October 28, 2013
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City may amend NEZ ordinance
Grand Rapids city commissioners will consider making an amendment to the Neighborhood Enterprise Zones ordinance in a few weeks, a change they feel might drive more housing construction into areas of the city that need it the most. “This is a good next step for us and is very helpful for development,” said Commissioner Dave […]
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Charter House Innovations gets state grant for expansion
Charter House Innovations in Holland, which acquired Greystone Seating in Zeeland earlier this year, has been awarded a $200,000 Michigan Business Development Program performance-based grant to aid it in its expansion, according to the Michigan Economic Development Corp. The MEDC said Charter House plans to invest up to $3 million in its expansion and expects […]
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Two developers receive zoning changes from city
Two notable development firms received zoning changes from the Grand Rapids City Commission and a longtime provider of affordable housing had its payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreement revised last week. The zoning change commissioners gave CWD Real Estate Investment will allow the firm to build a 12,000-square-foot retail center on two parcels at the corner of Breton Avenue […]
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County may be looking at higher court costs
The Kent County Executive Committee learned the commission may have to come up with more than $3 million in 2015 — money that’s not in its current budget — if the state expands the 17th Circuit Court. The court currently has 12 justices and six clerks, but the caseload has become large enough that another […]
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Big investment gets big support from city board
Grand Rapids city commissioners did double duty last week for an advanced electronics manufacturing firm that serves the auto, medical and industrial sectors — and for good reason. First, commissioners amended an industrial tax exemption they had awarded Firstronic LLC nearly two years ago to the date. Then they ratified a second state-authorized tax break […]
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World Affairs Council puts China in the spotlight
At the big Chinese Communist Party meeting coming in November — the Third Plenary Session of the 18th CPC Central Committee — the world is anticipating Xi Jinping’s remarks revealing his blueprint for China for the next 10 years, according to Robert Daly. Daly, director of the Kissinger Institute on China and the United States […]
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Farmland donation leads to a testy county debate
At a time when the local food movement is becoming a more valued segment of the region’s economy, the county’s Purchase of Development Rights program continues to be a contentious issue for Kent County board members. Commissioner Joel Freeman, who is in his first term, brought the divisiveness to light during the discussion last week […]
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Street Talk: Welcome to the shark tank, kids
If you’ve ever seen the ABC show “Shark Tank,” you know how nervous the would-be entrepreneurs are when making their presentations to potential business investors. Now imagine those entrepreneurs as 14- and 15-year-olds. That was the scenario last week when (trembling) groups of Lowell High School freshmen pitched their ideas to members of the business […]
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Aquinas among nation’s leaders in sustainability movement
Grand Rapids has gone to great lengths to become a sustainable city, and its colleges and universities reflect that movement. One school in particular has established itself as one of the nation’s leaders in sustainable education: Aquinas College began its Bachelor of Science in Sustainable Business in 2003. In 2010, the college began its sustainable […]
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Kalamazoo College honored for its efforts
Kalamazoo College has purchased more than 2.5 million kilowatt-hours of renewable energy since enrolling in Consumers Energy’s Green Generation program in 2009, which is one of the reasons the college was recognized this year as the program’s Green Generation Customer of the Year. Kalamazoo College purchases 720,000 KWh of renewable energy annually from Consumers Energy, […]
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Housing more affordable for Michigan tourism workers than nationally
LANSING — Recent reports show many workers in the tourism industry nationally are struggling to live in the cities where they work, but not those in Michigan. A Center for Housing Policy report said employees aren’t able to afford homes or rent in the country’s top metro areas such as Honolulu or Santa Ana. Among […]
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Proposed legislation: A later last call for alcohol?
