Keith Schneider looks at Downtown Market, the "newest piece of civic equipment" being built as part of Grand Rapids's transformation from "Furniture City" to vibrant, and growing, hub.
More than a billion dollars of investment over the last decade and a half have made Grand Rapids one of the most successful small cities in the Midwest, if not the entire country. "[F]ull of young professionals in good careers, who enjoy a low cost of living, first-rate restaurants with locally brewed beer and a variety of residential options near work," Michigan's second largest city can boast a growing population and a jobless rate well below the state average.
So what is the secret to their success? "One reason is the distinctive partnerships formed between this city’s redevelopment agencies and wealthy industrialists and philanthropists. Hundreds of millions of private dollars have been raised here to build a downtown that encourages entrepreneurs, develops career-track jobs and attracts new residents."
The latest fruit of those partnerships is the $30 million, 130,000-square-foot Downtown Market, "a destination that is expected to attract 500,000 visitors a year." Building on the trend in local, fresh food, the market is intended as "a year-round, seven-days-a-week public market that would be a place to shop for local foods and a destination for residents and visitors." A feasibility study also predicted the market would serve as an economic engine, with forecasted gross annual sales of around $25 million and the generation of more than 600 jobs.
More importantly, says David Frey, co-chairman of one of the groups that helped get the market built, “[i]t creates a lot of synergy for the development that’s been happening in Grand Rapids for some time now.”
“The people this city attracts now want to be near things,” said Mike VanGessel, president and chief executive of Rockford Construction. “They want to walk, not drive. The Downtown Market is close. It’s part of the answer to, ‘How do we keep doing the next right thing for retaining our talent?’ ”
FULL STORY: A Michigan City Bets on Food for Its Growth

Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.

Chicago’s Ghost Rails
Just beneath the surface of the modern city lie the remnants of its expansive early 20th-century streetcar system.

Amtrak Cutting Jobs, Funding to High-Speed Rail
The agency plans to cut 10 percent of its workforce and has confirmed it will not fund new high-speed rail projects.

Ohio Forces Data Centers to Prepay for Power
Utilities are calling on states to hold data center operators responsible for new energy demands to prevent leaving consumers on the hook for their bills.

MARTA CEO Steps Down Amid Citizenship Concerns
MARTA’s board announced Thursday that its chief, who is from Canada, is resigning due to questions about his immigration status.

Silicon Valley ‘Bike Superhighway’ Awarded $14M State Grant
A Caltrans grant brings the 10-mile Central Bikeway project connecting Santa Clara and East San Jose closer to fruition.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Caltrans
City of Fort Worth
Mpact (founded as Rail~Volution)
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
City of Portland
City of Laramie