Boston Square
Reinvestment in real time
Neighborhood · Kent County
Boston Square at a glance
A southeast Grand Rapids neighborhood experiencing major reinvestment, with a new $27M community hub, mixed-income housing, and planned retail along Kalamazoo Avenue.
- Median Price
- $195,000
- Median DOM
- 27 days
- Walk Score
- 58
- Population
- 4,300
- School District
- Grand Rapids Public Schools
- Tax Millage
- 33.63
Market data as of 2026-03. Population: Boston Square Area Specific Plan / ACS 2020 5-year estimate (census tract approximation).
Overview
Overview
Boston Square is a neighborhood in southeast Grand Rapids centered on Kalamazoo Avenue between Hall Street and Burton Street. The area encompasses approximately one square mile, with Eastern Avenue to the west and Sylvan Avenue to the east. With roughly 4,300 residents, it is a medium-sized Grand Rapids neighborhood undergoing the most significant reinvestment of any neighborhood on the city's southeast side.
The Boston Square Together project is the defining feature of the neighborhood's current chapter. A multi-phase, 9-acre redevelopment led by Amplify GR and partners, it includes a $27 million community hub that opened in December 2025, mixed-income housing under construction, and planned retail and food-hall space. The project was adopted by the Grand Rapids City Commission in 2019 and represents the largest concentrated investment in southeast Grand Rapids in decades.
Outside the redevelopment zone, Boston Square's residential streets are lined with modest single-family homes, many built before 1940. The neighborhood includes a mix of residential, light industrial, institutional, and scattered commercial uses. Kalamazoo Avenue serves as the spine, with small businesses, restaurants, and community organizations along its length.
Real Estate
Real Estate
Boston Square's housing market is among the most affordable in Grand Rapids. The median price is approximately $195,000, reflecting the neighborhood's older housing stock and ongoing transition. Prices range from around $100,000 for homes needing significant work to approximately $275,000 for renovated properties.
What to expect:
- Single-family homes: 800 to 1,600 sq ft, 2 to 3 bedrooms, predominantly built before 1940. Small urban lots, typically under 0.12 acres
- Architectural styles: Simple vernacular, Craftsman bungalows, and Cape Cods. The housing stock is modest and utilitarian
- Multi-unit properties: Duplexes and small apartment buildings are present throughout
- New construction: The Boston Square Together project is bringing 270 new housing units across six phases, including rental apartments, for-sale townhomes, and mixed-use buildings. Kabo Flats (57 units) is set to open mid-2026. Building F3 (45 units) broke ground in early 2026
- HOA prevalence: Uncommon in existing homes; new development units may carry HOA fees
The contrast between the existing housing stock and the new Boston Square Together development creates a two-tier market. Existing homes remain affordable, while new construction will establish higher price benchmarks. This dynamic is worth watching for both investors and owner-occupants.
Schools
Schools
Boston Square falls within the Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) district. The specific school serving a Boston Square address can be determined using the GRPS Attendance Area Finder.
The Boston Square Early Learning Center, located within the new community hub on Kalamazoo Avenue, provides early childhood education as part of the Boston Square Together project. Ken-O-Sha Park Elementary (1353 Van Auken St SE) serves portions of the southeast side with a PreK-5 program.
GRPS operates theme schools and Centers of Innovation accessible to all district residents through Schools of Choice, including Grand Rapids Montessori (PK-12) and Coit Creative Arts Academy. Calvin University, located east of the neighborhood, is the nearest four-year institution.
For high school, GRPS options accessible to Boston Square residents include Ottawa Hills High School and Innovation Central High School.
Dining
Dining
Boston Square's dining scene is concentrated along Kalamazoo Avenue and reflects the neighborhood's character: local, affordable, and unpretentious.
Boston Square Ice Cream and Cafe (1553 Kalamazoo Ave SE) serves breakfast and lunch during the week with special soul food on Sundays, and has become a neighborhood gathering spot. Boston Square Fried Chicken (1559 Kalamazoo Ave SE) is a takeout counter known for its fried chicken. 7 Mares (1403 Kalamazoo Ave SE) serves Mexican seafood.
