to run for re-election in 2003. Logie felt the position should be made full-time, but to avoid the question becoming a referendum on whether he should hold the job full-time, he announced that he would not run for re-election. The voters decided to keep the position part-time, and Heartwell was elected.   Heartwell assumed office on January 1st, 2004. Prior to being mayor, Heartwell was a City Commissioner for the third ward, 1992-1999. He is Director of the Community Leadership Institute at Aquinas College, where he is also a professor in the Community Leadership undergraduate study program. Mayor Heartwell is an ordained minister, for the United Church of Christ, and served for 14 years at Heartside Ministry, a program for the homeless in Grand Rapids. He was previously the president of Heartwell Mortgage Corporation.   Geography   Grand Rapids sits on the banks of the Grand River, where there was once a set of rapids, at an altitude of 610 feet above sea level. It is approximately 30 miles east of Lake Michigan. The state capital of Lansing lies about 60 miles to the east-by-southeast, and Kalamazoo is about 50 miles to the south. According to the United States Census Bureau, the city has a total area of 117.4 km2 (45.3mi2). 115.6 km² (44.6 mi²) of it is land and 1.8 km² (0.7 mi², 1.50%) of it is water (primarily the Grand River).   Demographics As of the census of 2000, there are 197,800 people, 73,217 households, and 44,369 families residing in the city. The population density is 1,710.8/km² (4,431.2/mi²). There are 77,960 housing units at an average density of 674.3/km² (1,746.5/mi²). The racial makeup of the city is 67.30% White, 20.41% African American, 0.74% Native American, 1.62% Asian, 0.12% Pacific Islander, 6.63% from other races, and 3.19% from two or more races. 13.05% of the population are Hispanic or Latino of any race. There are 73,217 households out of which 32.0% have children under the age of 18 living with them, 40.3% are married couples living together, 15.8% have a female householder with no husband present, and 39.4% are non-families. 30.8% of all households are made up of individuals and 10.0% have someone living alone who is 65 years of age or older. The average household size is 2.57 and the average family size is 3.24.   In the city the population is spread out with 27.0% under the age of 18, 13.1% from 18 to 24, 31.5% from 25 to 44, 16.7% from 45 to 64, and 11.6% who are 65 years of age or older. The median age is 30 years. For every 100 females there are 95.8 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there are 92.5 males.   The median income for a household in the city is $37,224, and the median income for a family is $44,224. Males have a median income of $33,050 versus $26,382 for females. The per capita income for the city is $17,661. 15.7% of the population and 11.9% of families are below the poverty line. Out of the total people living in poverty, 19.4% are under the age of 18 and 10.4% are 65 or older.   Economy    Grand Rapids has long been a center for furniture and automobile manufacturing. More recently the city has attracted more bio-tech companies to the city with the addition of the Van Andel Research Institute, which is primarily focused on cancer research, and the new Cook-DeVos Medical Training Facility, which is a part of Grand Valley State University, along with a new medical school in association with Michigan State University, slated to arrive in West Michigan in the next 3-5 years.   The new DeVos Place is expected to continue the growth of the city, which has seen a significant increase recently. Other future projects in the city include a new art museum. Grand Rapids is home to Gerald R. Ford International Airport. Culture Since 1970, Grand Rapids has been host to an annual festival of the arts downtown, known to locals simply as "Festival". The first weekend in June, several blocks of downtown surrounding the Calder Stabile sculpture next to City Hall are closed to traffic. Grand Rapids Festival (http://www.festivalofthearts.org) features several stages with free live performances, food booths selling a variety of ethnic cuisine, art demonstrations and sales, and other arts-related activities. Organizers bill it as the largest all-volunteer arts festival in the United States. Also in Calder Plaza, Grand Rapids hosts a variety of country-specific ethnic festivals throughout the summer season. In mid-2004, Grand Rapids began construction on a new, larger building for its art museum collection. The new building site is several blocks from the present museum, facing downtown's Rosa Parks Circle.   Grand Rapids is home to several colleges and universities. Aquinas College, Calvin College, Reformed Bible College and Cornerstone University are private, religious schools, each with a campus on the east side of the city. Grand Rapids Community College maintains an extensive campus downtown and facilities in other parts of the city and surrounding region. Grand Valley State University continues to develop its presence in the city with an expanding downtown campus, begun in the late 1990s on the west bank of the Grand River. Ferris State University has a growing campus downtown, including Kendall College of Art and Design and the Applied Technology Center (operated with GRCC). Davenport University, a state-wide educational institution, has one of its main campuses in downtown Grand Rapids.   