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Wow, was that joke a bomb or what :P I took a bunch of pics today, but because of logistics, I won't be able to download them until tomorrow. An absolutely gorgeous day. And it's official, I heard one of the "bench warmers" on Monroe Center complaining that there were too many people downtown now. LOL. Take that, Rick & Scott lovers!

Oh, almost forgot, they are making a bunch of repairs to the riverwalk today in front of the convention center and in front of GVSU's Eberhard Center. Someone at City Hall must have gotten my pictures thrown on their desk ;) Steady, even pressure...

Edited by GRDadof3
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And it's official, I heard one of the "bench warmers" on Monroe Center complaining that there were too many people downtown now.  LOL.  Take that, Rick & Scott lovers!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Gosh dangit you young whippersnappers! Git offa the sidewalk! Yer clutterin' up the street!

I was wondering how long it would be before we heard someone whine about "too many people" downtown...now we know. Not very long! Thanks GrDad.

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Gosh dangit you young whippersnappers! Git offa the sidewalk!  Yer clutterin' up the street!

I was wondering how long it would be before we heard someone whine about "too many people" downtown...now we know.  Not very long!  Thanks GrDad.

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The thing I like to see is that it is not just business people at lunchtime around Monroe Center/Pearl/Monroe/Ottawa area like it used to be. It is a great mix of people (even Soccer Moms). And now with Fall starting, more students will be out too.

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The thing I like to see is that it is not just business people at lunchtime around Monroe Center/Pearl/Monroe/Ottawa area like it used to be.  It is a great mix of people (even Soccer Moms).  And now with Fall starting, more students will be out too.

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Exactly. There are probably a fair amount of out-of-towners too. The colleges provide an enormous opportunity for students to live downtown, but for some reason, this has not been capitalized on very well. Wouldn't it be cool if there were townhomes or dorms like GVSU's along Market by Charleys? Or along Ionia by that new bank behind the arena? It would be great!

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Exactly.  There are probably a fair amount of out-of-towners too.  The colleges provide an enormous opportunity for students to live downtown, but for some reason, this has not been capitalized on very well.  Wouldn't it be cool if there were townhomes or dorms like GVSU's along Market by Charleys?  Or along Ionia by that new bank behind the arena?  It would be great!

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I don't think we can get enough medium to high-density projects. Alot of those townhome/brownstone units are expensive though (probably too expensive for students). I did read that Kendall bought (or leased) and renovated the top 3 - 4 floors of the Commerce Building for student housing, and our friend Eric from Terra Firma has some apartments going into his loft space on Grandville. ;) (Shameless plug)

Anyone need a drink? It's almost quittin time!

Edited by GRDadof3
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Exactly.  There are probably a fair amount of out-of-towners too.  The colleges provide an enormous opportunity for students to live downtown, but for some reason, this has not been capitalized on very well.  Wouldn't it be cool if there were townhomes or dorms like GVSU's along Market by Charleys?  Or along Ionia by that new bank behind the arena?  It would be great!

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I think original plans for Cherry Street Landing included some townhomes along Ionia. Hopfully some form of residental still to come along that section of the street.

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I think original plans for Cherry Street Landing included some townhomes along Ionia.  Hopfully some form of residental still to come along that section of the street.

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That was a great plan that they had. I remember you drove through an archway into a center courtyard/parking area so you wouldn't see cars from the streets. And it was retail all along the ground floor, with living upstairs. I always thought it would be cool to have a 6 - 7 story residential/ground floor retail building on that lot just to the South of Sierra Room, with all of the balconies angled to face either North or South on Ionia.

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I don't think we can get enough medium to high-density projects.  Alot of those townhome/brownstone units are expensive though (probably too expensive for students).  I

Anyone need a drink?  It's almost quittin time!

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Well if it's a dorm-type thing, like GVSU's secchia hall, students (or their parents) can afford it...GVSU's units are far frm empty. Lots of students have money from mom and dad. But, for optimal sucess, it would probably have to be some kind of university-sanctioned deal like secchia hall, as opposed to a regular apartment.

I'm all for a drink! Although I will not reveal at this time which establishment I will be patronizing... :shifty:

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Call me an old-fashioned forum user, but I just don't get this Watering Hole concept. It is not very user friendly, at least not for the user who doesn't want to spend more than a few minutes a day on this site. When folks used to start threads about topics around here, I could easily ignore the ones that didn't interest me and read through the ones that did. Why can't 43 Pub be its own thread? Why can't favorite restaurants be its own thread? If someone has an answer, please respond in the new thread I've created called "Explain Watering Hole to Woz."

