Quote Originally Posted by TTime View Post
I currently spend a lot of time in both downtowns and I'll ha your ha and simply disagree for a few reasons. When one is looking for a downtown experience, what does it matter if you're in corn fields 15 mins away or some suburb? For my money, having access to a pretty country drive that close to downtown rather than being stuck in some suburban traffic is a great thing. As far as downtowns go, GR stands right with Detroit for activity and may surpass it. Also you forgot to mention that when you are 1 minute outside of the areas you noted in Detroit you are in abandoned neighborhoods....quite a different story in GR as the neighborhoods are still intact. One last thing, one town is growing and the other has taken a massive population hit so if you see those people who have been saying GR will surpass Detroit in population you can tip your hat to their prediction because it's getting closer and closer to becoming reality.
I don't know where you guys are driving but if I leave Detroit and drive 20 minutes I can be in Grosse Pointe or in the middle of a cornfield in Romulus. And Grand Rapids traffic sucks as much as here.