Grand Rapids: city information - Thomas M. Cooley Law School

Thomas M. Cooley Law School - Practical Legal Scholarship Since 1972

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Information about Grand Rapids

Greetings!

As the Campus Director of Cooley Law School in Grand Rapids, I am pleased that you are considering attending Cooley’s Grand Rapids campus. Grand Rapids is an exciting and growing community with a thriving business sector and a lively arts and entertainment culture. It is easy to see why the city has been named as one of the most livable mid-sized cities in the country.

The area of Grand Rapids in which our campus is located, known as the Heartside District, is in the midst of an urban renaissance. The Cooley Law Center is in the heart of this area, with offices, art galleries, coffee houses, and condos located nearby. Restaurants, shops, and a thriving night life are within easy walking distance of the Grand Rapids Campus. And the Van Andel Arena, which hosts athletic events and concerts, is only two blocks from the law school.

There are many housing options for students in the area including apartments and lofts designed specifically for students, with more apartments and condos under development nearby. The Midwest is known for affordable housing and Grand Rapids is no exception, ranking as one of the most affordable major U.S. housing markets.

Elsewhere in Grand Rapids, you will find a wealth of cultural and family-oriented activities. The city has several top-quality museums, including the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Museum and Library and the Grand Rapids Children’s Museum. Grand Rapids offers an abundance of arts events, concerts, theater, ballet, and opera. The city boasts of having Michigan's only professional ballet company, one of the Midwest's few opera companies, and a symphony known nationally as one of the best for a mid-size city. The newly-built Grand Rapids Art Museum, the only LEED-certified art museum in the world, hosts special exhibits, gallery talks, art classes, gift shop events, and special programs. Frederik Meijer Gardens and Sculpture Park features the most comprehensive outdoor sculpture collection in the Midwest, including the monumental Leonardo da Vinci's Horse, largest tropical conservatory in the state, nature trails, and a farm garden. For the sports lover, Grand Rapids is home to professional hockey, baseball, and arena football teams. And the beautiful sandy beaches of Lake Michigan are only a 30-minute drive away offering many opportunities for fun in the sun.

Grand Rapids offers an abundance of culinary surprises. Downtown alone offers over 50 restaurants featuring hometown favorites as well as international cuisine. Dining atmospheres extend from upscale renovated warehouses to elegant dining and casual coffeehouses. Michigan’s only Five Diamond restaurant is located in the Amway Grand Plaza Hotel downtown.

Grand Rapids is clearly a city that values education with no fewer than 15 colleges and universities, including state universities, private liberal arts colleges, a medical school, and a community college. Cooley Law School is proud to be among the educational institutions to locate in this area and to be part of this vibrant community.

For further information on what’s happening in Grand Rapids, check out the Grand Rapids Visitors and Convention Bureau Web site at www.visitgrandrapids.org.

We hope that after visiting Grand Rapids and seeing this thriving community for yourself, you will select Cooley in Grand Rapids as your choice of campus!

Regards,

Cynthia J. Kruska
GR Campus Director

This Page was last updated on: 05/07/2008