  Dbest Member Username: Dbest Post Number: 101 Registered: 03-2007 |
Well with all the doom and gloom surrounding the state its nice to see our second largest city is taking large steps in the process of reshaping their image. Heres the article: http://money.cnn.com/galleries /2008/moneymag/0805/gallery.re sg_gainers.moneymag/8.html | ||
Rustic Member Username: Rustic Post Number: 3247 Registered: 10-2003 |
The sad state of our national real estate market is that a projected 1.9% gain for next year (likely NOT inflation adjusted AND coming off of a 3% drop this year) puts GR at 8th on this list ... Yikes! | ||
Vas Member Username: Vas Post Number: 899 Registered: 01-2004 |
GRapids is pretty nice place. Too sterile for me, but a lot of nice joints and good people. The religious freaks are mainly in the suburbs. Nice neighborhoods. | ||
Bob Member Username: Bob Post Number: 1801 Registered: 11-2003 |
Yes, GR is a great town that is working hard to improve and redevelop itself. And they are working on getting light rail faster than we are. | ||
Mrsjdaniels Member Username: Mrsjdaniels Post Number: 904 Registered: 08-2005 |
hubby is from GRap...he said he wouldn't move back but I could live there if we had no other choice :-) and were moving back to Michigan...or Ann Arbor | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 529 Registered: 07-2007 |
If you haven't been through GR in a few years, you would be surprised by the amount of new development in the downtown area. We're talking high-rise offices, GVSU campus downtown and lots of new medical-related development. The DeVos/VanAndel branding on everything gets kind of old but they must have had some role in the new convention center. It's one of the few places I've seen cranes on the skyline in Michigan in recent times. | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 2165 Registered: 09-2007 |
If we keep it up, Grand Rapids will be Michigan's new center.  | ||
Accraghana Member Username: Accraghana Post Number: 95 Registered: 07-2007 |
Novine...you are correct. Here is a photo from Urban Planet. http://farm3.static.flickr.com /2257/2498477588_0e10a2e53b_o. jpg | ||
Gianni Member Username: Gianni Post Number: 362 Registered: 05-2004 |
I spent Saturday night/Sunday morning in GR and was quite impressed. A lot of new development, but also a lot of the old historic structures seem to be preserved. There is a really nice river walk on both sides of the Grand River with a couple of pedestrian bridges. It looks like mostly Amway money. There were people (not very many) fishing -- even fly fishing -- in the Grand River although I didn't see anyone catching anything. On the other hand, it was pretty dead Saturday night and especially Sunday morning, and it looked like at least half of the "new" development consisted of parking structures. My guess is that GR has suffered from sprawl, like Detroit, but doesn't have the racial issues, because it is almost all white. | ||
Accraghana Member Username: Accraghana Post Number: 96 Registered: 07-2007 |
On the contrary….it does have its racial issues just like the Detroit area. I lived there for a while and can give testimony. The difference between Detroit racial problems and Grand Rapids is that black is not essentially synonymous with the city proper. In other words, one cannot, if they desired, bash the city of Grand Rapids as a code word or euphemism for bashing black people, like is the case of Detroit. Grand Rapids geographic version of “Detroit” is its inner South East side of town. Today its taboo to overtly bash black people and the Grand Rapids area does not have a substitute term, in the form of a city, which allows people to essentially do the same thing. | ||
Gianni Member Username: Gianni Post Number: 363 Registered: 05-2004 |
Interesting, Accraghana. Like I said that was just my "guess" based on my limited observations. In a way though you confirm my impression. GR like a lot of other places (including Chicago and Milwaukee) has racial segregation, like Detroit. But because, unlike Detroit, the "dividing line" is within the city rather than the city boundary itself, those cities as a whole have not suffered as much as Detroit, although the segregated neighborhoods have many of the same problems. Interesting, too, that even though it is Michigan's second largest city, we hear very little about GR here in Detroit. | ||
Dds Member Username: Dds Post Number: 628 Registered: 10-2006 |
quote: Seemed pretty hopping to me this past weekend, especially with the Arena Football crowds Friday and the graduation crowds on Saturday, plus the 5000 or so folks at Fifth-Third park for a Whitecaps game. | ||
Bob Member Username: Bob Post Number: 1804 Registered: 11-2003 |
How busy downtown GR is depends on what events are going on. If there is a convention at DeVos place, something at VanAndel Arena, or something at the Amway Grand, it was be pretty lively. | ||
