Heritage Hill Moving Guide
Tommy Allen |
Thursday, May 25, 2006
Heritage Hill has multi-colored Victorian mansions as stunning as any of the famous Painted Ladies in San Francisco. The neighborhood is a showcase for more than 60 different architectural styles. And developers now are investing hundreds of millions of dollars into state-of-the-art medical facilities on the neighborhood's edge and further strengthening its appeal.
Add the fact that the neighborhood is a comfortable walk from the theatres, pubs, universities, and other destinations in nearby districts like Center City and it’s easy to see why Heritage Hill is the premier place to live in Grand Rapids.
“When people hear you live in Heritage Hill their face lights up,” said Tom Merkel, a long time neighborhood resident.
Doctors, lawyers, teachers, and other elite residents of the young city originally settled the neighborhood around 1840. The district is bounded by Crescent Street to the north, Union to the east, Pleasant to the south, and Lafayette to the west.
But the neighborhood was nearly destroyed by bulldozers in the mid-20th century. Weakened by race riots, suburban sprawl, and absentee landlords, the district was threatened with demolition in the 1960’s as city leaders, bankers, and developers conspired to raze the area for urban renewal.
Concerned neighbors organized to preserve the great number of historically significant homes and buildings and on March 11, 1971, after extensive study, federal officials listed the entire neighborhood on the National Register of Historic Places. At the time, Heritage Hill became the largest urban historic district in the country. Residents also formed tight block clubs to stomp out crime and take an active role keeping streets safe.
Today, Heritage Hill is one of the city’s more magnificent residential districts. Homes date from 1848 and include an array of design styles, including but not limited to Dutch Colonial, Italianate, Prairie, as well as Classic, Greek, Gothic, and Georgian Revival.
The neighborhood also is again home to a wide variety of residents – upwardly mobile professionals, young families, spirited artists, and college students. Residents generally range in age from 18 to 64. And while whites makeup the majority, significant populations of black and Latino residents call the Hill home.
“The people of Heritage Hill are as unique and diverse as their homes,” said realtor John Westman.
Finding the right place
Prospective residents will find plenty of opportunities to buy a home or rent an apartment in Heritage Hill. The trend in recent years has seen new residents buying multi-unit homes and restoring them for single family use.
But that is not to say that Heritage Hill is void of rental opportunities. Far from it. The neighborhood is located adjacent to several downtown college campuses and offers plenty of opportunities to rent apartments of all sizes and even homes. Small studio apartments in the area typically rent for approximately $425. While one- and two-bedroom apartments in historic homes generally go for somewhere between $550 -$1,200.
Several apartment and condominium complexes also are located in Heritage Hill. The Oakwood, Hillmount, Stuyvesant, and the Waters Apartments each offer a wide selection of layouts and amenities to consider.
A typical Heritage Hill home lists for approximately $250,000. Targeted historic preservation tax credits are available for extensive rehabilitation projects. Just consult a local realtor, the city’s historic preservation office, or the Heritage Hill Association.
The Heritage Hill Association maintains a complete listing of the apartments and homes for sale and lease in the neighborhood. The listings are highly organized and update often. Copies can be obtained at the association’s office or on the Web.
A match for medics
Heritage Hill historically draws residents from the suburban neighborhoods surrounding metropolitan Grand Rapids, as well as from big cities such as Chicago, New York, and San Francisco, according to Barb Lester, a community organizer with the Heritage Hill Association.
But the area also is projected to draw a growing number of medical doctors, scientists, and students, according to those familiar with the local housing market. Private developers and public agencies have targeted the area for development of Grand Rapids’ Life Sciences Corridor, a cluster of medical offices, research labs, and academic institutions designed to pursue the discovery and development of new medicines and technologies to alleviate human suffering.
To date, some $450 million has been invested in the effort. Approximately $228 million in new facilities currently are under construction. And another $320 million in additional projects currently are on the drawing board. Developments include St. Mary’s Hauenstein Neurological Center, the Van Andel Research Institute, the DeVos Children’s Hospital, and Grand Valley State University’s health professionals building. Local economic development experts also say it’s likely that Michigan State University will expand its medical school to the area.
The tremendous amount of investment pouring into the area is strengthening local property values, which jumped as much as 10 percent last year. It’s also blending a major employment center with a unique residential district, providing new opportunities for prospective residents to experience a neighborhood where the job, home, and entertainment opportunities all are right around the corner.
