Heritage Hills - Grand Rapids (Forest Hills, Northview: for sale, apartments, rentals)

[mazzer]

Hi Everyone,

I'm seeing some NICE homes for sale that are Victorian and Edwardian age. Many with original features intact. The prices appear to be very reasonable. Is there any problems with this area regarding crime? Are the homes all rentals, or are schools poor or something?

Roanoke over in VA had similar homes, but they were in the bad part of town generally speaking and were part of a city-wide program to renovate them. Some had 4 familes living in them, is this the same situation in GR?

[magellan]

Originally Posted by mazzer

Hi Everyone,

I'm seeing some NICE homes for sale that are Victorian and Edwardian age. Many with original features intact. The prices appear to be very reasonable. Is there any problems with this area regarding crime? Are the homes all rentals, or are schools poor or something?

Roanoke over in VA had similar homes, but they were in the bad part of town generally speaking and were part of a city-wide program to renovate them. Some had 4 familes living in them, is this the same situation in GR?

Heritage Hill (no "s" ) is a beautiful and fairly safe area. I would guess the neighborhood is about 60 - 70% owner-occupied and the rest rental (big homes split up into apartments). The prices probably seem reasonable because Grand Rapids is just an affordable area (especially compared to Virginia). We have several family friends in the Heritage Hill area and it's almost all professionals with a mix of college students (due to its proximity to GRCC and downtown). The ones with kids send them to charter schools or private schools, because the GR Public Schools are struggling (like most urban districts).

If you haven't found this site yet:

http://www.heritagehillweb.org/

..check it out. It has the history on almost all of the 1300 homes in the historic district.

A typical Heritage Hill home:

http://public.grar.com/public/addmed...st?MLS=G605008

[ceverett41]

Why is the public school system struggling? I am in Atlanta Georgia, our public school system is more concerned with test scores and attendance than bad behavior or problem kids that disrupt learning for others. My husband is interviewing for a job in grand rapids, although we are looking at Heritage Hill area. How are the public schools there?

[mich2fla]

Originally Posted by ceverett41

Why is the public school system struggling? I am in Atlanta Georgia, our public school system is more concerned with test scores and attendance than bad behavior or problem kids that disrupt learning for others. My husband is interviewing for a job in grand rapids, although we are looking at Heritage Hill area. How are the public schools there?

Lack of parent involvements in the GRPS system. The better schools are located outside of GRPS. Our kids attend Forest Hills Public schools and we are 20 minutes away from downtown. The GR area is small enough to get around compared to Atlanta.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by ceverett41

Why is the public school system struggling? I am in Atlanta Georgia, our public school system is more concerned with test scores and attendance than bad behavior or problem kids that disrupt learning for others. My husband is interviewing for a job in grand rapids, although we are looking at Heritage Hill area. How are the public schools there?

The urban public school systems are struggling, much like the rest of the country, including Atlanta (from what I read and from family/friends we have in about 15 different states). Much of the issues can be directly linked to poverty levels.

With that being said, the people I know who live in Heritage Hill LOVE it.

[dutchinnd]

"Lack of parent involvements in the GRPS system. "
A critical mass of solidly middle class parents even w/in the city of GR have their kids in faith-based or charter schools. The folks who would normally be the involved parents within the school district have opted out--and largely for reasons unrelated to the health of the public schools but for faith or cultural reasons.

[suydam]

Originally Posted by dutchinnd

"Lack of parent involvements in the GRPS system. "
A critical mass of solidly middle class parents even w/in the city of GR have their kids in faith-based or charter schools. The folks who would normally be the involved parents within the school district have opted out--and largely for reasons unrelated to the health of the public schools but for faith or cultural reasons.

I disagree. Literally every family I know who lives in GR-proper is in charter, faith-based or schools-of-choice precisely because of the perceived ill health of the public schools.

I say perceived, because if your kid goes through GRPS, gets into City Middle and City High they're statistically likely to have the best standardized test scores in the entire state. The district clearly produces winners... just not as high a percentage as surrounding suburban districts.

[dutchinnd]

"Literally every family I know who lives in GR-proper is in charter, faith-based or schools-of-choice precisely because of the perceived ill health of the public schools."
And that is not at all my experience as a grad of the Calvin Christian system, or that of my extended family for whom Christian schooling is expected, nigh unto mandated by church, and who never really even look at, let alone seriously consider, the public school system.
Each one's mileage may vary, I guess . . .

[magellan]

Originally Posted by dutchinnd

"Literally every family I know who lives in GR-proper is in charter, faith-based or schools-of-choice precisely because of the perceived ill health of the public schools."
And that is not at all my experience as a grad of the Calvin Christian system, or that of my extended family for whom Christian schooling is expected, nigh unto mandated by church, and who never really even look at, let alone seriously consider, the public school system.
Each one's mileage may vary, I guess . . .

Well yes, then your mileage might be a little skewed then. The school you attend is mandated by your church? Sounds a bit intrusive (creepy) to me.

I think the jury is still out whether you would receive a better education at a Christian school over an "average" public school, with my vote leaning toward the public school (especially since you have to pay $6000+ a year for Christian school). But you're right, YMMV.

[SouperStar34]

Forest Hills

East Grand Rapids

Northview


Grand Rapids top schools.