54equalsunity

In my experience as a student I was down to stay anywhere the rent was somewhat affordable and the accommodations were liveable. Looking at their floorplans the prices seem alright to me for the convenience that the location offers. As long as there's a May-May or August-August lease option, it seems like this might be an okay location for students. Gaudiness be damned (though you'd never catch me living in that monstrosity). Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

This parcel is on the route for one of my evening walks. There is a house there that would need to be knocked down. It's all boarded up and looks terrible. It's been empty for a while, I would guess. There are Metric Structures signs in the yard. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

To quote my favorite TV show... Jim: What is that, chestnut? Michael: No, I think that is either pine or nordic cherry. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

"The overall vision is to develop Metro Health Village into a true downtown core, Granger said." I'm sorry, but the massive amounts of parking surrounding every building that exists thus far will keep this from ever truly being a "true downtown core." This is another suburban mockery of an actual urban environment. The unique part is that they're piggy-backing on the massive money-making ability of the healthcare industry, which I do not see as sustainable. On the upside, I guess this development does beat the absolute pedestrian deadzones around the Medical Mile and Saint Mary's.

Reading all of these comments, I can't help but think, "Hasn't *someone*, *anyone* done this before? Could there already be a right way to do this?" What if we did them Portland Loo style? No running water, no mirrors, openings at the top and bottom, a graffiti-proof coating, and made of steel? https://www.citylab.com/design/2012/01/why-portlands-public-toilets-succeeded-where-others-failed/1020/ Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

And then this... "We have no plans on relocating to Detroit." https://www.mlive.com/sports/grand-rapids/2019/05/grand-rapids-drive-we-have-no-plans-on-relocating-to-detroit.html Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

As uncus showed, Medicaid is very much involved with covering prescription costs. For those who have "traditional" Medicaid (the poorest of the poor, the disabled, immigrants, etc.) prescription costs are covered completely. For persons with a Healthy Michigan plan (the Medicaid expansion under the Affordable Care Act for which Medicaid contracts with insurance carriers like Blue Cross and Priority Health to administer plan benefits) prescription costs are either covered completely or subject to small co-pays that are not more than a few dollars per script. Now, as to whether the percentage of Medicaid recipients would influence Walgreens decision to put in a downtown location: I don't think so, even if we consider whether Walgreens would prefer commercially insured or Medicaid patients. Consulting the reference here: https://www.mlive.com/expo/erry-2018/04/08f422a3824447/see_number_of_medicaid_recipie.html?appSession=8M6267IZVT76F7W0TZV285R778F016I3SUZWW6DS6VKKE00EB2YH510R8F1M0G0FJE518V71188L4PVTAL5011YUTZ7CMZ7ZM6177JJ37FX2UF4CKM843040VC6SW736&appSession=42SP1UNZX35F0K4768JO8H9IW7TKR74484G1I31C64ABEWFHL4548D2B00608U0U595770CHZQXBZ663161GLJ1O17Q0GEMS30CDG17PRRZF68PT4929POA4I6B2X3CB we can see that while Kent County does rank #4 in the state, only 17% of the population is receiving traditional or expanded Medicaid. I can say also say from personal experience that while I do see a lot of Medicaid patients at my pharmacy on Alpine, I see a lot more commercially-insured patients. So, even if Walgreens were refraining from downtown because it turns out that Medicaid pays next to nothing to the pharmacy for filling the script (which is not necessarily true), there are plenty of commercially-insured patients out there whose business they might attract. I think the real reason that we haven't seen a Walgreens/CVS downtown (as I have pointed out in the Michigan St thread, for further reading) is because the traffic simply isn't there to support a store. Pharmacies in urban locations like downtown GR are put in because there is sufficient foot traffic to keep the store running (and I say foot traffic because it'd be hard to find a good downtown location for a drive thru setup). Any patients that might be using a downtown pharmacy are already funneled to the Wege pharmacy behind Saint Mary's or the Meijer pharmacy in Butterworth. I would love to see a Walgreens/CVS downtown, but until the market demands it I don't think we'll get one. Who knows. I could be wrong. =) Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

From 200 Ionia. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

It's a beautiful day to watch the crane do its thing. (taken from the 7th floor of 25 Michigan) Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

I snapped a few shots today on mine and my fiancé's walk to feed treats to the various cats living in Heritage Hill. The panorama didn't stitch together all that well, but you get the picture. Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk

"Walkability, access to transit, sense of community, affordability… It sounds like manufactured homes could answer the prayers of many an urbanist." Yeah! Trailer parks can be good, too! https://www.strongtowns.org/journal/2018/6/19/trailer-park-affordable-housing-manufactured Sent from my Pixel 2 using Tapatalk