Mystery Project Redux

[destijl]

I'm disappointed that Geha didn't break this ginormous story!

The subway routes are crazy.

I can't believe the author actually highlighted 44th and Byron Center.

Maybe he has a friend in Ramblewood apartments that uses public transportation

[elcelc]

If you remember the first Faust run-in, WOOD & Geha caught a bit of flak for their coverage but it was somewhat similar. The "facts" that they reported were from Faust and were presented straight with no direct insinuation that the plan was nuts. "It's bigger than an Ikea", "It will employ more people than Disney World", "Construction costs will be more than the rest of Michigan combined"... Those numbers put the project into perspective and I would imagine that most viewers billshut detectors were going off by then. Personally, I thought it was pretty clever, you don't want to insult your sources too early, yet still present it for what it is. Unfortunately, they dragged it out for a week or two when it could have been in a minute.

Columnists, editorials, op-eds and bloggers get to give opinions and speculation. Front page is for facts, good or bad. Believe me, I don't want the media (internet included) telling me what passes my smell test. Imagine if the media alone had decided this plan was bogus and never covered it for fear of looking like idiots. Then imagine the outrage when suddenly construction starts on a hydrogen-solar-hydro-wind-electro funhouse with your tax money. That can happen when you only have to fool a dozen city officials, not the whole city.

Whew, as for the actual Mystery Project sequel, it reminds me of my favorite hockey player, Minnesota Wild forward, Cal Clutterbuck.

[Kib]

Front page is for facts, good or bad. Believe me, I don't want the media (internet included) telling me what passes my smell test.

If that's the standard I guess there should be little objection to a tsunami of alien abduction reports, Bigfoot sightings and "Bat Boy" exploits splattered not in the Op-Ed section, or "Odd News of The Day" column, but right there along side other community doin's...

[Veloise]

If that's the standard I guess there should be little objection to a tsunami of alien abduction reports, Bigfoot sightings and "Bat Boy" exploits splattered not in the Op-Ed section, or "Odd News of The Day" column, but right there along side other community doin's...

I think the readers keep them in line pretty well, although sometimes it's easy to tell when the J-school grads are on holiday and the student interns have been left in charge.

Sarah Palin hasn't appeared on the front page as a filler item for a while (when she was actually in town, she did; that's okay). Several folks pointed out that coverage of 5/3rds mega-colossal food items pushed important news out of their rightful spot. A certain Kent county commissioner will never again hold target practice in close proximity to a small town along US-10.

We still need professional journalists to dig out facts like text messages (thanks again, Pulitzer-winning Freep) and city truck driver traffic records.

[elcelc]

If that's the standard I guess there should be little objection to a tsunami of alien abduction reports, Bigfoot sightings and "Bat Boy" exploits splattered not in the Op-Ed section, or "Odd News of The Day" column, but right there along side other community doin's...

Only when they happen. (insert emoticon with tin-foil hat here) Oddly enough, the earliest newspaper "fails" were the Weekly World News and such. The internet wins hands down in the bigfoot category.

[Kib]

Only when they happen. (insert emoticon with tin-foil hat here) Oddly enough, the earliest newspaper "fails" were the Weekly World News and such. The internet wins hands down in the bigfoot category.

Of course you guys are right, I was just trying to illustrate that, like it or not/believe it or not, there's a "smell test" conducted on virtually every story. I personally think Knape is one of fewer than a handful of journalists in this town that actually shouldn't be ashamed of getting a paycheck for his work. I also don't know if it was his or an editorial decision to go with the initial story as written. I do know when the name "Faust" appeared on the newsroom word processor system, all kinds of lights and sirens should have gone off and a closer look, warts and all, should have included before going to press. Especially considering all the holes found in the proposal by the amazing group of folks here on UP before the ink was even dry on the first story published. You might say hindsight is 20/20, but given what we know about this guy and seeing the same document that the GR Press saw, a little foresight was within journalistic standards in the initial piece.

[RegalTDP]

If you're gonna report it at all, you should be objective about it. My initial beef was why they would even report it... An unnamed source said the proposal was handed to the city, but the city has had zero contact with anyone from Esna about it... I just don't consider that newsworthy. Someone could hand a used Kleenex to the city, but I don't need to see that reported. And a used Kleenex is just as likely to spur shovel-ready projects as this proposal.

[joeDowntown]

I honestly think this is a funny little prank pulled off by someone who wanted to get tongues wagging. Can't wait for the big "gotcha" on April Fools.

Joe

[suydam]

I honestly think this is a funny little prank pulled off by someone who wanted to get tongues wagging. Can't wait for the big "gotcha" on April Fools.

