NORTH SIDE
               

The north side is one of the older districts in Mt. Pleasant with many of the houses over 100 years in age.  It is bordered on the south by down town and stretches from the Chippewa River to Mission Street on the east.  Pickard Street is the north edge.  Since it is an older area many of the streets are lined with large old maples and the fall colors are magnificent.   A vast majority of the houses are one and a half or two story and some are even three stories.  House prices in this section generally sold for about $103,000 in the mid decade and over 50% will sell for within $15,000 of that average.  For the last three years of the decade the average price has suprisingly increased to $107,000.  There are some expensive homes in the area  with the highest price in the last several years selling for $222,000.  Basements are generally small and do not usually contain living spaces.  Quite often there will be the typical wide shelf denoting the Michigan basement and some will have inactive cisterns.  Many have been restored and the largest homes will generally be found within a couple of blocks of down town.  Side walks are plentiful.  Andre street is a nice wide street running east and west and Kinney is the popular north-south running boulevard.
 
The U. S. Postoffice can be found in the north west corner along Main Street and City Hall and the County Court House in the sout west part.  Along the west side is the main entrance to Island Park where lots of community activity occurs and just north of there are the little league fields.  Even though Pickard is a major thorofare residential housing is found here.  To the north are a number of small industrial shops and service companies.  In the northeast is Kinney School which is now the Administrative hub for the Mt. Pleasant Schools and one will find other school related activities taking place here.  Mission Street is a commercial strip on the east boundary and to the south is Broadway with the active downtown which is mostly small stores and financial institutions at the west and offices at the east.  Generally about 8 houses a year sell in this area. 

In the heart of the area are a number of nice homes, a few of which have been split into duplexes.Lots of sidewalks provide for strollers and people pushing strollers or bicyclists on summer evenings.  A number of homes have front porches for sitting and watching the active people. 

Characteristics of homes that have recently been on the market in this neighborhood.
Over 60% have garages - most are detached.
Over 75% will have basements.
Heating is natural gas with force air.  Only a few have hot water or electirc.
A bit less than 50% will have air conditioning.
About 20% will have fireplaces.
Square footage varies from 500 to 3200 with about 17% over 2000 and another 17% under 1300.
About 25% were built before 1900 and another 25% before 1925.  
Again the average price in the neighborhood is about $107,000 up over the previous three year period.