Comments on: The New Gaslight Village http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/ Weekly videos created by Josh Leo Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:19:42 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.0.1 by: Joe http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-60145 Sun, 29 Jul 2007 21:24:33 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-60145 I agree ! Seems like a sad attempt at revitalization. They should level the whole place and just let everybody shop on 28 St. This is what happens when you choose the wrong people to spend public money and award contracts. That fountain is so sad. I agree ! Seems like a sad attempt at revitalization. They should level the whole place and just let everybody shop on 28 St. This is what happens when you choose the wrong people to spend public money and award contracts. That fountain is so sad.

]]> by: Marie http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-54954 Tue, 03 Jul 2007 14:42:09 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-54954 yeah the whole thing is just kinda ugly when you put it all together...jacobson's was wayy better than this. no stores can even survive anymore cause rent is to high. i have gotten used to the sculptures but still would rather not have them. the other side of the street with roses and foo yen is fine i like that side, but it doesnt go together with the other new buildings yeah the whole thing is just kinda ugly when you put it all together…jacobson’s was wayy better than this. no stores can even survive anymore cause rent is to high. i have gotten used to the sculptures but still would rather not have them. the other side of the street with roses and foo yen is fine i like that side, but it doesnt go together with the other new buildings

]]> by: Steve http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-15033 Fri, 20 Oct 2006 13:56:41 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-15033 Imagine what these same critics would be saying if this project had taken a different turn. No clashing colors, no controversial sculpture, and everything built to match the buildings across the street. I can hear them now: "The colors are all the same, just like the boring strip malls you see in suburbia. What a mistake to try and match everything and imitate the look and feel of the old buildings across the street with new construction -- fake, fake fake! Why couldn't they put in some original artwork instead of that boring sculpture of President Ford? East Grand Rapids is so averse to risk and this shows a total lack of imagination." By the way -- the sidewalks and pavement surrounding the fountain are heated for snow melt, so you can quit worrying about snow plows hitting the pianos. And the fountain is not in the middle of a traffic circle, this isn't even a road you are looking at in the video -- it's a parking lot! I would wager a large sum of money that each one of those brass pianos (which are bolted in to concrete) will outlast every single person who has commented here. Imagine what these same critics would be saying if this project had taken a different turn. No clashing colors, no controversial sculpture, and everything built to match the buildings across the street. I can hear them now: “The colors are all the same, just like the boring strip malls you see in suburbia. What a mistake to try and match everything and imitate the look and feel of the old buildings across the street with new construction — fake, fake fake! Why couldn’t they put in some original artwork instead of that boring sculpture of President Ford? East Grand Rapids is so averse to risk and this shows a total lack of imagination.”

By the way — the sidewalks and pavement surrounding the fountain are heated for snow melt, so you can quit worrying about snow plows hitting the pianos. And the fountain is not in the middle of a traffic circle, this isn’t even a road you are looking at in the video — it’s a parking lot! I would wager a large sum of money that each one of those brass pianos (which are bolted in to concrete) will outlast every single person who has commented here.

]]> by: Daryl http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-14367 Mon, 02 Oct 2006 15:41:31 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-14367 Woah. You didn't ever come by the Lakeside house I lived in I think, but we lived just a block north of Gaslight Village - and it appears that it has changed considerably since those days when I rode my bike through several times a week. I'm not sure what I think of all the changes, but I think you're right about it all clashing. Anyways, nice video and whatnot. If it were up to me, you would win the Oscar - but you probably wouldn't like being famous. Hope all is well with you. Woah. You didn’t ever come by the Lakeside house I lived in I think, but we lived just a block north of Gaslight Village - and it appears that it has changed considerably since those days when I rode my bike through several times a week. I’m not sure what I think of all the changes, but I think you’re right about it all clashing. Anyways, nice video and whatnot. If it were up to me, you would win the Oscar - but you probably wouldn’t like being famous. Hope all is well with you.

]]> by: Nathan Miller http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-14059 Thu, 21 Sep 2006 13:39:22 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-14059 Well, at the beginning of the video I was immediately taken back to Elkhart IN (the buildings resembled downtown Elkhart in my mind, as I spent my first 7 years in that area), however as the story moved on...I found I begin to feel stabbed repeatedly...who was in charge? The we make an eye-sore of town department??? Well, at the beginning of the video I was immediately taken back to Elkhart IN (the buildings resembled downtown Elkhart in my mind, as I spent my first 7 years in that area), however as the story moved on…I found I begin to feel stabbed repeatedly…who was in charge? The we make an eye-sore of town department???

]]> by: Nate http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13994 Tue, 19 Sep 2006 17:12:44 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13994 Wow. We're not in Michigan any more . . . I think everyone saw something slightly dirty about the sculpture . . . they were just too afraid to admit it on camera. Kudos to vagina-boy! The weirdest thing about the whole thing is the choice of location. I don't think it's so much the non-matching Seussical vagina sculpture and fountain thing, but more of the Grand Rapids trying to push itself into something it's not. If East GR wants to have a "Gaslight Village," then maybe it should sit back for five minutes and think about what "Gaslight" really means--how is it historically significant that the place is still known as the gaslight village? How can it use <em>that</em> history to its advantage? How is it even "useful" to the village? It seems like they should have looked at other civic projects like the Fred Meijer Gardens, or the Rosa Parks Circle / Band Shell / Ice Skating Rink . . . Instead, we get a scene straight from "Who Framed Roger Rabbit?". So where did the money for this project come from? De Vos or Van Andel? Wow. We’re not in Michigan any more . . .

I think everyone saw something slightly dirty about the sculpture . . . they were just too afraid to admit it on camera. Kudos to vagina-boy!

