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I've only had the opportunity to visit GR twice during short trips, but both times I was surprised by the city's new growth and overall energy.
Having been born/raised in metro Detroit and having now lived downtown for the past several years, it was my expectation to stay in SE Michigan. However, I'm beginning to question that decision. There's no need to state the obvious problems plaguing Detroit- it suffices to say that I don't see improvements on the horizon and don't want to spend more of my youth hoping and waiting for social, political, and economic change. Yet, I have no interest in leaving Michigan, thus, I am looking to GR as a potential alternative to planting further roots in Detroit.
My question is broad in the sense that I know little about the microcosim that is GR. Here are a few questions I am specifically curious about:
Is there a more than nomal amount of native Detroit-area residents moving to GR these days?
What direction does GR seem to be trending economically?
Is living in downtown GR viable and is there a large population of downtown residents?
Does the city have a progressive spirit, or is it more depressed and monotonous like Detroit?
How cosmopolitan is GR on a regular weekday, i.e. not during a major event?
Does the city tend to have a youthful energy or an old, rigid atmosphere, again, like Detroit?
The reasons I ask are (1) I would like to live in an enjoyable city trending upward, not downward and (2) I would like to raise my family in an area that is not deteriorating and will provide more opportunities. Thanks for your input.
Grand Rapids is definitely trending upwards and working hard to diversify itself economically. It is still feeling the pinch from a decline in manufacturing, but it's not nearly as dramatic as some of the other cities in Michigan. I don't think anyone on this forum would argue with that sentiment.
As for downtown living, it is definitely viable. I'm not sure whether or not to call the downtown population "large". It's pretty good for a mid-sized city. For a Michigan city, the downtown is very much alive and occupied. It is nothing like Detroit, Flint, Lansing, etc. People actually want to live in downtown GR. There was actually a pretty good article on the downtown living situation just a few days ago in the GR Press: See what's hot, what's not in downtown Grand Rapids apartments, condos as sales begin rebounding | - MLive.com
As for former Detroiters, there are definitely some. From my experience at GVSU, quite a few students came from the Detroit area and then wanted to stay in GR after graduation. But if you meet someone downtown, they are much more likely to be from a small town in West Michigan orginally or a GR suburb. In my opinion, that is where a lot of the downtown crowd is coming from.
As for a "progressive spirit", I think GR does have that, in a sense. Not necessarily progressive politically, but progressive in the sense that there is a lot of civic pride. People take great interest in the progress and strides that the city is taking and want to do their part to move GR forward. In that sense, I think it has a progressive atmosphere. Politically, though, it will have a more conservative vibe than Detroit. Also, since downtown is very easily accessed from the rural areas, you'll get a decent dose of rural West Michigan culture too, for better or worse. Think 10,000 people in cowboy hats going to concerts at Van Andel Arena.
If there is anything that you might miss about Detroit, it would probably be the sheer size. GR is much smaller. There are no pro sports here. It has a small town feel at times. But, pound for pound, it is a much more vibrant, healthy, and livable city.
It is energizing to know Michigan has a city moving forward. I can't begin to describe how depressing it is living in a place that seems to be continuously deteriorating and regressing in all aspects. It's also difficult to be hopeful and optimistic when the problems in Detroit are so systemic. I have come to believe that where I choose to settle down will have lasting effects beyond myself. By illustration, my grandparents chose to settle in metro-Detroit, and now 3 generations (with no exceptions) have also married, purchased homes, and are raising kids in metro-Detroit even though there are better opportunities elsewhere. Obviously, no one can predict the future; certainly, my grandparents never foresaw the total collapse and downward spiral of this area. Nevertheless, the best I can do is remove myself from the fallout since investing more time and energy seems futile in light of mass civic apathy and rampant corruption.
As a young professional type, I haven't reached the point of wanting to own a home in the suburbs and still appreciate an active downtown lifestyle with good nightlife and other goings-on like concerts and events. GR seems to have most, if not all of this, and as you said seems to be steadily adding new amenities and population. The pro sports situation is a serious downside as I'm a frequent patron at JLA and Comerica Park. I suppose minor league action will have to suffice. I hear the Griffins are no joke at VAA though... Heck, half the team would be NHL first-line material if they didn't feed into the Wings.
