The downtown district of Grand Rapids has undergone a remarkable renaissance in the last few decades.   A local urban legend, considered fact by many, says that when Gerald Ford became President of the United States in the mid-1970s, his hometown of Grand Rapids wanted to have a parade for him downtown.   The Secret Service allegedly refused, saying that downtown GR had too many abandoned rooftops to cover, and that it would be a major security risk.   The Grand Rapids police kicked in some personnel, and the parade happened, and this event served as a catalyst to begin the restoration of downtown.  Wealthy local businessmen started buying these downtown properties and investing in their redevelopment.   Forty years later, downtown Grand Rapids is the thriving epicenter of Grand Rapids, a regional center of culture and commerce in beautiful West Michigan.

Downtown Grand Rapids Real Estate, SVG Firm

Today’s version of downtown Grand Rapids is a stark contrast to the 1970’s version.  People fill the streets, coming to work, to play, to eat, to drink, and for many other reasons.   Since the 1990’s, people have lived in downtown GR.   On the banks of the Grand River, a Presidential museum nods to the man whose political ascent may have kickstarted downtown’s rebirth.  Not surprisingly, a number of other great museums have popped up.  Every fall, hundreds of thousands flock to downtown for ArtPrize.   Several great breweries have earned this city the moniker of “Beer City USA”.  Real estate developers have pursued countless unique ways of thinking to make downtown Grand Rapids a great place to live and to do business.  The many reasons people have had to visit downtown Grand Rapids have led to exploring a number of residential options to make it a permanent home.

For more information on the numerous great residential options to make downtown Grand Rapids your next home, contact Mike VanderWoude at SVG Real Estate Firm, by calling (616) 439-1190 or mike@svgfirm.com.