2026 Recruiting: Jordan Deck</h1> <article> <h1>2026 Recruiting: Jordan Deck</h1> <p>Seth — Fri, 12 Jun 2026 15:36:59 +0000</p> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Yes On Ann Arbor Props A And B</span> <div class="field field--name-field-published-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-14T15:42:06Z" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Brian</a></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-07-14T11:42:06-04:00" title="Monday, July 14, 2025 - 11:42am" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> </picture> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-photo-caption-1 field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">[Scott Trudeau]</div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>A brief digression.</em></p><p>If you're an Ann Arbor voter, there's an unusual off-year August election coming up. There's really just one thing on the ballot; the two props are tied such that both must pass or nothing happens.</p><p>The TL;DR is: do you want this downtown surface parking lot for the rest of time…</p><p></p><p>…or do you want that parking lot to be half of a new downtown library with a bunch of housing on top? That is obvious. <a href="https://supportaadl.com/">Library + housing + tax revenue</a>. The end. Vote yes on (or before) August 5th.</p><p><strong>[The too long; didn't read follows AFTER THE JUMP.]</strong></p><div id="read-more"></div><p>If you're still here, the backstory: in 2018 Ann Arbor wanted to sell the rights to a piece of land to a developer that would create a <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/12/ann-arbor-cancels-deal-for-17-story-high-rise-on-library-lot.html">large building and an outdoor plaza</a>. The city would get a bunch of money in the affordable housing fund, a large number of permanently affordable downtown apartments, the public plaza, and a significant amount of annual tax revenue.</p><p>Unfortunately, a group of local NIMBYs got together enough signatures to get a proposal on the ballot that would designate that plot the "Center of the City" and they would then create a park on it. At the time, organizers said that they would privately fund that park. There was a sort of precedent for this, as Ann Arbor <a href="https://www.a2skatepark.org/">successfully funded a skate park</a> some years back without using any public funds.</p><p>The proposal, placed on a busy November ballot, passed 53-47. The development was nixed; a "Library Green" committee was assembled to guide the process of turning the parking lot into a park, and then nothing happened. This was due to a few different factors. One was that the proposal was <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">obviously infeasible from the beginning</a>:</p><blockquote><p>The Library Lot is a small city-owned surface parking lot just north of the Ann Arbor District Library. It sits atop an underground parking deck. The deck was specifically designed and reinforced, at significant taxpayer expense, to support the addition of a mixed-use building on top of it; <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/10/can_ann_arbors_library_lot_sup.html">it was not designed to support</a>, and perhaps cannot reasonably be made to support, large amounts of dirt, mature trees, and vegetation. The Library Lot is less than a block away from Liberty Plaza, a pocket park <a href="https://annarborobserver.com/a-pivotal-election/">in need</a> of <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/03/100k-proposed-for-liberty-plaza-as-ann-arbor-aims-to-curb-parks-problems.html">city attention and investment</a>, and about a half mile from West Park, a sprawling public space next to downtown with a famous band shell<a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/10/2m-relocation-among-options-for-saving-ann-arbors-historic-west-park-bandshell.html"> that needs relocation and/or repair</a>. It is hemmed in on three sides by other structures.</p></blockquote><p>Two was that the primary motivation of most of he people involved was to stop the construction of a tall building on a downtown parcel specifically designed to hold a tall building. Once that was accomplished interest waned. Fundraising attempts brought in something like 1% of the amount needed to do anything. The Library Green committee established by the city produced nothing. Seven years later the site is unchanged. The committee has been dissolved. There is no path forward for the site under 2018's Prop A.</p><p>Three is that Library Green people who were actually somewhat invested in a park were feckless dilettantes. Alan Haber infamously had to call in on Zoom most of the time because he was in France; once he <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/danieladams.bsky.social/post/3ltl6mjoecc2y">lit a bowl in the middle of a meeting</a>. His main contribution to the debate prior to the vote was to exclaim that the "love economy" would take care of everything. The <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/11/pop-up-dome-on-ann-arbors-library-lot-part-of-center-of-the-city-outreach.html">sole object</a> to appear on the parking lot was a "DecaDome," which was placed there at taxpayer expense. The money went to Eric Lipson, one of the Library Green supporters.</p><p>Still, the city has made a gesture towards the original intent of 2018's Prop A to keep that parcel in public hands by proposing to transfer it to the library. If the props pass the Library plans to build a new downtown branch that occupies both the current site adjacent to the parking lot and said parking lot, funding it by selling the air rights above the land to a developer who will put a bunch of housing there.</p><p>This is a win-win-win, as the city would get a swanky new downtown library without having to pass an additional millage, badly needed downtown housing, and the tax revenue from that housing. The alternative is literally nothing.</p><p>A few additional resources:</p><ul><li>Daniel Adams's <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">comprehensive survey</a> of the Prop A situation at <em>Damn Arbor</em>.</li><li>Ann Arbor AF's <a href="https://annarboraf.com/episode-79-new-downtown-library-getting-informed-with-eli-neiburger/">interview with library director Eli Neiburger</a>, which has detail on why the AADL needs a new downtown branch.</li><li>The library's website has a page <a href="https://aadl.org/morefacts">debunking the FUD</a> coming from the Library Green people.</li></ul></div> <div class="node__links"> <ul class="links inline"><li class="comment-forbidden"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/login?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">Log in</a> or <a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/register?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">register</a> to post comments</li></ul> </div> <section class="field field--name-comment field--type-comment field--label-hidden comment-wrapper" id="comments"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="25829" id="comment-245614702" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509150"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702">July 14th, 2025 at 12:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:05:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This analysis is spot on. <br><br>Also, the small, but painfully vocal coven of feckless dilettantes in this town is a real problem. </p><p><br><br><br> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/23/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 437</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614702&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iZ-y-ja68p0fsRqbcdikVm1Sh0dtTJQQLTqdu-MiM10"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"><article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205835" id="comment-245614729" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Crunklicious</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511147"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729#comment-245614729">July 14th, 2025 at 12:39 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:39:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Perfectly said. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 02/10/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 24</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614729&1=default&2=en&3=" token="caQMVOF6KnUZNYMHSQp-p21kJ-WsURpVMehfKNEl1_Y"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="3204" id="comment-245614880" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Robbie Moore</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527872"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880#comment-245614880">July 14th, 2025 at 5:16 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T21:16:34+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>NIMBY-ism is a thing everywhere. The folks who show up at planning commission meetings raising hell stand athwart progress and yell "stop." And it is progress to get a new library, downtown housing and a badly needed increase in tax revenue. </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 56174</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614880&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cGspnIiapNCDFC2sbFxflUXxus9XbJSy8sj_2w_9vS4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615015" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752593732"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015">July 15th, 2025 at 11:35 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:35:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>John U. Bacon leading the charge on the NIMBY crap is more than a bit disappointing, I have to admit. Not to mention Ken Burns jumping in the ring to criticize potential zoning changes in a city he hasn't lived in since the early 70s.</p><p>Ann Arbor needs to change. And it's going to be fine when it does.</p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615015&1=default&2=en&3=" token="Kmh6dYAqYTJeP6Mbid8CNoMjgBu7XBwvZaGIvCvLtUs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1464" id="comment-245615023" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">John U. Bacon leading the…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595246"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023">July 15th, 2025 at 12:00 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:00:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I mean, both traffic in nostalgia to a degree, even though NIMBYism and associated increased property values is significantly to blame for the disappearance of the Ann Arbor that they mourn. </p><p>As an aside, “the world I remember is endangered/disappearing” vs “I can’t afford the world that exists” is one of the most potent low key conflicts in politics right now (and one that doesn’t have clear left/right divides) </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/05/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17191</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615023&1=default&2=en&3=" token="bnK3X5BMgPiCZB2mgLWYhM5La0jzNiUFPr2TIXSMNKg"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615026" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I mean, both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595921"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026">July 15th, 2025 at 12:12 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:12:01+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>"...both traffic in nostalgia" is a perfect summation, yes.</p><p>We lived in A2 for a little bit recently after a long time away. Lived in the same neighborhood I lived in as a student and immediate postgrad, for that matter. The city really is fundamentally different, most definitely less weird and more corporate, and most definitely more congested. But it's still Ann Arbor.</p><p>I've said it here before, I think my only real critique of build more housing (and yes, <em>build more housing</em>) is that it never includes a similar discussion on just how congested traffic has become, with UM Medicine traffic leading the way. Every day right now is the equivalent of a football Saturday or more with people coming in and out of downtown for work, replicated several times throughout the day. You can watch the shift changes in lines of cars. There's just not enough road infrastructure, and no, bike lanes and buses really aren't fixing it so far. </p><p>I don't know what the answer is, but I wonder what will happen when the high-rises truly hit a place of supersaturation with the roads.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615026&1=default&2=en&3=" token="pZTANjvD7PUkPje6rZTJB75SYc1nXGPMQpM9crmwBbY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245615027" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">"...both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752596612"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027#comment-245615027">July 15th, 2025 at 12:23 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:23:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>UM Medicine that grows and grows but seemingly gets harder and harder to get an actual appointment. I finally left for a different medical system out of frustration.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615027&1=default&2=en&3=" token="TBYcVE0E6HA-ZC_nZ2-LpMv4wIRsjt68SXGWsN6MfEs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div></div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="195" id="comment-245614704" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509296"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:16+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The number of NIMBYs in Ann Arbor who want nothing is truly astounding. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 38716</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614704&1=default&2=en&3=" token="4Piq7-8WybHGGO3RcpEC8d8XXDAyNT40KxbfF-mPIMY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="145" id="comment-245614762" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ckersh74</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514340"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762#comment-245614762">July 14th, 2025 at 1:32 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:32:20+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The NIMBYs aren’t the ones to worry about. It’s the BANANAs you need to be concerned with:</p><p>Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 51159</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614762&1=default&2=en&3=" token="mkz6Fd0vduRGufRQ6g7lUTyUxkvh0M9SVMEUcfWzsRA"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614764" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752521671"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764#comment-245614764">July 14th, 2025 at 1:33 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:33:47+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I think this prop specifically is an easy yes, but to some degree I understand <em>some</em> NIMBYism in Ann Arbor because every time I'm in Ann Arbor it becomes less and less recognizable with a new high rise going up, a chain restaurant going in, and an establishment that made Ann Arbor what it once was when I went there disappearing. It feels like we're seeing the Austin-ification of Ann Arbor. It's sad to see even though I recognize the need for housing</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614764&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5lfyeYq5ABWM4wI6_UCDPdYA5fmqPrW-itDDou339HM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="111555" id="comment-245614705" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bob_Timberlake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509313"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705#comment-245614705">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:33+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Go Blue!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/29/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 8696</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614705&1=default&2=en&3=" token="x3W4Ya81hxKBNriVWqWo8P2cMGah2pNWsrOPwu58yv0"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205959" id="comment-245614727" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">RibbleMcDibble</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511026"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727#comment-245614727">July 14th, 2025 at 12:37 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:37:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This seems like a complicated offense for a true freshman to learn. I thought Chip Lindsey was good at melding an offense to his personnel?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/24/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 19306</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614727&1=default&2=en&3=" token="zWX86_vCMavJGxoErQ6VNYm5vbg13xYknmiY42ftQ7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614728" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511112"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728">July 14th, 2025 at 12:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:38:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is not and will never again be a small town. It is a growing city and will become much larger in the coming years, especially with natural disaster and wet bulb trends in the south accelerating with climate change and FEMA cuts.</p><p>They need to embrace growth and plan infrastructure in accordance with that. </p><p>Lastly, they need paid positions to make these decisions rather than endless faux- democratic bureaucracy. City Councils are fucking stupid and always have been. The cold hard truth? Most people who influence city-level decisions have no fucking clue what theyre doing. </p><p>Ypsi has refused to remediate a potential development site for decades for similar reasons- just bite the fucking bullet. </p><p>Bunch of do-nothings. Make more salaried positions tied to outcomes and slash the degree of council-level input. It's a massive waste. Have the advisory committees meet separately and provide reports, recommendations, and town feedback. They shouldnt be making the final decisions. </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614728&1=default&2=en&3=" token="3UK1wHYUZQlh8Wi9VgjyXHS_B1SnN7xB3OjMp5oqtE8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29395" id="comment-245614741" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515674"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741">July 14th, 2025 at 1:06 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:06:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>It is a growing city</p></blockquote><p>Close to 100% of the city's population growth between 2010 and 2020 was due to U-M expanding its enrollment. Since 2020, Ann Arbor has in fact lost population, despite U-M's enrollment continuing to grow.</p><p>At issue here is that U-M cavalierly expanded its enrollment by a third between 2000 and 2020 while building very little on-campus housing. Finally <a href="https://record.umich.edu/articles/new-residential-quad-adding-2300-beds-more-planned/">there are steps being taken to rectify that</a>. In the meantime, the high-rises have sprouted up to accommodate a growing demand for off-campus housing, as students have to live somewhere.</p><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (cannibalizing other universities in the state in the process, but who cares!), I guess I can see why the city wants to accommodate them. But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. Non-students are leaving the city. Ann Arbor needs to be careful about where things are headed.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/14/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 113998</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614741&1=default&2=en&3=" token="wqaJJmBENVGbIPcAb_VjfIVSGrGoQqJv64FypHJrOoM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614748" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513489"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748">July 14th, 2025 at 1:18 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:18:09+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>He's saying it's very long-term growth play given the climate stability, water availability, etc. in the area. There are plenty of white papers on this topic. If people are going to migrate towards this area over the next 100 years, there's a good chance a lot of them will end up in Ann Arbor.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614748&1=default&2=en&3=" token="OQ240KWFdcbZ7IS5LAHRGQdBczbca6mtI8Ixw6JICEk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614785" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">He's saying it's very long…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515655"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785#comment-245614785">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Exactly this. The region will grow in population- period. </p><p>Ann Arbor will either accommodate this or nearby areas will. Ypsi and AA have both plagued their own futures for decades. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614785&1=default&2=en&3=" token="ej6p3oXI0xcDrH_ckEhLpIQoyr-M171OK__4c2C-uzE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245614760" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514316"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760">July 14th, 2025 at 1:31 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:31:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I do wonder if there will be a population shift back to the North. I have thought about buying land in the UP because of this possible shift. Our winters have been much milder in the last 4-5 years. Water is plentiful in the great lakes region. And natural disasters are much lower rates, so insurance is much lower (besides car insurance). </p><p>I didn't know that Michigan had increased undergrad enrollment so much though. I was in A2 a few weeks ago driving around with the family, and had forgotten about the massive dorm complex being built where the lumber yard was. Make's a lot more sense why they need those in addition to North Quad. Wondering when my freshman dorm Mary Markely gets it's renovation. Definitely different levels of living when you compare some of the dorm rooms across campus when you are paying the same amount. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614760&1=default&2=en&3=" token="JMo0tOKCfHk-jSI14fy7ox2BcLhRtIEa7LBvfVHr5Vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="208462" id="comment-245614846" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522292"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846">July 14th, 2025 at 3:44 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:44:52+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was a Markley guy as well-rumours are that the already enormous UM hospital and associated facilities will soon gobble up Markley and continue to expand, probably within the next 3-5 years. If that is the case, there is no point in renovating. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/16/2024</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1899</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614846&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5dYD-Ta4THwVfT0XYDgjv_CB5BoBu0xdLVvKZEmEzy8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245615000" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I was a Markley guy as well…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752587121"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000#comment-245615000">July 15th, 2025 at 9:45 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T13:45:21+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>That makes sense. A little bummer that it will be gone, but understand there are a lot better dorms in more desirable places and the options for the hospital to grow are limited. </p><p>Going from my 10x10 Markley dorm to my 12x17 West quad dorm with a sink made me think I was living in luxury. