The Watering Hole

[fotoman311]

Anyone else wonder if Dick Devos let some "copper reclamation experts," aka "scrappers," come and tear all the wires out of his beach house in Holland prior to demolition? ( http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/ind...ce_on_mark.html ) Seems like there are plenty of them around lately. The price of copper is only 25% of it's peak, but with 5 bedrooms and 8 1/2 baths, there should have been enough in there to buy a decent amount of drugs.

< / end sarcasm >

On a more serious note, you have to think there were some decently nice furnishings, fixtures, and other stuff in there. I wonder if any of it was reclaimed and then sent to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore or similar enterprise. Is this sort of salvaging is becoming standard practice among any demolition contractors?

Edited January 12, 2009 by fotoman311

[Par75]

Looks like a fantastic week to hit the beach, huh? Windchills are expected to be -20 to -30 on Tuesday morning. Brrr

[Raildudes dad]

Anyone else wonder if Dick Devos let some "copper reclamation experts," aka "scrappers," come and tear all the wires out of his beach house in Holland prior to demolition? ( http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/ind...ce_on_mark.html ) Seems like there are plenty of them around lately. The price of copper is only 25% of it's peak, but with 5 bedrooms and 8 1/2 baths, there should have been enough in there to buy a decent amount of drugs.

< / end sarcasm >

On a more serious note, you have to think there were some decently nice furnishings, fixtures, and other stuff in there. I wonder if any of it was reclaimed and then sent to a Habitat for Humanity ReStore or similar enterprise. Is this sort of salvaging is becoming standard practice among any demolition contractors?

The house had a full copper roof. From the looks of the picture, it wasn't being salvaged. I've done business with the contractor demoing houses and normally they don't salvage anything. Crunch and munch and off to the landfill by the truckload. I know the family has done a lot for West Mi and GR but sometimes they just flaunt their wealth. There is no humbleness or "commoner" in their actions. Compare to Fred and Lena Meijer who used walk around in their stores to pass out ice cream coupons to the Purple Cow

[fotoman311]

The house had a full copper roof. From the looks of the picture, it wasn't being salvaged. I've done business with the contractor demoing houses and normally they don't salvage anything. Crunch and munch and off to the landfill by the truckload. I know the family has done a lot for West Mi and GR but sometimes they just flaunt their wealth. There is no humbleness or "commoner" in their actions. Compare to Fred and Lena Meijer who used walk around in their stores to pass out ice cream coupons to the Purple Cow

I'm disappointed to hear this. However, I didn't have my hopes up, either.

Edited January 13, 2009 by fotoman311

[GR Jackson]

The house had a full copper roof. From the looks of the picture, it wasn't being salvaged. I've done business with the contractor demoing houses and normally they don't salvage anything. Crunch and munch and off to the landfill by the truckload. I know the family has done a lot for West Mi and GR but sometimes they just flaunt their wealth. There is no humbleness or "commoner" in their actions. Compare to Fred and Lena Meijer who used walk around in their stores to pass out ice cream coupons to the Purple Cow

It would surprise me if they didn't at least do some type of cost analysis. You don't get rich by wasting money.

[fotoman311]

It would surprise me if they didn't at least do some type of cost analysis. You don't get rich by wasting money.

Sometimes you do: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme#Bernard_Madoff

[snoogit]

Sometimes you do: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ponzi_scheme#Bernard_Madoff

That deserves an Oh SNAP!

The house had a full copper roof. From the looks of the picture, it wasn't being salvaged. I've done business with the contractor demoing houses and normally they don't salvage anything. Crunch and munch and off to the landfill by the truckload. I know the family has done a lot for West Mi and GR but sometimes they just flaunt their wealth. There is no humbleness or "commoner" in their actions. Compare to Fred and Lena Meijer who used walk around in their stores to pass out ice cream coupons to the Purple Cow

I suppose this is expected of them it seems. Perhaps when we start mining landfills for precious metals the copper will finally get used.

[RustTown]

Hey, does anyone know how many millions of square feet downtown Grand Rapids has, and what real estate companies that compile this use as the definition (boundaries) of "downtown"? Just doing some research, but can't find any free market reports.

