Icon on Bond

[Prankster]

This morning, (Monday, 10/10/05) both "Atwell Hicks" and "Remedial Services" are on the south site installing more flags, etc. Looks like footing locations to me. AH has a little table set up. I thoughit was breakfast at first, but I think it might be soil/water testing equipment. The "remedial" truck has a large machine sticking out the rear. It looks like it could be a drill, or a sonar-type device. I'm not in the construction business, so I don't know.

And yes, that north site looks a little nicer now. That's just what I would have done, if I were planning to sell it.

Thanks for all the up to the minute updates. It helps all us non-downtowners keep track of what is going/not going on.

[mgreven]

Got this in the email today....

From the ICON realtor.

You are all invited to attend the official groundbreaking ceremony for Icon On Bond!

It will be held on the building site on Wednesday, October 19th, at 3 PM. (538 Bond; Southeast corner of Trowbridge and Bond; about one block away from the Brass Works Bulding, located at 648 Monroe). Governor Jennifer Granholm will be there as well to welcome you.

If you have any questions regarding the location or time, please call me at (616) 446-5931, or send me an e-mail.

We hope to see you there!

[GaryP]

This is where we should have the meet up! We could let both Moch and Jenny how we feel about them!

Got this in the email today....

From the ICON realtor.

You are all invited to attend the official groundbreaking ceremony for Icon On Bond!

It will be held on the building site on Wednesday, October 19th, at 3 PM. (538 Bond; Southeast corner of Trowbridge and Bond; about one block away from the Brass Works Bulding, located at 648 Monroe). Governor Jennifer Granholm will be there as well to welcome you.

If you have any questions regarding the location or time, please call me at (616) 446-5931, or send me an e-mail.

We hope to see you there!

[publius]

Granholm at the Icon groundbreaking, lol?

I would think she had more intelligence (or at least common sense) than that...

Either that or the other groundbreakings in West Michigan are all with the other side politically, lol?

Politics makes strange bedfellows (or should I say bedpersons, lol)..

B)

[superNOVA]

I am sure that she will praise the Union labor aspect telling us how it is the future of Michigan...

[torgo]

Granholm at the Icon groundbreaking, lol?

I would think she had more intelligence (or at least common sense) than that...

Either that or the other groundbreakings in West Michigan are all with the other side politically, lol?

Politics makes strange bedfellows (or should I say bedpersons, lol)..

B)

Yah this doesn't make much sense to me. A democrat going to a conservative area of the state to support a developer with a terrible reputation who is building a rather unremarkable condo building. I don't get it either.

[Prankster]

Yah this doesn't make much sense to me. A democrat going to a conservative area of the state to support a developer with a terrible reputation who is building a rather unremarkable condo building. I don't get it either.

I don't think it has so much to do with the developer or the side of the state it's on, but more to do with advancing her idea of the "cool cities" initiative. Wonder if she would change her mind if she saw how uncool the design is to the street level, and how much it will detract from the street. Just my $0.02.

[torgo]

I don't think it has so much to do with the developer or the side of the state it's on, but more to do with advancing her idea of the "cool cities" initiative. Wonder if she would change her mind if she saw how uncool the design is to the street level, and how much it will detract from the street. Just my $0.02.

Are we allowed to mention the words "cool city" and "Moch" in the same sentence? Seems like she should do her homework, though, and support a developer/company with a better image, like Jade Pig, Grooters, etc

[GaryP]

I think to get her to come to these types of things she expects a generous campaign contribution.

[RustTown]

Wow, and I really wanted to believe that all I hear about GR being some ultra-conservative bastion was only half true. This threads seems to prove my worst fears. Publicity stunt, most likely, but she's not fooling anyone. I'm not her biggest fan, but the initial reaction, here, has me taken aback.

[twoshort]

Wow, and I really wanted to believe that all I hear about GR being some ultra-conservative bastion was only half true. This threads seems to prove my worst fears.

I hope this doesn't come as a surprise, but this message board hardly counts as an accurate sample of Grand Rapids.

[GRDadof3]

Wow, and I really wanted to believe that all I hear about GR being some ultra-conservative bastion was only half true. This threads seems to prove my worst fears. Publicity stunt, most likely, but she's not fooling anyone. I'm not her biggest fan, but the initial reaction, here, has me taken aback.

Sorry LMich, but you don't have to be ultra-conservative to see right through "Glamour Gal"

[allbusiness]

My God! Someone stole her mole!

[snoogit]

Granholms not perfect, but its still better then whats being put on the table.

