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How large should GR get?

gvsusean

By gvsusean
in Grand Rapids

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zenstyle Hamlet

zenstyle

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I can't imagine there could be a "too big" for Grand Rapids.

Too many outer ring suburbs, yes. Too many chain stores and restaurants, yes...but we have those problems now. Being a larger city won't neccessarily add to them, if we grow right. With larger cities comes a critical mass of Intelligent Outsiders who'll see to it that GR becomes truly urban, not simply a bigger place with the same provincial outlook.

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lstmk Unincorporated Area

lstmk

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I don't see it happening, but I think GR would be too big when it starts annexing Northern parts of Wyoming and Kentwood and take parts of Walker and Plainfield townships and swallow up GR township.

I don't mind how big GR becomes population wise, as long as we grow the right way, by reusing run down buildings, lots, and areas already within the city. Build up, not out!

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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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TOP 20 will do it for me... we are well on our way. Localtalent's mention sounds good to me. I want us to be big enough so that GR can support more TV production/editing jobs, until then we need to go up...up and away -- I mean inward.

Think about GR being a sister city of Chicago, thats my thing :thumbsup:

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GaryP Burg

GaryP

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Already there. :huh: I would think realistically about 500,000 in city proper, but that will require a lot of changes and alternative thinking.

I think there is plenty of room, even for a lot more than that. Zoning restriction will have to be changed considerably though.

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TheCityGuy Whistle-Stop

TheCityGuy

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Without annexation, I don't see GR going above that mark by much, if ever. Too much elbow room in the 'burbs.

Grand Rapids will continue to slowly loose population unless FAMILIES start to stay in and move back to, the city proper.

You can have as many DINKs as you want moving back to the neighborhoods or downtown condos, but without kids, the population will continue to drop. The GRPS needs to wake up.

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snoogit Town

snoogit

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I think im with a lot of people and I want to say GR is as big as its going to get, but the surrounding area is going to flourish. I hate to say that, but every indicator is that everything to the west and south of GR is going to get plowed over here in thge next 20 years, and all the major business will be DT, while everyone lives closer and closer to the lakeshore.

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gvsusean Burg

gvsusean

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I think im with a lot of people and I want to say GR is as big as its going to get, but the surrounding area is going to flourish. I hate to say that, but every indicator is that everything to the west and south of GR is going to get plowed over here in thge next 20 years, and all the major business will be DT, while everyone lives closer and closer to the lakeshore.

:( thats sad :( One thing I love about GR is 1 sec your in the country the next your in the city, except for the occasional 10 min. traffic jam :P

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snoogit Town

snoogit

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:( thats sad :( One thing I love about GR is 1 sec your in the country the next your in the city, except for the occasional 10 min. traffic jam :P

Which is why I wish you could bite your fingers when your typing, because its an awful thing to say, but everything I see indicates this is happening.

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Picture Michigan Unincorporated Area

Picture Michigan

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I'm trying to find the numbers, and am not having much success, but I'm changing that number from 210,000 to 201,000. I found where the official 1970 number was 197,649.

I think GR could still flux up a bit, but the looming cloud is the GRPS. I was chatting with a Dad (this one is a Dad of only two) the other day; he's leaving the City of Wyoming for Byron Center because of the schools.

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snoogit Town

snoogit

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I'm trying to find the numbers, and am not having much success, but I'm changing that number from 210,000 to 201,000. I found where the official 1970 number was 197,649.

I think GR could still flux up a bit, but the looming cloud is the GRPS. I was chatting with a Dad (this one is a Dad of only two) the other day; he's leaving the City of Wyoming for Byron Center because of the schools.

WPS doesnt have anything to do with GRPS though?

We should see how Taylor does. I didnt read much into how the KCPS was rated, but I have to imagine a superintendent with some big city ideas could definately turn this place around.

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GRDadof3 Ecumenopolis

GRDadof3

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Grand Rapids will continue to slowly loose population unless FAMILIES start to stay in and move back to, the city proper.

You can have as many DINKs as you want moving back to the neighborhoods or downtown condos, but without kids, the population will continue to drop. The GRPS needs to wake up.

Although I totally agree with your statement about families needing to move in to the city to really grow the city, I think the problems with GRPS are much more complicated than can be placed on the school system's shoulders. It is a problem that many inner-city school systems face. I think a lot more to do with income levels and parental involvement than it has to do with management or teacher skills, although it's hard to attract the best educators and leaders to the inner city school systems.

It would be something though if Grand Rapids could reverse the trend and also set the pace in the country for its school system.

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Rizzo City

Rizzo

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Speaking of schools and population, I know serval people in GR that use suburban addresses to get their kids in Kentwood schools, especially East Kentwood HS. The family stays in GR, becuase they are planted in the city, but they choose to send their kids away one city over. Amazing how a line drawn in the sand can make all the difference. Name and preception, what a beotch.

Perception people, perception... I'm satisfied with my conclusion of experiencing urban and suburban schools that there is absolutely NO DIFFERENCE.

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snoogit Town

snoogit

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My point being, in comparison, there are those leaving Wyoming because of the schools. Yet Wyoming schools are better than GRPS. It's not like there will be a mass entrondus (opposite of exodus? I think I just made that up) to GR for the schools.

like I said, we shall see :P I hope Taylor can pull it around. as for the word you were looking for is "influx"

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