[GRDadof3]

Hey, does anyone know how many millions of square feet downtown Grand Rapids has, and what real estate companies that compile this use as the definition (boundaries) of "downtown"? Just doing some research, but can't find any free market reports.

http://www.gepc.com/research/gr_trend_rpts.html

I don't believe they include the hospitals or universities in those stats, unless they are leasing office space in a general office building.

[RustTown]

Thanks. Do you happen to know their definition of "downtown" and "CBD"? It was surprising to see them divide the two, and I have no idea of the borders they are working with.

EDIT:

I got in contact with Grubb & Ellis and they said that the "CBD" is what they consider the "walkable" part of downtown and its boundaries are I-196 to the north, the Grand River to the west, Cherry Street to the south, and Ransom to the east. This area holds 3,354,823 million square feet of office space.

The "Downtown" includes the CBD, and its boundaries are Leonard to the north, Seward Street to the west, Wealthy Street to the south, and the CBD's (Ransom Street) to the east. This area holds 4,575,518 million square feet of office space.

That said, I'm not sure this includes owner-occupied buildings (headquarters and such), and definitely not state-owned space.

Edited January 20, 2009 by Lmichigan

[John E]

[John E]

I hope you all don't mind if I rant here about something that I think is real important.

Today is Martin Luther King day and all that is in the news is Obama's inauguration tomorrow. I think this is TOTALLY DISGUSTING! I never like Obama and this gets me to despise him. He sure hasn't earned my respect like MLK has. How is Obama better than MLK? You sure would think that MLK would be on the front page of the Grand Rapids Press today, but no, they have Obama.

This makes me sick to my stomach.

~John

[Allison Slater]

I don't think it's Obama plastering his face everywhere.. it is the news reporters, and they report whatever they feel will capture the most readership/viewership. So really, it is our modern culture which is placing more emphasis on the inauguration than on Martin Luther King. I think that is probably inevitable. There have been many great men in history, but as time goes on the effect of the importance on every day lives wanes. We have a day dedicated to Lincoln and Washington, but they are mostly just "another day" used at most for marketing a sale and for special education topics in schools. Eventually Martin Luther King day will become the same, and perhaps that time is coming upon us.

[John E]

Well, I hope we never lose sight of the meaning for MLK Day.

Obama is plasterinig himself into the media with his day of volunteering. I also believe that the media has an agenda with uplifting Obama. The media (leaders) are a bunch of brain washing, control freaks. They know how to control the masses. Which I also believe are incurably ignorant. Obama wasn't elected, he was put into office. Elections are nothing more than a game for the globalists.

[/rant]

~John

[MuskeMI]

Wow. Just, wow.

[gvsusean]

Wow. Just, wow.

wow what?

[einsteinrig]

Obama is plasterinig himself into the media with his day of volunteering. I also believe that the media has an agenda with uplifting Obama. The media (leaders) are a bunch of brain washing, control freaks. They know how to control the masses. Which I also believe are incurably ignorant. Obama wasn't elected, he was put into office. Elections are nothing more than a game for the globalists.

you're right - "plasterinig himself into the media" - obviously, the guy is just a media whore. those "brain-washing, control freaks" of the media wouldn't even be covering this if it wasn't for that "day of volunteering" b.s.

i suspect that if the inauguration was taking place on february 15th and was dominating the news cycle we'd be hearing about how sad it is that something as important as valentine's day was being submerged by the non-story that is a new president. i mean, valentine's day is a symbol of love...and isn't love more important that stupid political stuff?

i'm guessing that the people for whom martin luther king's birthday is an important marker are probably okay with coverage of the first african-american president.

honestly, a bit more perspective and a little less axe-grinding.

Edited January 19, 2009 by einsteinrig

[GRDadof3]

Well, I hope we never lose sight of the meaning for MLK Day.

Obama is plasterinig himself into the media with his day of volunteering. I also believe that the media has an agenda with uplifting Obama. The media (leaders) are a bunch of brain washing, control freaks. They know how to control the masses. Which I also believe are incurably ignorant. Obama wasn't elected, he was put into office. Elections are nothing more than a game for the globalists.

