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personal introduction


daniel nudnik

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hello everyone,

my name is dan. sometimes I go home to grand rapids, but I am mostly an ann arbor resident now. that being said I think GR is doing more with its urban environment than any other city in michigan, and it's actually doing it right.

I was born and raised in oakland county and I remember when royal oak was the land of 1,000 cheap diners and old people. I think what they've done with downtown looks okay, but it makes me sick that the whole place is marketed exclusively to rich people and every new building they erect is quickly filled with chain-store tenants.

grand rapids is superior because so many of the projects (dwelling place on division, loft conversions south of the arena) are affordable, locally designed and built by and for small business, and aimed at attracting the MIX of people necessary to create a well-rounded community. nowhere else in michigan is creative urban planning employed so conscientiously. in fact the elitist, big-business quality of new urbanist projects in ann arbor, royal oak, and elsewhere in SE michigan turns people off more than it inspires. unless of course their bank accounts are big enough to enjoy a high-priced loft condominium built on top of an old coney island.

I have spoken the mayor and I believe he knows exactly what he's doing.

I'm excited to see everything on this board, and I'm grateful that it exists in the first place.

Hi.

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Welcome aboard Dan! It's good to have other like minded people in this group. I too agree that Grand Rapids is doing a great job with redeveloping the urban core. I think it partly comes from the large number of giving philanthropists we have as well as the cooperative efforts of the private and public sector. I hope it continues!

Again, glad to have someone else to share thoughts with. :)

Joe

hello everyone,

my name is dan. sometimes I go home to grand rapids, but I am mostly an ann arbor resident now. that being said I think GR is doing more with its urban environment than any other city in michigan, and it's actually doing it right.

I was born and raised in oakland county and I remember when royal oak was the land of 1,000 cheap diners and old people. I think what they've done with downtown looks okay, but it makes me sick that the whole place is marketed exclusively to rich people and every new building they erect is quickly filled with chain-store tenants.

grand rapids is superior because so many of the projects (dwelling place on division, loft conversions south of the arena) are affordable, locally designed and built by and for small business, and aimed at attracting the MIX of people necessary to create a well-rounded community. nowhere else in michigan is creative urban planning employed so conscientiously. in fact the elitist, big-business quality of new urbanist projects in ann arbor, royal oak, and elsewhere in SE michigan turns people off more than it inspires. unless of course their bank accounts are big enough to enjoy a high-priced loft condominium built on top of an old coney island.

I have spoken the mayor and I believe he knows exactly what he's doing.

I'm excited to see everything on this board, and I'm grateful that it exists in the first place.

Hi.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

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