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The view from my desk.

I just had to turn in my parking pass today for this "big parking lot" as I work next door in the Beene Garter building. While it personally stinks for me as I will have to walk a few blocks instead of 25 feet to get to work, I do see the benefit to the city. Most discouraging will be the fact that I'll no longer be able to look out my wall of windows where I can now regularly see the activity streatching from Ottawa to Ionia and from the arena to the Globe apartments. In a year I'll either have the view of a wall or someones apartment across an alley! At least I'll get to watch the construction up close. I know, this is good change, but give me a few days to feel be depressed. I'll feel better once they start digging.

I think the unique glass pattern will also help this building standout without sticking out. Much like the blue lights of the JW at night.

I walked by it today at lunch and it does look pretty sweet. Like someone ran an agarose gel electrophoresis and stuck it under a uv light. I think it will contrast nicely with the surrounding buildings without sticking out like a sore thumb.

I just caught the article below on M-Live regarding the proposed BRT line down Division. "The federal government is ready, willing and able to send millions to Grand Rapids. But there's a piece for the state to play, and we're trying to get Lansing to understand their role." Hopefully they do. Bus Ridership up in state

And well deserved I might add. As a frequent reader and infrequent poster I appreciated all of the time and effort I see many Planeteers put into reports, sketches, etc. I know it take a lot of work, and the fact that there are so many wonderful in depth things to be found shows the geniune passion you all have for quality urban planning, development, transit, sustainability, etc. So Kudos to Rizzo, and to all my fellow Planeteers.

I just have to say it is beautiful out today!

I clicked on Rizzo's link above and found this message from a Jeff in Grand Rapids. I'm just wondering if a certain forum moderator has been hiding how he really feels about mass transit all of these years. How Sad.... "Did I hear correctly on the news this morning:$60-80m for this thing? If this thing happens, I'm outta here. I'm sick and tired of watching the disgusting waste of taxpayer dollars. Rosa Parks Circle comes to mind. What an atrocity! Removing the beautiful amphitheater and replacing it w/ that clamshell would be laughable if I didn't live here. How many potholes can you repair for 70m? 1.6 miles is walkable - 15-20 minutes max. How about we spend a fraction of that amount w/ public service healthy lifestyle messages planted around **** This one's the last straw. Do we really have so much money laying around that we can actually even consider a "streetcar"??! "

...They did a small publication to try to attract attention to the cause. Below are a few pages. Remember that at the time nobody could care less about the river. This was really cutting edge advocacy. Great post Civitas. I've gotta say I was hooked fromt he first slide. That was so creative. I know it was supposed to serve an entirely different purpose than "keep it a secret", but it did a better job of getting and keeping my attention for far less money.

What's your problem Dad? We are trying to keep this thing a secret and you go posting beutiful shots of the city on the internet. I hope you sleep well at night you Saboteur!!!

The Bad news is as of 9 am this morning, the Icon Crane still only had the 1 base piece attached.