$534,036Average Value$252Average Price per Sq Ft5Homes For Sale
The history of Heritage Hill
Buying a home in Heritage Hill means investing in a piece of history. Developed in the late 1800s for the city’s elite, Heritage Hill is Grand Rapids’ oldest established neighborhood. But by the mid-1900s, the luxurious homes had fallen into disrepair, and the run-down neighborhood was nearly destroyed to make way for urban development. However, a passionate group of residents won the area’s protection by registering it as a national historic district, the first step in Heritage Hill’s ongoing restoration.
Today, Heritage Hill blends high-end history with a modern sense of community. The neighborhood is home to a diverse mix of residents, including student renters, professors, young families and retirees. Pride flags hang from Victorian latticework, and kids' toys clutter steps that have seen over 100 years of use. “The people who have lived here for a long time poured their investment into Heritage Hill,” says Bryan Cody, the president of the Heritage Hill Association. “They wanted it to be inclusive; they wanted it to be walkable; they wanted it to be fun and beautiful — all those things. And I think today, we have exactly that.”
Colorful Queen Anne and Nearby Foursquare-Style Homes on College Ave
Foster Park is a small city green space wedged between State St and Cherry St in Grand Rapids.
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Historic homes require regular upkeep
Heritage Hill’s historic homes have housed lumber barons, movie stars, and former U.S. President Gerald R. Ford. Frank Lloyd Wright built two properties here, and some houses have such a long past that they have become stops on the Grand Rapids ghost tour. The neighborhood is known for its unique architecture, including pastel-colored Cape Cods, vintage Craftsman Foursquares, elaborate Queen Annes and half-timbered Tudor Revivals. As part of being a historic district, residential exteriors must adhere to period-accurate regulations, and these older properties often require regular upkeep. “A negative about the Hill is that it is very expensive to maintain a home,” Cody says , who estimates he spent around $30,000 in renovations and restorations on his property in the last year alone. Some of the home details, like stained glass windows or hand-carved wood finishes, would be impossible to recreate today if they got damaged.
Prices for a home typically range from $350,000 to $700,000, depending on size and renovations. Some of the largest properties get over $1 million, but it is common for these large estates to be split up into several units. To encourage more available housing in Grand Rapids, adding more units to a home is allowed if approved by the city. Multi-family units typically range from $120,000 to $350,000 and are often rented out. The neighborhood also has some newer condo buildings from the mid-1900s.
Large beautiful porches are not an uncommon sight amongst the historic homes of Heritage Hill.
Stone-Embellished Queen Ann Home in North Heritage Hill
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Walking tours and happy hours planned by the Heritage Hill Association
Though there are plenty of housing regulations set by the Historic Preservation Committee, the volunteer-run Heritage Hill Association takes a more relaxed approach to engaging the local residents. “The reason for the HHA isn't so much to govern what the neighbors can and cannot do,” Cody says. “It's more to get people involved and let their voices be heard. We tell people who have just moved here to call us if they need anything, and we introduce them to their neighbors.”
The HHA plans holiday gatherings and weekly walking tours — which often sell out of tickets more than a month in advance. The annual Heritage Hill Home Tour invites visitors to view the inside of homes and draws crowds in the thousands from all over the country. “This is not a place that you move to be by yourself because I don’t think that’s even possible,” Cody says. “You move here to be involved. Loving these homes is something we all have in common.” Locals swap tips on historic restoration best practices at the monthly Heritage Hill happy hours and take turns hosting their neighbors for regular dinner parties.
Walkable to local parks and downtown Grand Rapids
Wayfinding signs throughout Heritage Hill outline the path for “a pleasant walk,” a leisurely route that runs past some of the neighborhood's most notable homes and over to Pleasant Park. The small green space that makes up Pleasant Park was built in 2014 thanks to a unified community effort from surrounding neighbors. The park has a playground and benches and is the site of Heritage Hill Association’s Movies in the Park and Shakespeare in the Park events.
“Heritage Hill has a super active community,” says neighborhood resident Connor Anderson, a Realtor with Keller William Grand Rapids East. “You’ll see people walking their dogs all the time, and it’s also a surprisingly quiet area given how close it is to downtown,” Many homes are less than a mile from downtown Grand Rapids, which offers regular festivals, sporting events and museums. "One of the major draws to Heritage Hill is the proximity to the city center without being in the middle of everything,” says Ashley Schaefer, a local Realtor with Hello Homes GR who has been selling in the area for 13 years. “You can walk there to see a show or eat at one of the hottest restaurants and then go back to your quiet neighborhood with hundred-year-old trees."
