Neighborhoods

Coverage of activities happening at the neighborhood level as told by the neighbors themselves. Coverage of the characteristics of given neighborhoods. Coverage of ways neighbors are making their community better.

There will be music in the streets when the first Edison Jazz Fest gets underway in September

The Edison Jazz Fest will bring national and local jazz luminaries to Kalamazoo to perform in the neighborhood Sept. 12-18. The Dormouse Theatre, Jerico, La Luna Recording, and The Creamery's rooftop garden will be the venues.  

Latest in Neighborhoods
A ‘Peace Smoke’ in Edison brings a community to resources for healing from gun violence

The Gun Violence Resource and Resilience Rallies in Kalamazoo bring in people to learn about resources in not only prevention of gun violence, but to help those directly and indirectly impacted by it.

Artists in Kalamazoo’s Vine neighborhood find a way to work together at Critique Night

"In my experience, and in the experience of lots of artists that I know, a critique night is a fun, relaxed kind of thing where we can come together and show each other our work, and get feedback on that," Ellen Nelson, event organizer, says. The Vine neighborhood has a lot of creativity because it is fostered there, she adds.

The Edison Neighborhood is looking to clear out and stop illegally dumped trash

Matthew Schmidt bought a former factory in the Edison Neighborhood in October of 2020 and has been working to convert it into a studio for himself, as well as an art gallery and performance space for other artists. Other people's trash is slowing him down. Now the neighborhood wants to hold property owners like Schmidt's neighbor who allow illegal dumping accountable.  

In 2019, John Hébert was hired as Assistant Professor of Jazz Bass at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan. He continues to teach and tour the Globe. He will be at the jazz festival in Edison this fall.
Listen for jazz music this fall in Kalamazoo’s Edison Neighborhood

Venues are lined up and artists are confirmed for a jazz festival in Kalamazoo's Edison Neighborhood this fall. "We are literally putting it out in the streets and making it accessible to everyone for free," says Edison Executive Director Stephen Dupuie.

Stephen Dupuie
Creative leadership was already at the table when the Edison Neighborhood Association went looking

“I started to talk about what I really wanted to see happen,” says board member Stephen Dupuie, “and then the board members one by one kept tapping me on the shoulder and saying, ‘I think that you should do it. We really like your ideas.’” He's the new Executive Director of the Edison Neighborhood Association.

Building trust in people and partnerships have been keys for outgoing director of Kalamazoo’s Edison

There have been many accomplishments in the Edison Neighborhood over the past 21 years that Tammy Taylor has been Exective Director. But she says it has been the small things she and the association have done to help people that have meant the most to her.

Along Portage Street in Kalamazoo’s Edison Neighborhood changes are on the way

Residents can look forward to a cluster of new projects that are in the works for the Edison Neighborhood.

Historic survey of Edison means a look at every house in Kalamazoo’s largest neighborhood

As a historical survey of the Edison Neighborhood gets underway residents can expect to see surveyors taking pictures of every house and commercial building in the area.

New Creamery apartments in Kalamazoo’s Edison Neighborhood shows the issues of affordable housing

Everyone wants more affordable housing but these days it’s not that easy to build, a Kalamazoo developer who put together The Creamery project in the Edison neighborhood says.

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