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Do you have an outline on what would be considered Core Grand Rapids?
I am not a Grand Rapids expert, but I'd roughly put the core like this^. It's not a perfect definition, there's some SFH development in these borders, and some more dense development outside of them. But I'd roughly define the core as Wealthy St. to the south, Leonard St to the north, College Avenue to the east, and Lexington/Seward Ave. in the west. This is at least where I see most of the medium to high density infill projects near the core. If you're looking for a more immediate "downtown" boundary let me know.
Perhaps one of the Grand Rapids folks can give a better definition.
Buffalo's core urban stretch begins downtown and fans out to the north up to the city limits, but there are dense (>10k) neighborhoods in all parts of the city with the exception of industrial stretches south of the Buffalo River, along the lakeshore, and along railroad corridors, primarily on the East Side.
Just the immediate few neighborhoods, starting downtown and fanning out to the north, and staying south of Delaware Park:
There are multiple other neighborhoods of over 10k density that retain "urban" fabric that are not fully contiguous or adjacent to the "core" neighborhoods:
What makes Buffalo interesting is that the density that runs from Downtown to the north through the city spills over into Kenmore/the town of Tonawanda, where Kenmore and select block groups/census tracts in the town of Tonawanda are around/above 10k per square mile. Kenmore itself has a little over 15,000 people in 1.44 square miles and has Elmwood and Delaware Avenues running through it, which connects it with Buffalo neighborhoods/areas like Elmwood Village, Allentown, North Buffalo(Hertel Avenue) and the Delaware District. So, this more dense concentration goes into the suburbs as well.
Buffalo's core urban stretch begins downtown and fans out to the north up to the city limits, but there are dense (>10k) neighborhoods in all parts of the city with the exception of industrial stretches south of the Buffalo River, along the lakeshore, and along railroad corridors, primarily on the East Side.
Just the immediate few neighborhoods, starting downtown and fanning out to the north, and staying south of Delaware Park:
There are multiple other neighborhoods of over 10k density that retain "urban" fabric that are not fully contiguous or adjacent to the "core" neighborhoods:
Based off what you said above, I defined Buffalo's core between the Niagara River and Kensington Freeway west to east, and from Downtown north to 198...
In this area Buffalo has a population of 79,439 in 8.9 square miles of land, for a population density of 8926 ppsm...
They are going to vary. A city of a few hundred thousand people in 1940 is going to have a a much broader urban core and bones than one that was 50-100,000 then and sprawled post war.
Not that I disagree, but why Grand Rapids vs. some others on this list?
IMO what makes GR a standout is a long-standing and concerted effort on behalf of individual and corporate citizens (Steelcase, the DeVos family, Bissell. Universal Forest, et al) to focus on QOL issues within the community. Spend a couple of days there and you'll see what I mean.
IMO what makes GR a standout is a long-standing and concerted effort on behalf of individual and corporate citizens (Steelcase, the DeVos family, Bissell. Universal Forest, et al) to focus on QOL issues within the community. Spend a couple of days there and you'll see what I mean.
From what I've heard, Omaha (which isn't listed on the poll but is a peer of the cities listed) would probably give Grand Rapids a run for its money in that department.
From what I've heard, Omaha (which isn't listed on the poll but is a peer of the cities listed) would probably give Grand Rapids a run for its money in that department.
Sources: I have only been in downtown Louisville (in 2004) and Richmond (in 2022). Granted that puts Louisville at an almost 20-year disadvantage. Still, Richmond definitely felt larger scale, and more urban/walkable. Then again, the two cities were remarkably similar in many regards.
Last edited by g500; 11-22-2023 at 12:18 PM..
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