[publius]

Wow, and I really wanted to believe that all I hear about GR being some ultra-conservative bastion was only half true. This threads seems to prove my worst fears. Publicity stunt, most likely, but she's not fooling anyone. I'm not her biggest fan, but the initial reaction, here, has me taken aback.

I think you may be misreading the sentiment, Lmichigan...

Just cause one can be openly critical about Granholm's dumb decision here, doesn't mean one cannot be the same about the other side--I usually find both sides often act equally clueless and equally extreme on many issues, and can't for the life of me understand why there are only two political parties in our system.

The DeVos leadership on this side of the state is open to plenty of ridicule as well--often this gang is equally clueless about a large variety of things that really matter, particularly the environment...

I get plenty turned off by party hacks and partisans on both sides, lol...

[superNOVA]

Granholms not perfect, but its still better then whats being put on the table.

Considering where she is leading us - anything is better. Unless of course the state is going to follow the Detroit tradition of electing and re-electing and re-electing terrible politicians. Sadly, I have a feeling that this will be the case and in a few decades Michigan will be a mere shadow of itself.

[RustTown]

It won't be any worse off because of it's leadership, but because regardless of who's in office, big business has rapped the state like no other. How quickly you guys forget how far Michigan fell under Engler's long reign.

[superNOVA]

I am sure that they are not the fault of the Unions and their rape of big business here... Funny, the same companies that are failing here are doing just fine down South.

The difference, right to work states and the removal of Unions from the workforce.

When will people learn that Unions have effectively priced themselves and their workers out of the market...

[snoogit]

The DeVos leadership on this side of the state is open to plenty of ridicule as well--often this gang is equally clueless about a large variety of things that really matter, particularly the environment...

I get plenty turned off by party hacks and partisans on both sides, lol...

*cough* the new alticor hotel *cough*

Heh the tower is nice, but the street level is moch-like

[RustTown]

I see I hit a sore not with some, and I guess I totally forgot that I'm posting on a West Michigan board, because I would have then not made any comment. lol But, it puzzles me that in spite of the union presence in Michigan, a few years back, and routintely through the years, Michigan has been rated one of the best places to expand and do business much of this growth coming from both union-unfriendly West Michigan, and heavily unionized Metro Detroit. That seems to through that conjecture out of the window that I hear far too often. I don't think Michigan should apologize or feel bad for treating its workers like human beings, and valued ones, at that. A few unions have gone far too far, but we should all be smart enough to realize that you don't judge and entire group of anything off of a few bad apples.

[GaryP]

So then Lmichigan, what do you think caused the poor economic conditions in the state right now?

[snoogit]

So then Lmichigan, what do you think caused the poor economic conditions in the state right now?

I just think Michigan is slower to recover from economic hardships then most states. Coupled with the fact that Manufacturing isnt doing well union or not here in Michigan. THe cold hard facts are hitting us in the face, and we still want to grasp onto something we cant have anymore.

A lack of emphasis on education by every layer of government (school board to federal) for the past 16 years hasnt helped either. What needs to be done is have a stronger emphasis on education, and a lesser emphasis on keeping manufacturing jobs in the state.

EVERY governor from Blanchard, to Engler to Granholm has grasped at the straws of Manufacturing for far too long. hats happened has happened. we need to move on. Devos wont change that, neither will Granholm.

I think MIchigan needs to be the second state in the union to vote for a third party governor IMHO.

[RustTown]

I think MIchigan needs to be the second state in the union to vote for a third party governor IMHO.

I'll agree with this and move on. I'm fighting a losing battle, here, one that I should have been smart enough to realize I couldn't win, here. I will say before I end my hijacking of the thread, that what has crippled Michigan is not so much unions or leaders, but as snoogit pointed out, it's reliance on manufacturing as its one trick pony, and that goes for almost all of the state, UP, Southeast, West, Central...

[dbrok]

I think MIchigan needs to be the second state in the union to vote for a third party governor IMHO.

I agree, I think we need some kind of alternative to both Granholm and DeVos. I have trouble supporting Granholm (and many Democrats) because they think that the way to fix problems is expand government, spend money, support unions and give welfare handouts to the poor. On the other hand, I have trouble with DeVos because I feel the entire Amway empire is a little shady. They're too close to the pyramid/ponzi scheme for me. They've been in court and had to defend themselves just too many times. In addition I think that the rich Republican candidates overlook the poor and regular working people too much.

The third party we need is one that supports much smaller government, less bureaucracy, lower taxes, weakened unions and a true free market system with tax breaks for small businesses. Supporting small businesses is the primary way the economy will stay strong. Successful small businesses mean successful big businesses with plenty of jobs down the road.

BTW, snoogit, what does IMHO stand for?

[torgo]

^^ in my humble opinion