Government shut-downs. Bipartisan bickering. Concerns over health care and the next fiscal cliff. That's a lot for your representatives to worry about. And then there are those who say that what this state really needs is more bars that are open until 4:00 a.m. That'll be the state of affairs in Michigan if new legislation […]
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Fifty-year high school reunion — seems like yesterday
I graduated from Haddonfield Memorial High School in 1963. No computers, no cell phones, no Internet, no email, no texting, no credit cards, no cassette tapes (let alone CDs), and no cable TV. How the hell did I survive? By playing ball every day after school. By riding my bike. By being active. Oh, that. […]
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Change Ups: Special needs baseball field dedicated
Owen-Ames-Kimball Co. has completed the Nate Hurwitz Field for the West Michigan Miracle League at 3300 10 Mile Road in Plainfield Township. The baseball/softball field for children with special needs was celebrated at an inaugural game in September. The field is named in honor of Nate Hurwitz, former WMML board member and supporter who passed […]
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Michigan retailers forecast improved holiday sales
LANSING — Michigan retailers’ forecasts for holiday sales show cautious optimism, averaging a 1.3 percent gain over last year, according to the Michigan Retail Index, a joint project of Michigan Retailers Association and the Federal Reserve Bank of Chicago. Fifty-three percent expect to increase sales, 30 percent predict flat sales and 17 percent project sales […]
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Public Record
MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds BUMSTEAD, Nathan J. et al, USAA Federal Savings Bank, Algoma Twp., 33-9-11, $282,000 DYKEMA EXCAVATORS INC., 1st Source Bank, Blackstone No. 3, Lot 43, $550,000 BARR, Brian Donald et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Condo-Arrowcrest, $239,913 MURPHY, Jennifer L. et al, Mercantile Bank Of Michigan, […]
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GVSU commits to sustainability
Grand Valley State University has slowly introduced a university-wide commitment to the “triple bottom line.” GVSU regularly is recognized by The Princeton Review as one of the top sustainable colleges in the United States — Aquinas regularly makes this list, as well. The school also has been recognized by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, Sustainable […]
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Independent hardware stores thrive in niche markets
One of the largest and most important sectors in the global market, the hardware industry has grown by leaps and bounds in recent years. Hardware parts and components have fueled the economic boom and growth and development in several industrialized nations and have become an integral part of business in just about every major industry. […]
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Inside Track: Energy and drive propel San Juan Diego principal forward
Manuel Brenes remembers the rope burns on his father’s hands, the result of roping cattle while on a cattle drive. While his father derived deep pleasure from owning and selling cattle, he wanted a decidedly different future for his son, one that involved cracking the books. “‘I take pride in what I do,’” Brenes recalled […]
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Core standards hike achievement
After more than a decade of research, state governors came together to finalize a set of common standards outlining what we as parents and citizens should expect every child to know upon graduation from high school. Known as Common Core, these standards enable students to compete in a global economy because they ensure that each […]
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Legislator uncorks bill allowing BYOB wine
LANSING — It’s date night. Don’t forget the cologne, your nicest earrings — and your favorite bottle of pinot grigio. Yes, it may soon be OK to “BYOB” (bring your own bottle) to your favorite restaurants. A bill introduced by Rep. Jim Stamas, R-Midland, would allow customers to bring their own bottles of wine to […]
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Local market for new homes is growing
(As seen on WZZM TV 13) Despite the chilly and soggy weather that plagued its last days, it didn’t rain on the Fall Parade of Homes. The outcome was quite the contrary, in fact. The annual event put on by the Home Builders Association of Greater Grand Rapids continued an encouraging trend. “We got really […]
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Anniversary gift of giving
Traditionally, a 30th anniversary is a time to give diamonds. For a business, it’s time to break out the champagne. But recently, Baudville, a Grand Rapids-based employee recognition company, outdid both of those options. In celebration of the company’s 30 years, Baudville, which was recently honored by the Michigan Business and Professional Association as one […]
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Prevailing wage stabilizes construction markets
Chris Fisher, president of ABC Michigan, might want to brush up on his history when stating “It’s an unfair law that has been entrenched on the books since 1965” in his Sept. 23 Grand Rapids Business Journal Guest Column (“Prevailing wage repeal: another step toward stable state economy”). While it’s true Michigan’s prevailing wage law […]
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Serious legislative logjam avoided, a win for economic gains
The state Senate Oct. 24 approved Michigan implementation of the rigorous uniform education standards adopted across the country as Common Core standards. The bill now moves back to the House, which approved a version more than a month ago. The Business Journal has supported the standards for math and reading compiled by educators across the […]
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Colliers says retail spaces are still filling up
The vacancy rate in the metro area’s retail real estate market fell during the third quarter, as more space was absorbed. According to Colliers International of West Michigan, unoccupied space accounted for 9.4 percent in the retail market at the end of September. Going into the three-month period, it was 9.6 percent. Total net absorption […]
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Amway’s One by One campaign transforms CSR efforts
The release of Amway’s 2012 Corporate Social Responsibility Report earlier this year included a big announcement: The company has reached 10 million children through its One by One Campaign for Children, which has been building momentum since it launched in 2003. Jesse Hertstein, Amway CSR senior specialist, said Amway’s CSR efforts fall under one of […]
