Eastown is a 70 square block district that is a part of
Grand Rapids, Michigan
Grand Rapids is a city and county seat of Kent County in the U.S. state of Michigan. At the 2020 census, the city had a population of 198,917 which ranks it as the second most-populated city in the state after Detroit. Grand Rapids is the ...
. It has been described by some as the
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...
of Grand Rapids. It is considered by many in the Grand Rapids area as somewhat of a
liberal
Liberal or liberalism may refer to:
Politics
* a supporter of liberalism
** Liberalism by country
* an adherent of a Liberal Party
* Liberalism (international relations)
* Sexually liberal feminism
* Social liberalism
Arts, entertainment and m ...
oasis in a rather conservative area.
Today a walkable mixed-use neighborhood, Eastown began as a
streetcar
A tram (called a streetcar or trolley in North America) is a rail vehicle that travels on tramway tracks on public urban streets; some include segments on segregated right-of-way. The tramlines or networks operated as public transport a ...
commuter suburb of downtown Grand Rapids. Eastown has an active community association, business association and neighborhood newsletter called the Access.
Eastown is primarily white, but also has a large and tight-knit African-American population.
Places of interest
There are several places of business that are part of Eastown. These include Wolfgang's,
Yesterdog
Yesterdog is a restaurant that specializes in hot dogs located in Eastown, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Michigan () is a U.S. state, state in the Great Lakes region, Great Lakes region of the Upper Midwest, upper Midwestern United States. With ...
, The New Yorker Mens Wear
Mulligan's Pub Billy's, Smitty's Liquor store, Eastown Cafe, Fruition Açai & Juice Bar, Matchbox, Early Bird, Pita House
Spirit Dreams Bombay Cuisine, The Society of Healing Arts Institute (SOHAI), Kitten Flower Boutique, Danzon Cubano, Redux Used Books, Taproot Pictures, Argos Books, E. A. Brady's Butcher Shop, GoJo Ethiopian Cuisine, The Stephen J Group, Eastown Sports Bar, McKendree Jewelers, Terra GR, Chez Olga, Harmony Brewing Company, Geno's Pizza, GR Bagel, an
Vertical Media Solutions
Wilcox Park, a large park in Eastown, is commonly used for various outdoor activities which include kite-flying, kickball, and tennis.
Coldbrook Creek divides the park from
Aquinas College.
Location
The neighborhood is bounded on the north by Fulton Street, on the east by the city border with
East Grand Rapids, on the south by Franklin Street, and on the west by Fuller Avenue. The neighborhood is centered on the intersection of Wealthy Street and Lake Drive.
2008 explosion
On February 26, 2008, a 140-year-old building exploded due to a
gas leak
A gas leak refers to a leak of natural gas or another gaseous product from a pipeline or other containment into any area where the gas should not be present. Gas leaks can be hazardous to health as well as the environment. Even a small leak in ...
, injuring seven people. Residents throughout the neighborhood felt
shock waves
In physics, a shock wave (also spelled shockwave), or shock, is a type of propagating disturbance that moves faster than the local speed of sound in the medium. Like an ordinary wave, a shock wave carries energy and can propagate through a med ...
. The building collapsed into rubble, sending 20-foot flames into the air and destroying all the local businesses housed within.
External links
Eastown Area Business AssociationEastown Community AssociationYesterdogEastown Walking Tour
from Calvin University
References
Neighborhoods in Grand Rapids, Michigan
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