[GAisGreat]

Originally Posted by Jennster31

White people are becoming the minority however. My daughter attends the Holland Public schools and she is one of few white kids. Spanish is the second language. Good luck in your search. We are moving to Florida where there is a ton of jobs!

I'll give you the economy, jobs, business opportunities, etc. that Florida easily beats MI...but if the Spanish, minority thing is an issue, then you are DEFINATELY going in the wrong direction heading to Florida.

[Wabbit]

There is such a disconnect between the optimism of Grand Rapids and the pessimism of Detroit that it's not surprising we don't view Michigan in the same way. When you put Michigan's current economy in historical perspective you realize how low our tolerance for adversity has become.
London was bombed to obliteration by the Nazis for 60 days straight and yet they came back strong in relatively short order. -All thanks to that 'Stiff upper lip' thread, no doubt.
That's what makes some of the comments on this forum so amusing.
Many of you have described Michigan as a "Dead State" "Never coming back" "Decades from a turn around". Hate to throw some sunshine on your parade but we're already starting to turn the corner over here.
Local-Sorta-Gripe:
I do wish G.R had chosen to make a bolder statement with the design of the Art Museum. A real artistic eye-catcher in the middle of the city (a'la the Sydney Opera house) would have gone a long way in changing the buttoned up perception of the city. At least it's LEED gold.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Jennster31

We live in Holland, michigan. Have been for over 30 years. If you don't mind the snow, cold, pot holes, Orange barrels on the highways alot of times, and little job opportunity then it's perfect. There have been a unbelievable amount of lay-offs. Businesses are crashing or sending it to other countries. I own a business and used to be flourishing, now I'm closing it. I've seen alot of businesses around here shut down. It's quite sad. Otherwise it is a nice town. White people are becoming the minority however. My daughter attends the Holland Public schools and she is one of few white kids. Spanish is the second language. Good luck in your search. We are moving to Florida where there is a ton of jobs!

Yikes! Apparently racism is alive and well in Michigan. If there was one thing we could change about our current school system where our kids go, we wish it were more diverse.

Wabbit, I like the new art museum. I know a lot of people don't, but I think has so many interesting details to it, and those three lights on the top I think will be cool at night.

You guys are right, I should have let sleeping dogs lie and left this thread to move to the 3rd or 4th page. If I "dare" to post pretty pictures again, I'll just start a new separate topic.

Si? Comprende?

[Wabbit]

Magellan,
The lights on top save it.
I just think a museum should be a piece of art in itself and unless we're talking Scandanavian furniture or BauHaus, it just feels a bit too rational, functional and safe for my tastes. -And as a second generation Danish-American I know my boxy furniture!
To be fair, I think I would like the design quite a bit if it were in a different city but G.R is in such desperate need of a unique 'signiture' building downtown that I'm a little disappointed. I mean, even Detroit has the RenCen.
And while I'm at it. Those 'Spirit of Solidarity' figures are doing, um...What?
It's the thought that counts, I guess.

[magellan]

Originally Posted by Wabbit

Magellan,
The lights on top save it.
I just think a museum should be a piece of art in itself and unless we're talking Scandanavian furniture or BauHaus, it just feels a bit too rational, functional and safe for my tastes. -And as a second generation Danish-American I know my boxy furniture!
To be fair, I think I would like the design quite a bit if it were in a different city but G.R is in such desperate need of a unique 'signiture' building downtown that I'm a little disappointed. I mean, even Detroit has the RenCen.
And while I'm at it. Those 'Spirit of Solidarity' figures are doing, um...What?
It's the thought that counts, I guess.

Yuck, sorry wabbit, I think the Ren Cen is horrible architecture. It will always look like it's stuck in the 70's and 80's, no matter how much money they sink into it. If we ever get one proposed here in GR, I might just have to think about moving. I agree that we could use some iconic structures, but a Liebeskind type structure right in the city center I think would have ruined one of the best pedestrian areas in downtown. I think the new art museum will look very inviting from Monroe Center and Rosa Parks Circle once it's finished. Just my $.02.