The location is perfect, according to Bob Connors, who walks to work everyday at the DeVos Children’s Hospital. Connors recently renovated a circa 1870’s home in Heritage Hill with his wife Julie and he says the neighborhood provides a level of convenience not easily found in other areas of the city.
“This is the first time in my career that I have been able to walk to work,” Connors said. “And being so close to restaurants and cultural events is really nice.”
Pizza and pills and wine and flowers
Heritage Hill is a highly walkable district whose geographical boundaries touch both the vibrant center city and the charm of smaller neighborhoods and business districts like Cherry Hill and Eastown. But Heritage Hill not only provides ready access to the entertainment, arts, and culinary scene of nearby districts. It also offers several specialized shops of its own scattered throughout the neighborhood.
Martha’s Vineyard, one of Grand Rapids finest food shops. Martha’s offers one of the most extensive wine and beer selections in the city; a gourmet deli with an array of cheeses, desserts, and homemade salads; and a wide selection of cigars.
This highly popular neighborhood stop also recently added the Nantucket Baking Co., which quickly has become the place to go for fresh bread, gourmet pizza, and even brownies. Nantucket uses top notch ingredients and the fare is affordably priced.
Violet North East, a European-style floral business and gift store, is another charming shop tucked back on the hill. Located just a block down from Martha’s, Violet East displays buckets of flowers reminiscent of Parisian shops or street side flower vendors of New York City.
Eyekons Gallery is a popular place to find works of art from local artists such as Rick Beerhorst and Mary Ellen McNaughton as well as more nationally known talents like Steven Prince and Makoto Fujimura.
Heritage Square, located near the intersection of Cherry and State streets, is a rapidly emerging business district in Heritage Hill. The area includes the Beijing Kitchen, a Chinese take out stop, and Peppino’s, an affordably priced pizza joint that uses fresh ingredients.
Finally, in keeping with the emerging medical theme, the district also offers a pharmacy. The Diplomat Pharmacy, located at the corner of Jefferson and Fulton, specializes in hard-to-find medications and offers free delivery of prescriptions.
Learning on the Hill
Families considering a home in Heritage Hill will find several respected schools in the area. New parents Tom and Margaret Merkel have lived in the neighborhood for 10 years. And they intend to stay on the Hill as their child reaches school age. They see plenty of options and a community’s that’s intimately involved with ensuring their schools excel.
The Grand Rapids Public School system will open Henry Padia Academy in the neighborhood in the fall 2006. The school offers classes through eighth grade. Older students typically attend Central High School, located in the heart of the neighborhood.
The entire public Montessouri program will relocate to Central High, located at 421 Fountain, in the fall of 2006. Gateway Middle High, a charter school, also is located at 311 State Street. Catholic schools also are located in and around the neighborhood.
With a modest selection of private and public schools, a central location, unique architecture, and a wealth of new investment pouring into the neighborhood, Heritage Hill is not only home to families like the Merkels. It’s also home to students, doctors, artists, and the city mayor alike.
“People who live here not only want to be in a great historic neighborhood,” Tom Merkel said. “They want to live around the people who appreciate it.”
Directions to Heritage Hill
From the North:
Take US-131 South toward Grand Rapids and merge onto I-196 East via Exit 86A on the left toward Lansing. Take Exit 78 for College Ave and turn right onto College Ave NE. Arrive in Heritage Hill.
From the East:
Take I-96 West toward Grand Rapids and take I-196 West toward Downtown Grand Rapids/Holland. Take Exit 78 for College Ave and turn left onto College Ave NE. Arrive in Heritage Hill.
From the South:
Take US-131 North toward Grand Rapids and take the Wealthy St exit, Exit 84A on the left. Turn right onto Wealthy St SW. Continue to Lafayette Ave and arrive in Heritage Hill.
From the West:
Take I-196 East toward Grand Rapids. Take Exit 78 for College Ave and turn right onto College Ave NE. Arrive in Heritage Hill.
Take I-96 East toward Grand Rapids and merge onto US-131 South via Exit 31A toward Grand Rapids/Kalamazoo. Merge onto I-196 East via Exit 86A on the left toward Lansing. Take Exit 78 for College Ave and turn right onto College Ave NE. Arrive in Heritage Hill.