Archives

Apartment construction expands in downtown GR

With homeownership rates at the lowest point in more than 50 years, apartments are the focus for many developers nationwide. The main issue with the...

Exhibitors Building to house office space

The Exhibitors Building has been an underutilized and mostly forgotten building attached to the Amway Grand Plaza for decades, but a portion of the...

WMU students move into retirement community

Welcome week will be a bit different for three Western Michigan University occupational therapy graduate students. Instead of moving into traditional student housing options, Collett...

Architecture firm gathers ideas for Calder Plaza

Ideas for a makeover of Grand Rapids’ iconic Calder Plaza are coming into focus. Downtown Grand Rapids Inc., the city of Grand Rapids and Kent...

College buddies dive into drone market

Like countless others before him, Danny Vessells found his inspiration in nature. Growing up, Vessells heard stories about the logging industry in Boyne Falls, where...

Dear millennials, GR is another mythological siren call

Grand Rapids has a big problem to solve, one that cannot be resolved only by the public or private sector but — once again...

Inside Track: ‘Efficiency nut’ Chris Harper finds hard work always pays off

For some, it takes a lifetime to find the right career path. Chris Harper found his around age 12, shortly after his family moved...

The good, bad and ugly of income inequality

Metro Grand Rapids’ economy was in the news twice recently. One was a positive story, the other was not. Both are accurate. The differences...

Homebuyers cite price as concern

Affordability is a major issue when it comes to home buying, according to a recently released national study. The real estate firm Redfin released its...

Best of times? Worst of times? Check the data

Most people would say that the first step in solving a problem is to define the issues. Documenting the magnitude of the problem and identifying...

Local engineering firms see profit increases

As investors continue to drive developments in Grand Rapids, local industries are reaping the benefits. And that might be most represented in the region’s...

MSU’s research center to create rain garden for city corner

(As seen on WZZM TV 13) Once the Michigan State University Grand Rapids Research Center is complete, the corner of Michigan Street and Monroe...

MSHDA programs available to many homebuyers

Despite a perception of young professionals being averse to home buying, the Michigan State Housing Development Authority is bullish on helping the demographic realize...

GRBCC lands developer as speaker

For the first time in the event’s four-year history, the Grand Rapids Black Chamber of Commerce will host a local entrepreneur to speak at...

Letter: Climate change is a hoax

Editor: I am disappointed with the Guest Column by Todd R. Yarbrough “Why business should say yes to a carbon tax” (Business Journal, Aug. 22). Let...

What’s your ‘type’? Mine is ‘sales successful’

Everybody talks about “types” of people to figure them out. Salespeople are all taught to mirror, model and typecast their prospective customers. Big mistake. It’s...

Change Ups: Spectrum dedicates renovated, expanded rehab center

Spectrum Health dedicated its expanded and renovated Spectrum Health Rehab and Nursing Center, 4118 Kalamazoo Ave., originally built in 1964. The facility includes the...

Public Record

MORTGAGES Selected mortgages filed with Kent County Register of Deeds SHEPARD, William et al, Lake Michigan Credit Union, Ada Twp., 5-7-10, $456,000 WU, Xiaolu et al, Lake...

State retailers post weakest monthly performance of the year

Michigan retailers were not immune from a national slowdown in sales during July, according to the Michigan Retail Index, a joint project of the...

Street Talk: Start Garden’s fresh start

Start Garden has spun itself off. The entrepreneurial ecosystem has spun off its venture capital fund into Wakestream Ventures, a private entity that will continue...