PR-15

I'm sure you just green screened all those people shots in a studio to fool us that there are bustling Michigan cities...just like the moon landing fakery...you don't fool me, GRDadof3!!

I recently did some shooting inside this Columbus North Market...and I gotta say it's just about the perfect size/scale for GR...it was AWESOME. Bakeries, chocolatiers, fresh seafood, gourmet ICE CREAM...etc. Every vendor there was hyper local and had permanent booth spaces...so think of Wealthy St. Bakery, Pallazolo's ice cream, Mary Ann's Chocolate, Art of the Table, Ginko Studios (florist), The Cheese Lady (from Muskegon) all having spaces there.

Hey...supporters are doing some wound licking today ...we'll get there...it just might take another decade...many people see no urgency/value to this issue. No one's being particularly snotty toward NO voters...I was more lamenting the LOST TIME toward putting SOMETHING in place that gets us moving around the city and is a solid catalyst for private investment. It's a free country...there's plenty of reason to vote no on any issue...but I demand you remove "urbanist" from your user name (kidding)

Thanks, Andy...between this vote and the idiots spewing crap about ArtPrize by way of trashing our community and reinforcing all the same, old, tired stereotypes about GR, it does make me wonder if I've been brainwashing myself to think GR could ever get to someplace other than where we've already been for the last 40 years. I'm looking forward to another decade of the status quo...it's invigorating.

This is a very unique and insightful angle on ArtPrize by the "People" who designed the ArtPrize logo...it's worth a quick read: http://www.peopledesign.com/thoughts-on-th...tprize/#respond

So what exactly is "interesting" to the average person? Is there any single event that consistently engages even 15% of the local population? I don't really have much personal interest (or the time) to attend 95% of the events around GR, but I'm happy people turn out for them and make an impact on someone's economy. Lots of people do not enjoy The Griffins/Rampage/Whitecaps/Kenny Chesney/tractor pulls/symphony/opera/Broadway Theater Guild...but few question the contributions these events make to our community. And what about The John Ball Park Zoo, Frederik Meijer Gardens, GRAM? Lots of locals never darken those doors...but most would agree they are invaluable to the fabric of GR and create a positive impression of GR that far exceeds the numbers at the turn-styles. SXSW is a predominantly a music festival so your comment about people not "coming out to see the art" in Austin is a little misleading. ArtPrize will include all art, and that can include music, film, digital projection and all forms of traditional media. So if you don't like a particular piece of art/media you can always stroll down to the next building hosting an entirely different artist. If 300,000-500,000 people turnout annually for our proud (but very tired) "Festival of the Arts" every June to eat questionable food for 3 days, ArtPrize's potential to draw a significantly larger and more diverse audience over a 2 week period is incalculable at this point. The bottom line is you're going to see an international art competition with 1000's of visitors coming to GR from this country and many others. Giddy up.

Urbanist, could you give some examples of what a negative result might be from this competition? I'm honestly trying to get my head around what might be a truly "negative" outcome. Possibly that it "under-delivers" in some way in someone's mind?

There's suddenly so many expert naysayers in the room about a social/artistic/viral event that's never been done on this scale. I'm sure you're all geniuses and experts in this field but for now I think I'll take the stance that this is a win/win. ArtPrize can't possibly be a negative thing for Grand Rapids...lighten up. And I can't believe politics would play into international artists wanting (or not wanting) to participate. There is a ton of cash on the table...and a democratic chance at winning...giddy up.

Reminding you all that if you can make it down to Lyon Square for the 9 am announcement I'm sure it will prove interesting...and a nice turnout of people no doubt on a beautiful morning. I'm not sure if cookies will be served...but if there are I'd suggest you get there early because I'll be able to find that table pretty quickly

Actually tSlater, the 140 character limit won't take effect until Thursday's big announcement...so feel free to arrange your characters into lengthy manifestos until then.

Come on, UP does not have a legal department...especially one that would had deliver a memo to GRDAD (we all know he rarely wears pants as a moderator).

I hate to be the spoiler...it's multi-faceted...damn the torpedos, I'm spillin' everything I know. Rick DeVos will announce the following: Just remember...you didn't hear this from me...I'd be in HUGE trouble if this leak points back to me.