In addition to GR I've considered Ann Arbor as I lived there for a few years and enjoyed it, but at the end of the day, AA is basically a college town with a few big employers downtown, most of whom are government or U-M spin-offs. Although AA has its own identity, in my mind's eye, it is still a hybrid of U-M and a rebellious Detroit suburb. I do not find Lansing, Saginaw, Flint, Kzoo, or any other mid-sized city appealing except Traverse City, which is too far removed from the rest of the world to be a possiblity for me.
One of the biggest failures of Detroit is the lack of public transporation (the bifurcated bus system not included). I heard rumors in this forum that GR was planning to invest in light rail. Is this idea still gaining traction? You mentioned the sheer size of Detroit, yet the actual "downtown" area is relatively small, likely smaller than GR's downtown. The areas of Detroit still relatively healthy though are separated by wasteland. For example, the area between downtown and Mexicantown is either decaying (Mich. Central Station) or barren (the vacant land of Tiger Stadium), which makes owning a car a necessity. A car is also necessary due to lack of shopping. Is it possible to buy essential items and groceries in GR without owning a car?
At this point, GR seems to be more appealing to me than Detroit. I am looking at a possible move in the next year or so. It would not surprise me to see other young people from this area relocating to GR seeking sustainable urban life and employment opportunities.
Last question, where do you seen GR in 5 years? 10 years? Or even further down the line? I could tell you where I see SE Michigan/Detroit but I'll spare the board.
Last edited by FoldThatHand; 04-28-2010 at 10:55 PM..
It is energizing to know Michigan has a city moving forward. I can't begin to describe how depressing it is living in a place that seems to be continuously deteriorating and regressing in all aspects. It's also difficult to be hopeful and optimistic when the problems in Detroit are so systemic. I have come to believe that where I choose to settle down will have lasting effects beyond myself. By illustration, my grandparents chose to settle in metro-Detroit, and now 3 generations (with no exceptions) have also married, purchased homes, and are raising kids in metro-Detroit even though there are better opportunities elsewhere. Obviously, no one can predict the future; certainly, my grandparents never foresaw the total collapse and downward spiral of this area. Nevertheless, the best I can do is remove myself from the fallout since investing more time and energy seems futile in light of mass civic apathy and rampant corruption.
As a young professional type, I haven't reached the point of wanting to own a home in the suburbs and still appreciate an active downtown lifestyle with good nightlife and other goings-on like concerts and events. GR seems to have most, if not all of this, and as you said seems to be steadily adding new amenities and population. The pro sports situation is a serious downside as I'm a frequent patron at JLA and Comerica Park. I suppose minor league action will have to suffice. I hear the Griffins are no joke at VAA though... Heck, half the team would be NHL first-line material if they didn't feed into the Wings.
In addition to GR I've considered Ann Arbor as I lived there for a few years and enjoyed it, but at the end of the day, AA is basically a college town with a few big employers downtown, most of whom are government or U-M spin-offs. Although AA has its own identity, in my mind's eye, it is still a hybrid of U-M and a rebellious Detroit suburb. I do not find Lansing, Saginaw, Flint, Kzoo, or any other mid-sized city appealing except Traverse City, which is too far removed from the rest of the world to be a possiblity for me.
One of the biggest failures of Detroit is the lack of public transporation (the bifurcated bus system not included). I heard rumors in this forum that GR was planning to invest in light rail. Is this idea still gaining traction? You mentioned the sheer size of Detroit, yet the actual "downtown" area is relatively small, likely smaller than GR's downtown. The areas of Detroit still relatively healthy though are separated by wasteland. For example, the area between downtown and Mexicantown is either decaying (Mich. Central Station) or barren (the vacant land of Tiger Stadium), which makes owning a car a necessity. A car is also necessary due to lack of shopping. Is it possible to buy essential items and groceries in GR without owning a car?
At this point, GR seems to be more appealing to me than Detroit. I am looking at a possible move in the next year or so. It would not surprise me to see other young people from this area relocating to GR seeking sustainable urban life and employment opportunities.
Last question, where do you seen GR in 5 years? 10 years? Or even further down the line? I could tell you where I see SE Michigan/Detroit but I'll spare the board.
