By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Over $10 million leaves Grand Rapids’ Southtown annually, and members of the Southtown Alliance Collaboration (STAC) aim to curb that loss through several proposed development projects. STAC is a year-old collaboration of business owners, neighborhood associations, nonprofits and public entities within an area bounded by Fuller Avenue on the east, Dickinson Street on the south, Wealthy Street on the north and Division Avenue on the west.
Mind the Gap, a 2007 study initiated by Neighborhood Ventures, determined that Southtown is losing out economically because of a lack of grocery stores, banks, and other businesses that attract shoppers.
“Instead of residents and visitors buying goods and services in Southtown, they’re going to the mall or going outside the area for groceries,” says Deborah Chivis of Neighborhood Ventures, the organization that guided the creation of STAC.
At its November 17 meeting, STAC heard about several new developments which could close some of those gaps:
Jonathan Bradford of the Inner City Christian Federation discussed a proposed mixed-use development for the corner of Wealthy and Division. The project includes residential, commercial and possibly a full-sized grocery store.
Lighthouse Communities discussed a business incubator proposed for the corner of Madison and Hall.
Oakdale Neighbors plans to continue development of Shaping Our Square, an area specific plan for Boston Square that includes neighborhood beautification and business and residential development.
Other proposals include a possible grocery store for the Baxter Neighborhood, the Madison Square Corridor Improvement District, and a possible financial assistance pilot program for businesses.
“We only have two banks in this big region, Huntington and Fifth Third, so there isn’t a lot of financing power,” Chivis says. “We really need to come together, put our minds together and work together.”
Source: Deborah Chivis, Neighborhood Ventures
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Deborah Johnson Wood is development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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