Downtown Unrecognizable?

[MJLO]

an observation,

People in Grand Rapids have been spoiled with very reasonable real estate prices. The prices one would pay to live in this "verticle gated community", are still less that what one would pay to enter the market in the Phoenix area where I live. Incomes are very near the same per capita. Those living in middle class GR could very much afford it. It is the suburban mindset that perpetuates the area that keeps them out.

[Rizzo]

Another, "downtown unrecognizable," speech in the Letters: http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ss....xml&coll=6

This goes to show that for some people downtown comes with an age appropriate label.

[Rhino6885]

This goes to show that for some people downtown comes with an age appropriate label.

[PetersJH]

Wow. Sodom and Gomorrah. A rather bleak opinion.

[Rhino6885]

I just sent in this response:

In response to the August 31st commentary on how downtown has changed, this class of thought is what is preventing Grand Rapids from shaking the conservative image that it has throughout the region. What has really changed? Some retail business has left, which can be attributed to people like the commentator, who make excuses to take their dollars elsewhere. Sure, more alcohol oriented businesses have opened up, and Blues on the Mall brings a wide array of people who don

[Rizzo]

I just sent in this response:

I hope you don't mind Rizzo--thought it was too good of a quote to not mention.

[wingbert]

Geez man, Gomorrah maybe but Sodom? That's harsh. What's that make Vegas? Satan's formal living room?

[cheshireguy]

That makes me feel as bad as Gary, Indiana.

[GRDadof3]

Sodom and Gomorrah?!! Why do I envision the "Church Lady" from SNL when I read that letter?

http://vids.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseacti...eoID=2019259819

[Rhino6885]

Why do I envision the "Church Lady" from SNL when I read that letter?

[Raildudes dad]

"Garden of Eden" in the 50's -60's? I remember Wurzburgs, SS Kresges etc. I can assure you lower Monroe (Lyon to Michigan) was no Garden of Eden - must be she never went north of Lyon.

[Veloise]

I spoke with the editor earlier. She said that they had a hard time understanding and interpreting the woman's letter--said she was "very elderly."

[Rhino6885]

So...why did they publish it??

[torgo]

While it is understandable that these people long for the good ol' days of family trips to the department stores downtown, the reality is that those kinds of places aren't feasible here, at least not yet. All that was thrown away for our beloved shopping malls and Wal-marts, which was driven in part by people of her generation. I think everyone here would love to see downtown return to the good ol days, where you can go shopping and spend the day there and get everything you need and blah blah blah. The reality is that we aren't there yet, and the "targeting" of "rich" people to move back downtown is the beginning to the strategy to revitalize our downtown. A downtown needs rich people. It needs middle- and lower-class people too, but it seems foolish to me to criticize what is happening downtown because its only for "rich" people. What we are seeing is (hopefully) just the beginning of a re-birth of sorts, not the creation of a rich yuppie "gated community". Just because downtown has changed from what it was, that doesn't mean that it is going to stay the way it is now.

[Rizzo]

I might be wrong in saying this, but hasn't downtown pretty much been a place for wealthy people? I mean if you go by historical reference they've had a slice of downtown since the early days.

[Rhino6885]

GR Press Letters to the Editor

[Libertarian]

I saw this article(link below)

[GR Jackson]

I think anti-gentrification people are less concerned with the leaving of hookers and heroin and more concerned with long time residents who are not involved in bad behavior.

[phan8787]

Fact is GRPS sucks because of poor parenting. how can we expect teachers to teach kids if the parents refuse to push kids and craft them into well behaving students? without my parents, id have been a lil hellian too. so there really is nothing GR or we can do, just hope poeple get their act together. THEN downtown/GR is a viable place for families, tho i think Grand Rapids Christian and other private schools make living in the city better, albeit more expensive, for families.