We all wish the owner of Michigan Central Station (A Billionaire, Matty Mouron) would fix it up. Boycott by not taking the Ambassador bridge to Canada (another thing he owns.) Pass the word to others over there on the west side of the state.
Is there a more than nomal amount of native Detroit-area residents moving to GR these days?
I'm not sure what "normal" is, but there are plenty of former SE Michigan residents living in GR. I'm not sure how many came here to "escape" Detroit, however. More of them, I'd guess, took a job here (or went to college) and just decided they liked it better. That's certainly my story. I moved to Kalamazoo for college in 1993 and have been in West Michigan ever since.
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What direction does GR seem to be trending economically?
Let's be honest. This is still Michigan in the 21st Century. There are some challenges. BUT, greater GR is basically doing alright, and holding its own. I would say our economy is more closely tied to the national averages that Michigan's. You might find the West Michigan Strategic Alliance helpful in your analysis. They publish a "state of the region" that shows how the GR-Holland-Muskegon triangle is doing on a number of factors (some economic, some environmental, some social) compared to like-sized regions around the country. In some places we're great, in some not so much. What you find in West Michigan is a dedication to improvement and optimism. This is what has kept me here. People (for the most part) are in control of their own destiny and ready to work to make it better.
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Is living in downtown GR viable and is there a large population of downtown residents?
Yes. It's not Chicago or anything, but there are people living downtown. Several other urban neighborhoods near downtown (Heritage Hill, East Hills/Cherry Hill, Eastown are my favs) are also quite vibrant and full of younger people enjoying urban life.
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Does the city have a progressive spirit, or is it more depressed and monotonous like Detroit?
You will find whoever you're looking for. There are depressed people around, but they're the minority. The overall spirit in GR is pro-business I think. Go to the Urbanplanet.org forums and find Grand Rapids. You'll get a flavor (and you'll note how much more discussion there is about GR than Detroit)
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How cosmopolitan is GR on a regular weekday, i.e. not during a major event?
Depends where you are. Downtown as a whole dies at about 9pm after the dinner-eaters go home. Certain parts (Ionia, where the bars are) stay populated until later. Again, this isn't Chicago.
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Does the city tend to have a youthful energy or an old, rigid atmosphere, again, like Detroit?
For the most part both groups are here.
GR and the West Michigan area as a whole have an old, rigid reputation due to years and years of being rather up-tight. You will still find those people. You will also, however, find younger (and older, I might add) people with a totally different take. This is a region seeking to break some ties with its old image.
You mentioned raising a family. This is a great area to do that.
Grand Rapids will one day be ranked in many top 10 publications to the surprise of everyone except its residents.
To your question about mass transit GR has a good bus system with major plans in the works. In 2 weeks there will be series of public meetings to learn more. The road system here is very good, so good in fact that rush hours are measured in minutes to a half hour. This has the effect of minimizing the urgency of any rail system.
There is definitely a tangible, upbeat vibe happening here. The social active 20 and 30 year olds live and frequent the Easttown, East Hills, East GR, Creston, Heritage Hill, and Midtown areas. Madcap Coffee is a bustling hub of activity. There's a new Opera house on Fulton and how cool is to bike next to the river all the way up to the ball park? Excellent trails, continuously expanding.
Don't even get me started on beer. I'll just mention one place ... Founders Brewery
If I were at a crossroads, had a family to take care of and had to choose between Detroit and GR, to me it's a no brainer. But I would spend some time here if you have the chance and get your feet wet. See if the kids and wife like it and their take on growing up here. We are light years from where we were 15-20 years ago as far as night life downtown but we still aren't time square yet.
People from our neighborhood came to GRR from elsewhere like Chicago, Columbus, NYC, etc. Most of them came here on company transfer and they intended to leave as soon as their gig was up. All of them decided to stay because of the schools, reasonable cost of living, and the laid-back lifestyle. Not to mention, it's a growing area and there's activity in the downtown area. You can get to the Lake Michigan beaches in less than 1 hr. Chicago is about a 3 hr drive away. Downtown Detroit is about 2.5 hours.
If you are single, the scene is pretty good. Just make sure you are involved in some clubs and get out. Once the kids are out of the house, we do not mind a condo in downtown.
Good luck on your research and move to GRR.
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