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Destination
Neighborhoods
Downtown
Enjoy a huge range of entertainment, dining, shopping and sightseeing opportunities, all within an easy, eye-catching 10-minute walk.
West Side
From tigers and coffee to meat markets and Mexican restaurants, the West Side is a fascinating mix of old-school and up-and-coming.
Heartside
Grit, growth and creativity characterize this downtown neighborhood, which boasts unique galleries, clever dining spots and many pleasant…
Heritage Hill
One of the nation’s top old-house neighborhoods – with 1,300 buildings dating back to 1844 – is just a five-minute walk from downtown.
Medical Mile
This world-class health-sciences corridor is spurring new retail and residential developments well beyond its namesake mile.
North Quarter
The city’s largest park, tiniest burger joint, oldest sweet shop and newest best-bar winner are just a few of the pleasures that await visitors.…
Southtown
Diversity is the hallmark of Southtown, with numerous ethnic groups contributing to a vibrant mix of restaurants, shops and events.
Uptown
An eclectic mix of specialty shops, galleries, restaurants and entertainment venues reflect this area’s friendly, funky, fabulous character.
Medical Meetings
Grand Rapids’ Medical Infrastructure
Downtown Grand Rapids has a concentration of health sciences and biomedical research facilities and organizations that have stimulated more than $2 billion in research, education, and healthcare infrastructure (Source: The Right Place).
Grand Rapids’ hospitals, research facilities, and academic institutions attract some of the world’s brightest minds and elite medical professionals. Each of these specialized institutions gives planners access to a valuable pool of medical leaders and experts that make impactful session and keynote speakers.
Hospitals and Centers of Care
- Spectrum Health is one of the nation’s top 15 health systems. Its downtown campus on the Medical Mile is home to the Lemmon-Holton Cancer Pavilion, Fred and Lena Meijer Heart Center, a Level 1 trauma center, and the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital.
- Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital is the fifth-largest rehabilitation center in the country, provides acute inpatient physical and cognitive rehabilitation and post-acute services.
- Mercy Health Saint Mary’s is located a mile south of the Medical Mile campus. This 344-bed acute care hospital is also home to the Lacks Cancer Center, Wege Institute for Mind, Body, and Spirit, and the Hauenstein Neurosciences Center.
- Mercy Health Hauenstein Neurosciences Center is the only comprehensive neurological center of its kind in the country and offers patients access to fellowship trained physicians, specializing in epilepsy, spine and brain disorders, Parkinson’s disease, and overall nervous system care.
- Metro Health University of Michigan Health, is and part of the 170-acre Metro Health Village, is an acute-care osteopathic teaching hospital.
- Women’s Health Center is the largest independent OB/GYN practice in West Michigan with a comprehensive array of services offered.
Research and Academic Institutions
- Van Andel Institute (VAI) is an independent biomedical research institution that jump-started a multi-billion dollar investment in the Medical Mile. The medical-research facility is dedicated to research in cancer, Parkinson’s, and other chronic diseases.
- Michigan State University (MSU) Grand Rapids Research Center is a newly opened, $88 million, 167,000-foot biomedical research facility designed as a collaborative space that will help MSU students and partners tap into the Big Ten Academic Alliance (one of the best-funded research alliances in the world).
- Ferris State University College of Pharmacy is home to third- and fourth-year pharmacy students and serves as a hub for collaboration among other educational institutions.
- Grand Valley State University Cook-Devos Center for Health Sciences houses the Kirkhof College of Nursing, in partnership with the Van Andel Institute.
- MSU College of Human Medicine and the Secchia Center is home to more than 300 first- and second-year medical students and 20 principal investigators who research women’s health, Parkinson’s, and other chronic diseases.
- Calkins Science Center is located on the Grand Rapids Community College campus, which was awarded as a 2018 Diversity Champion by Corp! Magazine.
- Calvin College Department of Nursing focuses on holistic wellness and academic excellence, with 100% of the department’s nursing graduates in graduate school or employed within a year of graduation.
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