GRAND HAVEN, Mich. — Sarah Smiddy calls Grand Haven's east end a hidden gem.
She and her husband decided to take a chance on the lesser-known part of the lakeshore community and opened up a 321 Wellness, a gym along Beechtree Street.
"We saw the piece of property, we saw the promise that it had, so it made us extra excited to be over here," Smiddy said.
It's a risk other businesses seem willing to take too.
Ashley Latsch, city manager, explains in recent years there has been strong growth in the East End.
For example, she noted The Unicorn Tavern and Off The Chains, two businesses that will soon open in the area. Off The Chains will be in partnership with a well-known East End bike shop called Loose Spokes.
She says it's now time to achieve its full potential.
"It's right central to our heavy residential portion of the city and again, I think we're really fortunate to have had in the last three years a significant amount of investment on the set already. And that has made it really appealing for those already within that district or those looking for their next or first location," said Latsch.
Last week, council members created a commercial rehabilitation district in the area, which Latsch says incentivizes people to stay and set up shop.
"That will allow those business owners who intend to invest in their property to freeze their taxes at the previous year's tax rate through the approved period of time," Latsch added.
Forty-eight parcels, including the one Smiddy's gym sits on, make up the district.
Smiddy hopes the move benefits as many as possible and helps turn her hidden gem into a display of the city's pride.
"Any type of drawing attention to us has been, I think, helpful, especially to sustain and be able to move forward," she says.
To move forward, the Ottawa County Board of Commissioners must approve the creation of the district. They plan to do so at their meeting on Tuesday.
