We would also like to thank our Day #3 StreetFest volunteers from Calvin College, residents of Lilac Ct and 0 block of Diamond and Midtown staffers Mike, Andrew, Amy and Kelly for making the neighbors 100% positive that the neighborhood association is behind them in word and in deed.  A TREMENDOUS thanks also goes out to Cherri and Liz, Lilac Court residents, for spearheading the efforts to reviatlize the cul-de-sac of Lilac Court from an overgrown weed field to a beautiful butterfly garden.  Midtown was happy to put their staff and the great Calvin volunteers behind the efforts to boost the positive impact that existing improvmeents have brought to the street. 

If you would like to find out how you and your block members can also get the support and elbow-grease that Midtown has to offer, please contact our Community Organizer for Neighborhood Improvement and Public Safety, Kelly Otto, by calling 732-9191.

Christine Helms-Maletic explains details of new design

Established in 1922, the Fulton Street Farmers Market (FSFM) has been a Grand Rapids mainstay for nearly 90 years, and plans for improving the Market have been in the making for the past five. Finally, on Tuesday, August 31 at the Market’s Fulton Street entrance, the Midtown Neighborhood Association unveiled the plans for FSFM improvement and expansion. Invited guests and media representatives saw the plans at 1:30 pm, and the general public was allowed to view them beginning at 2:30.

The new Market design preserves the single aisle concept of the current Market while making the entire site more accessible and extending the operational season to year round. A permanent covering for the open air stalls, wheelchair accessible restrooms and major infrastructure upgrades are also part of the plan.

Proposed site plan

In the spring of 2005, Midtown Neighborhood Association, which operates FSFM, began working on its Brikyaat Neighborhood Revitalization Plan, which emphasized the need for Market improvements.

Over the years, Midtown organizers and volunteers attended countless block club meetings; engaged city staff and elected officials, business associations and market vendors; and landed grants to fund a feasibility study and architectural plans for the FSFM.

“Though the Brikyaat Plan has many elements, we looked at what made most sense for us to do next in terms of neighborhood improvement, and it was the Farmers Market,” said Christine HelmsMaletic, who steered the Midtown Neighborhood Association through the planning process, first as Midtown Board President, then as the Brikyaat Project Director. Now Helms-Maletic manages the FSFM Development Project for Midtown as an independent consultant.

Rendering shows aerial view facing northwest

Among the extensive feedback gathered from customer surveys, vendor interviews, resident meetings, and consultant reports were suggestions on keeping the Market’s rustic charm, avoiding demolition of nearby residential properties and prioritizing accessibility. With funding from the Frey, Steelcase, DyerIves and Grand Rapids Community Foundations, as well as support from Grand Action, the City of Grand Rapids, the Local Initiatives Support Corporation and from the FSFM itself, the Midtown Board of Directors hired Ted Lott of Lott3Metz Architects to draw up the designs and Keith Hopkins of Hopkins Fundraising Consulting to put together a philanthropic feasibility study.

Rendering of view from Fulton Street

“Respondents believe that the Market is one of the few places in the region that appeals to an eclectic mix of area residents urban and suburban, wealthy and moderate income, professional and blue collar,” said Keith Hopkins, who finished the feasibility study in July. The study indicates a favorable charitable climate for a FSFM capital campaign.

Sustainability was something stakeholders were especially interested in. The Market designs incorporate green technologies and capitalizes on the already environmentally friendly aspects of a local farmers market. “We’re going to be able to get Silver,” said Ted Lott, referring to the projected level of LEED certification, an environmental construction standard.

Market Manager Melissa Harrington says the improvements were long in coming.

“There was a study done by housewives in 1928 of all the markets in the area that outlined recommendations on how to make them better.” Harrington said. “Among the suggestions for FSFM, one was to cover it and another was to fix the parking problems and the traffic congestion.” Harrington says this plan addresses those issues and will help make the next 90 years as successful as the first.

The FSFM leadership team anticipates a community based fundraising campaign to initiate this fall to complete the proposed renovations. A final budget for the project has not yet been determined.

Download High Resolution PDFs:

Aerial View (10MB)

Site Plan (900Kb)

Fulton View (2MB)

The  2010 season football schedule, as of this article’s publication is as follows:

September 10, 7:00p     Creston High School vs Reeths-Puffer

September 11, 1:00p      GRCC vs North Dakota State College of Science

September 17, 7:00p     Union High School vs East Grand Rapids

September 24, 7:00p     Union High School vs Forest Hills Central

September 25 12 noon  GRCC vs Ellsworth Community College

September 25, 6:00pm   Ottawa Hills High School vs Firest Hills Eastern

October 1, 7:00p               Ottawa Hills High School vs Caledonia

October 2, 1:00p                Union High School vs Mona Shores

October 8, 7:00p               Creston High School vs Greenville

October 9, 1:00p             GRCC vs Joliet Junior College

October 9, 7:00p               Union High School vs Kenowa Hills

October 15, 7:00p            Creston High School vs East Grand Rapids

October 16, 1:00p           GRCC vs Georgia Military College

October 22, 7:00p            Creston High School vs Grand Rapids Christian

You must be at least 60 years of age, Income can not be more than:
$1174 month for a household of one, or
$1579 a month for a household of two

This program provides a monthly distribution of cheese, canned meats, vegetables, fruits, grains and cereals and juices.

