EAST GRAND RAPIDS, Mich — Residents of East Grand Rapids are urging city leaders to reconsider a major development plan that they say could significantly alter the character of their tight-knit community.
The proposed development would fill the area surrounding the local D&W grocery store. However, longtime residents Betsy and Jerry Anderson, as well as former mayor Nyal David Deems, express deep concerns about the project.
"It's going to be unsafe for the pedestrians, our kids that ride their bikes around here, and the older folks who come here to enjoy coffee," said Betsy Anderson, a resident and former teacher in the community.
The Andersons have lived in East Grand Rapids for nearly 40 years and have raised their family in the area. They describe the community as one where "people love to hang out with each other and get to know each other." The community consisting of families and children due to the schools. They emphasize how the major development would likely cause congestion and they fear for the safety of the residents.
When walking me through the lot in which the development is set to take place, they point out how the tall building would tower over trees, making the building feel out of place with the rest of Gaslight village and not providing enough green space for residents.
Deems, the former mayor, shares the Andersons' distrust of the development, stating, "The city has hired a planner who says he'd like to create a downtown for East Grand Rapids, we don't need that."
He emphasizes how the city doesn't need to be a downtown area and that it is currently a safe place for residents to go fishing, biking and walk freely. He feels the developer doesn't have the residents best interest in mind.
Supporters of the project, including City Commissioner Chris Wesley, argue that it will help with housing affordability by including 10% of units under controlled rent. However, Betsy Anderson is not convinced, stating, "It's not going to take care of any kind of need for affordable housing." When she worked at the schools in East Grand Rapids, she noticed many of the teachers were unable to afford living there, due to the pricing of homes.
The couple share children that are now older and would love if they could live in the same area, they emphasize that the city is definitely in need of affordable housing but that it is unlikely that this will be the solution.
Furthermore, Deems expresses concerns about the environmental impact of the development, noting that the runoff from the development could affect the area's two lakes.
Residents say they are still waiting to hear when the city will schedule its July meeting to discuss the plans and that communication from local leaders has been limited. They are urging city officials to carefully consider the details and the potential impact on the community before approving the development.
This story was initially reported by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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