Other cultural opportunities: Grand Rapids is home to several colleges and universities. Aquinas College, Calvin College, Reformed Bible College and Cornerstone University are private, religious schools, each with a campus on the east side of the city. Grand Rapids Community College maintains an extensive campus downtown and facilities in other parts of the city and surrounding region. Grand Valley State University continues to develop its presence in the city with an expanding downtown campus, begun in the late 1990s on the west bank of the Grand River. Ferris State University has a growing campus downtown, including Kendall College of Art and Design and the Applied Technology Center (operated with GRCC). Davenport University, a state-wide educational institution, has one of its main campuses in downtown Grand Rapids. Grand Rapids Art Museum -- Start your weekend off right with Friday Nights at GRAM, featuring live music, giveaways, art discussions and more. Feast Your Eyes on the Arts each First Friday with special events, food, theme nights, local artists and much more! Don't miss our popular First Fridays which feature all the regular Friday night programs plus Artists on Art, theme nights, dramatic performances, dance demonstratoins, wine and food tasting and special Museum Store promotions.   Grand Rapids Symphony - As the Grand Rapids Symphony celebrates its 75th year, history shows that the Grand Rapids Symphony has grown to become one of the finest regional orchestras in the country because of the strong community support it has received. "The community deserves a huge round of applause for developing and adding to the Symphony´s growth all of these years," said Symphony President William Ryberg. "The orchestra is a community treasure that touches thousands of lives each year. Based on our history of achievement and continual growth, we look forward to an even greater future, thanks to continued support from our wonderful community."   Opera Grand Rapids    Grand Rapids Civic Theatre - The Grand Rapids Civic Theatre is the largest community theatre in Michigan and the second largest in the U.S., with over 6,000 season ticket holders annually. It reaches over 90,000 people during a single season: 110 performances of the six main stage productions; twenty performances of the two productions for children; and a varying number of special events - under the leadership of 12 professional staff and over 30 guest artists. Grand Rapids Civic Theatre is one of the oldest community theatres in Michigan and in the United States. GRCT has a history of continuity and is one of the more self-sufficient arts organizations in our cultural community.   Urban Institute for Contemporary Art   Spectrum Theatre - The building houses the auditorium space, as well as classrooms, rehearsal spaces, a dance studio, costume and scene shops, and a recording studio. The actual theater seats 255 in its proscenium configuration, 235 in its thrust configuration and includes all the lastest technological amenities necessary to produce over a dozen productions a year for the GRCC Players, Actors´ Theatre, Jewish Theatre Grand Rapids, and the Heritage Theatre Group. The theater has also housed numerous special events like the Grand Awards, Opera Grand Rapids' The Fall of the House of Usher, Critical Mass (college poets' union version of Woodstock), and dance presentations. Much of this would not have been possible in the old Spectrum Theater, but many in the theater community have fond memories of that space as well.   Sites of Interest   Frederick Meijer Botanical Gardens & Sculpture Park -- Open until 9 pm every Tuesday evening from June - August. You can also book tickets for an outdoor summer concert on special evenings. During the winter season experience our Christmas and Holiday Traditions Around the World exhibit where carriage rides, choirs and over 40 trees and traditions may be enjoyed. Or consider a visit to the largest temporary tropical butterfly exhibit in the nation in March and April.   John Ball Park is a large urban park and zoo located on the west side of the city of Grand Rapids, Michigan in the U.S. The John Ball Zoo is contained within John Ball Park. Situated on the ravines and bluffs along the west edge of the park, the zoo houses a variety of animals from around the world and is a significant regional attraction.   Calvin College is a comprehensive liberal arts college located in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Founded in 1876, Calvin College is an educational institution of the Christian Reformed Church and stands in the Reformed tradition of historic Christianity. In 2003, student body of Calvin was around 4,300 students, with 54% coming from the state of Michigan, 38% from other U.S. states, and 8% from other countries. Calvin College is named after John Calvin, the 16th Century reformer at the center of the Reformed movement.   Belknap Hill (also called Lookout Hill), is a prominent river bluff directly northeast of downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. The hill is a distinct topographical feature when viewed from the Western approach to the downtown area. Its two hillside city parks have been favored by evening romancers and view-seekers throughout the history of Grand Rapids. Belknap Hill holds a nostalgic place in the sentiments of "Grand Rapidians" in that it has long been a popular place to "propose marriage". Hidden in the backwaters of the semi-isolated neighborhood atop this hill remain some of the simple nineteenth century framed homes from days when Belknap Hill bordered small farms and apple orchards. A cherished historic feature of the hill is the steeply inclined Trowbridge Street which is the city's only remaining true fieldstone cobblestone street.   Van Andel Arena is a 10,834-seat multi-purpose arena in Grand Rapids, Michigan. The arena opened in 1996. It is home to the Grand Rapids Griffins Ice Hockey team and Grand Rapids Rampage arena football team.   Devos Place convention center is the brand-new, state-of-the-art convention center located in the heart of downtown Grand Rapids on the beautiful Grand River. The multilevel DeVos Place provides flexible and functional space with 1-million-square feet of new and renovated space on a 13-acre riverfront site. It is ideally equipped for meetings, conventions and trade shows as well as performing arts and touring events, and has the capability of hosting a variety of events simultaneously.   