The Eastgate Neighborhood is located in what was originally Paris Township, which bordered the boundaries of the cities of Grand Rapids and East Grand Rapids. It was rural, and even into the early 1960s there were farms in this area. In the early 1960s the cities of Grand Rapids and Kentwood annexed the remaining areas of Paris Township, and the Eastgate Neighborhood became a portion of the city Grand Rapids.
After World War II, the community expanded with a variety of homes, churches, and tree-lined sidewalks. Houses continued to be built and remodeled, giving the neighborhood vast architectural variety, with original farmhouses, “saltboxes,” mid-century modern houses, and contemporary houses of today.
Over time, entrepreneurs created a vibrant business district in the area including a salon, pizzeria, gas station, pharmacy, and hospital. In 1990, when the hospital initiated plans to construct a heliostop near the corner of Boston and Plymouth, neighbors united and formed the Eastgate Neighborhood Association as a Section 501(c)4 non-profit corporation.
Businesses have come and gone: the old pharmacy is now Century Food & Liquor; Andrea’s Pizza remodeled; and a new retirement facility, Beacon Hill at Eastgate, stands were the hospital once was. However, the Eastgate Neighborhood Association has remained an integral part of the community.