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615000&1=default&2=en&3=" token="R9ajIa9uJb_zkmZr1gxxhy-SlqzP9n013VxJsyqjldc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7184" id="comment-245614859" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">bluebyyou</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752523863"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859#comment-245614859">July 14th, 2025 at 4:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:11:03+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Having lived in A2 until three years ago, I'd suggest that -17, while warmer than -20, is still pretty freaking cold. It will be a while before palm trees thrive in southern Michigan, CRISPR notwithstanding.</p><p>As for housing prices, they have gone up pretty much everywhere where people want to live. Ann Arbor is still relatively affordable compared to many other areas of the US.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/07/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 23952</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614859&1=default&2=en&3=" token="kK5N4aA5c3FN5OirMyhGT1Z4-8wT3Gf754X9BqG0Upw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="23367" id="comment-245614867" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">True Blue Grit</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752525821"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867#comment-245614867">July 14th, 2025 at 4:43 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:43:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Markely is basically toast. So, no renovation is coming. Once these two giant new dorms on the south campus are done, Markely has a date with the wrecking ball. The medical campus octopus wants this land pretty badly. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/21/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 42866</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614867&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iRX4DyrMpXeZqodpk-uxXCknj6GmFH0jisDknPa-LAk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="159342" id="comment-245614905" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">andrew_</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532688"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905#comment-245614905">July 14th, 2025 at 6:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:38:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>From southern states, absolutely not. Hilariously absolutely not. The only thing that people who leave the state miss is the changing of the seasons. And that can be had in much friendlier climates and better economic and political zones. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1087</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614905&1=default&2=en&3=" token="giwGjoeqZdaN6J9-n2i1fCIM6W4cJub6Csxgr4X4ens"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614765" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514478"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765#comment-245614765">July 14th, 2025 at 1:34 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:34:38+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (<em><strong>canibalizing other universities in the state in the process</strong></em>, but who cares)</p></blockquote><p>I don't think M is cannibalizing other MI schools, at least insofar as taking their students. My guess is that very few of these added students were headed for struggling in-state schools but for their M admission. About the only thing those schools have in common with M is location; the students targeting M are by and large doing so for other reasons (i.e. location might be a plus, but it's not a driving factor).</p><p>Plus there's a double edge sword with the admission rates. I don't know about others, but I don't enjoy the fact that M is becoming more and more impossible to get into. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614765&1=default&2=en&3=" token="__XpqEc_bQHHch0E2qe4k23QO5ONmiBCyGX7dkdQwrk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="21779" id="comment-245614772" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Go Blue Eyes</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514928"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772#comment-245614772">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I had to look the growth issue up. From 1960 to 1970 Ann Arbor added 33,000 people to just over 100,000. Since then the population has only grown by 23,000 (estimated this year) or only just over 500 people per year in 50 years! Stunning to see that number considering all of the articles saying it is one of the best places to live in the country. <br><br>The proposals Brian relates seem like no brainers. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/04/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13440</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614772&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cMakYO04rVL5Cg5hqTtWvt5S5gKsN80xKpU_VZIfz5o"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614773" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514946"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:26+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. </p></blockquote><p>Don't conflate cause and effect. The city has throttled housing production with restrictive zoning for 50+ years. Developers (read: housing producers) report that building housing in Ann Arbor is extraordinarily difficult even compared to peer cities. The population flatlined in 1970, right around the time that the city's anti-apartment zoning and historic district regs began to bite. Make it illegal to build housing and, yeah, you'll find that general population growth will slow. But Ann Arbor is growing. Just ... in the townships, Saline, and Dexter. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614773&1=default&2=en&3=" token="CRme7DwkyY_pewLr94rt4mL4Tpm-X6antNg2hgRgW4g"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1750" id="comment-245614790" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516101"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790">July 14th, 2025 at 2:01 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:01:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recall, with a bit of fuzziness from my time as a student in the 1980s, that new high-rise housing was forbidden in Ann Arbor. Does anyone the history and reasoning?</p><p>Did everyone watch and get frightened by "The Towering Inferno"?</p><p>Was it the debacle of University Towers? (Is it still awful, or has it been improved?)</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/28/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15867</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614790&1=default&2=en&3=" token="rfrppBTv5lglzAYunyMldg8vCQ5PXTiIrrtluGGLDMc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614798" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516720"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798">July 14th, 2025 at 2:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:11:44+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>U Towers was a disaster 20 years ago. I had three friends that lived there, and all three had major problems with their apartments.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614798&1=default&2=en&3=" token="9haLQkNqk7IzyQLGCPz-4kj2FsosyDgNelvZfycLf7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="5812" id="comment-245614974" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">U Towers was a disaster 20…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">michengin87</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752576122"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974#comment-245614974">July 15th, 2025 at 6:42 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T10:42:02+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I lived in U Towers 40 years ago. It wasn't great but relatively affordable split between 4 guys. It was built in 1964, the same year that the UM Administration Building was erected. The Administration Building was torn down 3 years ago, but U Towers, in all its ugliness, remains.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/14/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5251</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614974&1=default&2=en&3=" token="WU9ZEJdyA6HXJxGL6ezGEjavlTKfWCAvJtll8z7yf7c"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614806" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517642"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806#comment-245614806">July 14th, 2025 at 2:27 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:27:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great summary of the history is here:</p><p><a href="https://aadl.org/node/15599">https://aadl.org/node/15599</a></p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614806&1=default&2=en&3=" token="SxYzNCXxpFFnZyTxPNK_Lg8lEJqNberN7jf1T14J0vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="817" id="comment-245614902" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">lhglrkwg</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532608"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902#comment-245614902">July 14th, 2025 at 6:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:30:58+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was gonna say- i know a lot of young families that would live in A2 if they could afford it but they had to setup roots in Saline, Ypsi, Belleville, etc and they have to commute in</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/03/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 102420</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614902&1=default&2=en&3=" token="eJb3rnSEHmg8Fo5NcMSxbEqK0Ti_ZCylhgkhVyDOCAM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617571" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753461702"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571#comment-245617571">July 25th, 2025 at 12:41 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:41:24+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But would the non-student population be growing if there were housing???</p><p>Saline and dexter certainly have grown. How of that growth is tied to employment in Ann Arbor? I’d bet a lot</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617571&1=default&2=en&3=" token="uXMN24M1ODCH2ZgExGYFSFZEr7V8w8EF-fPocARdbIQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614753" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513696"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753">July 14th, 2025 at 1:21 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:21:36+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is an expensive college town and always will be. I'm fine with growth, but call it what it is.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614753&1=default&2=en&3=" token="k25ipI3o9NXlg7_Jftgn6YdxCTOdAx0yH0onu67057E"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2617" id="comment-245614847" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is an expensive…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522487"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847">July 14th, 2025 at 3:48 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:48:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>And yet there are things one can do about that. Austin for instance built a ton of housing the last couple of years and rent is down 22 percent. </p><p>Supply and demand doesn't simply disappear when it comes to the question of housing and there's lots of evidence of this both around the US and around the world. Ann Arbor can be more affordable and still be a desirable place to live.</p><p>More broadly its better to live in a place which is growing and people want to live versus being the opposite. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 2823</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614847&1=default&2=en&3=" token="1AAvwu20b-eFVnAQRq6-GqWc7LFF7h7M-VcG5YA5dOo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614855" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">And yet there are things one…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527281"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855#comment-245614855">July 14th, 2025 at 4:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:03:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I have lived in both cities, and people always like to compare the two. They are nothing alike. Austin is a hub of over 1 million people with legit suburbs and part of a larger corridor with San Antonio.</p><p>Austin also has had and has a real gentrification problem. Highway 35 created a colored and white divide but now the east side of 35 is hip and development is crazy. </p><p>Ann Arbor is far more like Boulder than Austin.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614855&1=default&2=en&3=" token="LDFJg8FjtXo7Lwh0QDGXSRnN30odAmIuZhML3blziJM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614767" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514654"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767#comment-245614767">July 14th, 2025 at 1:36 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:36:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recognize that it's the way Ann Arbor is going, but it is sad to see it losing a lot of it's quintessential midwestern college town feel. South U is completely unrecognizable these days. Feels like it's going the way of Austin</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614767&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sSooV8PHaICHUwpLlRYJKofg5BOu4nytbxhHrJVT_YE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614918" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537222"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918#comment-245614918">July 14th, 2025 at 7:53 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:53:42+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This reads like you told ChatGPT to sound like a human and be more of an asshole. Just saying.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614918&1=default&2=en&3=" token="8XPpc-OPihtiNFPWdCvyqEix3-YeS7rQZyA-BcrhG44"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614919" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537413"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919#comment-245614919">July 14th, 2025 at 7:56 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:56:23+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good time for a double post!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614919&1=default&2=en&3=" token="f1ZcUUAcenxVMNqRnayRMNW6f7nQjwabQrd6-VfqGhw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2048" id="comment-245614732" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">PeteM</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511237"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732#comment-245614732">July 14th, 2025 at 12:40 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:40:37+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great piece. I was at the forum prior to the 2018 election, and remember that the speaker in favor of the "Center of the City" talked about raising significant funds. I live in Ann Arbor, and have read the various arguments on the current proposals on Facebook. Supporters of the 2018 charter amendment argue that regardless of the level of private fundraising the fact that the charter now calls for a park obligates the city to move forward and pay for it since that was the voters' will. While I can't read the voters' minds in 2018 my sense that folks then were pushing back against development and change generally, and really didn't care that much whether the lot stayed a lot or became Liberty Plaza II.</p><p>That's funny about Alan Haber lighting a bowl during a meeting. I've met him once and he is an interesting character. I believe that he was an early mentor to future SDS leader Tom Hayden when Hayden was an undergrad and Daily editor the late '50s.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/15/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 4254</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614732&1=default&2=en&3=" token="AxAnai9MhLD2mP2bhfqtVXg62F5M8FLxF6DvYKSgF_4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614743" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752512944"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743">July 14th, 2025 at 1:09 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:09:04+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Seems like a no brainer to put the originally intended building on top of the underground structure. I never knew the backstory but always thought it was odd to have this enormous underground structure with nothing on top at ground level.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614743&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5mK-3QVY7Ud9rlZcjEKLTjiDLVV0irpUpukAp2fcZzQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="24817" id="comment-245614970" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Seems like a no brainer to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752567015"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970">July 15th, 2025 at 4:10 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T08:10:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Some of the backstory is that the City Council doesn't necessarily represent the will of the Ann Arbor populace (for a variety of reasons). That parking structure and its footings to support a development that wasn't approved is evidence of that. The Council wanted it and people didn't. It doesn't matter the reason, it's just poor planning. By building the structure as is, the Council wanted exactly the reasoning you outlined. Essentially a fait accompli that "well, we built a structure to support a huge ass building so now it has to be built". Many of those who voted "for" the city park were voting against the insular Council and its decision making and particularly the giveaway to the developer of the previous project.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 04/18/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5632</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614970&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sN7V30Ggn7GDIdkU-wyqK0k2Cs400tJWZkMunnMw59A"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245615093" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752606226"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093#comment-245615093">July 15th, 2025 at 3:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T19:03:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Decades of city and DDA planning documents recommended that site for a tall building. A bunch of NIMBYs put "park" on the ballot and won by six percent, largely on the backs of votes in student districts. And then every single CM who supported the park project lost their seats. And then residents tanked the park project on the PROS Plan survey. So... try again? </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615093&1=default&2=en&3=" token="172TQhRAiF6sXZ6VYY0HGwHyAlY6qqOA-Pmo3FJ08jQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617584" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753462196"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584#comment-245617584">July 25th, 2025 at 12:49 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:49:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This is just wrong. Eaton and the park proponents had a majority on council in 2018. Then they did this and the city’s population responded overwhelmingly by voting that majority out. So it’s kind of what you said but the exact opposite lol. A slim majority on a confusing ballot proposal is no more representative than the now overwhelming popularity of the new council who all won their races in landslides.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617584&1=default&2=en&3=" token="fdQroBLhrCyQenKmOX-J23W5x6Jf9kb-u0DmQFEy184"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614751" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513615"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751">July 14th, 2025 at 1:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:20:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Definitely in favor. Let's just not pretend development like this is going to help A2 affordability. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614751&1=default&2=en&3=" token="0nK3ZjxlxsSv0OoCl0nhgET9xBRf7cJ8w7E6RWqseRI"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="6867" id="comment-245614823" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752519777"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823">July 14th, 2025 at 3:02 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:02:57+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But it might. Supply and demand. I'm not an economist, but even if developers only build expensive units, eventually a a large supply of pricey units will bring down demand and hopefully prices</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/01/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 428</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614823&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m_nhNFiQ9duVK4ey752pXtokMdhOy4vT77c0QSQelrY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614856" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But it might. Supply and…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752542861"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856#comment-245614856">July 14th, 2025 at 4:04 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:04:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Or attract more 20 somethings with money and the University can continue to fill them with more international graduate students with no budget.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614856&1=default&2=en&3=" token="gp5lXBL3XJDYESfCduxDDPg3JfcahN0zXNLoNiJCmzU"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="8172" id="comment-245615010" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">tsabesi</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752592345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010#comment-245615010">July 15th, 2025 at 11:12 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:12:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This won't help a lot but it is part of the affordability solution. More, denser housing near (or connected via transit) to where people want to be is how you solve affordability and congestion and this development fits that bill.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/28/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1141</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615010&1=default&2=en&3=" token="FXh-4crZUKo89J9h-Rw0PQdmgKBRxWAYsetehNO7hlE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="31412" id="comment-245614757" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Blue Vet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514225"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757#comment-245614757">July 14th, 2025 at 1:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:30:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good luck. Wish I still lived in AA so I could vote.