By: Deborah Johnson Wood
Residents in the Boston Square area on Grand Rapids’ southeast side is recently kicked off an inititiative designed to encourage neighborhood beautification, stimulate local business development, and promote safe healthy living.
The specific goal of the iniatitive, called Shaping Our Square, is to execute an Area Specific Plan for the Kalamazoo business corridor between Boston and Hall and the surrounding neighborhood. Area Specific Plans essentially inform the broad-based City Master Plan with more detailed strategies for how neighborhoods aspire to redevelop. Oakdale Neighbors, Fuller Area Neighbors, the South East End Neighborhood Association, and the Boston Square Business Association are spearheading the project.
Five community planning sessions will solicit input from residents, business owners, and other stakeholders. An initial meeting in November drew 40 participants; the second meeting last Tuesday drew 25.
“Our purpose is to envision a preferred future for this neighborhood and envision the neighborhood we would like to see in 10 or 20 years,” says Tom Bulten, executive director of Oakdale Neighbors.
Thus far, the community has completed an analysis of its strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. The next step in the process involves honing in on more specific topics for work groups, such as, housing, business and employment, children and youth, and public spaces.
The $30,000 project is funded with various grants. The group will use some of the funding to hire a professional urban design firm to guide them through the process and presentation to the city.
Living Word Christian Center, 1534 Kalamazoo SE, will host the February 28 meeting at 7 PM. The public is invited.
Source: Tom Bulten, Oakdale Neighbors
Deborah Johnson Wood is the development news editor for Rapid Growth Media. She can be contacted at [email protected].
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