Sustaining the construction momentum

[gvsusean]

i know of a few VERY wealthy families in the area.

to sustain growth we need more public buildings, i.e. museums, zoo's (improvements), a stadium, and my personal fav. an aquarium!!

[localtalent]

localtalent, this thread is michaelskis', and I think he is looking for positive ideas of how to keep the momentum going, not look for just another opportunity to bash city hall. A poorly done project on the riverfront parcel could KILL downtown Grand Rapids for many many years. I'm not going to take a chance on a guy who can't pay his current bills, and the city would be negligent for doing the same.

This thread belongs to no one. Michaelskis simply initiated the discussion.

The topic of discussion was "what will it take to sustain the current construction boom".

I responded with my opinion. You can disagree with it all you want, but it is on-topic.

[twoshort]

<blah blah blah>

Are we going to have to separate you ladies?

[localtalent]

Are we going to have to separate you ladies?

Not that I know of....I'm just putting together the invitation for GRDad to meet me at the bike racks after school.

[PBJ]

Are we going to have to separate you ladies?

[Ted]

What else can be done to promote and encourage more and continuous development for downtown?

Relentlessly support your local businesses...

[michaelskis]

I think that there are some very important concerns mentioned here. While I am not a fan of Bashing City Hall (being a municipal employee in another city myself) I think that they are just responding to what is presented before them. While I don

[grrwymg]

Not that I know of....I'm just putting together the invitation for GRDad to meet me at the bike racks after school.

ahh the bike racks. The idjits in my school tended to do it off school property ...

Alas, I am dragging us OT now.

[GRDadof3]

Not that I know of....I'm just putting together the invitation for GRDad to meet me at the bike racks after school.

Bring it on!! I get red.

OK, I'm done. I'm not being a very good mod.

[kives1985]

I read this website everyday, but I think this my first time posting. Anyways, I think if Grand Rapids had a better public school system, and if Grand Rapidians weren't so unhealthy(Fat and Angry) then I am sure Grand Rapids would be a more attractive city to developers. I don't know the stats on higher education, but I think Grand Rapids does pretty well in that area. Urban Sprawl is a pretty bad problem too, Grand Rapids is pretty sprawling. IF the Grand River smelled better too, I think that would help. Wasn't Grand Rapids in the top fifty angriest cities? I heard that somewhere. There are a lot of heart attacks in Grand Rapids.

[Rizzo]

Those top 50 lists only are used to sell mags at the supermarket checkout -- or so I'm told

I continue to wonder why people say the river stinks, is it me have I been so used to that I just block it out of my conscious mind?!

[CK1]

It is kind of sad that posts (this thread and the dozens of others w/ Van Andel and DeVos mentioned) saying that we need to "move on" from the greatest benefactors that West Michigan has seen and maybe ever will see keep popping up. To be honest, I think we are leagues ahead of where we would have been, having the Alticor families, Meijers, etc. putting THEIR money into THEIR hometowns instead of having east and west coasters coming in and sqeezing every penny possible out of Grand Rapids. The new JW Marriott could have been another square building on the riverfront, but instead Alticor voluntarily added costs to the project to make it look the way it does - and GR benefitted. Tens of millions has been poured into the GRAM and Medical Hill, neither of which will return money to the pockets of the donors - but GR benefitted. While the Gates and Buffets of the world are shelling out mucho bucks to help other countries and peoples improve their lives (of course, all good causes and intentions), West Michigan family's have decided to give their money to improve OUR lives and the city that we all live in and around.

I could go on and on with examples, but the point is we have a solid handful of BILLIONAIRES living amongst us who are generous above and beyond the call of duty. It is THEIR money that is being given away, for our benefit. I hear a lot of negative connotation regarding the generosity bestowed upon us - I hope that this is not the intention, as we are extremely fortunate to have these good people amongst us.

[tamias6]

I read this website everyday, but I think this my first time posting. Anyways, I think if Grand Rapids had a better public school system, and if Grand Rapidians weren't so unhealthy(Fat and Angry) then I am sure Grand Rapids would be a more attractive city to developers. I don't know the stats on higher education, but I think Grand Rapids does pretty well in that area. Urban Sprawl is a pretty bad problem too, Grand Rapids is pretty sprawling. IF the Grand River smelled better too, I think that would help. Wasn't Grand Rapids in the top fifty angriest cities? I heard that somewhere. There are a lot of heart attacks in Grand Rapids.

Grand Rapids is not the only place I've called home in my lifetime. When it comes to tempers, Grand Rapids is a city full of Care Bears compared to the hotheaded cities I've live in before moving here. That's a part of the reason I've stayed in GR for 20 years. One can't ask for a bunch of nicer people than here.

You want tempers try Hampton, VA circa 1980.

[egrguy]

I dont know much about Grand Action, but I would think the easiest way to start there (not sure if they openly accept new members), or most other places is to start as a volunteer and go from there.

Also, GRguy stated, that the city is at a crest, which is possible, however, with many projects still slated for construction over the next three years, I don't think we've peaked, especially with the continual growth of GVSU & the entire Med Hill/VAI/MSU complex.

[GRDadof3]

I read this website everyday, but I think this my first time posting. Anyways, I think if Grand Rapids had a better public school system, and if Grand Rapidians weren't so unhealthy(Fat and Angry) then I am sure Grand Rapids would be a more attractive city to developers. I don't know the stats on higher education, but I think Grand Rapids does pretty well in that area. Urban Sprawl is a pretty bad problem too, Grand Rapids is pretty sprawling. IF the Grand River smelled better too, I think that would help. Wasn't Grand Rapids in the top fifty angriest cities? I heard that somewhere. There are a lot of heart attacks in Grand Rapids.

Obviously the smell of the Grand River did not stop JW Marriott from putting their brand on the new hotel. I was down at the river all morning today, and yes, it smells......like fish. It's a natural river, what should it smell like? There are other smells downtown when the wind is just right, but that's not the river. It may be the water treatment plant along Market.

jdkacz, I don't think people are advocating that the Amway families not invest any more in downtown, but to expand more off of what they have done. I think their scope of projects do not cover the full spectrum of what could be built downtown, such as more mixed use or a large retail component.

[tamias6]

I dont know much about Grand Action, but I would think the easiest way to start there (not sure if they openly accept new members), or most other places is to start as a volunteer and go from there.

Also, GRguy stated, that the city is at a crest, which is possible, however, with many projects still slated for construction over the next three years, I don't think we've peaked, especially with the continual growth of GVSU & the entire Med Hill/VAI/MSU complex.

I'm agreeing with your statement esp. when comes to Pill Hill. The city has made efforts to become a regional Life Sciences hub. So the construction we're seeing there now is just the begininng.