d8alterego

Jeez! When I was a freshman in 01' I believe there was an enrollment of 4500-4800 on the Allendale campus (that was a record at the time). That place is growing like weeds! They should start re-evaluating their enrollment because I fear they will soon loose quality over quantity. I'm still hesitant on the new library. I think in the end I will appreciate it more, but I don't want a building that will be dated after a few decades. I ended up liking the new art museum downtown so I have the same hopes for this project. I think that last rendering of the outdoor pillars is very cool. It reminds me of a highly modern cathedral look that some campuses have.

I get the feeling that 28th street won't have the same "wow" factor.

Ooops, I just re-read the article and there is an interview from the east side. Still, it seems to value West Michigan views IMO. The part that got me the most was, "The state

A very "not so heart-warming" article about the auto industry crisis and the state of Michigan. I'm surprised that all the interviews were based on the west coast of Michigan and not East. NYTimes article here

I like how after a hundred years or so, that street scene looks about the same. Just wish there were more street shoppers though.

In some earlier posts in this forum, some have argued that it looks more like a suburban office building than something you'd find in the downtown core of Grand Rapids and that it's out of place. I think it looks decent enough to fit in. Am I thrilled? No. But is it ok? Yes. Also, keep in mind that the design could have been much worse.

Will you be able to see the elevator car in that elevator shaft?

Will they be recycling the materials? I'm sure the steel will be.

I just bought a ticket to fly home after the holidays (too expensive during) to visit. I bought it through Alligient Air because it only cost me $169 (that's with taxes and fees) from Sanford/Orlando to Lansing for a round trip. That's an awesome steal and I couldn't pass it up. I was just dissapointed that their service into GRR doesn't start till February. I've already started my support for their new service!

Lately I've been feeling pretty optimistic at GR's chances at getting it's transit projects built. Movement on Capital Hill seems to support my hunch. Should GR have an expanded list of transit projects to give to the Feds like a new Amtrak station? To ask an even bigger question: could it be possible that Michigan could soon be seeing a transit renaissance?

Lately I've been feeling pretty optimistic at GR's chances at getting it's transit projects built. Movement on Capital Hill seems to support my hunch. Should GR have an expanded list of transit projects to give to the Feds like a new Amtrak station? To ask an even bigger question: could it be possible that Michigan could soon be seeing a transit renaissance?

Wow, those are some awesome shots Captain! Good job and keep em' comming.

I'd like to think that Gillmore will surprise us by rapidly developing this site. Since some of our local developers have surprised us before (like when Gallery on Fulton was resurected from near death), I'd also like to think this development will come online at the same time the streetcar gets approved/implemented. Who knows, it may be the streetcar that is pushing this project along faster than Gillmore originally intended. Here's to hoping.

I just watched the documentary "Life after People" by the History Channel and I have to admitt, it's amazing how fast nature starts to take over abandoned spaces. Now I don't know how long this Knights Inn has been vacated (I'm assuming a few years), but look at how the weeds have sprouted up from the cracks in the pavement. The documentary was amazing in showing how the world would move on without us. It also gave me some hope in knowing that the environment would, most likely, rebound sucessfully.

I think GR_Urbanist does have a valid point though that there aren't enough people there already and that those people already have their cars. The only major residential area in N Monroe tends to be the Boardwalk Condos and maybe the Brassworks Building (almost forgot the new hotel, but that would only be busy during events). Even if the streetcar is completed today, the TODs may be a few years off. That big of a gap could make streetcar critics leary of any expansion projects since partial funding (in the form of special taxes) would come from the TODs themselves. My hope is that developers would jump at the chance to start developing the minute the streetcar gets approved, if they haven't done so already.

Thanks Dad, now I can't get Ace of Base's song out of my head!

It kinda looks like an aircraft carrier deck.

Michigan needs some drastic changes to its transportation plan because this article in MLive highlights some disturbing numbers. "Michigan needs to double its spending on roads and bridges or many will keep deteriorating and become unsafe, says a report to a task force studying how to pay for transportation projects without raising the state's gasoline tax." "[The report] says the cost of fuel, trucks and asphalt is soaring while revenues are declining after staying stagnant for nearly a decade. Part of the problem is motorists are buying less gas, reducing the amount of money the state collects from the gas tax." A. I hope this doesn't discourage politicians from investing in mass transit (GR and Detroit's transit projects). B. This exemplifies why building more roads and highways is a bad policy direction. MDOT needs to be reorganized.

Is the spire useful for something else besides asthetics and a possible lightning rod? I know, mixed use thinking is such a curse!

No, but sure glad you posted it. That is awesome news.

Also, I believe they'd have to spend more money, which I doubt they have, to re-study the area. I would love to see Dad's alternative plan happen, just doubt it'll happen soon; maybe in 10 years or so.

Also, Dad's plan serves the government buildings better by passing the courthouse and the "financial center" with the banks. It would seem to be a far superior plan.

I'm sure there will always be the possibility of a streetcar/cable car going up Michigan again, but to keep cost down for the "initial spine" of the system, the Michigan/Bridge streetcar will have to wait until the public fully supports the system and tax dollars are filling the coffers. That being said, those commisioners that are against the proposed main route better not vote against it due to that reasoning.

In the winter of 07' I came across this vehicle dedicated to weiners. It was parked outside the Radisson off of Ann St. I have never seen one before and luckily I had my camera with me. It was freezing out, but I swear to you there wasn't any shriveling of the vehicle. Sorry for the potty humor, but it's true.

Does anyone know how many developers that have weighed in on this study? I would think that there would be HUGE support from them for this and that they would help support this effort in anyway possible. It would be really cool if they all got together and made some adverts on the topic. I'm sure there is some sort of effort already, but if anyone saw some big names at the meeting, I'd love to know.