Foster Park in Grand Rapids is a small green space centered with a statue for the Spanish War.
Heritage Hill is very close to the beautiful and active downtown heart of Grand Rapids.
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The community college and hospitals bring traffic and noise
The north side of Heritage Hill encompasses a large portion of the Grand Rapids Community College campus. As a result, many of the neighborhood's renting occupants are students, and street parking can fill up quickly on weekdays as commuters pull up for class. When big events happen downtown, Heritage Hill’s limited street parking can also get packed. Some homes have off-street lots and driveways, but not all. The neighborhood is served by The Rapid public buses and is a mile east of the city's Amtrak station. The Gerald R. Ford International Airport is 15 miles away.
The neighborhood also borders Trinity Health Hospital and the world-renowned Grand Rapids Medical Mile — a collection of healthcare facilities including Van Indel Institute and the University of Michigan Seccia Center. Healthcare workers in Heritage Hill enjoy a walkable commute to work, but the nearby hospitals do bring some noise. There are two hospitals with helicopter pads next to Heritage Hill. “The helicopter landing at the hospital is loud, definitely more noticeable than sirens are,” Cody says. “But it doesn’t happen too often.”
The Trinity Health Hospital resides on the edge of Heritage Hill.
Grand Rapids Community College DeVos Campus, Located on Fulton St in Heritage Hill
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Locally owned shopping and dining options
Though most of Heritage Hill is residential, a few shopping and dining options are within walking distance. The Commons is a centrally located, retro dive bar with creative cocktails. It hosts the monthly Heritage Hill happy hour. On the neighborhood's north side, Lyons Street Café and Nantucket Bakery are popular spots. “Nantucket Bakery recently got ranked as the second-best bakery in the whole state,” Anderson says. Right next door, Martha’s Vineyard Fine Wine & Gourmet Grocery is a gourmet grocer that specializes in wine. Though Martha’s offers locally sourced produce and an extensive deli, Heritage Hill lacks a large grocery store. Big brand options are at least 2 miles away.
To the south of the neighborhood, the Wealthy Street shopping corridor is lined with eclectic boutiques. Art of the Table has weekly wine-tasting events and a beer cooler that is over 100 years old. Sable Candle Co offers free candle-making workshops, and Fox Naturals makes all of its perfumes and lotions by hand.
Heritage Hill is within walking distance of busy city life of downtown Grand Rapids
Martha's Vineyard Fine Wine & Grocery is a popular stop for residents of Heritage Hill.
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Technical education programs at Innovation Central High
Most of the neighborhood is in the zone for MLK Leadership Academy, which serves kindergarten through eighth grade and gets a C-minus rating from the website Niche. Ottawa Hills High earns a C. Heritage Hill is also home to Grand Rapids Montessori Academy, which serves kindergarten through sixth-grade students, and Innovation Central High School, known for its technical academy programs and dual enrollment opportunities. Both schools get a B-minus rating from Niche and are theme schools — meaning they require an application.
Grand Rapids Montessori Academy, sign.
Innovation Central High School, building.
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Written By
Catherine Lashley
Photography Contributed By
Tyler Bolduc
Video By
Adam Barkley
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Agents Specializing in this Area
Donna Anders
Berkshire Hathaway HomeServices Michigan Real Estate (Main)
GreatSchools:
The GreatSchools Rating helps parents compare schools within a state based on a variety of school quality indicators and provides a helpful picture of how effectively each school serves all of its students. Ratings are on a scale of 1 (below average) to 10 (above average) and can include test scores, college readiness, academic progress, advanced courses, equity, discipline and attendance data. We also advise parents to visit schools, consider other information on school performance and programs, and consider family needs as part of the school selection process.
