$297,315Average Value$199Average Price per Sq Ft23Homes For Sale
A growing retail district 3 miles from Grand Rapids
On Friday evenings during the summer months, food trucks line up in Creston’s Riverside Park. Residents order everything from bratwurst to gourmet grilled cheese, walking beside the Grand River. Creston is a suburban retreat with a growing downtown scene five minutes — or just about 3 miles — from the larger city of Grand Rapids, Michigan. “When people think of Creston, they usually think of our Plainfield Corridor. We like to call it our own microeconomy,” says Gregg Hampshire, the neighborhood association’s executive director. “It’s a very walkable center. You can go get lunch or stop by your dentist and doctor. It’s booming,” he adds. In the coming years, even more growth is expected; new housing developments and apartment options are springing up near Plainfield and Monroe Avenue. Thanks to Creston’s active neighborhood association, residents can look forward to a long list of annual events and festivals. Along with Food Truck Fridays, Riverside Park hosts an annual Oktoberfest and the Grand Valley American Indian Lodge Traditional Pow Wow in September. “There’s also Creston After Dark, a street fair with artists and live music,” says Hampshire. In other words, Creston’s community spirit is just as vibrant as the murals that decorate many of its businesses.
Creston is perhaps best known for Plainfield Avenue, a thriving business district.
Brick homes add a historic charm to the Creston neighborhood.
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Single-family homes from the 1950s
Creston can be divided into four main sections: Creston Heights, Riverside Gardens, Cheshire and North Park; smaller pockets are nestled in between, each with its own unique housing stock. Prospective buyers will find single-family mid-century modern homes along with American Foursquares dating back to the early 1920s. Prices range from $100,000 for investment properties in need of a fresh coat of paint to upwards of $400,000 for remodeled three-bedrooms. The hilly streets – which are often covered in snow and ice during Michigan’s chilly winters — are lined with raised ranch-styles, cottages with quaint dormer windows and Tudor-inspired homes with steep gabled roofs. Lot sizes are generous, with enough room for a game of catch or a backyard trampoline.
In Creston, prospective buyers will find large American Foursquare homes.
Tudor-inspired homes with gabled roofs can be spotted in the Creston neighborhood.
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Language services are available at Union High School
Neighborhood students are incorporated into Grand Rapids Public Schools where Kent Hills School, Riverside Middle and Union High all received a C-minus or higher from the educational review site, Niche. Union High is home to the district’s only high school cultural center, and students across Grand Rapids in need of language services can enroll. Ninth through 12th-graders new to the United States can participate in the Newcomers Program, which is designed to help them meet graduation requirements. The district is also known for its investment in the arts; students can display their work at the Grand Rapids Public Schools’ Citywide Art Show every year.
Union High School has a total population of around 1,200 students.
Main Entrance
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Farm fresh restaurants and shopping along Plainfield Avenue
Plainfield, the heart of Creston’s thriving business district, has seen the arrival of new restaurants, boutiques and apartment buildings in recent years. Start off the day at Lucy’s Cafe, which serves up scratch-made donuts, cakes and cookies. The brunch menu includes items like “Cornflakes French Toast” and pot pie. Just down the street, Cafe Mamo changes its menu weekly based on deliveries from local farmers; it’s been a popular date night spot since it first opened its doors in 2021. By contrast, The Choo Choo, known for its burgers and malts, has been a neighborhood staple for the last 80 years. “I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention Frosty Boy,” says Hampshire. “People wait an hour to get their ice cream and it’s somehow worth it.” For groceries, residents stop by Kingma’s Market, which is locally owned and known for its fresh goods and rotating deli menu. Or head east along Knapp Street to find big box retailers and national chains like Aldi, Panera and T.J. Maxx.
The Creston neighborhood is home to Lucy's, serving up some delicious brunch dishes.
Kingma's Market provides the Creston neighborhood with fresh local produce.
