The idea of the "flashmob" event is confusing to me. Exactly what is it going to accomplish? Is Google invited? So they get several hundred (or thousand) folks DT dressed in one of Google's colors...what's the return on investment for the corporate benefactor?

While I am still in the "fan" group on FB, I had to hide their updates (something like ten per day, and reiterated by the usual suspects). Things got aggravating when a community advocate asked a legitimate question, and was pounced on by respondents who implied that the project will cure the case of cancer that he'll eventually contract. (No kidding. Google cures cancer -- I read it on teh interwebs!)

This whole "effort" to attract Google to cities (not just GR) seems cheesy and almost exclusively groupthink. ...
I'm disheartened by the herd mentality that has recently taken over the internet infrastructure discussion more so in everyday conversation than on here. ...

I know the health/medical industry could benefit from Google Fiber but how would the film industry?

Okay, I guess I'll test the waters with this teabag for your cup:
http://www.campaignforliberty.com/article.php?view=685

~John

I live in Ann Arbor where we have all of these stores, and all I can tell you is that Plum is ridiculously expensive. Trader Joe's is much more reasonable.

re: Plum's

Looked at the website -- wondered who the brothers were (I used to work in that industry). Jonna rang a bell - and sure enough, they were from Merchant of Vino. Can't remember the sequence of it all . . .
Fresh Fields, Wild Oats and Whole Foods all came to the midwest within a few years of each other. Whole Foods took over Fresh Fields. Merchant of Vino was taken over/purchased by them (not certain if it was before or after FF was taken over by WF). The Jonna's probably had to sign a non-compete for a given period which has now expired.

Fresh Fields was east coast, Wild Oats was Colorado, Whole Foods is headquartered in Austin TX.

I'd much rather see Plum's come to GR than Trader Joe's (swiss/german/dutch? owned) or Whole Foods.

I'd say open up a Catholic only apartment building, but i'm sure it would violate some laws.

Surprised nobody has talked about Israels closing The Other Store.

Israels Closes Other Store, restructures

Google Maps now has a bicycling travel option. It's in beta, but it works.

And when it routes you down, say, the east beltline, you can report that back to Google for future corrections.

What's curious is that Faust just wants the city to endorse the concept of the plan at this time, like some kind of hypothetical exercise. What's the whole purpose of that? Is there any danger of lawsuit if the city just flat out rejects the concept? I don't understand why he's making this fantasy proposal. I do know it stinks to high heaven.

The third unit was being framed out on the first floor as of the last week of January. (Sorry, I neglected to bring a camera with me). It's probably totally enclosed now.

Pretty decent looking building. I saw it in person back in January when I was in the area for a few days. I have to say that the plaza looks like an awful lot of wasted space unless it gets some benches and plantings. Looks like a missed opportunity to me.

Hey, how about that abandoned Western-themed restaurant in Wyoming? Just south of 28th Street (can't recall the road it's on). Looks like the railroad came through one town over and everything shut down, even the saloon.

...Check out the video at the bottom of the press article provided by Fox 17, they give props to you guys here at Urban Planet. I wonder what the investigations in other states is?

. . . just as a follow up, the cost of nonstop flights between Denver and GR on United has dropped by $200 or more roundtrip since Frontier started flying nonstop between the two cities and offering much lower fares. That makes me very happy.