</p><p>Don't some nations allow voting by people of that nationality but living elsewhere?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 05/08/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 93252</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614757&1=default&2=en&3=" token="yXhtp5RfuBTHM-eaq27SxyJC43X78N2HaZnzH4c4Oow"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="92726" id="comment-245614784" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515646"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Yes, Brian, this is YOUR blog so I guess you have carte blanche to post something political. </p><p>Merits of your argument aside, I find this to be unfortunate and hypocritical, as all too often, political comments by users and/or threads get shut down.</p><p>How about a little consistency? Rather than do as I say and not as I do, how about letting people express their views and show tolerance with those which you disagree.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/24/2014</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 6920</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614784&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sUhc-6aZrXfkH5lYGtkGgeMat-9aeTUO5_Ogf8RL90I"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614794" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794#comment-245614794">July 14th, 2025 at 2:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:05:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Old man shouts at cloud</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614794&1=default&2=en&3=" token="48XBw28WUzbjOs5ToAdqACUcA1mnKavTw4MhyivC2eY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29905" id="comment-245614804" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Toby Flenderson</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517218"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804#comment-245614804">July 14th, 2025 at 2:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:20:18+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What do you want to say that’s political?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/16/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 26030</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614804&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m5-vyM_2j6XRB61blf0lRSkaoeqLn_Az55qjcsBFNng"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <nav class="pager" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="pagination-heading"> <h4 id="pagination-heading" class="visually-hidden">Pagination</h4> <ul class="pager__items js-pager__items"> <li class="pager__item is-active"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=0" title="Current page" aria-current="page"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Current page </span>1</a> </li> <li class="pager__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to page 2"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Page </span>2</a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--next"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to next page" rel="next"> <span class="visually-hidden">Next page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Next ›</span> </a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--last"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to last page"> <span class="visually-hidden">Last page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Last »</span> </a> </li> </ul> </nav> </section> <div class="field field--name-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics" hreflang="en">ANN ARBOR POLITICS!</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>WTKA Roundtable 6/11/2026: Don't Be Like Iowa</h1> <p>Seth — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 14:38:24 +0000</p> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Yes On Ann Arbor Props A And B</span> <div class="field field--name-field-published-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-14T15:42:06Z" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Brian</a></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-07-14T11:42:06-04:00" title="Monday, July 14, 2025 - 11:42am" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> </picture> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-photo-caption-1 field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">[Scott Trudeau]</div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>A brief digression.</em></p><p>If you're an Ann Arbor voter, there's an unusual off-year August election coming up. There's really just one thing on the ballot; the two props are tied such that both must pass or nothing happens.</p><p>The TL;DR is: do you want this downtown surface parking lot for the rest of time…</p><p></p><p>…or do you want that parking lot to be half of a new downtown library with a bunch of housing on top? That is obvious. <a href="https://supportaadl.com/">Library + housing + tax revenue</a>. The end. Vote yes on (or before) August 5th.</p><p><strong>[The too long; didn't read follows AFTER THE JUMP.]</strong></p><div id="read-more"></div><p>If you're still here, the backstory: in 2018 Ann Arbor wanted to sell the rights to a piece of land to a developer that would create a <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/12/ann-arbor-cancels-deal-for-17-story-high-rise-on-library-lot.html">large building and an outdoor plaza</a>. The city would get a bunch of money in the affordable housing fund, a large number of permanently affordable downtown apartments, the public plaza, and a significant amount of annual tax revenue.</p><p>Unfortunately, a group of local NIMBYs got together enough signatures to get a proposal on the ballot that would designate that plot the "Center of the City" and they would then create a park on it. At the time, organizers said that they would privately fund that park. There was a sort of precedent for this, as Ann Arbor <a href="https://www.a2skatepark.org/">successfully funded a skate park</a> some years back without using any public funds.</p><p>The proposal, placed on a busy November ballot, passed 53-47. The development was nixed; a "Library Green" committee was assembled to guide the process of turning the parking lot into a park, and then nothing happened. This was due to a few different factors. One was that the proposal was <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">obviously infeasible from the beginning</a>:</p><blockquote><p>The Library Lot is a small city-owned surface parking lot just north of the Ann Arbor District Library. It sits atop an underground parking deck. The deck was specifically designed and reinforced, at significant taxpayer expense, to support the addition of a mixed-use building on top of it; <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/10/can_ann_arbors_library_lot_sup.html">it was not designed to support</a>, and perhaps cannot reasonably be made to support, large amounts of dirt, mature trees, and vegetation. The Library Lot is less than a block away from Liberty Plaza, a pocket park <a href="https://annarborobserver.com/a-pivotal-election/">in need</a> of <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/03/100k-proposed-for-liberty-plaza-as-ann-arbor-aims-to-curb-parks-problems.html">city attention and investment</a>, and about a half mile from West Park, a sprawling public space next to downtown with a famous band shell<a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/10/2m-relocation-among-options-for-saving-ann-arbors-historic-west-park-bandshell.html"> that needs relocation and/or repair</a>. It is hemmed in on three sides by other structures.</p></blockquote><p>Two was that the primary motivation of most of he people involved was to stop the construction of a tall building on a downtown parcel specifically designed to hold a tall building. Once that was accomplished interest waned. Fundraising attempts brought in something like 1% of the amount needed to do anything. The Library Green committee established by the city produced nothing. Seven years later the site is unchanged. The committee has been dissolved. There is no path forward for the site under 2018's Prop A.</p><p>Three is that Library Green people who were actually somewhat invested in a park were feckless dilettantes. Alan Haber infamously had to call in on Zoom most of the time because he was in France; once he <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/danieladams.bsky.social/post/3ltl6mjoecc2y">lit a bowl in the middle of a meeting</a>. His main contribution to the debate prior to the vote was to exclaim that the "love economy" would take care of everything. The <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/11/pop-up-dome-on-ann-arbors-library-lot-part-of-center-of-the-city-outreach.html">sole object</a> to appear on the parking lot was a "DecaDome," which was placed there at taxpayer expense. The money went to Eric Lipson, one of the Library Green supporters.</p><p>Still, the city has made a gesture towards the original intent of 2018's Prop A to keep that parcel in public hands by proposing to transfer it to the library. If the props pass the Library plans to build a new downtown branch that occupies both the current site adjacent to the parking lot and said parking lot, funding it by selling the air rights above the land to a developer who will put a bunch of housing there.</p><p>This is a win-win-win, as the city would get a swanky new downtown library without having to pass an additional millage, badly needed downtown housing, and the tax revenue from that housing. The alternative is literally nothing.</p><p>A few additional resources:</p><ul><li>Daniel Adams's <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">comprehensive survey</a> of the Prop A situation at <em>Damn Arbor</em>.</li><li>Ann Arbor AF's <a href="https://annarboraf.com/episode-79-new-downtown-library-getting-informed-with-eli-neiburger/">interview with library director Eli Neiburger</a>, which has detail on why the AADL needs a new downtown branch.</li><li>The library's website has a page <a href="https://aadl.org/morefacts">debunking the FUD</a> coming from the Library Green people.</li></ul></div> <div class="node__links"> <ul class="links inline"><li class="comment-forbidden"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/login?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">Log in</a> or <a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/register?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">register</a> to post comments</li></ul> </div> <section class="field field--name-comment field--type-comment field--label-hidden comment-wrapper" id="comments"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="25829" id="comment-245614702" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509150"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702">July 14th, 2025 at 12:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:05:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This analysis is spot on. <br><br>Also, the small, but painfully vocal coven of feckless dilettantes in this town is a real problem. </p><p><br><br><br> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/23/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 437</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614702&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iZ-y-ja68p0fsRqbcdikVm1Sh0dtTJQQLTqdu-MiM10"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"><article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205835" id="comment-245614729" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Crunklicious</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511147"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729#comment-245614729">July 14th, 2025 at 12:39 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:39:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Perfectly said. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 02/10/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 24</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614729&1=default&2=en&3=" token="caQMVOF6KnUZNYMHSQp-p21kJ-WsURpVMehfKNEl1_Y"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="3204" id="comment-245614880" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Robbie Moore</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527872"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880#comment-245614880">July 14th, 2025 at 5:16 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T21:16:34+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>NIMBY-ism is a thing everywhere. The folks who show up at planning commission meetings raising hell stand athwart progress and yell "stop." And it is progress to get a new library, downtown housing and a badly needed increase in tax revenue. </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 56174</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614880&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cGspnIiapNCDFC2sbFxflUXxus9XbJSy8sj_2w_9vS4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615015" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752593732"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015">July 15th, 2025 at 11:35 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:35:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>John U. Bacon leading the charge on the NIMBY crap is more than a bit disappointing, I have to admit. Not to mention Ken Burns jumping in the ring to criticize potential zoning changes in a city he hasn't lived in since the early 70s.</p><p>Ann Arbor needs to change. And it's going to be fine when it does.</p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615015&1=default&2=en&3=" token="Kmh6dYAqYTJeP6Mbid8CNoMjgBu7XBwvZaGIvCvLtUs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1464" id="comment-245615023" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">John U. Bacon leading the…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595246"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023">July 15th, 2025 at 12:00 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:00:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I mean, both traffic in nostalgia to a degree, even though NIMBYism and associated increased property values is significantly to blame for the disappearance of the Ann Arbor that they mourn. </p><p>As an aside, “the world I remember is endangered/disappearing” vs “I can’t afford the world that exists” is one of the most potent low key conflicts in politics right now (and one that doesn’t have clear left/right divides) </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/05/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17191</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615023&1=default&2=en&3=" token="bnK3X5BMgPiCZB2mgLWYhM5La0jzNiUFPr2TIXSMNKg"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615026" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I mean, both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595921"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026">July 15th, 2025 at 12:12 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:12:01+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>"...both traffic in nostalgia" is a perfect summation, yes.</p><p>We lived in A2 for a little bit recently after a long time away. Lived in the same neighborhood I lived in as a student and immediate postgrad, for that matter. The city really is fundamentally different, most definitely less weird and more corporate, and most definitely more congested. But it's still Ann Arbor.</p><p>I've said it here before, I think my only real critique of build more housing (and yes, <em>build more housing</em>) is that it never includes a similar discussion on just how congested traffic has become, with UM Medicine traffic leading the way. Every day right now is the equivalent of a football Saturday or more with people coming in and out of downtown for work, replicated several times throughout the day. You can watch the shift changes in lines of cars. There's just not enough road infrastructure, and no, bike lanes and buses really aren't fixing it so far. </p><p>I don't know what the answer is, but I wonder what will happen when the high-rises truly hit a place of supersaturation with the roads.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615026&1=default&2=en&3=" token="pZTANjvD7PUkPje6rZTJB75SYc1nXGPMQpM9crmwBbY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245615027" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">"...both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752596612"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027#comment-245615027">July 15th, 2025 at 12:23 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:23:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>UM Medicine that grows and grows but seemingly gets harder and harder to get an actual appointment. I finally left for a different medical system out of frustration.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615027&1=default&2=en&3=" token="TBYcVE0E6HA-ZC_nZ2-LpMv4wIRsjt68SXGWsN6MfEs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div></div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="195" id="comment-245614704" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509296"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:16+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The number of NIMBYs in Ann Arbor who want nothing is truly astounding. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 38716</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614704&1=default&2=en&3=" token="4Piq7-8WybHGGO3RcpEC8d8XXDAyNT40KxbfF-mPIMY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="145" id="comment-245614762" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ckersh74</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514340"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762#comment-245614762">July 14th, 2025 at 1:32 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:32:20+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The NIMBYs aren’t the ones to worry about. It’s the BANANAs you need to be concerned with:</p><p>Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 51159</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614762&1=default&2=en&3=" token="mkz6Fd0vduRGufRQ6g7lUTyUxkvh0M9SVMEUcfWzsRA"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614764" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752521671"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764#comment-245614764">July 14th, 2025 at 1:33 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:33:47+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I think this prop specifically is an easy yes, but to some degree I understand <em>some</em> NIMBYism in Ann Arbor because every time I'm in Ann Arbor it becomes less and less recognizable with a new high rise going up, a chain restaurant going in, and an establishment that made Ann Arbor what it once was when I went there disappearing. It feels like we're seeing the Austin-ification of Ann Arbor. It's sad to see even though I recognize the need for housing</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614764&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5lfyeYq5ABWM4wI6_UCDPdYA5fmqPrW-itDDou339HM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="111555" id="comment-245614705" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bob_Timberlake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509313"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705#comment-245614705">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:33+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Go Blue!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/29/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 8696</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614705&1=default&2=en&3=" token="x3W4Ya81hxKBNriVWqWo8P2cMGah2pNWsrOPwu58yv0"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205959" id="comment-245614727" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">RibbleMcDibble</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511026"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727#comment-245614727">July 14th, 2025 at 12:37 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:37:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This seems like a complicated offense for a true freshman to learn. I thought Chip Lindsey was good at melding an offense to his personnel?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/24/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 19306</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614727&1=default&2=en&3=" token="zWX86_vCMavJGxoErQ6VNYm5vbg13xYknmiY42ftQ7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614728" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511112"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728">July 14th, 2025 at 12:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:38:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is not and will never again be a small town. It is a growing city and will become much larger in the coming years, especially with natural disaster and wet bulb trends in the south accelerating with climate change and FEMA cuts.</p><p>They need to embrace growth and plan infrastructure in accordance with that. </p><p>Lastly, they need paid positions to make these decisions rather than endless faux- democratic bureaucracy. City Councils are fucking stupid and always have been. The cold hard truth? Most people who influence city-level decisions have no fucking clue what theyre doing. </p><p>Ypsi has refused to remediate a potential development site for decades for similar reasons- just bite the fucking bullet. </p><p>Bunch of do-nothings. Make more salaried positions tied to outcomes and slash the degree of council-level input. It's a massive waste. Have the advisory committees meet separately and provide reports, recommendations, and town feedback. They shouldnt be making the final decisions. </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614728&1=default&2=en&3=" token="3UK1wHYUZQlh8Wi9VgjyXHS_B1SnN7xB3OjMp5oqtE8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29395" id="comment-245614741" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515674"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741">July 14th, 2025 at 1:06 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:06:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>It is a growing city</p></blockquote><p>Close to 100% of the city's population growth between 2010 and 2020 was due to U-M expanding its enrollment. Since 2020, Ann Arbor has in fact lost population, despite U-M's enrollment continuing to grow.</p><p>At issue here is that U-M cavalierly expanded its enrollment by a third between 2000 and 2020 while building very little on-campus housing. Finally <a href="https://record.umich.edu/articles/new-residential-quad-adding-2300-beds-more-planned/">there are steps being taken to rectify that</a>. In the meantime, the high-rises have sprouted up to accommodate a growing demand for off-campus housing, as students have to live somewhere.</p><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (cannibalizing other universities in the state in the process, but who cares!), I guess I can see why the city wants to accommodate them. But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. Non-students are leaving the city. Ann Arbor needs to be careful about where things are headed.