Historic Preservation Efforts Awarded

by Jaime Pfeffer

May 13th, 2008 in Architecture, Design, Detroit, Grand Rapids, Holland, Jackson, Lansing, Lansing / Jackson, News, Upper Peninsula

Shiny new buildings are nice, but there’s something about old historic structures that makes them … well, special.

The state understands this and the importance of preserving our history, and, as such, recognizes and honors several preservation projects annually with a special accolade - the Governor’s Award for Historic Preservation.

With May designated as National Historic Preservation month, it was only fitting that Governor Jennifer Granholm recently announced the recipients of this special award. They will be honored at a ceremony in the state Capitol rotunda later this week. [ Read more ]

read and comment trackback share

Construction Begins on GR’s Secchia Center

by Jaime Pfeffer

April 30th, 2008 in Careers, East Lansing, Grand Rapids, Lansing / Jackson, Resources, West Michigan

Downtown Grand Rapids has welcomed a number of new developments in the past year, from new lofts and condos to retail space and restaurants.

Soon, the area will become home to yet another monumental development: the Secchia Center, which will serve as the west Michigan home of Michigan State University’s College of Human Medicine. Groundbreaking for the state-of-the-art facility took place last week. [ Read more ]

read and comment trackback share

GR Recycler Helps with E-Waste

by Jaime Pfeffer

April 21st, 2008 in Conservation, Environment, Grand Rapids, Green, Living, West Michigan

If you live in the Grand Rapids area and have some used cell phones or small appliances that you want to get rid of, you’re in luck: for the next day, Comprenew Environmental is making it easy for you to do just that, free of charge.

As part of its commitment to the environment and the community, the company will be offering free recycling through April 22, which also happens to be Earth Day. [ Read more ]

read and comment trackback share

Grand Rapids Author Hits Big Screen with “The Life Before Her Eyes”

by Bradley Gula

April 17th, 2008 in Entertainment, Film, Grand Rapids, Lifestyle, Literature, West Michigan

Released this weekend is the cinematic adaptation of Laura Kasischke’s “The Life Before Her Eyes.” In the story, “a senseless act of violence erupts at school,” changing the lives of two best friends.

The Michigan author penned the original novel following inspiration in a creative writing class at East Grand Rapids High School. Now a Chelsea resident, Kasischke is a teacher herself at the University of Michigan.

MLive has additional details on the author and her successes. Find out more about the film (with stars Uma Thurman and Evan Rachel Wood) at its official website or IMDB. And read through a discussion of the original novel at BuzzSugar.

read and comment trackback share

Warhol Exhibition at GRAM Shows Serious Side to the King of Pop

by Scotter Bragg

April 16th, 2008 in Art, Careers, Entertainment, Gallery, Grand Rapids, Tourism, West Michigan

The Grand Rapids Art Museum (GRAM) has been enjoying far more than fifteen minutes of fame since its opening in October 2007.

The GRAM received Gold certification from the U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program in March, making it the first newly built green museum in the world. And to match its world-class building, the GRAM has now delivered a world-class exhibition with Rapid Exposure: Warhol in Series, featuring works by America’s most famous Pop artist, Andy Warhol. [ Read more ]

read and comment trackback share

What’s the Walkability of Your Neighborhood?

by Jaime Pfeffer

April 7th, 2008 in Conservation, Detroit, Environment, Grand Rapids, Green, Houghton / Hancock, Living, Mt. Pleasant, Northern Michigan, Upper Peninsula, West Michigan

Wouldn’t it be cool if you could calculate the walkability of any neighborhood in the U.S.? With Walk Score, you can. [ Read more ]

read and comment trackback share

The Collective Offers Work/Life Harmony

by Jaime Pfeffer

April 7th, 2008 in Grand Rapids, Lifestyle, Muskegon, West Michigan

As a self-proclaimed Type-A personality and someone who used to consider a 30-minute walk three times a week an aggressive exercise routine, I can personally attest that the stress-relieving benefits I have gotten since incorporating a 45-minute daily jog into my routine back in November are beyond anything I could have imagined. [ Read more ]

read and comment trackback share

Farms Without Harm for West Michigan Sustainability

by Bradley Gula

April 5th, 2008 in Conservation, Environment, Food, Grand Rapids, Green, Lifestyle, Living, West Michigan

Farms Without Harm is a group of farmers, citizens and other supporters of sustainable farming in Michigan. The Grand Rapids team educates the public about responsible agriculture through presentations, expert panels and open dialogue. [ Read more ]

read and comment trackback share

A2: America’s Third-Best Walking City

by Jaime Pfeffer

April 2nd, 2008 in Ann Arbor, Detroit, Flint, Grand Rapids, Green, Lansing, Lansing / Jackson, Living, Outdoor, West Michigan

If you’ve ever spent time in Ann Arbor on foot, then you already know that it is a very walkable city. So walkable, in fact, that Prevention magazine and the American Podiatric Medical Association recently named A2 the third most walkable city in the nation. (Cambridge, Massachusetts and New York City took the top two spots).

Along with its national walkable city list, Prevention has also released what it deems as the 10 Best Walking Cities in each of the 50 states. The Michigan rankings, in order of walkability, are: Ann Arbor, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Flint, Livonia, Lansing, Dearborn, Warren, Sterling Heights and Clinton Township. [ Read more ]

read and comment trackback share

The LEEDers and the Best

by Scotter Bragg

March 25th, 2008 in Detroit, Environment, Grand Rapids, Green, Living, Newsletter, The Alt. Energy Issue, West Michigan

Given Michigan’s current housing slump, you might be surprised to know that our state is a leader in green building.

Over 200 building projects in Michigan are either registered with or certified by the The Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) program, a green building certification program developed in 2000 by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). [ Read more ]

read and comment trackback share