Beyond Both Sides: The Grand Rapids Model | Episode 24
In this episode of Beyond Both Sides, we unpack a striking moment in Michigan’s economic conversation: a Detroit developer saying to Grand Rapids, “we want to be you.”
It’s a shift in how the state thinks about growth—not as a competition between cities, but as a question of whether Michigan has enough strong places to compete at all.
We break down what Grand Rapids has done differently, from decades of coordinated downtown investment to talent-focused placemaking—and how similar strategies are now shaping Detroit’s next phase of development.
We’re also joined by Megan Spanitz, Chief…
The skinny
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