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/14/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 113998</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614741&1=default&2=en&3=" token="wqaJJmBENVGbIPcAb_VjfIVSGrGoQqJv64FypHJrOoM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614748" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513489"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748">July 14th, 2025 at 1:18 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:18:09+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>He's saying it's very long-term growth play given the climate stability, water availability, etc. in the area. There are plenty of white papers on this topic. If people are going to migrate towards this area over the next 100 years, there's a good chance a lot of them will end up in Ann Arbor.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614748&1=default&2=en&3=" token="OQ240KWFdcbZ7IS5LAHRGQdBczbca6mtI8Ixw6JICEk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614785" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">He's saying it's very long…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515655"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785#comment-245614785">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Exactly this. The region will grow in population- period. </p><p>Ann Arbor will either accommodate this or nearby areas will. Ypsi and AA have both plagued their own futures for decades. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614785&1=default&2=en&3=" token="ej6p3oXI0xcDrH_ckEhLpIQoyr-M171OK__4c2C-uzE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245614760" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514316"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760">July 14th, 2025 at 1:31 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:31:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I do wonder if there will be a population shift back to the North. I have thought about buying land in the UP because of this possible shift. Our winters have been much milder in the last 4-5 years. Water is plentiful in the great lakes region. And natural disasters are much lower rates, so insurance is much lower (besides car insurance). </p><p>I didn't know that Michigan had increased undergrad enrollment so much though. I was in A2 a few weeks ago driving around with the family, and had forgotten about the massive dorm complex being built where the lumber yard was. Make's a lot more sense why they need those in addition to North Quad. Wondering when my freshman dorm Mary Markely gets it's renovation. Definitely different levels of living when you compare some of the dorm rooms across campus when you are paying the same amount. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614760&1=default&2=en&3=" token="JMo0tOKCfHk-jSI14fy7ox2BcLhRtIEa7LBvfVHr5Vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="208462" id="comment-245614846" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522292"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846">July 14th, 2025 at 3:44 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:44:52+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was a Markley guy as well-rumours are that the already enormous UM hospital and associated facilities will soon gobble up Markley and continue to expand, probably within the next 3-5 years. If that is the case, there is no point in renovating. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/16/2024</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1899</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614846&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5dYD-Ta4THwVfT0XYDgjv_CB5BoBu0xdLVvKZEmEzy8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245615000" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I was a Markley guy as well…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752587121"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000#comment-245615000">July 15th, 2025 at 9:45 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T13:45:21+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>That makes sense. A little bummer that it will be gone, but understand there are a lot better dorms in more desirable places and the options for the hospital to grow are limited. </p><p>Going from my 10x10 Markley dorm to my 12x17 West quad dorm with a sink made me think I was living in luxury. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615000&1=default&2=en&3=" token="R9ajIa9uJb_zkmZr1gxxhy-SlqzP9n013VxJsyqjldc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7184" id="comment-245614859" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">bluebyyou</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752523863"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859#comment-245614859">July 14th, 2025 at 4:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:11:03+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Having lived in A2 until three years ago, I'd suggest that -17, while warmer than -20, is still pretty freaking cold. It will be a while before palm trees thrive in southern Michigan, CRISPR notwithstanding.</p><p>As for housing prices, they have gone up pretty much everywhere where people want to live. Ann Arbor is still relatively affordable compared to many other areas of the US.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/07/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 23952</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614859&1=default&2=en&3=" token="kK5N4aA5c3FN5OirMyhGT1Z4-8wT3Gf754X9BqG0Upw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="23367" id="comment-245614867" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">True Blue Grit</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752525821"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867#comment-245614867">July 14th, 2025 at 4:43 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:43:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Markely is basically toast. So, no renovation is coming. Once these two giant new dorms on the south campus are done, Markely has a date with the wrecking ball. The medical campus octopus wants this land pretty badly. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/21/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 42866</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614867&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iRX4DyrMpXeZqodpk-uxXCknj6GmFH0jisDknPa-LAk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="159342" id="comment-245614905" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">andrew_</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532688"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905#comment-245614905">July 14th, 2025 at 6:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:38:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>From southern states, absolutely not. Hilariously absolutely not. The only thing that people who leave the state miss is the changing of the seasons. And that can be had in much friendlier climates and better economic and political zones. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1087</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614905&1=default&2=en&3=" token="giwGjoeqZdaN6J9-n2i1fCIM6W4cJub6Csxgr4X4ens"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614765" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514478"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765#comment-245614765">July 14th, 2025 at 1:34 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:34:38+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (<em><strong>canibalizing other universities in the state in the process</strong></em>, but who cares)</p></blockquote><p>I don't think M is cannibalizing other MI schools, at least insofar as taking their students. My guess is that very few of these added students were headed for struggling in-state schools but for their M admission. About the only thing those schools have in common with M is location; the students targeting M are by and large doing so for other reasons (i.e. location might be a plus, but it's not a driving factor).</p><p>Plus there's a double edge sword with the admission rates. I don't know about others, but I don't enjoy the fact that M is becoming more and more impossible to get into. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614765&1=default&2=en&3=" token="__XpqEc_bQHHch0E2qe4k23QO5ONmiBCyGX7dkdQwrk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="21779" id="comment-245614772" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Go Blue Eyes</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514928"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772#comment-245614772">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I had to look the growth issue up. From 1960 to 1970 Ann Arbor added 33,000 people to just over 100,000. Since then the population has only grown by 23,000 (estimated this year) or only just over 500 people per year in 50 years! Stunning to see that number considering all of the articles saying it is one of the best places to live in the country. <br><br>The proposals Brian relates seem like no brainers. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/04/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13440</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614772&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cMakYO04rVL5Cg5hqTtWvt5S5gKsN80xKpU_VZIfz5o"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614773" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514946"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:26+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. </p></blockquote><p>Don't conflate cause and effect. The city has throttled housing production with restrictive zoning for 50+ years. Developers (read: housing producers) report that building housing in Ann Arbor is extraordinarily difficult even compared to peer cities. The population flatlined in 1970, right around the time that the city's anti-apartment zoning and historic district regs began to bite. Make it illegal to build housing and, yeah, you'll find that general population growth will slow. But Ann Arbor is growing. Just ... in the townships, Saline, and Dexter. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614773&1=default&2=en&3=" token="CRme7DwkyY_pewLr94rt4mL4Tpm-X6antNg2hgRgW4g"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1750" id="comment-245614790" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516101"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790">July 14th, 2025 at 2:01 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:01:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recall, with a bit of fuzziness from my time as a student in the 1980s, that new high-rise housing was forbidden in Ann Arbor. Does anyone the history and reasoning?</p><p>Did everyone watch and get frightened by "The Towering Inferno"?</p><p>Was it the debacle of University Towers? (Is it still awful, or has it been improved?)</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/28/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15867</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614790&1=default&2=en&3=" token="rfrppBTv5lglzAYunyMldg8vCQ5PXTiIrrtluGGLDMc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614798" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516720"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798">July 14th, 2025 at 2:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:11:44+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>U Towers was a disaster 20 years ago. I had three friends that lived there, and all three had major problems with their apartments.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614798&1=default&2=en&3=" token="9haLQkNqk7IzyQLGCPz-4kj2FsosyDgNelvZfycLf7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="5812" id="comment-245614974" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">U Towers was a disaster 20…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">michengin87</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752576122"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974#comment-245614974">July 15th, 2025 at 6:42 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T10:42:02+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I lived in U Towers 40 years ago. It wasn't great but relatively affordable split between 4 guys. It was built in 1964, the same year that the UM Administration Building was erected. The Administration Building was torn down 3 years ago, but U Towers, in all its ugliness, remains.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/14/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5251</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614974&1=default&2=en&3=" token="WU9ZEJdyA6HXJxGL6ezGEjavlTKfWCAvJtll8z7yf7c"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614806" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517642"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806#comment-245614806">July 14th, 2025 at 2:27 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:27:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great summary of the history is here:</p><p><a href="https://aadl.org/node/15599">https://aadl.org/node/15599</a></p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614806&1=default&2=en&3=" token="SxYzNCXxpFFnZyTxPNK_Lg8lEJqNberN7jf1T14J0vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="817" id="comment-245614902" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">lhglrkwg</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532608"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902#comment-245614902">July 14th, 2025 at 6:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:30:58+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was gonna say- i know a lot of young families that would live in A2 if they could afford it but they had to setup roots in Saline, Ypsi, Belleville, etc and they have to commute in</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/03/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 102420</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614902&1=default&2=en&3=" token="eJb3rnSEHmg8Fo5NcMSxbEqK0Ti_ZCylhgkhVyDOCAM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617571" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753461702"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571#comment-245617571">July 25th, 2025 at 12:41 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:41:24+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But would the non-student population be growing if there were housing???</p><p>Saline and dexter certainly have grown. How of that growth is tied to employment in Ann Arbor? I’d bet a lot</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617571&1=default&2=en&3=" token="uXMN24M1ODCH2ZgExGYFSFZEr7V8w8EF-fPocARdbIQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614753" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513696"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753">July 14th, 2025 at 1:21 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:21:36+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is an expensive college town and always will be. I'm fine with growth, but call it what it is.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614753&1=default&2=en&3=" token="k25ipI3o9NXlg7_Jftgn6YdxCTOdAx0yH0onu67057E"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2617" id="comment-245614847" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is an expensive…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522487"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847">July 14th, 2025 at 3:48 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:48:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>And yet there are things one can do about that. Austin for instance built a ton of housing the last couple of years and rent is down 22 percent. </p><p>Supply and demand doesn't simply disappear when it comes to the question of housing and there's lots of evidence of this both around the US and around the world. Ann Arbor can be more affordable and still be a desirable place to live.</p><p>More broadly its better to live in a place which is growing and people want to live versus being the opposite. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 2823</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614847&1=default&2=en&3=" token="1AAvwu20b-eFVnAQRq6-GqWc7LFF7h7M-VcG5YA5dOo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614855" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">And yet there are things one…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527281"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855#comment-245614855">July 14th, 2025 at 4:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:03:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I have lived in both cities, and people always like to compare the two. They are nothing alike. Austin is a hub of over 1 million people with legit suburbs and part of a larger corridor with San Antonio.</p><p>Austin also has had and has a real gentrification problem. Highway 35 created a colored and white divide but now the east side of 35 is hip and development is crazy. </p><p>Ann Arbor is far more like Boulder than Austin.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614855&1=default&2=en&3=" token="LDFJg8FjtXo7Lwh0QDGXSRnN30odAmIuZhML3blziJM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614767" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514654"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767#comment-245614767">July 14th, 2025 at 1:36 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:36:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recognize that it's the way Ann Arbor is going, but it is sad to see it losing a lot of it's quintessential midwestern college town feel. South U is completely unrecognizable these days. Feels like it's going the way of Austin</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614767&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sSooV8PHaICHUwpLlRYJKofg5BOu4nytbxhHrJVT_YE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614918" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537222"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918#comment-245614918">July 14th, 2025 at 7:53 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:53:42+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This reads like you told ChatGPT to sound like a human and be more of an asshole. Just saying.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614918&1=default&2=en&3=" token="8XPpc-OPihtiNFPWdCvyqEix3-YeS7rQZyA-BcrhG44"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614919" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537413"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919#comment-245614919">July 14th, 2025 at 7:56 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:56:23+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good time for a double post!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614919&1=default&2=en&3=" token="f1ZcUUAcenxVMNqRnayRMNW6f7nQjwabQrd6-VfqGhw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2048" id="comment-245614732" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">PeteM</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511237"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732#comment-245614732">July 14th, 2025 at 12:40 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:40:37+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great piece. I was at the forum prior to the 2018 election, and remember that the speaker in favor of the "Center of the City" talked about raising significant funds. I live in Ann Arbor, and have read the various arguments on the current proposals on Facebook. Supporters of the 2018 charter amendment argue that regardless of the level of private fundraising the fact that the charter now calls for a park obligates the city to move forward and pay for it since that was the voters' will. While I can't read the voters' minds in 2018 my sense that folks then were pushing back against development and change generally, and really didn't care that much whether the lot stayed a lot or became Liberty Plaza II.</p><p>That's funny about Alan Haber lighting a bowl during a meeting. I've met him once and he is an interesting character. I believe that he was an early mentor to future SDS leader Tom Hayden when Hayden was an undergrad and Daily editor the late '50s.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/15/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 4254</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614732&1=default&2=en&3=" token="AxAnai9MhLD2mP2bhfqtVXg62F5M8FLxF6DvYKSgF_4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614743" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752512944"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743">July 14th, 2025 at 1:09 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:09:04+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Seems like a no brainer to put the originally intended building on top of the underground structure. I never knew the backstory but always thought it was odd to have this enormous underground structure with nothing on top at ground level.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614743&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5mK-3QVY7Ud9rlZcjEKLTjiDLVV0irpUpukAp2fcZzQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="24817" id="comment-245614970" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Seems like a no brainer to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752567015"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970">July 15th, 2025 at 4:10 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T08:10:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Some of the backstory is that the City Council doesn't necessarily represent the will of the Ann Arbor populace (for a variety of reasons). That parking structure and its footings to support a development that wasn't approved is evidence of that. The Council wanted it and people didn't. It doesn't matter the reason, it's just poor planning. By building the structure as is, the Council wanted exactly the reasoning you outlined. Essentially a fait accompli that "well, we built a structure to support a huge ass building so now it has to be built". Many of those who voted "for" the city park were voting against the insular Council and its decision making and particularly the giveaway to the developer of the previous project.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 04/18/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5632</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614970&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sN7V30Ggn7GDIdkU-wyqK0k2Cs400tJWZkMunnMw59A"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245615093" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752606226"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093#comment-245615093">July 15th, 2025 at 3:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T19:03:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Decades of city and DDA planning documents recommended that site for a tall building. A bunch of NIMBYs put "park" on the ballot and won by six percent, largely on the backs of votes in student districts. And then every single CM who supported the park project lost their seats. And then residents tanked the park project on the PROS Plan survey. So... try again? </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615093&1=default&2=en&3=" token="172TQhRAiF6sXZ6VYY0HGwHyAlY6qqOA-Pmo3FJ08jQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617584" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753462196"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584#comment-245617584">July 25th, 2025 at 12:49 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:49:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This is just wrong. Eaton and the park proponents had a majority on council in 2018. Then they did this and the city’s population responded overwhelmingly by voting that majority out. So it’s kind of what you said but the exact opposite lol. A slim majority on a confusing ballot proposal is no more representative than the now overwhelming popularity of the new council who all won their races in landslides.