Graffiti News
River North mural marks a new name in Grand Rapids
A mural puts the River North name on the street
A new mural at Silva, 975 Ottawa Avenue NW in Grand Rapids, Michigan, introduces the River North District, formerly known as Monroe North. According to M Live Michigan’s September 1, 2026 report, residents, business leaders and city officials gathered that day to unveil the work. Detroit artist Mark Serra began painting on August 7, 2026, and completed the mural on September 1.
The wall carries a welcome to the district above a scene combining cyclists, people spending time beside a riverfront trail, ducks, fish, brick buildings and a skyscraper. The Grand River supplies both the subject and the geographical reference behind the new name. For someone encountering the district on foot, the mural makes that connection visible without requiring an explanation of the business association’s decision.
The imagery also offers several ways to read the setting. Buildings represent the urban district, while cycling and riverside leisure connect the streets to the water. Wildlife shares the composition with people. Taken together, these reported elements make the mural a picture of how the district presents itself, as well as a sign announcing its name.
The business association links the change to the river
The River North Business Association chose the name to clarify the district’s identity and emphasize its relationship with the Grand River, association president Mark Secchia told M Live Michigan. Secchia, who also owns Silva, said people frequently mixed up the old name, using variants such as North Monroe. He described that inconsistency as a problem for people trying to find the area through online searches.
Secchia also connected the rebrand to activity along the river, including Canal Park improvements and efforts to restore the rapids that gave Grand Rapids its name. Those were reasons he offered for the change; the mural does not establish a completion date for river restoration. The source describes restoration efforts, so visitors should understand the river references as part of the district’s identity rather than an announcement that every related project is finished.
River North is also a neighborhood name in Chicago. Secchia told the publication that copying Chicago was not the intention. He said the new wording keeps a connection with Monroe North while directing attention toward the river. The mural gives that explanation a visual form on a local building.
Public and private money supported the project
The mural and its related event expenses came to about $60,000, according to Secchia’s account in M Live Michigan. Public and private donors supported the project, including a $10,000 contribution from the Monroe North Tax Increment Finance Authority. That reported total covers the event as well as the artwork; it should not be read as the artist’s fee or the painting budget alone.
The unveiling took place against a wider backdrop of district development. The report describes housing, shops and restaurants added over two decades, alongside major employers including Corewell Health, which opened its corporate headquarters, Corewell Health Place, in the district. These changes help explain why a neighborhood name and a visible welcome have become subjects for a business association.
M Live Michigan also reported an August 2026 proposal from Chicago-area developer Jay Johnson for a $185 million mixed-use development. The proposal included a 20-story apartment tower, a six-story dual-brand hotel and a nine-story parking garage with a rooftop amenity deck. Those details describe a proposal, not completed buildings. Grand Rapids City Manager Mark Washington expressed an expectation of further growth.
Silva is the location to use for a visit
Silva’s address, 975 Ottawa Avenue NW, is the specific location given for seeing Serra’s mural. The article places the welcome along Monroe Avenue, north of downtown Grand Rapids, while identifying the painted building by its Ottawa Avenue address. Keeping both street references in mind helps distinguish the mural’s setting from its building address.
The district generally runs along Monroe Avenue between Interstate 196 and Leonard Street, from the Grand River east to the foot of Belknap Hill. For mural followers, the useful starting point is the named wall and its river imagery: a public-facing artwork that also records a change in neighborhood identity.
Explore other works using Wallscape’s map.
Source: M Live Michigan