The Watering Hole

[torgo]

Anyone have photo requests? I plan on being downtown for new years eve and I will def have my camera ready, would anyone like to shoutout something they'd like to see? I plan on getting a lot of club shots with people everywhere, that is if its going to be busy.

Streetscapes, streetwalls, sidewalks, etc. People places! Preferably with lots of people. Ionia should be a good one for that.

[GRDadof3]

I kinda like being part of a bigger "community" that UP provides. Frankly, sometimes I like to check out the other areas to see what's going on. Not that I would be against a GR forum per se

[GRDadof3]

For those of you who like reading material that challenges the "status quo", check out State of Fear by Michael Crichton. Don't get it at Amazon though, go to the new bookstore and get it. The owner there actually was at the register when I bought it, and told me it was a good book. She was right

[Florida]

Hey Grand Rapids Metro!

Here's the deal... I'm in the Grand Rapids area as I write this, matter of fact, I'm in my friend's Wyoming Apartment, just off of 44th Street. We went to the mall eariler, the new one in Grandville; Rivertown Crossings, and I must say both good and bad about my experience. The good thing is the mall was great! New, shinny, plenty of great stores, and nice movie theatre.

The bad... the way my company and I were treated by locals and mall security. Walking into the mall... some little teen-aged kid comes barging thru the door I was holding open for my two lady friends and he bumped into both of them without a single "excuse me". I confronted him and we went on. Then we were upstairs near the movie theatre getting ready to see Dick & Jane when my friends wanted to take a picture near the Rudolph and Snow Man they have on display... there was a caucasian woman and her family standing in the general area, who saw us walking over with our camera and literally rounded up her family and rushed the kids off as if we were criminals. I've seen parents ask their kids to move for the sake of being considerate of others, but I'd never been made to feel as if I were some sort of criminal coming to hurt someone's family. I was insulted! On top of this... a cop comes over to me and tells me no photos are allowed in the mall, when flashes were going off near the Merry-Go-Round and no one was saying anything to those people who also happened to be caucasian.

It takes alot to upset me, and today this mall gave me my good dose of hospitality. Rivertown Crossings sure knows how to treat a tanned Floridian.

[GRCentro]

Welcome to West Michigan Taurean!

Sorry to hear about your rude experience. I suppose there's a few ignorant jerks in all places...

And its too bad you have to be here to sample this horrible weather! If you get the chance, be sure to check out downtown. The sky doesn't seem nearly as grey when ice skating at Rosa Parks Circle.

[Rizzo]

So by tanned, I am assuming you're a white Floridian.? I understand the criminal feeling, I get that feeling everytime I walk past people who pull their belongings closer to them including their children... If you have children you know exactly how the mom felt. I have a yonger brother and I pull him closer to me anytime people come close to us. Be they black, white, brown, anyone... You can't trust people.

[GRDadof3]

The malls have been particularly weird this Christmas. I've noticed a big uptick in "un-ruliness", like the big 30 person fight at Woodland the other day. And WOODTV8 was trying to interview last minute shoppers last week, and security was on them like dogs. Needless to say, I haven't taken my camera out at the mall I also pay particular attention to my kids at the mall. I don't want them to get run over, and with creeps around, I pull them out of the way of people all the time. It may come across as insensitive, but it's actually my hypersensitivity (not racial at all). It only takes an instant and they could be out of sight.

[Rizzo]

^Damn straight. Your a dad, so you have to act like one.

[Florida]

So by tanned, I am assuming you're a white Floridian?

Its a tan given to me by God. Here's a picture I took near the Rudolph near the Movies in the mall.

I loved the decor inside the mall! How long ago was this mall built? It "felt" new.

Note: My first time showing the face on UrbanPlanet.

Edited December 29, 2005 by TaureanJ

[GRDadof3]

Haha. I can't believe you posted your picture here TaureanJ before the Tallahaseeans got to see you. They're gonna think you're cheatin on em (I check in on other forums occasionally).

Rivertown was finished in 1999. They keep it impeccably clean. Here's a rundown on the construction progress with some fascinating aerial photos:

http://www.velting.com/prev_job/rivertown/Rivertown.htm

The last pic is unbelievable compared to today with all the development that has built up around it

Welcome to the neighborhood

[PBJ]

Haha. I can't believe you posted your picture here TaureanJ before the Tallahaseeans got to see you. They're gonna think you're cheatin on em (I check in on other forums occasionally).

