What's the deal with the "Golden Triangle?"

[zenstyle]

Here's what's nice:

* Many dog-owners! (Always a plus.)

* The McMansions sit on appropriate-sized lots...none of this right-up-to-the-lot-line business.

*No overhead wires or poles. Everything's buried (the way it oughta be everywhere!) which really cleans up and beautifies the landscape.

* Almost every dog-owning home has an invisible electric fence. Big Bowser comes barking up to the lot line and no farther when you pass by. I'm always impressed when those things work!

The not-so-nice:

*No curbs.

*No sidewalks.

*SUV-intensive housing.

*No public trashcans---anywhere!

*No benches or public seating for weary walkers.

*Hardly anyone else walking or enjoying the neighborhood by foot or bicycle.

*(Sigh)...the too-new homes. You can practically smell the off-gassing from the street.

What might it take to get some bare-bones public amenities in that area? Educate me.

[Grand Rapidian]

Can I ask what you are talking about?

[tamias6]

As long as I've lived in the area, I've never heard of this "golden triangle".

[Khorasaurus]

You're talking about the weird triangular area of GR township that's surrounded on three sides by the city and EGR and is part of the EGR school district? I think the issue is that it's part of the township, so there aren't as many public amenities and the zoning codes aren't as strict.

[zenstyle]

Can I ask what you are talking about?

[Sailor]

It's called "golden" because homeowners get to use East Grand Rapids public schools but pay Grand Rapids Township property taxes.

I live about a block north of the triangle, and I agree that sidewalks and benches would be nice. It's such a great residential area, with attractive houses and big old trees, but because going for a walk means walking in the street, it's like playing live-action Frogger any time I leave the house.

[suydam]

It's called "golden" because homeowners get to use East Grand Rapids public schools but pay Grand Rapids Township property taxes.

I live about a block north of the triangle, and I agree that sidewalks and benches would be nice. It's such a great residential area, with attractive houses and big old trees, but because going for a walk means walking in the street, it's like playing live-action Frogger any time I leave the house.

[joeDowntown]

If you look at the "Golden Triangle", there are a lot of really nice "EGR style" houses. I don't think of it as an area of McMansions, but it doesn't have the walkability of the rest of EGR, so you'd still have to get in your car and drive everywhere.

[AvtpeasK]

I recently went to visit some friends that built a house there in the golden triangle. It was BEAUTIFUL, that area is just great.

[Quercus]

I think "golden triangle" is also a phrase used by those hoping to see Grand Rapids, Grand Haven, and Holland connected by light rail of some sort.

[PR-15]

I believe "golden triangle" was also enthusiatically employed by commercial realtors when developing the higher end shops along East Paris where Daniels/Bone Fish Grill is located...

It referred to it's "prime" location between EGR, Ada/Cascade as well as the southern growth areas of Kentwood/Caledonia.

Not sure how much gold is up in them thar hills...but there ya go...