View GreatSchools Rating Methodology
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Donna Anders,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Parks in this Area
Veterans Memorial Park
Picnic Area
Community Center
Multi-Purpose Field
Cherry Park
Basketball
Tennis
Playground
Pleasant Park
Trails
Playground
Mooney Park
Foster Park
Picnic Area
Baldwin Park
Multi-Purpose Field
Crescent Park
Picnic Area
Trails
Multi-Purpose Field
Transit
Airport
Gerald R Ford International
23 min drive
Bus
Lyon & Oakley (Wb)
Bus
Wealthy & Lafayette (Wb)
Bus
Wealthy & Madison (Eb)
Bus
Fulton & Barclay (Eb)
Bus
College & Lyon (Sb)
Bus
College & Fountain (Sb)
Bus
Fulton & College (Eb)
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Heritage Hill
US
Homicide
4
4
Sexual Assault
5
4
Assault with Weapon
4
4
Robbery
5
4
Burglary
5
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
5
4
Larceny
6
4
Crime Score
5
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Heritage Hill, Grand Rapids sell after 45 days on the market compared to the national average of 47 days. The average sale price for homes in Heritage Hill, Grand Rapids over the last 12 months is $415,608, up 5% from the average home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Now offering a boutique hotel consisting of 4 gorgeous suites situated in 2 historical buildings. This fully-licensed short-term rental is located in the Heritage Hill historic district of Grand Rapids, Michigan. Guests include downtown visitors, large family gatherings, corporate groups, and local weekend travelers looking for a getaway. The property is zoned for a wide range of uses including
Perfectly located on the edge of Downtown in Heritage Hill, Waters Towers Condominiums could be called G,Rs original high rise condos. Built in the 1960s there's a classic Mid-Century vibe to this building. Take the elevator to the second floor to find your own city retreat. Recently updated with LVP flooring. Building amenities include secure entry, a lovely lobby sitting area, laundry room,
Perfectly located on the edge of Downtown in Heritage Hill, Waters Towers Condominiums could be called G,Rs original high rise condos. Built in the 1960s there's a Mid-Century vibe to this classic building. Take the elevator to the third floor to find your own city retreat. Recently updated with LVP flooring and quartz counter tops. Building amenities include secure entry, a lovely lobby sitting
Heritage Place is a market-rate residential community within Grand Rapids’ historic Heritage Hill Neighborhood. The 86-unit apartment complex boasts beautiful surroundings, a plethora of neighborhood amenities, on- site parking and immediate access to the urban core. A thoughtful design nods to the historic integrity of the surrounding residences while delivering high-end finishes and a variety
Waters House Apartments are located in the heart of Heritage Hill near downtown Grand Rapids, Michigan. Comprised of three floors with 107 apartments, we offer studio, one bedroom, two bedroom and three bedroom apartments. Family-owned and owner operated since its inception in 1961, situated in the historic Heritage Hill neighborhood and within a few miles of schools, shops, restaurants & bars,
A spacious studio will be available now for $1,075 per month plus $20 for water, rent includes electricity, heat, wifi, refuse, and recycling. Located in the historic Heritage Hill neighborhood, Lafayette Apartment Homes features charming studio apartments with excellent walkability to downtown Grand Rapids, the Medical Mile, Corewell Health Campus, Mary Free Bed Rehabilitation Hospital, Michigan
Interested in learning more about homes in this area?
Reach out to
Donna Anders,
an experienced agent in this neighborhood.
Average Home Value
Source: Public Records
Property Mix - Square Feet
This Neighborhood Has More Renters
Demographics
Total Population
4,336
Median Age
33
Population Density
17 ppl/acre
Population under 18
17.7%
Below the national average
23.8%
Population over 65
11.4%
Below the national average
19.1%
Finances
Median Household Income
$54,216
Significantly below the national average
$71,702
Average Household Income
$74,566
Education and Workforce
High School Graduates
95.9%
College Graduates
61.6%
Significantly above the national average
34.1%
Advanced Degrees
20.2%
% Population in Labor Force
76.3%
Above the national average
65.1%
Weather
Annual Precipitation
39''
Average Winter Low Temperature
19°F
Average Summer High Temperature
83°F
Annual Snowfall
46''
Area Factors
Bikeable
Bike Score®
59/ 100
Very Walkable
Walk Score®
81/ 100
Good Transit
Transit Score®
50/ 100
Source: Walk Score
Source: Walk Score
Sound Score® measures the noise level of any address. Transit Score® measures access to public transit. Bike Score® measures the bikeability of any address.
Disclaimer: Certain information contained herein is derived from information provided by parties other than Homes.com. Our sources include: Accuweather, Public Records and Neustar. All information provided is deemed reliable, but is not guaranteed to be accurate and should be independently verified.