I can't confirm...(or deny, ahem ) . I'm just saying I can't WAIT for Thursday's announcement. I will be there w/bells on...and let's just say if you love this city you might want to take an hour out of your day and soak it in.

Please come in person to this announcement if you can, I would strongly suggest it's going to be worth your time/effort to be there...

I don't know who is in there but I can tell you for sure that it's not Bar Divani. When I was in talks w/CWD about extending our lease at the gallery, this space was talked about but they said there was already "strong interest" in the space. So it's a done deal whoever it is. I'll keep you posted if I hear who went in.

Yeah, after almost 7 years we aren't renewing our lease. I would have loved to keep it going but fortunately I'm so busy with commercial photography and film projects (www.briankellyphoto.net) that it really didn't make much sense to keep the gallery operation going. All told I owned two different galleries that spanned the last 12 years or so. We opened our first place on the heels of the arena opening in 1997. It was a great run but it's time to move on to other interests.

I'm not saying you don't have a nice tight spiral on the deep passes...sorry...did that sound weird??...cause it felt weird typing it.

I originally stated a range of $10,000-50,000 as a tool to get a peak at some initial design concepts taking the actual site into consideration...not final plans. I never suggested it was wise to pay $50,000 to a firm and then hate the design and then be starting from scratch. What I meant to suggest was that it would be a wise investment to select 2 or 3 firms to provide concepts...and pay them a stipend of $6,000-10,000 each for a good look at their concepts (again, concepts). This $30,000 investment on a multi-million dollar project is prudent to get the crucial design elements started and is also more fair to the firms. Agree to disagree...but it's interesting to note that those speaking against the charrette system are actually making a living in the industry, but it would seem that most of the people posting opinions on the side of "compete at any cost" are not actually working in the field of architecture. I'd have to side with the design professionals on this one and not armchair quarterbacks.

Uh, this is silly. We're only talking about the frickin' DESIGN of the entire building and how it integrates visually and aesthetically into a community. Additionally, much of the success of these type of boutique hotel/retail/living concepts is based on the success of the DESIGN. If you're investing millions and millions of dollars into a location with the hope of long term profitability and also hope to make a statement architecturally, wouldn't it make sense to set aside even $10,000-50,000 is the first phase of the project to insure you have a 1st tier architect working on it with you??? Do you want to shave a few dollars off of DESIGN to save a few bucks? That's a small percentage of the overall project cost. The asphalt being poured around the building will cost a lot more than that and no one would argue that it should be poured for free. It's upside down. You're cultured to ask for this stuff for free...but that doesn't make it right or the best approach to developing a site that happens to have so much at stake in the DESIGN.

Sorry to disagree, GRDAD. It's a bad system. When you get ready for a happy meal you don't eat a hamburger at Wendy's, McDonalds and Rally's and then just pay for the one that tasted the best. There are real costs involved for each firm to develop their concepts on your behalf...which charrette's ignore or disregard. IMO, it's a disrespectful approach to design talent...I get approached all the time this way for photography...and I run for the hills. Because typically you can never make money on these "spec" clients. They tend to try to undercut your fees all the way down the line because they never put any value on your talent and time in the first place. That being said, I've personally always had a good experience with Mr. Gilmore and he's been very fair with me.

Glen Phillips (lead singer of Toad the Wet Sprocket) is playing a solo acoustic concert at The Photography Room on April 8. Should be a great show...it's a really good venue for intimate concerts. More info at: www.myspace.com/thephotographyroom Here's a video of Glen playing a Toad song: www.youtube.com/watch?v=TmC1_J_Njsw

I love how the reporter asks if the city is "aware of any plans to 'revamp' the riverwalk so the river doesn't overun over the boardwalk?" Ummm...suuuure...and then we'll get to filling in that annoying gigantic hole out in Arizona so people don't have to take a mule down to the bottom of the canyon. I just can't stand television media...they love listening to themselves ask the questions more than understanding what they just asked.

We could really use another bar or club along Ionia Avenue...where does one go for entertainment in Heartside? (sarcasm free of charge with this post)

I'm about to use Martha Stewart and Secchia in the same "sentence"...