GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce held its annual policy conference on Tuesday, focusing on the role of policy in keeping the city strong and vibrant.
"Our program today was to highlight some of the positive things that are going on in our community, the momentum that we have, but all the work that it takes to keep that momentum and the effect that policy has on all that work," said Grand Rapids Chamber President and CEO Rick Baker.
The conference addressed key policies that matter to West Michigan, as local leaders and business people discussed the need for Grand Rapids to adapt and evolve to changing times.
"Cities are constantly evolving. And so what do we need to do to be able to keep the ... vibrancy that we love here as our region, and adapt to the changing versus being stuck in doing things the same old way?" Baker said.
One example of this adaptation is developer Sam Cummings, CWD managing partner, who is converting 111 Lyon Street from 120,000 square feet of office space into residential housing.
"It's taking about 120,000 square feet of office space off the market, converting it to residential, and creating more demand for office space, because you're actually improving the demographics of downtown," Cummings said.
The Grand Rapids Chamber says this forward-thinking approach is what keeps the city prosperous.
"[If] we identify an issue or a challenge for our community, we don't wait for generations or decades to deal with it. We start dealing with it immediately, take action," Baker said.
Official construction on the 111 Lyon Street project will begin on Wednesday with a sledgehammer ceremony involving city leaders.
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