Grand Rapids, Michigan

[DetroitSky]

I was in Grand Rapids over this past weekend. Enjoy:



















































































Thanks for viewing

[smArTaLlone]

I'm always impressed with Grand Rapids. Thanks for sharing.

[whatsthepoint13]

Michigan's second city looking fine as usual. Thanks!

[Yorkie]

Yes, it is looking Grand indeed..

[mousquet]

Good thread! The downtown looks in shape and inviting. That's how entire Detroit has to be.

However, you guys may have seen that video.

"The Grand Rapids LipDub Video was filmed May 22nd (of 2011), with 5,000 people, and involved a major shutdown of downtown Grand Rapids, which was filled with marching bands, parades, weddings, motorcades, bridges on fire, and helicopter take offs. It is the largest and longest LipDub video, to date.

This video was created as an official response to the Newsweek article calling Grand Rapids a "dying city." We disagreed strongly, and wanted to create a video that encompasses the passion and energy we all feel is growing exponentially, in this great city. We felt Don McLean's "American Pie," a song about death, was in the end, triumphant and filled to the brim with life and hope." - Rob Bliss, Director & Executive Producer

*Note: The "NEW WORLD RECORD" designation refers to size and scope, not duration. Storyboards and concept art by Greg Oberle.

• Video Link

http://www.youtube.com/user/sefllc

That's 'cute' and strange at the same time... They couldn't do such a thing in New York.
Allez, Michigan! mm!?

[simms3_redux]

For a smaller city I feel like I could live in Grand Rapids and be happy. It looks very pleasant, clean and has good bones.

[MolsonExport]

Excellent. More rehabilitated than I would have expected.

[Hill Country]

Grand Rapids wasn't quite as dependent on the auto industry as the rest of the state. It has been hurt by the slowdown in manufacturing in general over the last few decades, but the city leaders have done an excellent job moving the economy towards health care and medical research. The city has also done a pretty good job of stabilizing old neighborhoods and not letting blight take hold like elsewhere in the state. This has not been easy considering that the city proper population has been stagnant for around 50 years.

[tallboy66]

Looks good but I expected a little more foot traffic.

[Centropolis]

nice, good looking downtown!

[fern]

Cool little city

[DetroitSky]

Thanks everyone for the comments!

[Boreal]

Grand Rapids is neat looking place. Very nice.

[atlantaguy]

Thanks so much, DetroitSky.

I love Grand Rapids - one of my favorite mid-sized metro's in the country. A great Downtown with excellent bones, that also happens to be in quite an attractive region (I have always loved Western Michigan since I was a kid in Ohio).

I'm married to someone from the area, so seeing it as an adult gives me a totally fresh perspective that only makes me like it even more now.

[pEte fiSt iN Ur fAce]

Always pleasantly surprised by GR. I haven't been around Michigan much but it would seem to be its finest city...sorry Detroit.

[edsg25]

very nice thread. i think it helps illustrate something that a lot of people are not aware of:

western Michigan has by and large escaped the economic ills of other parts of the state. east of that region, going across the state, I'd say there are far more cities that have had major economic woes, with the obvious exception of Ann Arbor.

western Michigan cities like Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek seem to be doing pretty well.

[toyota74]

Nice and clean.

[fishrose]

Originally Posted by edsg25

very nice thread. i think it helps illustrate something that a lot of people are not aware of:

western Michigan has by and large escaped the economic ills of other parts of the state. east of that region, going across the state, I'd say there are far more cities that have had major economic woes, with the obvious exception of Ann Arbor.

western Michigan cities like Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, and Battle Creek seem to be doing pretty well.

Battle Creek hasn't been doing well since the early '90s, really...

[beyondtheforest]

Originally Posted by Hill Country

This has not been easy considering that the city proper population has been stagnant for around 50 years.

Stagnant is good (and rare) in the rust-belt, where many major cities have seen their populations decline by more than 50%.

[Thundertubs]

Great tour. I've been to the GrR three times, for a total of about a week. It's a nice little city.