GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (WOOD) — With just weeks to go before thousands of visitors flock to Grand Rapids for ArtPrize, the city celebrated the unveiling of a new permanent art installation celebrating an up-and-coming neighborhood.
The city held a reception Tuesday afternoon in River North District, formerly known as Monroe North, to unveil a new mural by Detroit-based artist Mark Serra. The mural celebrates the business district and acknowledges its recent renaming, officials said.
“It celebrates the people, creativity and energy that continue to shape the River North District while reflecting on the momentum, we’re seeing throughout Grand Rapids,” Silva owner Mark Secchia said reading from a written statement from Mayor David LaGrand. “So much of this progress is because the people who believe in our city and invest in its future.”
Secchia, a member of the River North Business Association, wrote about the neighborhood’s recent transformation and renaming in a social media post in March. As investments flooded into the neighborhood, he and other business owners saw the need to revamp the name to fit the changing area…