grcitydog

Once those beams that are laying on the ground start going up, then this project will really start to move!! Thanks for the photo, I almost forgot about this this project, since there really is so much going on across the river and on the hill!!

Call me a conspiracy theorist, but it almost seems like the corporate management is setting up certain stores to fail, so that in a few years when they close them, they can say that nobody liked them anyways. It would not take that much money to reinvigorate these older stores, install new lighting, signage, presentation, etc. This would draw people back into them, with the exception of those who are truly afraid of diversity. I am sure that many people who currently live closer to the Kalamazoo/28th and Alpine stores who drive to the nicer ones farther away would come back if these stores were just a little cleaner, better organized and look like a store in 2006 instead of 1970.

No, no, no!! Not a BRT system or "enhanced bus" system of any kind. The Rapid busses have their necessary place, but Grand Rapids will need a Light Rail System. Maybe right now the density won't support it, but now is the time to build it BEFORE the density makes it too expensive. A BRT system just will not have the psychological effect of a true light rail system. The fact that there are rail lines and rail stations which are immovable cause compact development around them. Any system using the existing roadways is not seen a permanent and people won't build near them necessarily because the line can always be moved around to another area. I think that if GR moves forward with a BRT system instead of true light rail, in a couple of decades we will be revisiting it again and putting in a light rail system anyways at the cost of millions or billions more.

Yes, things are changing . The weather may have something to do with it, but I like to walk downtown on Sunday afternoons because I usually have to place to myself; but I have noticed that the place just keeps getting busier! I kind of ticks me off, because I miss my solitude, but I'm not really complaining.

I have to say that I like the look of the new facade better; it is more modern looking and the dark brick gave it an old feeling. Besides, it wasn't structurally correct and leaked, which is why it was replaced.

Yes, what is now the 44th Street Bistro used to be a Findley's, but that was a while ago.