Joe

That would not surprise me at all!

ESNA is out of business, Faust is unavailable, the application is horribly put together using video game graphics... it sounds like a joke.

[Gorath]

Faust was in Grand Rapids before the city commission to answer questions. It's a real proposal and not a prank. Just not a very realistic proposal. (And I was wanting it to be a prank.)

Duane Faust is grilled by Grand Rapids City Commission

Check out the video at the bottom of the press article provided by Fox 17, they give props to you guys here at Urban Planet. I wonder what the investigations in other states is?

[Veloise]

...Check out the video at the bottom of the press article provided by Fox 17, they give props to you guys here at Urban Planet. I wonder what the investigations in other states is?

"We're just not sure what to make of this new plan this time around."

Um... paper airplanes?

[francishsu]

What's curious is that Faust just wants the city to endorse the concept of the plan at this time, like some kind of hypothetical exercise. What's the whole purpose of that? Is there any danger of lawsuit if the city just flat out rejects the concept? I don't understand why he's making this fantasy proposal. I do know it stinks to high heaven.

[GRDadof3]

What's curious is that Faust just wants the city to endorse the concept of the plan at this time, like some kind of hypothetical exercise. What's the whole purpose of that? Is there any danger of lawsuit if the city just flat out rejects the concept? I don't understand why he's making this fantasy proposal. I do know it stinks to high heaven.

He wants to be able to put in his marketing proposal that it's "endorsed by the City of Grand Rapids." It's his modus operandi. He gets these other organizations to all say they're on board, at least conceptually, and then he touts them as full partners on the deal. Then you go back and ask them and they're like "whoa, we're not a partner yet."

[wingbert]

Well you know, there's an old saying in Michigan - I know it's in Texas, probably in Michigan - that says, fool me once, shame on - shame on you. Fool me - you can't get fooled again.

[Veloise]

Here we go again

[gater]

Here we go again

I'm sure it will work...this time.

[OneSweetWorld]

That "rendering" makes me giggle every time.

[GRDadof3]

The fact that the article states that the police department is the largest chuck of the city's general fund...is scary.

[egrguy]

I do not think I realize how massive the development was portayed in that image. That main building appears based on size comparisons to the Marriot hotel seems like 80 stories. What high times those were...

[Allison Slater]

Well it's not really to scale, either. Look at that four storey building in the front and then compare it to the BOB. Even accounting for distance and perspective, that's an awfully tall four storey building.

[GRDadof3]

I do not think I realize how massive the development was portayed in that image. That main building appears based on size comparisons to the Marriot hotel seems like 80 stories. What high times those were...

High is right. When I first saw that design, I thought everyone was smoking something...

[torgo]

The fact that the article states that the police department is the largest chuck of the city's general fund...is scary.

Why? The police department is the largest chunk of every city's general fund.

[x99]

And it's disgusting, really, what we spend on public safety. Wyoming spends HALF what Grand Rapids does on fire services. So far as policing, I found this quote telling, from a May 8, 2012, Fox 17 story: "Belk said he could continue doing what he did this year when about ten officers retired and weren’t replaced. He said the quality of police service hasn’t changed though because they’ve been able to tweak their scheduling." Really? They can "tweak" their schedules and save well over $1 million per year (figuring in salary, benefits, overhead). Why didn't they do that years ago? Answer: We keep giving them the money. Cut out 1/3 to 1/2 of each department's budget, reallocate to parks, lighting, streets, and beautification, and I'll bet a dime to a dollar we'd be a better city for it. The cops can hire a bunch of $30k a year security guards to ride around on 90mpg scooters and direct traffic, and probably do more to prevent crime than they do.

The problem with fantasies like this "mystery project" is the basic economy of the whole thing: The City is so inefficient that it would cost them more money to move than to stay put. Presumably, increased property tax revenues would make up the difference. Does anyone really think that's going to happen? At present, we can't even seem to get the dinky little project at Division and Wealthy going. What makes any sane person think someone would build those ridiculous Burj Khalifa towers on the riverfront (or anything there, for that matter)? Buckets and buckets filled with stupid, that's what.

Why? The police department is the largest chunk of every city's general fund.

[wingbert]

Personally, I have absolutely no problem paying taxes to support the police and fire departments. It's an investment I pray to the good lord I never have to recoup but I sleep easier at night knowing it's there.

[sfloria]

Removing the city property off the river and someday getting the post office off the river would really help create a more pleasureable experience along the river. Especially if the rapids come back, it could really become a destination area. I could image GVSU or housing would be a nice infill in that area with some park land along the river. Maybe even a grocery store!!!