The Boston Square Together project includes plans for a neighborhood food hall within the F3 building currently under construction, with 10,000 square feet of commercial space earmarked for food startups and small restaurant operators. When complete (expected 2027), this will significantly expand the neighborhood's dining options and provide incubator space for emerging food businesses.
For a broader range of dining, the Wealthy Street corridor is accessible to the north, and downtown Grand Rapids is approximately 10 minutes by car.
Parks
Parks and Recreation
Ken-O-Sha Park is the nearest major park facility, located on the southeast side near Van Auken Street. The park features nature trails winding through wooded areas behind the elementary school, providing an accessible nature experience within the city.
Mulick Park (10 acres) is accessible to the north in the adjacent Oakdale neighborhood, with playgrounds, picnic areas, sledding hills, and a water playground.
The Boston Square Together project includes plans for a new public park as part of the 9-acre redevelopment, which will add green space directly within the neighborhood's commercial core. The broader Grand Rapids park system and Kent County trail network are accessible by car within minutes.
Getting Around
Transportation
Boston Square is served by Grand Rapids' street grid and has reasonable access to major corridors. Downtown Grand Rapids is approximately 3 miles northwest, a 10-minute drive via Kalamazoo Avenue or Division Avenue.
Public transit is available via The Rapid bus system. Route 2 (Kalamazoo) runs directly through the neighborhood along Kalamazoo Avenue, connecting to Rapid Central Station downtown with approximately 30-minute headways. Route 4 (Eastern/Breton) provides additional north-south connectivity along Eastern Avenue.
Major road access includes Kalamazoo Avenue SE (the primary north-south corridor), Hall Street SE and Burton Street SE (east-west boundaries), and Eastern Avenue SE. The US-131 expressway is accessible within a few minutes to the west, providing regional highway connectivity.
Gerald R. Ford International Airport is approximately 9 miles southeast, about a 12 to 15 minute drive, making Boston Square one of the closer Grand Rapids neighborhoods to the airport.
Community
Community
Boston Square is a neighborhood within the City of Grand Rapids with approximately 4,300 residents. Community life is shaped by multiple overlapping organizations.
The Boston Square Neighborhood Association (BSNA) is the primary neighborhood organization, focused on quality of life, pride, and community building. Amplify GR, headquartered at HUB 07 (1534 Kalamazoo Ave SE), is the community development organization driving the Boston Square Together redevelopment. Oakdale Neighbors also serves portions of the area.
The Boston Square Community Hub, which opened in December 2025, is the neighborhood's new anchor facility. The two-story, $27 million building includes:
- Corewell Health clinic
- Boston Square Early Learning Center (childcare)
- Calvin University satellite offices
- Co-working areas and public gathering spaces
- A special event room
The Boston Square Fair, an annual family-friendly festival, brings the community together with food, activities, and local organizations. Amp the Good community meals provide regular opportunities for neighbors to gather.
The neighborhood has a strong network of community organizations and development partnerships driving investment in housing, health care, and education facilities.
History
History
Boston Square's history stretches back to the mid-19th century. Early landowners included Louis Campau (who purchased property in 1835), Abby and William Parsons (1844), and Isabella and George Chesebro (1858). The north end of the neighborhood was platted in 1873, and most of the area was platted by 1888.
The railroad played a formative role. Tracks were built in 1888 by the Detroit, Lansing and Northern Railroad (later the Pere Marquette Railroad). An "Oakdale Park" depot and post office operated near the corner of Eastern and Crofton as the first stop out of Grand Rapids on the Lake Odessa route. This rail connection supported the neighborhood's early commercial development along what became Kalamazoo Avenue.
Like many southeast Grand Rapids neighborhoods, Boston Square experienced disinvestment in the mid-to-late 20th century. Residential and commercial activity declined, vacant lots accumulated, and the Kalamazoo Avenue corridor lost much of its commercial vitality.