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Lights on Creston and Grand Rapids museums
During the holiday season, Plainfield Avenue is decorated with twinkle lights, local artisans set up shop in Creston Brewery and residents can ride trolleys up and down the street; it’s all part of an event called Lights on Creston. Come spring, the Creston Neighborhood Association hosts an annual Pancake Brunch, where residents can enjoy yard games, craft booths and plant giveaways. “It really brings everyone together,” says Hampshire. Drive just 10 minutes — or approximately 3 miles — south to enjoy the additional arts and culture opportunities in Grand Rapids. There’s the Grand Rapids Art Museum, which houses over 5,000 works spanning from the Renaissance to the 21st century. Enroll in a collage-making class or attend a nighttime flashlight tour. Nearby, DeVos Performance Hall hosts touring Broadway shows and the Grand Rapids Symphony. Well-known comedians pass through GLC Live at 20 Monroe, and, across the river, The Grand Rapids Public Museum has a planetarium, a detailed ¾ recreation of late 19th-century Grand Rapids and a finback whale skeleton. Reserve tickets ahead of time to ride a jeweled horse on the 1928 Spillman Carousel. Local farmers and craftsman have been selling their wares at the Fulton Street Market for over 100 years. Stop by on Wednesday, Friday and Saturday mornings from May through October. The market is open on Saturdays from November through April.
Head to the Creston Brewery Taproom for their happy hour specials in downtown Creston.
The Grand Rapids Art Museum displays collections ranging from Renaissance to Modern Art.
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An urban orchard, water features and playgrounds in public parks
Riverside Park, which has a kayak launch, a disc golf course and paved walking trails, isn’t Creston’s only public green space. There’s also Aberdeen Park, where The Living Green in Creston (LGC) committee organized the development of an urban orchard in 2011. The park is also home to a seasonal splash pad, tennis courts, a community garden with rentable plots and a playground. Explore the wetlands boardwalk trails in Huff Park, or cool off in the Briggs Park pool during the summer. Admission is $1 for residents under the age of 17. Kent Country Club members spend their weekends teeing off on the 18-hole golf course or enjoying the club’s fitness center and tennis courts.
Bike Trail Bridge
The residents in Creston have access to their own public pool with a waterslide feature.
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Transit: Nearby highways, the Rapid and Gerald R. Ford International Airport
Creston is bordered by U.S. Route 131 as well as Interstates 96 and 196, which makes interstate travel relatively easy for Creston residents. Ride the Rapid, Grand Rapids’ public bus line, down Plainfield Avenue into downtown. Or hop onboard a Lime Scooter. In the coming years, the neighborhood association hopes to bring more public transit — specifically the DASH (Downtown Area Shuttle) to Creston. Grand Rapids also represents a midpoint on Amtrak’s Michigan Services train, which runs from Chicago to Pontiac. For more long-distance travel, residents drive about 15 miles (or 20 minutes) to Gerald R. Ford International Airport, which offers direct flights to over 30 U.S. cities. The neighborhood is served by Trinity Health Grand Rapids, a hospital that’s become a progressive leader in neuroscience, cardiovascular and cancer care, orthopedics, diabetes and endocrine care, kidney transplants, and integrative medicine.
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
Are you familiar with the Creston neighborhood?
to let others know what life in this neighborhood is like.
Crime and Safety
1 - Low Crime, 10 - High Crime
Creston
US
Homicide
4
4
Sexual Assault
3
4
Assault with Weapon
4
4
Robbery
4
4
Burglary
4
4
Motor Vehicle Theft
4
4
Larceny
3
4
Crime Score
3
4
Source: WhatIsMyCrimeRisk.com
Creston Demographics and Home Trends
On average, homes in Creston, Grand Rapids sell after 14 days on the market compared to the national average of 53 days. The median sale price for homes in Creston, Grand Rapids over the last 12 months is $282,000, up 2% from the median home sale price over the previous 12 months.
Charming home in the sought-after Creston neighborhood, just 5 minutes from downtown! Nicely updated over the years with a new kitchen, boiler and water heater in 2023. Roof has also been updated by the previous owner. Offering great bones and classic character, this home is ready for a little TLC to make it truly your own. A fantastic opportunity to bring your vision to life in a prime location.
This beautiful craftsman style 2 story home is located in the Cheshire Village area, west off Plainfield Ave one block south of Cheshire St.Experience bamboo hardwood flooring in the large living room with plenty of natural light, a roomy chef's kitchen with marble tile and brick accents and wall of pantry lighted pantry and spice cabinets. convenient dining room features side buffet and dish
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