Gerald R. Ford Museum -- The permanent exhibits are the core of the Museum's program. They allow visitors to participate in history, not just view it, while reviewing the highlights of the lives of President and Mrs. Ford. In addition to the permanent exhibits, a succession of temporary exhibits draw upon the rich holdings of the entire Presidential libraries system, the Smithsonian Institution, the National Archives, and others.    Local Sports Teams   Grand Rapids Rampage participate in the Arena Football League. They began to play as a professional team in 1999 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. As of this writing, the Grand Rapids Rampage are the smallest market the AFL currently exists in. Through the efforts of Dan Devos, the Grand Rapids Rampage began play in the Van Andel Arena. They currently (2005) compete in the Central Division of the American Conference.   Grand Rapids Griffins are a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League based in Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA.   West Michigan Whitecaps are a Class A minor league baseball team, affiliated with the Detroit Tigers, that plays in the Midwest League. Their home games are played in Comstock Park, Michigan, a suburb of Grand Rapids.   Other Attractions of Interest   Grand Rapids Public Library   Gerald R. Ford International Airport - Gerald R. Ford International Airport (GFIA) is Michigan's second busiest commercial airport and West Michigan's Gateway to the World. Our airport code is GRR.   Public Museum of Grand Rapids   Van Andel Research Institute   Cook-Devos Center for Health Sciences takes all of its health education and research initiatives to a higher level. Not only does the Center bring together all of its health-related programs in a state-of-the-art facility, it serves as a catalyst for establishing unique partnerships with area hospitals, research organizations, and health care professionals. Students will enjoy the advanced learning opportunities made possible by these joint ventures, and the entire region will benefit from the development of skilled and experienced health care professionals.   Grand Valley State University has established itself as a leader in health science education. Its programs have prepared thousands of students to excel as practitioners, researchers, leaders, and innovators.   Allendale, Michigan is home to Grand Valley's main campus, established in 1960, situated on 1,237 acres 12 miles west of Grand Rapids. Classes are also offered at the university's Pew Campus in Grand Rapids, Meijer Campus in Holland, and through centers at Muskegon and Traverse City established in cooperation with local community colleges. Current enrollment is around 22,000 students.   Grand Rapids Community College - Grand Rapids Junior College (GRJC) was founded in 1914 by the Grand Rapids Board of Education after a resolution was passed by the University of Michigan´s faculty which encouraged the establishment of junior colleges in Michigan. Today, GRCC´s eight-block downtown campus includes several classroom buildings, a learning center and library, Spectrum Theater, the Applied Technology Center, a remodeled music building, a fieldhouse with natatorium, a student center (including the Diversity Learning Center), Bostwick Commons, and the state-of-the-art Calkins Science Center.   An off-campus "Learning Corner" has been added to serve the East Hills and Eastown neighborhoods as well as the greater Grand Rapids Community. In addition, GRCC has two Michigan Technical Education Centers (M-TECs ® ) in West Michigan. The Patrick Thompson M-TEC ® , located in Holland, opened in Fall 2000 in partnership with the Ottawa Area Intermediate School District. Its open entry/open exit instruction eliminates the need for students in manufacturing and industry-related occupational programs to conform to a traditional semester time frame. The Leslie E. Tassell M-TEC ® in Grand Rapids opened in 2002. This world-class facility offers training in manufacturing, auto service, and building and construction trades.   Ferris State University, Grand Rapids campus - Ferris-Grand Rapids offers more than 25 professional development certificate, associate, bachelor and master degree programs for the working part-time student and serves as a model for Ferris´ growth across the state of Michigan. Kendall College of Art and Design provides a unique opportunity for a person seeking to realize his or her creative potential. Over the past four years we have expanded our facility, increasing studio, classroom, meeting and exhibition space. We´ve enhanced our technical capabilities through additional computer systems and software. And we´ve expanded our curriculum and appointed new faculty in several   Davenport University is an independent, non-profit, multi-location university offering master's degrees, bachelor's degrees, associate's degrees, diplomas, and certification programs in business, technology, health professions, and graduate studies (MBA). All in high demand in today's whirlwind economy.   Calvin College is the distinctively Christian, academically excellent liberal arts college that shapes minds for intentional participation in the renewal of all things.   Aquinas College, an inclusive educational community rooted in the Catholic Dominican tradition, provides a liberal arts education with a global perspective. At Aquinas, we emphasize career preparation with a focus on leadership and service to others. An Aquinas education fosters a commitment to lifelong learning dedicated to the pursuit of truth and the common good.   Cornerstone University is an evangelical Christian institution with three distinct divisions associated under the university umbrella: the university´s undergraduate and graduate programs, the seminary´s theological graduate programs, and Cornerstone University Radio. The university is accredited by its accrediting agency, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.