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617584&1=default&2=en&3=" token="fdQroBLhrCyQenKmOX-J23W5x6Jf9kb-u0DmQFEy184"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614751" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513615"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751">July 14th, 2025 at 1:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:20:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Definitely in favor. Let's just not pretend development like this is going to help A2 affordability. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614751&1=default&2=en&3=" token="0nK3ZjxlxsSv0OoCl0nhgET9xBRf7cJ8w7E6RWqseRI"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="6867" id="comment-245614823" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752519777"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823">July 14th, 2025 at 3:02 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:02:57+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But it might. Supply and demand. I'm not an economist, but even if developers only build expensive units, eventually a a large supply of pricey units will bring down demand and hopefully prices</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/01/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 428</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614823&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m_nhNFiQ9duVK4ey752pXtokMdhOy4vT77c0QSQelrY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614856" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But it might. Supply and…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752542861"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856#comment-245614856">July 14th, 2025 at 4:04 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:04:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Or attract more 20 somethings with money and the University can continue to fill them with more international graduate students with no budget.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614856&1=default&2=en&3=" token="gp5lXBL3XJDYESfCduxDDPg3JfcahN0zXNLoNiJCmzU"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="8172" id="comment-245615010" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">tsabesi</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752592345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010#comment-245615010">July 15th, 2025 at 11:12 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:12:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This won't help a lot but it is part of the affordability solution. More, denser housing near (or connected via transit) to where people want to be is how you solve affordability and congestion and this development fits that bill.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/28/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1141</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615010&1=default&2=en&3=" token="FXh-4crZUKo89J9h-Rw0PQdmgKBRxWAYsetehNO7hlE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="31412" id="comment-245614757" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Blue Vet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514225"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757#comment-245614757">July 14th, 2025 at 1:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:30:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good luck. Wish I still lived in AA so I could vote.</p><p>Don't some nations allow voting by people of that nationality but living elsewhere?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 05/08/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 93252</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614757&1=default&2=en&3=" token="yXhtp5RfuBTHM-eaq27SxyJC43X78N2HaZnzH4c4Oow"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="92726" id="comment-245614784" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515646"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Yes, Brian, this is YOUR blog so I guess you have carte blanche to post something political. </p><p>Merits of your argument aside, I find this to be unfortunate and hypocritical, as all too often, political comments by users and/or threads get shut down.</p><p>How about a little consistency? Rather than do as I say and not as I do, how about letting people express their views and show tolerance with those which you disagree.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/24/2014</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 6920</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614784&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sUhc-6aZrXfkH5lYGtkGgeMat-9aeTUO5_Ogf8RL90I"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614794" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794#comment-245614794">July 14th, 2025 at 2:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:05:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Old man shouts at cloud</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614794&1=default&2=en&3=" token="48XBw28WUzbjOs5ToAdqACUcA1mnKavTw4MhyivC2eY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29905" id="comment-245614804" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Toby Flenderson</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517218"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804#comment-245614804">July 14th, 2025 at 2:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:20:18+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What do you want to say that’s political?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/16/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 26030</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614804&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m5-vyM_2j6XRB61blf0lRSkaoeqLn_Az55qjcsBFNng"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <nav class="pager" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="pagination-heading"> <h4 id="pagination-heading" class="visually-hidden">Pagination</h4> <ul class="pager__items js-pager__items"> <li class="pager__item is-active"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=0" title="Current page" aria-current="page"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Current page </span>1</a> </li> <li class="pager__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to page 2"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Page </span>2</a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--next"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to next page" rel="next"> <span class="visually-hidden">Next page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Next ›</span> </a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--last"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to last page"> <span class="visually-hidden">Last page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Last »</span> </a> </li> </ul> </nav> </section> <div class="field field--name-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics" hreflang="en">ANN ARBOR POLITICS!</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Hello: Recarder Kitchen</h1> <p>Alex.Drain — Thu, 11 Jun 2026 13:54:58 +0000</p> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Yes On Ann Arbor Props A And B</span> <div class="field field--name-field-published-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-14T15:42:06Z" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Brian</a></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-07-14T11:42:06-04:00" title="Monday, July 14, 2025 - 11:42am" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> </picture> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-photo-caption-1 field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">[Scott Trudeau]</div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>A brief digression.</em></p><p>If you're an Ann Arbor voter, there's an unusual off-year August election coming up. There's really just one thing on the ballot; the two props are tied such that both must pass or nothing happens.</p><p>The TL;DR is: do you want this downtown surface parking lot for the rest of time…</p><p></p><p>…or do you want that parking lot to be half of a new downtown library with a bunch of housing on top? That is obvious. <a href="https://supportaadl.com/">Library + housing + tax revenue</a>. The end. Vote yes on (or before) August 5th.</p><p><strong>[The too long; didn't read follows AFTER THE JUMP.]</strong></p><div id="read-more"></div><p>If you're still here, the backstory: in 2018 Ann Arbor wanted to sell the rights to a piece of land to a developer that would create a <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/12/ann-arbor-cancels-deal-for-17-story-high-rise-on-library-lot.html">large building and an outdoor plaza</a>. The city would get a bunch of money in the affordable housing fund, a large number of permanently affordable downtown apartments, the public plaza, and a significant amount of annual tax revenue.</p><p>Unfortunately, a group of local NIMBYs got together enough signatures to get a proposal on the ballot that would designate that plot the "Center of the City" and they would then create a park on it. At the time, organizers said that they would privately fund that park. There was a sort of precedent for this, as Ann Arbor <a href="https://www.a2skatepark.org/">successfully funded a skate park</a> some years back without using any public funds.</p><p>The proposal, placed on a busy November ballot, passed 53-47. The development was nixed; a "Library Green" committee was assembled to guide the process of turning the parking lot into a park, and then nothing happened. This was due to a few different factors. One was that the proposal was <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">obviously infeasible from the beginning</a>:</p><blockquote><p>The Library Lot is a small city-owned surface parking lot just north of the Ann Arbor District Library. It sits atop an underground parking deck. The deck was specifically designed and reinforced, at significant taxpayer expense, to support the addition of a mixed-use building on top of it; <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/10/can_ann_arbors_library_lot_sup.html">it was not designed to support</a>, and perhaps cannot reasonably be made to support, large amounts of dirt, mature trees, and vegetation. The Library Lot is less than a block away from Liberty Plaza, a pocket park <a href="https://annarborobserver.com/a-pivotal-election/">in need</a> of <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/03/100k-proposed-for-liberty-plaza-as-ann-arbor-aims-to-curb-parks-problems.html">city attention and investment</a>, and about a half mile from West Park, a sprawling public space next to downtown with a famous band shell<a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/10/2m-relocation-among-options-for-saving-ann-arbors-historic-west-park-bandshell.html"> that needs relocation and/or repair</a>. It is hemmed in on three sides by other structures.</p></blockquote><p>Two was that the primary motivation of most of he people involved was to stop the construction of a tall building on a downtown parcel specifically designed to hold a tall building. Once that was accomplished interest waned. Fundraising attempts brought in something like 1% of the amount needed to do anything. The Library Green committee established by the city produced nothing. Seven years later the site is unchanged. The committee has been dissolved. There is no path forward for the site under 2018's Prop A.</p><p>Three is that Library Green people who were actually somewhat invested in a park were feckless dilettantes. Alan Haber infamously had to call in on Zoom most of the time because he was in France; once he <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/danieladams.bsky.social/post/3ltl6mjoecc2y">lit a bowl in the middle of a meeting</a>. His main contribution to the debate prior to the vote was to exclaim that the "love economy" would take care of everything. The <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/11/pop-up-dome-on-ann-arbors-library-lot-part-of-center-of-the-city-outreach.html">sole object</a> to appear on the parking lot was a "DecaDome," which was placed there at taxpayer expense. The money went to Eric Lipson, one of the Library Green supporters.</p><p>Still, the city has made a gesture towards the original intent of 2018's Prop A to keep that parcel in public hands by proposing to transfer it to the library. If the props pass the Library plans to build a new downtown branch that occupies both the current site adjacent to the parking lot and said parking lot, funding it by selling the air rights above the land to a developer who will put a bunch of housing there.</p><p>This is a win-win-win, as the city would get a swanky new downtown library without having to pass an additional millage, badly needed downtown housing, and the tax revenue from that housing. The alternative is literally nothing.</p><p>A few additional resources:</p><ul><li>Daniel Adams's <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">comprehensive survey</a> of the Prop A situation at <em>Damn Arbor</em>.</li><li>Ann Arbor AF's <a href="https://annarboraf.com/episode-79-new-downtown-library-getting-informed-with-eli-neiburger/">interview with library director Eli Neiburger</a>, which has detail on why the AADL needs a new downtown branch.</li><li>The library's website has a page <a href="https://aadl.org/morefacts">debunking the FUD</a> coming from the Library Green people.</li></ul></div> <div class="node__links"> <ul class="links inline"><li class="comment-forbidden"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/login?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">Log in</a> or <a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/register?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">register</a> to post comments</li></ul> </div> <section class="field field--name-comment field--type-comment field--label-hidden comment-wrapper" id="comments"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="25829" id="comment-245614702" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509150"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702">July 14th, 2025 at 12:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:05:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This analysis is spot on. <br><br>Also, the small, but painfully vocal coven of feckless dilettantes in this town is a real problem. </p><p><br><br><br> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/23/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 437</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614702&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iZ-y-ja68p0fsRqbcdikVm1Sh0dtTJQQLTqdu-MiM10"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"><article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205835" id="comment-245614729" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Crunklicious</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511147"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729#comment-245614729">July 14th, 2025 at 12:39 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:39:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Perfectly said. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 02/10/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 24</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614729&1=default&2=en&3=" token="caQMVOF6KnUZNYMHSQp-p21kJ-WsURpVMehfKNEl1_Y"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="3204" id="comment-245614880" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Robbie Moore</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527872"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880#comment-245614880">July 14th, 2025 at 5:16 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T21:16:34+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>NIMBY-ism is a thing everywhere. The folks who show up at planning commission meetings raising hell stand athwart progress and yell "stop." And it is progress to get a new library, downtown housing and a badly needed increase in tax revenue. </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 56174</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614880&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cGspnIiapNCDFC2sbFxflUXxus9XbJSy8sj_2w_9vS4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615015" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752593732"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015">July 15th, 2025 at 11:35 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:35:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>John U. Bacon leading the charge on the NIMBY crap is more than a bit disappointing, I have to admit. Not to mention Ken Burns jumping in the ring to criticize potential zoning changes in a city he hasn't lived in since the early 70s.</p><p>Ann Arbor needs to change. And it's going to be fine when it does.</p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615015&1=default&2=en&3=" token="Kmh6dYAqYTJeP6Mbid8CNoMjgBu7XBwvZaGIvCvLtUs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1464" id="comment-245615023" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">John U. Bacon leading the…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595246"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023">July 15th, 2025 at 12:00 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:00:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I mean, both traffic in nostalgia to a degree, even though NIMBYism and associated increased property values is significantly to blame for the disappearance of the Ann Arbor that they mourn. </p><p>As an aside, “the world I remember is endangered/disappearing” vs “I can’t afford the world that exists” is one of the most potent low key conflicts in politics right now (and one that doesn’t have clear left/right divides) </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/05/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17191</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615023&1=default&2=en&3=" token="bnK3X5BMgPiCZB2mgLWYhM5La0jzNiUFPr2TIXSMNKg"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615026" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I mean, both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595921"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026">July 15th, 2025 at 12:12 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:12:01+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>"...both traffic in nostalgia" is a perfect summation, yes.</p><p>We lived in A2 for a little bit recently after a long time away. Lived in the same neighborhood I lived in as a student and immediate postgrad, for that matter. The city really is fundamentally different, most definitely less weird and more corporate, and most definitely more congested. But it's still Ann Arbor.</p><p>I've said it here before, I think my only real critique of build more housing (and yes, <em>build more housing</em>) is that it never includes a similar discussion on just how congested traffic has become, with UM Medicine traffic leading the way. Every day right now is the equivalent of a football Saturday or more with people coming in and out of downtown for work, replicated several times throughout the day. You can watch the shift changes in lines of cars. There's just not enough road infrastructure, and no, bike lanes and buses really aren't fixing it so far. </p><p>I don't know what the answer is, but I wonder what will happen when the high-rises truly hit a place of supersaturation with the roads.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615026&1=default&2=en&3=" token="pZTANjvD7PUkPje6rZTJB75SYc1nXGPMQpM9crmwBbY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245615027" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">"...both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752596612"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027#comment-245615027">July 15th, 2025 at 12:23 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:23:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>UM Medicine that grows and grows but seemingly gets harder and harder to get an actual appointment. I finally left for a different medical system out of frustration.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615027&1=default&2=en&3=" token="TBYcVE0E6HA-ZC_nZ2-LpMv4wIRsjt68SXGWsN6MfEs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div></div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="195" id="comment-245614704" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509296"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:16+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The number of NIMBYs in Ann Arbor who want nothing is truly astounding. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 38716</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614704&1=default&2=en&3=" token="4Piq7-8WybHGGO3RcpEC8d8XXDAyNT40KxbfF-mPIMY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="145" id="comment-245614762" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ckersh74</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514340"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762#comment-245614762">July 14th, 2025 at 1:32 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:32:20+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The NIMBYs aren’t the ones to worry about. It’s the BANANAs you need to be concerned with:</p><p>Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 51159</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614762&1=default&2=en&3=" token="mkz6Fd0vduRGufRQ6g7lUTyUxkvh0M9SVMEUcfWzsRA"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614764" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752521671"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764#comment-245614764">July 14th, 2025 at 1:33 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:33:47+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I think this prop specifically is an easy yes, but to some degree I understand <em>some</em> NIMBYism in Ann Arbor because every time I'm in Ann Arbor it becomes less and less recognizable with a new high rise going up, a chain restaurant going in, and an establishment that made Ann Arbor what it once was when I went there disappearing. It feels like we're seeing the Austin-ification of Ann Arbor. It's sad to see even though I recognize the need for housing</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614764&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5lfyeYq5ABWM4wI6_UCDPdYA5fmqPrW-itDDou339HM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="111555" id="comment-245614705" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bob_Timberlake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509313"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705#comment-245614705">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:33+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Go Blue!