Rivertown was finished in 1999. They keep it impeccably clean. Here's a rundown on the construction progress with some fascinating aerial photos:

http://www.velting.com/prev_job/rivertown/Rivertown.htm

The last pic is unbelievable compared to today with all the development that has built up around it

Welcome to the neighborhood

You never realize really how big a project something like that is/was... I DO remember driving out there when it was just fields.. wondering "why the heck would anyone do anything out here"... lol..

[Rizzo]

The women that were with you were they white? 'Cause thats basicly what got you licked. Metro GR maybe somewhat partial to racialise white women with black men... But thats almost everywhere. Oh and another thing, you don't look criminal to me, the way you tilt your hat says it all. ;-) Lemme guess, played sports in HS, total all-american.

Edited December 29, 2005 by Rizzo

[Rizzo]

I wish Downtown had that parking lot somewhere. Then everyone from outside can stop b'in about parking. I found another flyby pic I never saw before: http://www.aerialgraphics.com/photos/p1927.jpg

[twoshort]

Were the women that were with you white? 'Cause thats basicly what got you licked. Metro GR maybe somewhat partial to racilise white women with black men... But thats almost everywhere. Oh and another thing, you don't look criminal to me, the way you tilt your hat says it all. ;-) Lemme guess, played sports in HS, total all-american.

[Rizzo]

^haha Huh? Was I that misunderstood? Should I retract? Ohh crap.

[Florida]

The women that were with you were they white? 'Cause thats basicly what got you licked. Metro GR maybe somewhat partial to racialise white women with black men... But thats almost everywhere. Oh and another thing, you don't look criminal to me, the way you tilt your hat says it all. ;-) Lemme guess, played sports in HS, total all-american.

The ladies were also black. But I am curious about the demographic in the Grandville area. There seemed to be very few African Americans in the area.

I'm sure the people in the Tallahassee forum will be surprised if they ever see my picture. I don't think I've ever told them I'm black. Hopefully they've figured it out by now.

I wish I'd played sports, I was more of an SGA type in High School.

[Rizzo]

^Its a shame what happen in your experience. I beleive Grandville is seeing more diveristy these days. But one has to remember that a community can be so diverse, but so segregated. Diversity means nothing if the minority is so concentrated and local to one area of a city.

Wow, the fourm has had a steady flow of traffic. Every time I've stop'd by today the forum has been above 10 users online at one time. GRBJ? Just think who gets the GRBJ and maybe we will start to see a more enrichment of sources, maybe some local developers, CEOs, and political leaders! I hope JJ and Heartwell are some of the few that have picked up on the link.

Edited December 29, 2005 by Rizzo

[torgo]

Yah Grandville is pretty lilly-white I think.

[twoshort]

The ladies were also black. But I am curious about the demographic in the Grandville area. There seemed to be very few African Americans in the area.

I'm sure the people in the Tallahassee forum will be surprised if they ever see my picture. I don't think I've ever told them I'm black. Hopefully they've figured it out by now.

I wish I'd played sports, I was more of an SGA type in High School.

Roughly 95% white or so according to the 2000 cencus.

http://www.epodunk.com/cgi-bin/popInfo.php?locIndex=21829

[Rizzo]

Forget the diverse comment then.

[GRDadof3]

You also have to realize that Rivertown Crossings is a "super-regional" center, drawing people from many of the surrounding rural counties. Based on the people that I see there, I would say it draws many from Ottawa County and much of Southwestern Kent County, as well as the rural areas all the way down though Dorr, Allegan, Zeeland, Drenthe, Vriesland . I know it's probably insensitive, but I always notice a lot of "country bumpkins" there, which is funny considering how "gleaming corporate" it is. (I'm going to catch hell for that one).

The most "diverse" area outside of the city limits hands down has to be Kentwood on the SE side. There are over 23 different countries represented and 18 different languages spoken at the High School.

[Rizzo]

Kentwood is becoming more progressive. When I went to East Kentwood it was unblievable in the amount of color. Although it maybe diverse, its segregated like any Michigan community. Its becoming more evident that Eastern Ave. is seeing diversity south of 52nd into the subdivisions.

[Florida]

I'm also curious about your traffic here in the GR forum... everytime I visit there are over 10 members reading as Rizzo already pointed out. Do you all have an ad running in the local paper. Or where is it that you've put a link to the site? Just curious because I'd like to draw more traffic to the Tallahassee forum as well.

[Rizzo]

I had thoughts about taking out a full page add until I found out how much that would cost, I hung up.. I think its more of word-of-mouth and Google.com

[GaryP]

You just can't ignore us when every development in town is found in the first 3 google responses. Some of the time we are listed before a project's own website