Neighborhoods of Kalamazoo, Michigan facts for kids

Neighborhoods of the City of Kalamazoo.

The city of Kalamazoo, Michigan is made up of many different areas called neighborhoods. Think of them like smaller communities within the big city! While the exact number and names of these neighborhoods can sometimes change, the list below shows the most common ones, as decided by the City of Kalamazoo. Many of these neighborhoods even have a special group called a neighborhood association that helps look after the area and its residents.

Arcadia

The Arcadia neighborhood is on the west side of Kalamazoo. It's bordered by West Michigan Avenue to the south and Howard Street to the east. To the north are Kalamazoo Township and the Westwood neighborhood. Oshtemo Township is to the west. This neighborhood has about 400 single-family homes. The Arcadia Neighborhood Association focuses on these homes. The northern part of Arcadia has natural, undeveloped areas.

Burke Acres

Burke Acres is on the northeast side of Kalamazoo. The Kalamazoo River is to its west, and Gull Road is to its south. You can find Averill Lake and Spring Valley Lake here. A big part of this neighborhood is Spring Valley Park. There isn't a neighborhood association for Burke Acres right now.

Central Business District

The Central Business District is also known as downtown Kalamazoo. It's split into six smaller areas: Arcadia, Bronson Park, East End, Haymarket, Kalamazoo Mall, and South Town. This area is full of cool places for learning and culture. You can visit the Kalamazoo Valley Museum, the main Kalamazoo Public Library, and the Kalamazoo Institute of Arts. Downtown is also where you'll find places for fun at night, like clubs and breweries. The Kalamazoo Transportation Center is at the north end of this district.

A group called Downtown Kalamazoo, Inc. helps this area grow and develop.

Colony Farm

Colony Farm is in the southwest part of Kalamazoo. It's home to Western Michigan University's Business, Technology & Research Park. There are also a few homes here. This area does not have a neighborhood association.

Eastside

Eastside is one of two neighborhoods in Kalamazoo located east of the Kalamazoo River. It has two city parks and is built on hills. From these hills, you can look down over the center of the city. The Eastside Neighborhood Association helps the people who live here.

Edison

Edison is the neighborhood with the most people in Kalamazoo. It's on the east side of the city. Many Hispanic families live here. Four of the city's parks are in Edison. This includes Mayor's Riverfront Park, where the Kalamazoo Growlers and Kalamazoo Kingdom sports teams play. The Edison Neighborhood Association helps the residents.

Hill 'N' Brook

Hill 'N' Brook is a smaller neighborhood in Kalamazoo.

Knollwood

The Knollwood neighborhood is on the west side of the city. It's right next to Western Michigan University. Because of this, many students live in Knollwood, especially in apartments closer to the campus. Unlike other student areas with rented houses, Knollwood mainly has apartment buildings. Many of Western Michigan University's sorority and fraternity houses are also in Knollwood. There is no neighborhood association here at the moment.

Milwood

The Milwood neighborhood is in the southeast corner of the city. It also stretches south to include the Kalamazoo-Battle Creek International Airport. Milwood is the second largest neighborhood by population. It is the biggest in terms of land area, covering about 12.6 square kilometers. Most of the homes, which are mainly single-family houses, are in the north and west parts. The eastern side is mostly undeveloped. The Milwood Neighborhood Watch Association helps the people living here.

Northside

Northside is home to more than a quarter of the city's African American population. Along with the Eastside neighborhood, it's one of two communities in Kalamazoo where African Americans make up the majority. Northside has many city parks. It also has a lot of groups that provide social services. The Northside Association for Community Development helps the people in this neighborhood.

Oakland / Winchell

The Oakland / Winchell neighborhood is on the west side of the city. It's named after the two main streets where most residents live. The western part of the neighborhood is mostly undeveloped green space around Asylum Lake. In the southeast corner, there are two city parks near Woods Lake. The Oakland Drive / Winchell Avenue Neighborhood Association helps the residents.

The south shore of Woods Lake used to have popular amusement parks from the 1890s to the 1920s. Woods Lake Beach Park is on the western shore and is open to everyone in the summer. The park has been improved with a new restroom building and a wooden fishing dock.

Oakwood

The Oakwood Neighborhood Association is one of the oldest in the city. It was started in 1947. However, the Oakwood area itself didn't become part of the city until 1957.

Parkview Hills

Parkview Hills is another neighborhood in Kalamazoo.

South Westnedge

South Westnedge is a neighborhood in Kalamazoo.

Southside

Southside is a neighborhood in Kalamazoo.

Stuart

The Stuart area is just northwest of the central business district. It started as an early suburb of Kalamazoo when US Senator Charles Stuart began building a home here in 1854. At first, it was a rich area with few people. But in the 1880s, horse-drawn trolley cars connected it to the city center, and more middle-class families moved in. Many homes in the Historic Stuart Neighborhood were built during this time. They are well-preserved and show styles like Queen Anne and Italianate. The neighborhood is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The Stuart Area Restoration Association helps residents and property owners. This group started in 1973. They own a house at 530 Douglas, Kalamazoo, MI. This 1910 American Four Square style house is used as an office, a neighborhood center, and a garden where people can share plants.

Vine

The Vine neighborhood is bordered by West Lovell Street to the north, Oakland Drive to the west, Crosstown Parkway to the south, and South Burdick Street to the east. It includes the Vine Area Historic District, which was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.

Vine is one of Kalamazoo's oldest neighborhoods, with some houses dating back to the 1840s. In the early 1900s, businesses like grocery stores and shops did well here. During the Great Depression, many single-family homes were divided into apartments. In the 1970s, students from nearby Western Michigan University, Kalamazoo College, and Kalamazoo Valley Community College started moving to Vine.

Around 2009, about 80% of the people living here were students. However, many students have since moved to newer apartments on the west side of town. This left some apartments in Vine empty.

In December 2009, a plan was started to make the neighborhood better. This plan aimed to reduce crime and help businesses grow. Landlords have been improving their properties to attract students back to the area.

In 2009, the national magazine This Old House said that Vine was one of the best places for families to buy an old house. The magazine liked that Vine was close to downtown, schools, parks, hiking trails, and playgrounds.

Since 1980, the Vine Neighborhood, Kalamazoo residents have been helped by the Vine Neighborhood Association.

Schools in the neighborhood include El Sol Elementary, Kalamazoo Area Math and Science Center, and a Montessori School.

West Douglas / Fairmont

West Douglas / Fairmont is a neighborhood in Kalamazoo.

West Main Hill

West Main Hill is a neighborhood in Kalamazoo.

Western Michigan University / KRPH

This neighborhood includes Western Michigan University and the Kalamazoo Regional Psychiatric Hospital.

Westnedge Hill

Westnedge Hill is a neighborhood in Kalamazoo.

Westwood

Westwood is a neighborhood in Kalamazoo.