Grand Rapids, "The Heart of West Michigan", is the second largest city in the state with a population of approximately 197,000 residents in the city and 770,000 when including the surrounding areas. Long known as the Furniture City, Grand Rapids has recently began an image transformation to that of medical center with the openings of the Devos Childrens Hospital, the Van Andel Research Institure, Grand Valley State's Cook-Devos Medical Training Facility, and Michigan State University's medical school which will begin construction downtown in the spring of 2007. Grand Rapids has also become a destination for convention planners and attendees with the growing popularity of the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel and Devos Hall.
Know as a city of many firsts in the United States, Grand Rapids has a prooud history of innovation. Grand Rapids was one of the first cities in the U.S. to have a commission-manager form of government. the city was home to the first regularly scheduled passenger airline in the U.S., the first city to add flouride to its water, and the first city in the United States to install a hydroelectric generator which was located on the North West side of town.
With an area of 45.3 square miles Grand Rapids is home to 77,960 housing units per the census of 2000. Recently the city has seen a large number of condominium, retail and office units being developed in the revitalized downtown area making it one of the fastest growing sities in Michigan in both population and economics. If you are planning a move to Grand Rapids, click here to request a free list of homes.
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