EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The future of Gaslight Village in East Grand Rapids will be a focal point at a pivotal city commission meeting set for Monday evening. The meeting, which will include a public hearing, will offer residents their latest opportunity to weigh in on a long-awaited redevelopment plan for the area.
For many in the community, the proposal represents a significant shift in the village’s character and development. Anna Moore Butzner, a local resident, has spent hours preparing for the meeting, studying planning documents and attending town halls in anticipation. “I’ve been educating myself. In fact, I spent several hours this weekend going over all the stuff in preparation for Monday’s big meeting,” she said.
This will be the second meeting in consecutive weeks concerning the redevelopment, following years of stalled attempts to revamp the area. The current proposal is the latest iteration of a development plan first introduced by the Jade Pig development group in 2004. While the first phase of the project transformed part of the village, the larger vision remained unrealized. Subsequent revisions in 2008 and 2020 fell victim to external factors, including the financial crisis and the COVID-19 pandemic, respectively.
Now, the project is closer than ever to coming to fruition. The updated plan calls for three new mixed-use residential and commercial buildings at 2255 Wealthy Street, located behind the existing Gaslight Village streetscape. The development would also include a purely residential building, two rows of townhouses, and a variety of infrastructure improvements including parking and pedestrian walkways. In total, the plan outlines 180 housing units, including condos, apartments, and townhomes.
A notable feature of the proposal is the inclusion of affordable housing. Ten percent of the new units are earmarked as “attainable housing” for residents with incomes ranging from 100% to 120% of the area’s median income.
Many East Grand Rapids residents are excited about the prospect of more housing and development options downtown. “I’m an empty-nester, I’m a widow, I’m excited for a place to go,” said Jessica Rupert, a local resident. “Staying in East Grand Rapids is really important to me and my family. We are excited about a unique new development that will hopefully answer a lot of needs for a lot of people.”
However, not all residents share the same enthusiasm. Some, like Butzner, are concerned about the scope of the project. “I am in favor of some development, but not this development,” she remarked. “I am not in favor of a seven-story building. It just doesn’t fit the character of EGR. I like some development, but not at this grandiose scale.”
The current edition of the plan comes after a thorough examination process, including parking studies, pollution studies, traffic flow models, and more. The city has also committed to improving communication with residents, a point raised at the first public meeting.
The public hearing will take place at the high school’s performing arts center on Monday at 6 p.m., offering a final opportunity for the community to voice their opinions on the future of Gaslight Village.
As the redevelopment project enters its final stages of approval, it is clear that East Grand Rapids residents are invested in its outcome, with strong feelings both for and against the changes ahead. The city commission’s decision could significantly alter the village’s landscape, making Monday’s meeting a critical moment in the area’s ongoing development.