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/29/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 8696</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614705&1=default&2=en&3=" token="x3W4Ya81hxKBNriVWqWo8P2cMGah2pNWsrOPwu58yv0"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205959" id="comment-245614727" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">RibbleMcDibble</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511026"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727#comment-245614727">July 14th, 2025 at 12:37 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:37:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This seems like a complicated offense for a true freshman to learn. I thought Chip Lindsey was good at melding an offense to his personnel?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/24/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 19306</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614727&1=default&2=en&3=" token="zWX86_vCMavJGxoErQ6VNYm5vbg13xYknmiY42ftQ7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614728" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511112"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728">July 14th, 2025 at 12:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:38:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is not and will never again be a small town. It is a growing city and will become much larger in the coming years, especially with natural disaster and wet bulb trends in the south accelerating with climate change and FEMA cuts.</p><p>They need to embrace growth and plan infrastructure in accordance with that. </p><p>Lastly, they need paid positions to make these decisions rather than endless faux- democratic bureaucracy. City Councils are fucking stupid and always have been. The cold hard truth? Most people who influence city-level decisions have no fucking clue what theyre doing. </p><p>Ypsi has refused to remediate a potential development site for decades for similar reasons- just bite the fucking bullet. </p><p>Bunch of do-nothings. Make more salaried positions tied to outcomes and slash the degree of council-level input. It's a massive waste. Have the advisory committees meet separately and provide reports, recommendations, and town feedback. They shouldnt be making the final decisions. </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614728&1=default&2=en&3=" token="3UK1wHYUZQlh8Wi9VgjyXHS_B1SnN7xB3OjMp5oqtE8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29395" id="comment-245614741" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515674"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741">July 14th, 2025 at 1:06 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:06:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>It is a growing city</p></blockquote><p>Close to 100% of the city's population growth between 2010 and 2020 was due to U-M expanding its enrollment. Since 2020, Ann Arbor has in fact lost population, despite U-M's enrollment continuing to grow.</p><p>At issue here is that U-M cavalierly expanded its enrollment by a third between 2000 and 2020 while building very little on-campus housing. Finally <a href="https://record.umich.edu/articles/new-residential-quad-adding-2300-beds-more-planned/">there are steps being taken to rectify that</a>. In the meantime, the high-rises have sprouted up to accommodate a growing demand for off-campus housing, as students have to live somewhere.</p><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (cannibalizing other universities in the state in the process, but who cares!), I guess I can see why the city wants to accommodate them. But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. Non-students are leaving the city. Ann Arbor needs to be careful about where things are headed.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/14/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 113998</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614741&1=default&2=en&3=" token="wqaJJmBENVGbIPcAb_VjfIVSGrGoQqJv64FypHJrOoM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614748" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513489"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748">July 14th, 2025 at 1:18 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:18:09+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>He's saying it's very long-term growth play given the climate stability, water availability, etc. in the area. There are plenty of white papers on this topic. If people are going to migrate towards this area over the next 100 years, there's a good chance a lot of them will end up in Ann Arbor.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614748&1=default&2=en&3=" token="OQ240KWFdcbZ7IS5LAHRGQdBczbca6mtI8Ixw6JICEk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614785" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">He's saying it's very long…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515655"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785#comment-245614785">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Exactly this. The region will grow in population- period. </p><p>Ann Arbor will either accommodate this or nearby areas will. Ypsi and AA have both plagued their own futures for decades. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614785&1=default&2=en&3=" token="ej6p3oXI0xcDrH_ckEhLpIQoyr-M171OK__4c2C-uzE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245614760" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514316"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760">July 14th, 2025 at 1:31 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:31:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I do wonder if there will be a population shift back to the North. I have thought about buying land in the UP because of this possible shift. Our winters have been much milder in the last 4-5 years. Water is plentiful in the great lakes region. And natural disasters are much lower rates, so insurance is much lower (besides car insurance). </p><p>I didn't know that Michigan had increased undergrad enrollment so much though. I was in A2 a few weeks ago driving around with the family, and had forgotten about the massive dorm complex being built where the lumber yard was. Make's a lot more sense why they need those in addition to North Quad. Wondering when my freshman dorm Mary Markely gets it's renovation. Definitely different levels of living when you compare some of the dorm rooms across campus when you are paying the same amount. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614760&1=default&2=en&3=" token="JMo0tOKCfHk-jSI14fy7ox2BcLhRtIEa7LBvfVHr5Vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="208462" id="comment-245614846" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522292"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846">July 14th, 2025 at 3:44 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:44:52+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was a Markley guy as well-rumours are that the already enormous UM hospital and associated facilities will soon gobble up Markley and continue to expand, probably within the next 3-5 years. If that is the case, there is no point in renovating. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/16/2024</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1899</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614846&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5dYD-Ta4THwVfT0XYDgjv_CB5BoBu0xdLVvKZEmEzy8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245615000" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I was a Markley guy as well…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752587121"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000#comment-245615000">July 15th, 2025 at 9:45 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T13:45:21+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>That makes sense. A little bummer that it will be gone, but understand there are a lot better dorms in more desirable places and the options for the hospital to grow are limited. </p><p>Going from my 10x10 Markley dorm to my 12x17 West quad dorm with a sink made me think I was living in luxury. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615000&1=default&2=en&3=" token="R9ajIa9uJb_zkmZr1gxxhy-SlqzP9n013VxJsyqjldc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7184" id="comment-245614859" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">bluebyyou</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752523863"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859#comment-245614859">July 14th, 2025 at 4:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:11:03+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Having lived in A2 until three years ago, I'd suggest that -17, while warmer than -20, is still pretty freaking cold. It will be a while before palm trees thrive in southern Michigan, CRISPR notwithstanding.</p><p>As for housing prices, they have gone up pretty much everywhere where people want to live. Ann Arbor is still relatively affordable compared to many other areas of the US.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/07/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 23952</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614859&1=default&2=en&3=" token="kK5N4aA5c3FN5OirMyhGT1Z4-8wT3Gf754X9BqG0Upw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="23367" id="comment-245614867" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">True Blue Grit</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752525821"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867#comment-245614867">July 14th, 2025 at 4:43 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:43:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Markely is basically toast. So, no renovation is coming. Once these two giant new dorms on the south campus are done, Markely has a date with the wrecking ball. The medical campus octopus wants this land pretty badly. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/21/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 42866</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614867&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iRX4DyrMpXeZqodpk-uxXCknj6GmFH0jisDknPa-LAk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="159342" id="comment-245614905" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">andrew_</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532688"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905#comment-245614905">July 14th, 2025 at 6:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:38:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>From southern states, absolutely not. Hilariously absolutely not. The only thing that people who leave the state miss is the changing of the seasons. And that can be had in much friendlier climates and better economic and political zones. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1087</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614905&1=default&2=en&3=" token="giwGjoeqZdaN6J9-n2i1fCIM6W4cJub6Csxgr4X4ens"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614765" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514478"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765#comment-245614765">July 14th, 2025 at 1:34 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:34:38+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (<em><strong>canibalizing other universities in the state in the process</strong></em>, but who cares)</p></blockquote><p>I don't think M is cannibalizing other MI schools, at least insofar as taking their students. My guess is that very few of these added students were headed for struggling in-state schools but for their M admission. About the only thing those schools have in common with M is location; the students targeting M are by and large doing so for other reasons (i.e. location might be a plus, but it's not a driving factor).</p><p>Plus there's a double edge sword with the admission rates. I don't know about others, but I don't enjoy the fact that M is becoming more and more impossible to get into. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614765&1=default&2=en&3=" token="__XpqEc_bQHHch0E2qe4k23QO5ONmiBCyGX7dkdQwrk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="21779" id="comment-245614772" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Go Blue Eyes</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514928"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772#comment-245614772">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I had to look the growth issue up. From 1960 to 1970 Ann Arbor added 33,000 people to just over 100,000. Since then the population has only grown by 23,000 (estimated this year) or only just over 500 people per year in 50 years! Stunning to see that number considering all of the articles saying it is one of the best places to live in the country. <br><br>The proposals Brian relates seem like no brainers. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/04/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13440</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614772&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cMakYO04rVL5Cg5hqTtWvt5S5gKsN80xKpU_VZIfz5o"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614773" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514946"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:26+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. </p></blockquote><p>Don't conflate cause and effect. The city has throttled housing production with restrictive zoning for 50+ years. Developers (read: housing producers) report that building housing in Ann Arbor is extraordinarily difficult even compared to peer cities. The population flatlined in 1970, right around the time that the city's anti-apartment zoning and historic district regs began to bite. Make it illegal to build housing and, yeah, you'll find that general population growth will slow. But Ann Arbor is growing. Just ... in the townships, Saline, and Dexter. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614773&1=default&2=en&3=" token="CRme7DwkyY_pewLr94rt4mL4Tpm-X6antNg2hgRgW4g"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1750" id="comment-245614790" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516101"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790">July 14th, 2025 at 2:01 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:01:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recall, with a bit of fuzziness from my time as a student in the 1980s, that new high-rise housing was forbidden in Ann Arbor. Does anyone the history and reasoning?</p><p>Did everyone watch and get frightened by "The Towering Inferno"?</p><p>Was it the debacle of University Towers? (Is it still awful, or has it been improved?)</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/28/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15867</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614790&1=default&2=en&3=" token="rfrppBTv5lglzAYunyMldg8vCQ5PXTiIrrtluGGLDMc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614798" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516720"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798">July 14th, 2025 at 2:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:11:44+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>U Towers was a disaster 20 years ago. I had three friends that lived there, and all three had major problems with their apartments.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614798&1=default&2=en&3=" token="9haLQkNqk7IzyQLGCPz-4kj2FsosyDgNelvZfycLf7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="5812" id="comment-245614974" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">U Towers was a disaster 20…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">michengin87</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752576122"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974#comment-245614974">July 15th, 2025 at 6:42 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T10:42:02+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I lived in U Towers 40 years ago. It wasn't great but relatively affordable split between 4 guys. It was built in 1964, the same year that the UM Administration Building was erected. The Administration Building was torn down 3 years ago, but U Towers, in all its ugliness, remains.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/14/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5251</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614974&1=default&2=en&3=" token="WU9ZEJdyA6HXJxGL6ezGEjavlTKfWCAvJtll8z7yf7c"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614806" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517642"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806#comment-245614806">July 14th, 2025 at 2:27 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:27:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great summary of the history is here:</p><p><a href="https://aadl.org/node/15599">https://aadl.org/node/15599</a></p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614806&1=default&2=en&3=" token="SxYzNCXxpFFnZyTxPNK_Lg8lEJqNberN7jf1T14J0vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="817" id="comment-245614902" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">lhglrkwg</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532608"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902#comment-245614902">July 14th, 2025 at 6:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:30:58+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was gonna say- i know a lot of young families that would live in A2 if they could afford it but they had to setup roots in Saline, Ypsi, Belleville, etc and they have to commute in</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/03/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 102420</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614902&1=default&2=en&3=" token="eJb3rnSEHmg8Fo5NcMSxbEqK0Ti_ZCylhgkhVyDOCAM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617571" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753461702"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571#comment-245617571">July 25th, 2025 at 12:41 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:41:24+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But would the non-student population be growing if there were housing???</p><p>Saline and dexter certainly have grown. How of that growth is tied to employment in Ann Arbor? I’d bet a lot</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617571&1=default&2=en&3=" token="uXMN24M1ODCH2ZgExGYFSFZEr7V8w8EF-fPocARdbIQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614753" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513696"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753">July 14th, 2025 at 1:21 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:21:36+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is an expensive college town and always will be. I'm fine with growth, but call it what it is.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614753&1=default&2=en&3=" token="k25ipI3o9NXlg7_Jftgn6YdxCTOdAx0yH0onu67057E"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2617" id="comment-245614847" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is an expensive…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522487"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847">July 14th, 2025 at 3:48 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:48:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>And yet there are things one can do about that. Austin for instance built a ton of housing the last couple of years and rent is down 22 percent. </p><p>Supply and demand doesn't simply disappear when it comes to the question of housing and there's lots of evidence of this both around the US and around the world. Ann Arbor can be more affordable and still be a desirable place to live.</p><p>More broadly its better to live in a place which is growing and people want to live versus being the opposite. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 2823</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614847&1=default&2=en&3=" token="1AAvwu20b-eFVnAQRq6-GqWc7LFF7h7M-VcG5YA5dOo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614855" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">And yet there are things one…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527281"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855#comment-245614855">July 14th, 2025 at 4:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:03:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I have lived in both cities, and people always like to compare the two. They are nothing alike. Austin is a hub of over 1 million people with legit suburbs and part of a larger corridor with San Antonio.</p><p>Austin also has had and has a real gentrification problem. Highway 35 created a colored and white divide but now the east side of 35 is hip and development is crazy. </p><p>Ann Arbor is far more like Boulder than Austin.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614855&1=default&2=en&3=" token="LDFJg8FjtXo7Lwh0QDGXSRnN30odAmIuZhML3blziJM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614767" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514654"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767#comment-245614767">July 14th, 2025 at 1:36 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:36:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recognize that it's the way Ann Arbor is going, but it is sad to see it losing a lot of it's quintessential midwestern college town feel. South U is completely unrecognizable these days. Feels like it's going the way of Austin</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614767&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sSooV8PHaICHUwpLlRYJKofg5BOu4nytbxhHrJVT_YE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614918" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537222"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918#comment-245614918">July 14th, 2025 at 7:53 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:53:42+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This reads like you told ChatGPT to sound like a human and be more of an asshole. Just saying.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614918&1=default&2=en&3=" token="8XPpc-OPihtiNFPWdCvyqEix3-YeS7rQZyA-BcrhG44"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614919" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537413"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919#comment-245614919">July 14th, 2025 at 7:56 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:56:23+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good time for a double post!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614919&1=default&2=en&3=" token="f1ZcUUAcenxVMNqRnayRMNW6f7nQjwabQrd6-VfqGhw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2048" id="comment-245614732" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">PeteM</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511237"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732#comment-245614732">July 14th, 2025 at 12:40 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:40:37+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great piece. I was at the forum prior to the 2018 election, and remember that the speaker in favor of the "Center of the City" talked about raising significant funds. I live in Ann Arbor, and have read the various arguments on the current proposals on Facebook. Supporters of the 2018 charter amendment argue that regardless of the level of private fundraising the fact that the charter now calls for a park obligates the city to move forward and pay for it since that was the voters' will. While I can't read the voters' minds in 2018 my sense that folks then were pushing back against development and change generally, and really didn't care that much whether the lot stayed a lot or became Liberty Plaza II.