Darren McKnight is an accountant. Not an urban planner. But he's also 24-years-old, which makes him a member of that all important demographic that Grand Rapids needs to thrive in the Digital Age. He talks about what likes, dislikes, and wants to see in Michigan's second largest city.
It's popular these days to lament Michigan's loss of young people to places like Chicago and the West Coast. But you're 24 years old and recently chose to move to the Great Lakes State from your hometown of Chattanooga, TN. What brought you here?
I wrestled in high school, and received scholarship offers from around the country. But the Big Ten is the premier wrestling conference in college. And I only had one offer from a Big Ten school, Michigan State. That's where I went.
How'd you land in Grand Rapids?
I met a girl at MSU who went on for a master's at Grand Valley State, and eventually got a job locally. She loves it. So I thought 'I'll give Grand Rapids a try.' The city seemed to have a lot to offer in terms of job prospects, growth potential, and a good lifestyle.
You majored in accounting. What was the job search like?
Public accounting firms are well represented here. Three of the big four firms in my field as well as Crowe Chizek, BDO Seidman, Plante Moran have offices in Grand Rapids. So there were plenty of options for me coming into this city. I didn’t feel the need to go to a Chicago or a New York to succeed professionally.
What was your perception of GR before moving here?
Honestly, I really wasn’t aware of Grand Rapids until I moved to Michigan to attend college.
What's your opinion now that you've lived here for nearly a year?
Grand Rapids offers many of the big-city things I want – bars, restaurants, and entertainment – without the hassles of big-city living like a 30-minute commute just so you can afford a place to live. I live in Heritage Hill and I walk to work.
Do you walk to work in January? Often times we hear that the Michigan winters are a deterrent.
Yeah, actually, I do sometimes when I'm not on the road visiting clients. But the winter can be brutal.
Now that you're more familiar with the place, are you happy with the decision to relocate?
I took a little bit of a chance moving here. I wasn’t sure if I'd like it, or that I'd stay for any length of time. But Grand Rapids is doing really well. People are investing a ton of time and money to make this city great. And that's encouraging for young professionals to know that if you stay here for any length of time you're only going to have more opportunities.
What, more specifically, do you mean by 'opportunities?'
I've been here ten months and I'm already representing my company on a marketing committee led by the Downtown Alliance. Identifying those types of leadership opportunities, and establishing that kind of voice, probably doesn’t happen as quickly in a place like Chicago. You can get involved right away here. And I want to be a part of what's happening.
What in your opinion does GR need to improve to attract and keep young professionals like you?
Retail. We need a flag ship store to attract shoppers downtown. Something that's completely unique, and not available at the mall. Historically, retail doesn’t seem to do well in mid-sized cities.
Does a particular retailer come to mind? What could land here that would make you and your friends think 'Now we're cooking.'
Be great if a Macy's would take the risk. Although I don’t know that could work yet. But we need somebody to take that leap of faith. An Urban Outfitters would fit well, or an H&M.
Am I showing my age if I ask what H&M is?
It's a clothes store that tends to offer trendy fashions at affordable prices. The place is more popular among young people. There's not one here in Grand Rapids or nearby.
I've interviewed several of your peers, and most agree we need to do something more significant with the riverfront. What's your opinion?
I'm surprised that more development along the river hasn't happened yet. That seems like prime real estate to me.
People your age also tend to say the city needs more entertainment, cultural diversity, and street life. What would you add to that wish list?
A Fortune 500 company. We need to make downtown attractive for big businesses to come and set up their headquarters here. I don’t know how to do that. But it would be huge. They'd have to build or renovate a big building. That would be a boon to the city and the region.
You have some strong ideas about how to grow the city. What project – proposed or underway – are you most enthusiastic about these days?
This streetcar excites me. I was just visiting a client in Little Rock, and they have a streetcar system that runs past the farmer's market, by restaurants and shops, and through a historic district. It felt a little touristy. But it seemed to work really well. A similar trolley could be real practical here.
As an MSU grad, how stoked are you to see your alma mater bringing the medical school to town?
I'm pumped. The building design looks awesome. Let's break ground on that baby.
What discourages you about Grand Rapids, or Michigan in general right now?
Negativity. There's a lot of it going on right now about the economy. And I think that turns young people off. We certainly need to be aware of the fact that we have some challenges. But not everywhere or everyone is struggling. Just look at Grand Rapids. Sure, we're feeling the housing crunch. But the whole country is. This state has a lot of beauty, a lot to offer, and the cities are experiencing an incredible amount of private investment. This is not a bad time to be in Michigan.
Do you plan to settle down here?
I'm still young, so it's hard to say. But I plan on buying a house and staying for awhile. I want to stay here long enough to see what this city can become. I want to see how all the medical development turns out. As long as the city is growing, and providing new opportunities, I'll be here.
Andy Guy, the managing editor at Rapid Growth Media, is a journalist who lives in Grand Rapids. He's also a project director at the Michigan Land Use Institute and authors a blog titled Great Lakes Guy.
Photographs:
Darren McKnight photographed by Brian Kelly at The Photography Room - HeartsideAll Rights Reserved