We are accepting new or transfer clients at the following locations:

Alto Library – 6071 Linfield, Alto
Free Methodist Church – 135 N. Grant, Cedar Springs
Byron Center Community Ministries – 8250 Byron Creek Dr., Byron Center
North East Complex – 836 Fuller NE, Grand Rapids
Porter Hills/Harvest Way – 100 Ida Red, Sparta
West Side Complex – 215 Straight NW, Grand Rapids
North Kent Service Center – 10075 Northland Dr, Rockford

You must provide these items to register: Proof of household income
Photo ID with current address
Social Security card

For distribution dates and times,
or for more information about this program, please call:
Northeast Complex 336-7740, Cherie at 336-4188

This program is provided by
Area Community Services Employment & Training Council
Community Action Program (ACSET-CAP)

To help keep families safe, the Healthy Homes Coalition was recently awarded a FEMA grant to install carbon monoxide and smoke detectors for families with young children. Eligible families must reside in the cities of Grand Rapids, Kentwood, or Wyoming, and must have a full-time resident child 5 years of age or younger.

Supplies are limited to only the next 300 homes! The carbon monoxide alarms retail for more than $40 and the smoke alarms retail for $20, but we INSTALL them for free! To request an alarm, call (616) 241-3300 or email info@healthyhomescoalition.org.

For more information, visit www.healthyhomescoalition.org/carbon-monoxide.

From the GRPress – 1/21/10:

“GRAND RAPIDS — The Grand Rapids Police Department will unveil an online crime-mapping system today that will inform residents about incidents in their neighborhoods.

The Internet-based system will allow people to see the type of crimes happening across the city, narrowing the scope by offenses, date and geographic areas.

Data comes directly from force complaints and will be updated twice daily, said Officer Phil Porter, who works in the department’s crime analysis unit.”

On the new website you can pick from 15 categories of crime and see where they have recently taken place.  If you want to check for a specific day or range of days, you can select that by clicking on the date above the map.

You can also sign up for email alerts to automatically be sent when crimes happen near your residence by clicking “Receive Crime Alerts” in orange in the upper right corner.  Simply enter your email, the address or intersection you are tracking, the distance from your address for alerts to be sent, and select which categories of crime are sent in the email alerts.

Access the site at http://www.crimemapping.com/

More info at these news websites through Google News:

http://bit.ly/4SlBGt

Executive Board of Directors are:

Jennifer, Ashby Row resident for over 10 years and Midtown’s Board President.  Jenn continues to be involved with the neighborhood association, its Board and committees  and has been for over 8 years.

Kevin, longtime Brikyaat resident and Midtown’s Board Vice-President. Kevin is very involved with the  revitalization of the Brikyaat and planning-stages of improvements at the Farmers Market.

Amber, Old East Resident and Midtown’s Treasurer. Amber is very active on the Public Safety Committee and was instrumental in making the “2009 Back-to-School” backpack giveaway a success during August’s Community Celebration.

Josh , resident of the Woods and Midtown’s Secretary. In addition to being very active in the GR Biking Community, Josh is a member of Midtown’s Communications Committee.

Board members at large are:

Denise, Woods resident and writer for the Rapidian

Jennifer, Woods resident, super-volunteer at Midtown’s Community Garden and member of the Neighborhood Improvement Committee

Jorja, Ashby Row Resident, Board member responsible for tracking House Plaque Sales as part of the Neighborhood Improvement Committee

Jeffrey, Brikyaat Resident, Board member on the Communications Committee

Mark, Old East End resident

MSHDA’s Property Improvement Program offers low interest home improvement loans to single-family homeowners with low-to-moderate income (up to $65,000, or $74,750 in certain areas), and landlords renting to low-to-moderate income tenants.  Eligible home improvements include the following:

• Windows
• Furnaces (including geothermal)
• Insulation
• Roof repair or replacement
• Solar water heating systems
• Siding

Other improvements include:

• Kitchen and bathroom remodeling
• Foundation repair
• Garage or carport (addition or repair) and
• Other permanent improvements to homes.

With the Property Improvement Program, eligible homeowners can borrow up to $50,000 for a single family site-built home. Lower limits apply to manufactured homes. Because we can amortize the loan up to 20 years, the monthly payments are very affordable for those on a fixed income. The interest rate for homeowners is 4%, 6%, or 8%, depending upon income.

Eligible landlords can borrow up to $25,000 per single-family rental unit, and an average of $12,000 per unit for multi-family properties (up to a maximum of $60,000 per property).  Eligible multi-family properties cannot have more than 11 units.  The interest rate is fixed at 8%.  There are no income requirements for landlords, but the rental units must meet MSHDA rental limit guidelines.

You can get more details about the program at www.michigan.gov/mshda, then click on the Home Improvement link.

Property Improvement Program brochure – 504KB PDF

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