</p><p>That's funny about Alan Haber lighting a bowl during a meeting. I've met him once and he is an interesting character. I believe that he was an early mentor to future SDS leader Tom Hayden when Hayden was an undergrad and Daily editor the late '50s.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/15/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 4254</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614732&1=default&2=en&3=" token="AxAnai9MhLD2mP2bhfqtVXg62F5M8FLxF6DvYKSgF_4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614743" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752512944"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743">July 14th, 2025 at 1:09 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:09:04+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Seems like a no brainer to put the originally intended building on top of the underground structure. I never knew the backstory but always thought it was odd to have this enormous underground structure with nothing on top at ground level.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614743&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5mK-3QVY7Ud9rlZcjEKLTjiDLVV0irpUpukAp2fcZzQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="24817" id="comment-245614970" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Seems like a no brainer to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752567015"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970">July 15th, 2025 at 4:10 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T08:10:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Some of the backstory is that the City Council doesn't necessarily represent the will of the Ann Arbor populace (for a variety of reasons). That parking structure and its footings to support a development that wasn't approved is evidence of that. The Council wanted it and people didn't. It doesn't matter the reason, it's just poor planning. By building the structure as is, the Council wanted exactly the reasoning you outlined. Essentially a fait accompli that "well, we built a structure to support a huge ass building so now it has to be built". Many of those who voted "for" the city park were voting against the insular Council and its decision making and particularly the giveaway to the developer of the previous project.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 04/18/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5632</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614970&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sN7V30Ggn7GDIdkU-wyqK0k2Cs400tJWZkMunnMw59A"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245615093" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752606226"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093#comment-245615093">July 15th, 2025 at 3:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T19:03:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Decades of city and DDA planning documents recommended that site for a tall building. A bunch of NIMBYs put "park" on the ballot and won by six percent, largely on the backs of votes in student districts. And then every single CM who supported the park project lost their seats. And then residents tanked the park project on the PROS Plan survey. So... try again? </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615093&1=default&2=en&3=" token="172TQhRAiF6sXZ6VYY0HGwHyAlY6qqOA-Pmo3FJ08jQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617584" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753462196"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584#comment-245617584">July 25th, 2025 at 12:49 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:49:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This is just wrong. Eaton and the park proponents had a majority on council in 2018. Then they did this and the city’s population responded overwhelmingly by voting that majority out. So it’s kind of what you said but the exact opposite lol. A slim majority on a confusing ballot proposal is no more representative than the now overwhelming popularity of the new council who all won their races in landslides.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617584&1=default&2=en&3=" token="fdQroBLhrCyQenKmOX-J23W5x6Jf9kb-u0DmQFEy184"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614751" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513615"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751">July 14th, 2025 at 1:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:20:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Definitely in favor. Let's just not pretend development like this is going to help A2 affordability. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614751&1=default&2=en&3=" token="0nK3ZjxlxsSv0OoCl0nhgET9xBRf7cJ8w7E6RWqseRI"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="6867" id="comment-245614823" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752519777"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823">July 14th, 2025 at 3:02 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:02:57+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But it might. Supply and demand. I'm not an economist, but even if developers only build expensive units, eventually a a large supply of pricey units will bring down demand and hopefully prices</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/01/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 428</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614823&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m_nhNFiQ9duVK4ey752pXtokMdhOy4vT77c0QSQelrY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614856" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But it might. Supply and…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752542861"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856#comment-245614856">July 14th, 2025 at 4:04 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:04:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Or attract more 20 somethings with money and the University can continue to fill them with more international graduate students with no budget.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614856&1=default&2=en&3=" token="gp5lXBL3XJDYESfCduxDDPg3JfcahN0zXNLoNiJCmzU"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="8172" id="comment-245615010" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">tsabesi</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752592345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010#comment-245615010">July 15th, 2025 at 11:12 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:12:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This won't help a lot but it is part of the affordability solution. More, denser housing near (or connected via transit) to where people want to be is how you solve affordability and congestion and this development fits that bill.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/28/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1141</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615010&1=default&2=en&3=" token="FXh-4crZUKo89J9h-Rw0PQdmgKBRxWAYsetehNO7hlE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="31412" id="comment-245614757" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Blue Vet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514225"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757#comment-245614757">July 14th, 2025 at 1:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:30:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good luck. Wish I still lived in AA so I could vote.</p><p>Don't some nations allow voting by people of that nationality but living elsewhere?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 05/08/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 93252</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614757&1=default&2=en&3=" token="yXhtp5RfuBTHM-eaq27SxyJC43X78N2HaZnzH4c4Oow"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="92726" id="comment-245614784" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515646"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Yes, Brian, this is YOUR blog so I guess you have carte blanche to post something political. </p><p>Merits of your argument aside, I find this to be unfortunate and hypocritical, as all too often, political comments by users and/or threads get shut down.</p><p>How about a little consistency? Rather than do as I say and not as I do, how about letting people express their views and show tolerance with those which you disagree.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/24/2014</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 6920</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614784&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sUhc-6aZrXfkH5lYGtkGgeMat-9aeTUO5_Ogf8RL90I"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614794" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794#comment-245614794">July 14th, 2025 at 2:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:05:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Old man shouts at cloud</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614794&1=default&2=en&3=" token="48XBw28WUzbjOs5ToAdqACUcA1mnKavTw4MhyivC2eY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29905" id="comment-245614804" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Toby Flenderson</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517218"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804#comment-245614804">July 14th, 2025 at 2:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:20:18+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What do you want to say that’s political?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/16/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 26030</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614804&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m5-vyM_2j6XRB61blf0lRSkaoeqLn_Az55qjcsBFNng"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <nav class="pager" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="pagination-heading"> <h4 id="pagination-heading" class="visually-hidden">Pagination</h4> <ul class="pager__items js-pager__items"> <li class="pager__item is-active"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=0" title="Current page" aria-current="page"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Current page </span>1</a> </li> <li class="pager__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to page 2"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Page </span>2</a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--next"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to next page" rel="next"> <span class="visually-hidden">Next page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Next ›</span> </a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--last"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to last page"> <span class="visually-hidden">Last page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Last »</span> </a> </li> </ul> </nav> </section> <div class="field field--name-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics" hreflang="en">ANN ARBOR POLITICS!</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>2026 Recruiting: Ernest Nunley</h1> <p>Seth — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 17:33:28 +0000</p> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Yes On Ann Arbor Props A And B</span> <div class="field field--name-field-published-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-14T15:42:06Z" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Brian</a></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-07-14T11:42:06-04:00" title="Monday, July 14, 2025 - 11:42am" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> </picture> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-photo-caption-1 field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">[Scott Trudeau]</div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>A brief digression.</em></p><p>If you're an Ann Arbor voter, there's an unusual off-year August election coming up. There's really just one thing on the ballot; the two props are tied such that both must pass or nothing happens.</p><p>The TL;DR is: do you want this downtown surface parking lot for the rest of time…</p><p></p><p>…or do you want that parking lot to be half of a new downtown library with a bunch of housing on top? That is obvious. <a href="https://supportaadl.com/">Library + housing + tax revenue</a>. The end. Vote yes on (or before) August 5th.</p><p><strong>[The too long; didn't read follows AFTER THE JUMP.]</strong></p><div id="read-more"></div><p>If you're still here, the backstory: in 2018 Ann Arbor wanted to sell the rights to a piece of land to a developer that would create a <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/12/ann-arbor-cancels-deal-for-17-story-high-rise-on-library-lot.html">large building and an outdoor plaza</a>. The city would get a bunch of money in the affordable housing fund, a large number of permanently affordable downtown apartments, the public plaza, and a significant amount of annual tax revenue.</p><p>Unfortunately, a group of local NIMBYs got together enough signatures to get a proposal on the ballot that would designate that plot the "Center of the City" and they would then create a park on it. At the time, organizers said that they would privately fund that park. There was a sort of precedent for this, as Ann Arbor <a href="https://www.a2skatepark.org/">successfully funded a skate park</a> some years back without using any public funds.</p><p>The proposal, placed on a busy November ballot, passed 53-47. The development was nixed; a "Library Green" committee was assembled to guide the process of turning the parking lot into a park, and then nothing happened. This was due to a few different factors. One was that the proposal was <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">obviously infeasible from the beginning</a>:</p><blockquote><p>The Library Lot is a small city-owned surface parking lot just north of the Ann Arbor District Library. It sits atop an underground parking deck. The deck was specifically designed and reinforced, at significant taxpayer expense, to support the addition of a mixed-use building on top of it; <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/10/can_ann_arbors_library_lot_sup.html">it was not designed to support</a>, and perhaps cannot reasonably be made to support, large amounts of dirt, mature trees, and vegetation. The Library Lot is less than a block away from Liberty Plaza, a pocket park <a href="https://annarborobserver.com/a-pivotal-election/">in need</a> of <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/03/100k-proposed-for-liberty-plaza-as-ann-arbor-aims-to-curb-parks-problems.html">city attention and investment</a>, and about a half mile from West Park, a sprawling public space next to downtown with a famous band shell<a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/10/2m-relocation-among-options-for-saving-ann-arbors-historic-west-park-bandshell.html"> that needs relocation and/or repair</a>. It is hemmed in on three sides by other structures.</p></blockquote><p>Two was that the primary motivation of most of he people involved was to stop the construction of a tall building on a downtown parcel specifically designed to hold a tall building. Once that was accomplished interest waned. Fundraising attempts brought in something like 1% of the amount needed to do anything. The Library Green committee established by the city produced nothing. Seven years later the site is unchanged. The committee has been dissolved. There is no path forward for the site under 2018's Prop A.</p><p>Three is that Library Green people who were actually somewhat invested in a park were feckless dilettantes. Alan Haber infamously had to call in on Zoom most of the time because he was in France; once he <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/danieladams.bsky.social/post/3ltl6mjoecc2y">lit a bowl in the middle of a meeting</a>. His main contribution to the debate prior to the vote was to exclaim that the "love economy" would take care of everything. The <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/11/pop-up-dome-on-ann-arbors-library-lot-part-of-center-of-the-city-outreach.html">sole object</a> to appear on the parking lot was a "DecaDome," which was placed there at taxpayer expense. The money went to Eric Lipson, one of the Library Green supporters.</p><p>Still, the city has made a gesture towards the original intent of 2018's Prop A to keep that parcel in public hands by proposing to transfer it to the library. If the props pass the Library plans to build a new downtown branch that occupies both the current site adjacent to the parking lot and said parking lot, funding it by selling the air rights above the land to a developer who will put a bunch of housing there.</p><p>This is a win-win-win, as the city would get a swanky new downtown library without having to pass an additional millage, badly needed downtown housing, and the tax revenue from that housing. The alternative is literally nothing.</p><p>A few additional resources:</p><ul><li>Daniel Adams's <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">comprehensive survey</a> of the Prop A situation at <em>Damn Arbor</em>.</li><li>Ann Arbor AF's <a href="https://annarboraf.com/episode-79-new-downtown-library-getting-informed-with-eli-neiburger/">interview with library director Eli Neiburger</a>, which has detail on why the AADL needs a new downtown branch.</li><li>The library's website has a page <a href="https://aadl.org/morefacts">debunking the FUD</a> coming from the Library Green people.</li></ul></div> <div class="node__links"> <ul class="links inline"><li class="comment-forbidden"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/login?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">Log in</a> or <a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/register?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">register</a> to post comments</li></ul> </div> <section class="field field--name-comment field--type-comment field--label-hidden comment-wrapper" id="comments"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="25829" id="comment-245614702" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509150"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702">July 14th, 2025 at 12:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:05:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This analysis is spot on. <br><br>Also, the small, but painfully vocal coven of feckless dilettantes in this town is a real problem. </p><p><br><br><br> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/23/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 437</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614702&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iZ-y-ja68p0fsRqbcdikVm1Sh0dtTJQQLTqdu-MiM10"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"><article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205835" id="comment-245614729" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Crunklicious</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511147"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729#comment-245614729">July 14th, 2025 at 12:39 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:39:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Perfectly said. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 02/10/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 24</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614729&1=default&2=en&3=" token="caQMVOF6KnUZNYMHSQp-p21kJ-WsURpVMehfKNEl1_Y"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="3204" id="comment-245614880" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Robbie Moore</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527872"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880#comment-245614880">July 14th, 2025 at 5:16 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T21:16:34+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>NIMBY-ism is a thing everywhere. The folks who show up at planning commission meetings raising hell stand athwart progress and yell "stop." And it is progress to get a new library, downtown housing and a badly needed increase in tax revenue. </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 56174</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614880&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cGspnIiapNCDFC2sbFxflUXxus9XbJSy8sj_2w_9vS4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615015" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752593732"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015">July 15th, 2025 at 11:35 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:35:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>John U. Bacon leading the charge on the NIMBY crap is more than a bit disappointing, I have to admit. Not to mention Ken Burns jumping in the ring to criticize potential zoning changes in a city he hasn't lived in since the early 70s.</p><p>Ann Arbor needs to change. And it's going to be fine when it does.</p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615015&1=default&2=en&3=" token="Kmh6dYAqYTJeP6Mbid8CNoMjgBu7XBwvZaGIvCvLtUs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1464" id="comment-245615023" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">John U. Bacon leading the…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595246"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023">July 15th, 2025 at 12:00 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:00:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I mean, both traffic in nostalgia to a degree, even though NIMBYism and associated increased property values is significantly to blame for the disappearance of the Ann Arbor that they mourn. </p><p>As an aside, “the world I remember is endangered/disappearing” vs “I can’t afford the world that exists” is one of the most potent low key conflicts in politics right now (and one that doesn’t have clear left/right divides) </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/05/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17191</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615023&1=default&2=en&3=" token="bnK3X5BMgPiCZB2mgLWYhM5La0jzNiUFPr2TIXSMNKg"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615026" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I mean, both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595921"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026">July 15th, 2025 at 12:12 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:12:01+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>"...both traffic in nostalgia" is a perfect summation, yes.</p><p>We lived in A2 for a little bit recently after a long time away. Lived in the same neighborhood I lived in as a student and immediate postgrad, for that matter. The city really is fundamentally different, most definitely less weird and more corporate, and most definitely more congested. But it's still Ann Arbor.