[/rant]

~John

Now I can actually say that's the first I've heard of Obama being "put" into office. By whom? And despite it being MLK day, I don't see why Obama's activities today wouldn't be newsworthy, the day before Inauguration.

[fotoman311]

Now I can actually say that's the first I've heard of Obama being "put" into office. By whom? And despite it being MLK day, I don't see why Obama's activities today wouldn't be newsworthy, the day before Inauguration.

I think that Obama's inauguration is particularly newsworthy as well, because he is the first black president and also because he has managed to garner so much support and enthusiasm from a wide swath of the population. Depending on your source, between 3 and 4 million people will be going to Washington, DC to take part in the inaugural activities. THAT'S A LOT OF PEOPLE!! I can't think of another event that draws that many people to one place. Anyone? I have a friend who will be having 7 people sleeping on the floor of her small apartment in DC.

Perhaps you should listen to NPR. I've heard clips (including an extended one lasting at least a couple of minutes) of MLK speeches all day here at work, and while there has been a lot of Obama coverage as well, MLK, Jr. Day has also been constantly mentioned.

[Allison Slater]

Well, I hope we never lose sight of the meaning for MLK Day.

Obama is plasterinig himself into the media with his day of volunteering. I also believe that the media has an agenda with uplifting Obama. The media (leaders) are a bunch of brain washing, control freaks. They know how to control the masses. Which I also believe are incurably ignorant. Obama wasn't elected, he was put into office. Elections are nothing more than a game for the globalists.

[/rant]

~John

Have you been interacting with cityboi a bit lately? After all, those control freaks must be from Inner Earth or something, right?

[John E]

Have you been interacting with cityboi a bit lately? After all, those control freaks must be from Inner Earth or something, right?

I don't know cityboi or Inner Earth. I'm just an alternative media informed person.

~John

[Neo]

I hope you all don't mind if I rant here about something that I think is real important.

Today is Martin Luther King day and all that is in the news is Obama's inauguration tomorrow. I think this is TOTALLY DISGUSTING! I never like Obama and this gets me to despise him. He sure hasn't earned my respect like MLK has. How is Obama better than MLK? You sure would think that MLK would be on the front page of the Grand Rapids Press today, but no, they have Obama.

This makes me sick to my stomach.

~John

Well, the United States is putting its first African American (call him mixed or what you want, he is still a large percentage African American) tomorrow so that certainly deserves a bit of attention, like him or not. I'm certain MLK is not rolling in his grave at being overshadowed a little by tomorrow's events. MLK doesn't own the day, the movement owns the day IMO, and Obama is ushering in a new era so give a little slack.

[Quercus]

I think there are two reasons Obama is being "plastered" into the media on MLK day. The first has already been mentioned: it's the day before inauguration and there are millions of people arriving in D.C. It's not that often such a mass migration occurs. Secondly--and more importantly, IMO--tomorrow the U.S. swears in the nation's first black president, an event that marks a HUGE progression since MLK was working for civil rights. Does it mean racism is dead? Unfortunately, no; but it's a sign that we've come a long way. In my mind, tomorrows inauguration is intricately connected to MLK's dream. And frankly, I think it's sad that anyone would believe Obama's win is simply the result of some global government "choosing" him.

[John E]

Well if it wasn't for the globalists, their media and the masses being incurably ignorant, Ron Paul would be our president and we would have our lost constitution back. Like Bush, Obama will use the constitution to wipe with. Have you noticed how happy Bush is with passing the baton on to Obama?

~John

[Neo]

Well if it wasn't for the globalists, their media and the masses being incurably ignorant, Ron Paul would be our president and we would have our lost constitution back. Like Bush, Obama will use the constitution to wipe with. Have you noticed how happy Bush is with passing the baton on to Obama?

~John

Let's wait and see what Obama actually does in office rather than pre-judge what he's going to do. Like it or not, Obama will be our President starting tomorrow so I'm of the opinion that we should support him, at least out of the gate.