“I had struggled with the original name, the Monroe North Business Association, or the Monroe North District. Everyone just kept calling it North Monroe, Northern Monroe. It was just not getting easy.”
That confusion, Mark Secchia says, is what led to the rebranding of Monroe North to the River North District by the River North Business Association, of which Secchia is President.
“And this area really isn’t anymore what it used to be 20 years ago, so we just really feel like the energy that’s coming in, plus with everything that’s happening on the river, that was really just a natural change from Monroe North to River North.”
A new community mural featuring bicycle riders, fish jumping out of the Grand River, and a portion of the Grand Rapids skyline now covers part of the south exterior of Secchia’s Silva restaurant, welcoming residents and visitors to the growing area.
It took Detroit artist Mark Serra three and a half weeks and 25 gallons of paint to bring his vision to life.
“I wanted it to be vibrant and fun, tell stories. I wanted it to feel good to people because this was once, a few short weeks ago, a blank wall. It was kind of drab, and now it’s the opposite of drab.”
Once considered an industrial hub, the district has evolved into a destination for residents and visitors alike as it experiences growth in housing, dining, retail, and small business.
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