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Call me an old-fashioned forum user, but I just don't get this Watering Hole concept. It is not very user friendly, at least not for the user who doesn't want to spend more than a few minutes a day on this site. When folks used to start threads about topics around here, I could easily ignore the ones that didn't interest me and read through the ones that did. Why can't 43 Pub be its own thread? Why can't favorite restaurants be its own thread? If someone has an answer, please respond in the new thread I've created called "Explain Watering Hole to Woz."

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Oh, and woz, you also have the ability to start a topic called "Favorite Restaurants" or "43 S. Division, What is it?".

So, who needs a refill ;)

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How about something like this next to Charley's Crab:

2ndAndPineCrop.jpg

Is anyone else old enough here to remember when Plaza Towers featured brownstone type buildings along the riverfront as one of the original plans?

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If something that grand went into GR I would be for it.

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2nd and Pine, Seattle WA

http://www.rtkl.com/portfolio.asp?s=Reside...igh%2DRise&St=1

I don't think very many people would object to a project like this (except maybe those Plaza Towers people  :D )

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The building itself is kinda ugly in my opinion, but in the pic it looks like the street-level facade is really cool. It would be an sweet project to have in GR, thats for sure.

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I guess this should go here, but with the Art Museum underway, I am really going to miss being able to see the Ledyard Building and Monroe Center so well. I was at Rosa Parks Circle with my kids and was just imagining that whole area left open as a giant central park/plaza/fountains/trees/grass. Rip out the poorly designed amphitheatre (Sorry Maya, but not your best work), and make this the focal point of the city for festivals (redeveloping Calder of course). And then surround it with high rises at the National City Site and the parking lot by TGIF/Custer Office Bldg. While they are at it, take that ugly modern facade off of 50 Monroe (TGIF) and let's see the original brick please...

OK, I'll have an Amstel Light please :D

Edited by GRDadof3
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2nd and Pine, Seattle WA

http://www.rtkl.com/portfolio.asp?s=Reside...igh%2DRise&St=1

I don't think very many people would object to a project like this (except maybe those Plaza Towers people  :D )

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browsing their website I saw this:

http://www.rtkl.com/images/portfolio_images/2626Crop.jpg

that wouldnt be bad for Grand Rapids either.

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I guess this should go here, but with the Art Museum underway, I am really going to miss being able to see the Ledyard Building and Monroe Center so well.  I was at Rosa Parks Circle with my kids and was just imagining that whole area left open as a giant central park/plaza/fountains/trees/grass.  Rip out the poorly designed amphitheatre (Sorry Maya, but not your best work), and make this the focal point of the city for festivals (redeveloping Calder of course).  And then surround it with high rises at the National City Site and the parking lot by TGIF/Custer Office Bldg.  While they are at it, take that ugly modern facade off of 50 Monroe (TGIF) and let's see the original brick please...

OK, I'll have an Amstel Light please  :D

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That's strange that you mention that, GRdad. :blink: Yesterday I was thinking what if they built a huge high-rise on the current Rosa Parks circle area at Monroe and Monroe Ctr/Pearl, and "moved" Rosa Parks circle to the area in front of the TGIF building. Heck, it might even be all right it they tore down that Custer office building standing there all by itself and brought the park out to Ottawa.

Alternatively, you could also leave Rosa Parks where it is and build something in the TGIF parking lot too. Maybe that would be a better idea. That way you could leave the Custer bldg alone.

And I agree that the amphitheathre is poorly designed. There is too much dead space there. It's good for ice skating and concerts, but there isn't much going on there the rest of the time. Hopefully, as downtown gets more lively, it will get more use.

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That's strange that you mention that, GRdad.  :blink: Yesterday I was thinking what if they built a huge high-rise on the current Rosa Parks circle area at Monroe and Monroe Ctr/Pearl, and "moved" Rosa Parks circle to the area in front of the TGIF building.  Heck, it might even be all right it they tore down that Custer office building standing there all by itself and brought the park out to Ottawa.

Alternatively, you could also leave Rosa Parks where it is and build something in the TGIF parking lot too.  Maybe that would be a better idea.  That way you could leave the Custer bldg alone.

And I agree that the amphitheathre is poorly designed.  There is too much dead space there.  It's good for ice skating and concerts, but there isn't much going on there the rest of the time.  Hopefully, as downtown gets more lively, it will get more use.

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It always helped when they had the outdoor furniture set up. It gave people more of reason to stay longer, which would then attract more people to stop by.

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It always helped when they had the outdoor furniture set up.  It gave people more of reason to stay longer, which would then attract more people to stop by.

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That's what I was thinkin. Have they ever tried putting a couple dozen tables out and tried to get some hot dog carts out there? That might be kinda cool

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