Rb336 Member Username: Rb336 Post Number: 6271 Registered: 02-2007 |
What gets me is that GR billboard on I-75 - something about urban beat and lakeside retreat -- since when was GR on the lake? | ||
Dds Member Username: Dds Post Number: 629 Registered: 10-2006 |
quote: Sounds just like Detroit to me. | ||
Detroitrise Member Username: Detroitrise Post Number: 2171 Registered: 09-2007 |
Well if you want to get technical, the Grand River runs through town and they have several "small" lakes in the city. | ||
Accraghana Member Username: Accraghana Post Number: 97 Registered: 07-2007 |
GR proper is not on the lake but the Metro area of Grand Rapids includes pats of the lake shore (lake michigan). Its like metro beach is not part of Detroit proper...but it is an attraction of Metropolitan Detroit. People sell or market a region based upon the principle city of that region. It does not mean that all that is being marketed, using the name of a city, is found in the city limits of that City. | ||
Young_detroiter Member Username: Young_detroiter Post Number: 220 Registered: 08-2004 |
Is GR stealing our thunder? lol... It is nice to see more Michigan cities gaining positive attention in spite of the unattractive economy. I noted how Edward's endorsement of Obama took place there. I found that interesting, although it was probably done because of their Republican strong-hold. Moreover, the region is growing, and their Latino population is significant. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 483 Registered: 03-2008 |
My Uncle has been telling me I need to get out and see Grand Rapids for years. He thinks I'm crazy for putting my eggs in the Detroit basket instead of the Grand Rapids basket. Honestly, I think it had a lot to do with ease of entry. But also, I kind of think Detroit is more of a ground zero type place. A lot of my grander business ideas will get much more publicity in Detroit than they would have in Grand Rapids. Though, I would probably be making more money initially in Grand Rapids. It's a slightly more forgiving environment from what I hear. Still, I think the solutions we finally all come up with in Detroit will be able to be applied in other Michigan cities. Cities such as Saginaw, Flint, Pontiac, and even areas of Grand Rapids. Not sure if everyone knows exactly what I mean. In my opinion, Detroit is the place to be. Grand Rapids is a nice place to though. Time will tell if I'm right. Flint I know little about, but really would like to learn more about all aspects of that city eventually. Saginaw on the other hand is interesting. It's almost like a mini Detroit in my view. However, like Grand Rapids, that dividing line is in city proper (I think). Sprawl appears to be a newer phenomena up there. You can be downtown and drive only a few miles and be out in the country. That is sadly changing all to quickly though. One thing I love about people from these other cities is their view of Detroit. They hear that the city has gotten better and believe it. They are so willing to give it another chance. Many of the young simply never even heard how bad it was. I love showing them Detroit (as I now have many family and friends from these areas). It's actually gotten to the point where I don't have to explain why downtown looks like a war zone... because it doesn't anymore. It's beautiful now. And being from cities that look worse, abandoned buildings don't phase them a whole lot. They act like such tourists too (I mean that in a good way). You guys should hear my fiancee tell people she's moving to Downtown Detroit. There is no rude remarks and harassing banter. Her Mom even brags that her daughter is moving to the big city to chase her dreams. Some of her friends are actually (supposedly) saving to move too. Her sister has even moved to Canton. Unfortunately she chose there because it's where she could find a job. Even so, something amazing has been happening around there. It seems like almost weekly that a bunch of her co-workers (and her) do a big trip to Greektown or another big restaurant followed by a stop and the new Woodhouse Spa. Her parents also can't wait for our new place to be done so they can come visit and go to Tiger games and the casinos (they love MGM and Caesars Windsor). A funny thing is how they talk about their own cities though. It's horrible. They are as afraid of their home cities in Michigan as our suburbanites are of Detroit. I wounder why this happens. Anyway, I wish you guys where able to experience this. There are definitely changes happening in Detroit. Not all of us can see it yet, but I can all but promise you it is. Unfortunately (BTW) that Canton employer can't move. It belongs on the fringes as a big part of their business is a farm. It