The weirdest thing about the whole thing is the choice of location. I don’t think it’s so much the non-matching Seussical vagina sculpture and fountain thing, but more of the Grand Rapids trying to push itself into something it’s not. If East GR wants to have a “Gaslight Village,” then maybe it should sit back for five minutes and think about what “Gaslight” really means–how is it historically significant that the place is still known as the gaslight village? How can it use that history to its advantage? How is it even “useful” to the village? It seems like they should have looked at other civic projects like the Fred Meijer Gardens, or the Rosa Parks Circle / Band Shell / Ice Skating Rink . . .

Instead, we get a scene straight from “Who Framed Roger Rabbit?”.

So where did the money for this project come from? De Vos or Van Andel?

]]> by: will moore http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13988 Tue, 19 Sep 2006 02:53:32 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13988 Great video! Very funny! ! ! Euch....Gaslight Village. Even the name sucks. Great video! Very funny! ! !

Euch….Gaslight Village. Even the name sucks.

]]> by: missb http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13983 Mon, 18 Sep 2006 20:37:53 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13983 ps: I'm also way biased and cranky about urban change. I watched my old neighborhood change from a cool bohemian place where people could live with dignity for cheap to a creepy, slick mall-like playground for superrich yuppies. It's hard for me to look at manufactured neighborhoods fairly. ps: I’m also way biased and cranky about urban change. I watched my old neighborhood change from a cool bohemian place where people could live with dignity for cheap to a creepy, slick mall-like playground for superrich yuppies.

It’s hard for me to look at manufactured neighborhoods fairly.

]]> by: missb http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13982 Mon, 18 Sep 2006 20:36:05 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13982 Egad!!! I...I don't know what to say! I guess it beats a plain ugly stripmall, but I hatehateHATE that "Manufactured Old Town" look. Too Disney. Too Vegas. It looks like a chunk of Orlando landed in the middle of Michigan. And is it me or are none of those storefronts actually occupied? All I see is smokey glass and no signs. Those tiny piano sculptures won't last too long...and they remind me a little bit of dog-doo piles. I'm sure that doo-doo was not what the artist was going for. It's like that scene in Spinal Tap when the set designer makes that shrimpy Stonehenge replica. Vagina? Hilarious. Egad!!! I…I don’t know what to say! I guess it beats a plain ugly stripmall, but I hatehateHATE that “Manufactured Old Town” look. Too Disney. Too Vegas. It looks like a chunk of Orlando landed in the middle of Michigan. And is it me or are none of those storefronts actually occupied? All I see is smokey glass and no signs. Those tiny piano sculptures won’t last too long…and they remind me a little bit of dog-doo piles. I’m sure that doo-doo was not what the artist was going for.

It’s like that scene in Spinal Tap when the set designer makes that shrimpy Stonehenge replica.

Vagina? Hilarious.

]]> by: ryanne http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13886 Sun, 17 Sep 2006 20:16:20 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13886 yeah that is totally bizarre it does look like a bug's butt! everything is in different styles, it's all messy. but interesting that they are trying new things i guess.... yeah
that is totally bizarre
it does look like a bug’s butt!
everything is in different styles, it’s all messy.
but interesting that they are trying new things i guess….

]]> by: David http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13529 Wed, 13 Sep 2006 16:42:39 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13529 Yeah...it doesnt really all work together. The vagina comment was hilarious. Has anyone driven their car over the fountain for an upside down car wash yet? Yeah…it doesnt really all work together. The vagina comment was hilarious. Has anyone driven their car over the fountain for an upside down car wash yet?

]]> by: Eric Lorentz http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13488 Tue, 12 Sep 2006 01:28:31 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13488 haha Josh, the pianos getting run over? What about the kids!? Hahaha, a vagina, best interpretation ever! haha Josh, the pianos getting run over? What about the kids!?

Hahaha, a vagina, best interpretation ever!

]]> by: brett http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13463 Mon, 11 Sep 2006 20:01:38 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13463 what's up with the microphone? what’s up with the microphone?

]]> by: Patrick http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13455 Mon, 11 Sep 2006 16:51:29 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13455 I know this is really lame but I'm sitting at my desk giggling to myself about better names for "Gaslight Village". How about.."Parking Brake Village" or "Windshield Wiper Fluid Town" hahaha sigh *wipes away tear* good vlog I know this is really lame but I’m sitting at my desk giggling to myself about better names for “Gaslight Village”.

How about..”Parking Brake Village” or “Windshield Wiper Fluid Town”

hahaha sigh *wipes away tear*

good vlog

]]> by: Renovating Michael http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13227 Sun, 10 Sep 2006 15:22:00 +0000 http://www.joshleo.com/vlog/2006/09/08/the-new-gaslight-village/#comment-13227 Great piece, Josh! You’re right, they have really mixed visual themes here and it doesn’t really work. But frankly, I would rather have something like this than another cookie-cutter suburban big box court. You’ve gotta give them points for trying to do something different. The thing that horrifies me is the fact that the fountain seems designed for kids to play in and around, yet it’s placed in the middle of a traffic circle!! Forget the pianos; it’s only a matter of time before some poor kid gets squashed by an SUV. Oh, and “vagina” guy was hilarious! Great piece, Josh!

You’re right, they have really mixed visual themes here and it doesn’t really work. But frankly, I would rather have something like this than another cookie-cutter suburban big box court. You’ve gotta give them points for trying to do something different.

The thing that horrifies me is the fact that the fountain seems designed for kids to play in and around, yet it’s placed in the middle of a traffic circle!! Forget the pianos; it’s only a matter of time before some poor kid gets squashed by an SUV.

Oh, and “vagina” guy was hilarious!

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