GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — The legacy of Lucius Lyon lives on.

The statue of one of the founding fathers of Grand Rapids stands watch over the city’s future at his namesake plaza downtown.

Lyon Square, nestled between the DeVos Place convention center and Amway Grand Plaza hotel, is a newly renovated public space that looks out over the Grand River. The $12 million project, which had been planned since 2015, broke ground in 2023.

With construction fully completed in July, it’s the first project over the finish line amid a boon in downtown development .

That’s why it’s the first project 13 ON YOUR SIDE is highlighting in a new series examining the future of Grand Rapids through its urban renewal.

“It's sort of that gathering spot between the two, which has got us very excited,” said Dou

See Full Page