I Reminisce on the Monroe Pedestrian Mall as It’s Echo is Erected on Bridge Street MW

I commented on the article in Mlive today. The “walkable communities” has come back. Someone observed, “Dumber than the Bourbons, learned nothing, remembered nothing and will believe anything.”                                                                                                http://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/index.ssf/2015/08/bridge_street_to_close_for_con.html#incart_river

This scheme does so remind me of similar project that these ambulance chasers finished about 35 years ago; does anyone else remember the Monroe Pedestrian Mall?

I had an experience there some years after it opened. I was standing on the mall late one afternoon, having visited some business or another, not another person in sight along its entire 3-4 blocks. A woman rounded the corner on the next cross street, lifted her skirt, re-arranged her slip and then noticed me. She kept her dignity and continued walking as though no one else was there; and, of course, no one was.

That particular governmental plan lasted maybe 15 years, probably drove Seketees, Herps and a nice bookstore, whose name I forget, out of business.

Wish the businesses and official well. It’s nice to see bad ideas recycled.