The current chapter began with the Boston Square Area Specific Plan, adopted by the city in 2010, which identified the neighborhood as a priority for revitalization. In 2019, the Grand Rapids City Commission adopted the Boston Square Together plan, and Amplify GR began assembling the multi-phase redevelopment. The community hub's opening in December 2025 and the ongoing housing construction represent the plan's transition from vision to physical reality.
Investment
Investment Potential
Boston Square is arguably the most active investment story in southeast Grand Rapids. The combination of low existing home prices (median around $195,000) and adjacent large-scale public and private investment creates a dynamic that rewards patient buyers.
The Boston Square Together project pipeline includes:
- Community hub: Opened December 2025, $27 million, fully operational
- Kabo Flats: 57 mixed-income rental units + 5,000 sq ft commercial, opening mid-2026
- Building F3: 45 mixed-income rental units + 10,000 sq ft commercial (food hall), completion expected 2027
- Future phases: 22 for-sale townhomes (Amplify GR + Habitat for Humanity Kent County), additional rental units, for a total of 270 housing units and 60,000 sq ft of retail across all phases
Governor Whitmer announced additional state support for the project in March 2026, underscoring the multi-level government commitment to the redevelopment.
For investors, the thesis is straightforward: buy existing housing stock at a discount to citywide medians, hold while adjacent infrastructure and commercial development matures, and benefit from the appreciation that follows. Rental demand is supported by the neighborhood's affordability and the employment generated by the new community hub and commercial spaces.
Risks include the typical concerns with older housing stock (pre-1940 construction, lead paint, deferred maintenance) and the uncertain timeline of later development phases. Grand Rapids' short-term rental restrictions apply. Underwrite to long-term rental income and factor in renovation costs for existing homes.
Nathan's Take
The local read.
Boston Square is where I tell buyers to pay attention to what is happening, not just what is there today. The existing housing stock is affordable and older, and the neighborhood has the feel of a community still finding its next chapter. But the investment pipeline here is real, funded, and under construction.
The community hub opened in late 2025, and it is not a concept or a rendering. It is a two-story building with a health clinic, childcare center, co-working space, and Calvin University offices. Kabo Flats opens mid-2026 with 57 units. Building F3 broke ground in 2026 with 45 more units and a food hall. This is happening.
For buyers looking at the numbers, the median here is around $195,000. That is roughly $100,000 below the Grand Rapids citywide median. If you are willing to buy in a neighborhood that is mid-transition and hold for 5 to 10 years, the math favors you. The new construction will set higher comparable sales, the commercial activity will improve daily life, and the institutional anchors (Corewell Health, Calvin University) provide employment stability.
The honest caveat: this is not a finished product. You are buying the trajectory, not the current state. The homes are older, the commercial corridor is still sparse in spots, and the later phases of the redevelopment are years away. But if you are patient and strategic, Boston Square offers the kind of entry point that does not exist in Grand Rapids' more established neighborhoods.
Location
Boston Square on the map
Approximate center of the Boston Square area. Drag to explore the surrounding neighborhoods and commute corridors.
Listings
Browse homes in Boston Square.
See what is currently listed in Boston Square and the surrounding area.
Resources
Helpful links
Master-planned redevelopment project with community hub, housing phases, and event calendar
Neighborhood association focused on quality of life and community building
Community development organization leading the Boston Square Together redevelopment
Adjacent neighborhood organization with youth, bicycle, and homeownership programs
District homepage, school directory, and enrollment information
Determine which GRPS school serves a specific address in Boston Square
Bus schedules, route maps, and fare information for public transit
Official municipal site including property tax estimator and planning resources
More in Grand Rapids
Other neighborhoods in Grand Rapids.
Boston Square is one of several neighborhoods in Grand Rapids. Each has its own character and price range.
Questions about Boston Square?
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— Nathan Strodtbeck, REALTOR®