belongs in Canton... LOL. Don't get discouraged by all the building still going on in Canton, and all the business moving out to Wixom. It's still bad, but we are doing GREAT when you take a step back and remember where we (actually, I'm new to the fight. I should say you and not we) started, and how far we've come. Sorry, to all the people who love bad news. I just really wanted to say that. I hope Grand Rapids keeps doing good and improving. Remember, we can't wish bad on the other Michigan Cities. At least, I think we want them ALL to come back. That's why Detroit and Grand Rapids is so important. What works here is what we will use in these other places. The folks at Open City said it best. I agree. I feel a zeitgeist in the air. Change is quietly sneaking in. Even if we can't all see it now. Know that it's happening. I've seen it. I know I'm not even the only one too. Join us! We need all the help we can get to keep this going. __________Topic Break/Change__________ I am going to suggest that all of us need to change our strategy. My fiance's grand father started a tiny fast food chain in Bay City (Mr. Hot Dog). Apparently they are about to go out of business. It is well run, but can't stay afloat in this depressed economy. Likewise, the nice people and Schostak own many of the fast food restaurants in the "good areas" of Saginaw (they own all the Burger Kings in Michigan I do believe). They are closing restaurants left and right. Others in this area are facing the same fate. Also, many people saving to open a start up will not survive up here. Why? Well, there are simply to many of them, and were never very profitable to begin with. Saginaw and our suburbs are over served. To much competition, and to many entrepreneurs with not enough customers. On the other hand, we have a major city just two hours or less that is under served. This is why I am spewing all this crud about knowing people who would relocate their businesses to Detroit. They are Leary though. They know they will need help dealing with the red tape, and need people to guide them and help with the risk. But I'm not going to lead people into Hell with n no guidance (Hell being the red tape and corrupt government and high crime). This is why I say we need to change our strategy. Convincing people to move to Detroit is quickly becoming easier. The issue is keeping them here. We need (in my opinion) to spend more resources and actions towards retention and problem solving. This is possibly the hardest part of the fight. But it must be done. If you really want to help save Detroit, here's where to start. This is where we need to share our solutions openly, and help anyone taking these issues head on. The issues are to big for anyone to even try to do it on there own. United we stand... you know how it goes. After this is done, then we can spend time getting new residents and such. Not an original idea, I know. But there are so many new additions to this fight... and it's so easy to forget. It is something that needs to be repeated regularly. To many people still don't seem to understand this. Maybe if they understand what is going on, then maybe they will stay and help. Am I wrong about this? I really am not sure. Am I? Please let me know your thoughts. Please add to this. | ||
Young_detroiter Member Username: Young_detroiter Post Number: 221 Registered: 08-2004 |
Some say, "as Detroit goes, so goes Michigan," and this is largely true. Yet it is a pleasure to see other cities, particularly Ann Arbor and Grand Rapids complementing Detroit and the state in their own unique way. Metro Detroit is the powerhouse of the state, having half of the state's population. Nevertheless, all Michiganders must embrace Detroit as their own. They have an entitlement to work, visit, and/or live in the city just as much as a Detroit native. Moreover, I have always said that the more diverse this city becomes culturally, economically, etc, the closer we become to reclaiming our World Class status. Sean of Detroit, Welcome to the forum (and to the city)! It is great that you are taking part in the renaissance and rebirth of the Paris of the Midwest. Sharing positive words with your family and friends benefits them and all of us in this city. | ||
Sean_of_detroit Member Username: Sean_of_detroit Post Number: 528 Registered: 03-2008 |
Thank you! | ||
Novine Member Username: Novine Post Number: 537 Registered: 07-2007 |
GR has a lot of sprawl. The M-6 beltway south of the city has generated a lot of new sprawling development along the interchanges. But there seems to be an understanding that there's significant downsides to all of that sprawl. Like Detroit, GR has its own set of inner and outer suburbs and you're seeing the same debates about allowing more sprawl versus focusing development back into the more urbanized areas. |