</p><p>I've said it here before, I think my only real critique of build more housing (and yes, <em>build more housing</em>) is that it never includes a similar discussion on just how congested traffic has become, with UM Medicine traffic leading the way. Every day right now is the equivalent of a football Saturday or more with people coming in and out of downtown for work, replicated several times throughout the day. You can watch the shift changes in lines of cars. There's just not enough road infrastructure, and no, bike lanes and buses really aren't fixing it so far. </p><p>I don't know what the answer is, but I wonder what will happen when the high-rises truly hit a place of supersaturation with the roads.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615026&1=default&2=en&3=" token="pZTANjvD7PUkPje6rZTJB75SYc1nXGPMQpM9crmwBbY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245615027" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">"...both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752596612"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027#comment-245615027">July 15th, 2025 at 12:23 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:23:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>UM Medicine that grows and grows but seemingly gets harder and harder to get an actual appointment. I finally left for a different medical system out of frustration.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615027&1=default&2=en&3=" token="TBYcVE0E6HA-ZC_nZ2-LpMv4wIRsjt68SXGWsN6MfEs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div></div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="195" id="comment-245614704" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509296"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:16+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The number of NIMBYs in Ann Arbor who want nothing is truly astounding. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 38716</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614704&1=default&2=en&3=" token="4Piq7-8WybHGGO3RcpEC8d8XXDAyNT40KxbfF-mPIMY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="145" id="comment-245614762" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ckersh74</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514340"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762#comment-245614762">July 14th, 2025 at 1:32 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:32:20+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The NIMBYs aren’t the ones to worry about. It’s the BANANAs you need to be concerned with:</p><p>Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 51159</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614762&1=default&2=en&3=" token="mkz6Fd0vduRGufRQ6g7lUTyUxkvh0M9SVMEUcfWzsRA"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614764" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752521671"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764#comment-245614764">July 14th, 2025 at 1:33 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:33:47+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I think this prop specifically is an easy yes, but to some degree I understand <em>some</em> NIMBYism in Ann Arbor because every time I'm in Ann Arbor it becomes less and less recognizable with a new high rise going up, a chain restaurant going in, and an establishment that made Ann Arbor what it once was when I went there disappearing. It feels like we're seeing the Austin-ification of Ann Arbor. It's sad to see even though I recognize the need for housing</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614764&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5lfyeYq5ABWM4wI6_UCDPdYA5fmqPrW-itDDou339HM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="111555" id="comment-245614705" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bob_Timberlake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509313"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705#comment-245614705">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:33+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Go Blue!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/29/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 8696</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614705&1=default&2=en&3=" token="x3W4Ya81hxKBNriVWqWo8P2cMGah2pNWsrOPwu58yv0"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205959" id="comment-245614727" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">RibbleMcDibble</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511026"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727#comment-245614727">July 14th, 2025 at 12:37 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:37:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This seems like a complicated offense for a true freshman to learn. I thought Chip Lindsey was good at melding an offense to his personnel?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/24/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 19306</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614727&1=default&2=en&3=" token="zWX86_vCMavJGxoErQ6VNYm5vbg13xYknmiY42ftQ7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614728" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511112"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728">July 14th, 2025 at 12:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:38:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is not and will never again be a small town. It is a growing city and will become much larger in the coming years, especially with natural disaster and wet bulb trends in the south accelerating with climate change and FEMA cuts.</p><p>They need to embrace growth and plan infrastructure in accordance with that. </p><p>Lastly, they need paid positions to make these decisions rather than endless faux- democratic bureaucracy. City Councils are fucking stupid and always have been. The cold hard truth? Most people who influence city-level decisions have no fucking clue what theyre doing. </p><p>Ypsi has refused to remediate a potential development site for decades for similar reasons- just bite the fucking bullet. </p><p>Bunch of do-nothings. Make more salaried positions tied to outcomes and slash the degree of council-level input. It's a massive waste. Have the advisory committees meet separately and provide reports, recommendations, and town feedback. They shouldnt be making the final decisions. </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614728&1=default&2=en&3=" token="3UK1wHYUZQlh8Wi9VgjyXHS_B1SnN7xB3OjMp5oqtE8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29395" id="comment-245614741" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515674"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741">July 14th, 2025 at 1:06 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:06:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>It is a growing city</p></blockquote><p>Close to 100% of the city's population growth between 2010 and 2020 was due to U-M expanding its enrollment. Since 2020, Ann Arbor has in fact lost population, despite U-M's enrollment continuing to grow.</p><p>At issue here is that U-M cavalierly expanded its enrollment by a third between 2000 and 2020 while building very little on-campus housing. Finally <a href="https://record.umich.edu/articles/new-residential-quad-adding-2300-beds-more-planned/">there are steps being taken to rectify that</a>. In the meantime, the high-rises have sprouted up to accommodate a growing demand for off-campus housing, as students have to live somewhere.</p><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (cannibalizing other universities in the state in the process, but who cares!), I guess I can see why the city wants to accommodate them. But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. Non-students are leaving the city. Ann Arbor needs to be careful about where things are headed.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/14/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 113998</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614741&1=default&2=en&3=" token="wqaJJmBENVGbIPcAb_VjfIVSGrGoQqJv64FypHJrOoM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614748" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513489"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748">July 14th, 2025 at 1:18 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:18:09+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>He's saying it's very long-term growth play given the climate stability, water availability, etc. in the area. There are plenty of white papers on this topic. If people are going to migrate towards this area over the next 100 years, there's a good chance a lot of them will end up in Ann Arbor.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614748&1=default&2=en&3=" token="OQ240KWFdcbZ7IS5LAHRGQdBczbca6mtI8Ixw6JICEk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614785" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">He's saying it's very long…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515655"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785#comment-245614785">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Exactly this. The region will grow in population- period. </p><p>Ann Arbor will either accommodate this or nearby areas will. Ypsi and AA have both plagued their own futures for decades. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614785&1=default&2=en&3=" token="ej6p3oXI0xcDrH_ckEhLpIQoyr-M171OK__4c2C-uzE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245614760" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514316"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760">July 14th, 2025 at 1:31 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:31:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I do wonder if there will be a population shift back to the North. I have thought about buying land in the UP because of this possible shift. Our winters have been much milder in the last 4-5 years. Water is plentiful in the great lakes region. And natural disasters are much lower rates, so insurance is much lower (besides car insurance). </p><p>I didn't know that Michigan had increased undergrad enrollment so much though. I was in A2 a few weeks ago driving around with the family, and had forgotten about the massive dorm complex being built where the lumber yard was. Make's a lot more sense why they need those in addition to North Quad. Wondering when my freshman dorm Mary Markely gets it's renovation. Definitely different levels of living when you compare some of the dorm rooms across campus when you are paying the same amount. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614760&1=default&2=en&3=" token="JMo0tOKCfHk-jSI14fy7ox2BcLhRtIEa7LBvfVHr5Vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="208462" id="comment-245614846" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522292"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846">July 14th, 2025 at 3:44 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:44:52+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was a Markley guy as well-rumours are that the already enormous UM hospital and associated facilities will soon gobble up Markley and continue to expand, probably within the next 3-5 years. If that is the case, there is no point in renovating. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/16/2024</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1899</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614846&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5dYD-Ta4THwVfT0XYDgjv_CB5BoBu0xdLVvKZEmEzy8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245615000" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I was a Markley guy as well…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752587121"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000#comment-245615000">July 15th, 2025 at 9:45 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T13:45:21+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>That makes sense. A little bummer that it will be gone, but understand there are a lot better dorms in more desirable places and the options for the hospital to grow are limited. </p><p>Going from my 10x10 Markley dorm to my 12x17 West quad dorm with a sink made me think I was living in luxury. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615000&1=default&2=en&3=" token="R9ajIa9uJb_zkmZr1gxxhy-SlqzP9n013VxJsyqjldc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7184" id="comment-245614859" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">bluebyyou</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752523863"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859#comment-245614859">July 14th, 2025 at 4:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:11:03+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Having lived in A2 until three years ago, I'd suggest that -17, while warmer than -20, is still pretty freaking cold. It will be a while before palm trees thrive in southern Michigan, CRISPR notwithstanding.</p><p>As for housing prices, they have gone up pretty much everywhere where people want to live. Ann Arbor is still relatively affordable compared to many other areas of the US.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/07/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 23952</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614859&1=default&2=en&3=" token="kK5N4aA5c3FN5OirMyhGT1Z4-8wT3Gf754X9BqG0Upw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="23367" id="comment-245614867" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">True Blue Grit</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752525821"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867#comment-245614867">July 14th, 2025 at 4:43 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:43:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Markely is basically toast. So, no renovation is coming. Once these two giant new dorms on the south campus are done, Markely has a date with the wrecking ball. The medical campus octopus wants this land pretty badly. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/21/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 42866</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614867&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iRX4DyrMpXeZqodpk-uxXCknj6GmFH0jisDknPa-LAk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="159342" id="comment-245614905" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">andrew_</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532688"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905#comment-245614905">July 14th, 2025 at 6:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:38:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>From southern states, absolutely not. Hilariously absolutely not. The only thing that people who leave the state miss is the changing of the seasons. And that can be had in much friendlier climates and better economic and political zones. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1087</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614905&1=default&2=en&3=" token="giwGjoeqZdaN6J9-n2i1fCIM6W4cJub6Csxgr4X4ens"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614765" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514478"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765#comment-245614765">July 14th, 2025 at 1:34 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:34:38+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (<em><strong>canibalizing other universities in the state in the process</strong></em>, but who cares)</p></blockquote><p>I don't think M is cannibalizing other MI schools, at least insofar as taking their students. My guess is that very few of these added students were headed for struggling in-state schools but for their M admission. About the only thing those schools have in common with M is location; the students targeting M are by and large doing so for other reasons (i.e. location might be a plus, but it's not a driving factor).</p><p>Plus there's a double edge sword with the admission rates. I don't know about others, but I don't enjoy the fact that M is becoming more and more impossible to get into. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614765&1=default&2=en&3=" token="__XpqEc_bQHHch0E2qe4k23QO5ONmiBCyGX7dkdQwrk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="21779" id="comment-245614772" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Go Blue Eyes</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514928"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772#comment-245614772">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I had to look the growth issue up. From 1960 to 1970 Ann Arbor added 33,000 people to just over 100,000. Since then the population has only grown by 23,000 (estimated this year) or only just over 500 people per year in 50 years! Stunning to see that number considering all of the articles saying it is one of the best places to live in the country. <br><br>The proposals Brian relates seem like no brainers. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/04/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13440</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614772&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cMakYO04rVL5Cg5hqTtWvt5S5gKsN80xKpU_VZIfz5o"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614773" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514946"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:26+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. </p></blockquote><p>Don't conflate cause and effect. The city has throttled housing production with restrictive zoning for 50+ years. Developers (read: housing producers) report that building housing in Ann Arbor is extraordinarily difficult even compared to peer cities. The population flatlined in 1970, right around the time that the city's anti-apartment zoning and historic district regs began to bite. Make it illegal to build housing and, yeah, you'll find that general population growth will slow. But Ann Arbor is growing. Just ... in the townships, Saline, and Dexter. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614773&1=default&2=en&3=" token="CRme7DwkyY_pewLr94rt4mL4Tpm-X6antNg2hgRgW4g"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1750" id="comment-245614790" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516101"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790">July 14th, 2025 at 2:01 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:01:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recall, with a bit of fuzziness from my time as a student in the 1980s, that new high-rise housing was forbidden in Ann Arbor. Does anyone the history and reasoning?</p><p>Did everyone watch and get frightened by "The Towering Inferno"?</p><p>Was it the debacle of University Towers? (Is it still awful, or has it been improved?)</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/28/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15867</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614790&1=default&2=en&3=" token="rfrppBTv5lglzAYunyMldg8vCQ5PXTiIrrtluGGLDMc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614798" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516720"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798">July 14th, 2025 at 2:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:11:44+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>U Towers was a disaster 20 years ago. I had three friends that lived there, and all three had major problems with their apartments.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614798&1=default&2=en&3=" token="9haLQkNqk7IzyQLGCPz-4kj2FsosyDgNelvZfycLf7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="5812" id="comment-245614974" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">U Towers was a disaster 20…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">michengin87</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752576122"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974#comment-245614974">July 15th, 2025 at 6:42 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T10:42:02+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I lived in U Towers 40 years ago. It wasn't great but relatively affordable split between 4 guys. It was built in 1964, the same year that the UM Administration Building was erected. The Administration Building was torn down 3 years ago, but U Towers, in all its ugliness, remains.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/14/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5251</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614974&1=default&2=en&3=" token="WU9ZEJdyA6HXJxGL6ezGEjavlTKfWCAvJtll8z7yf7c"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614806" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517642"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806#comment-245614806">July 14th, 2025 at 2:27 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:27:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great summary of the history is here:</p><p><a href="https://aadl.org/node/15599">https://aadl.org/node/15599</a></p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614806&1=default&2=en&3=" token="SxYzNCXxpFFnZyTxPNK_Lg8lEJqNberN7jf1T14J0vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="817" id="comment-245614902" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">lhglrkwg</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532608"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902#comment-245614902">July 14th, 2025 at 6:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:30:58+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was gonna say- i know a lot of young families that would live in A2 if they could afford it but they had to setup roots in Saline, Ypsi, Belleville, etc and they have to commute in</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/03/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 102420</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614902&1=default&2=en&3=" token="eJb3rnSEHmg8Fo5NcMSxbEqK0Ti_ZCylhgkhVyDOCAM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617571" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753461702"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571#comment-245617571">July 25th, 2025 at 12:41 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:41:24+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But would the non-student population be growing if there were housing???</p><p>Saline and dexter certainly have grown. How of that growth is tied to employment in Ann Arbor? I’d bet a lot</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617571&1=default&2=en&3=" token="uXMN24M1ODCH2ZgExGYFSFZEr7V8w8EF-fPocARdbIQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614753" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513696"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753">July 14th, 2025 at 1:21 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:21:36+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is an expensive college town and always will be. I'm fine with growth, but call it what it is.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614753&1=default&2=en&3=" token="k25ipI3o9NXlg7_Jftgn6YdxCTOdAx0yH0onu67057E"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2617" id="comment-245614847" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is an expensive…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522487"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847">July 14th, 2025 at 3:48 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:48:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>And yet there are things one can do about that. Austin for instance built a ton of housing the last couple of years and rent is down 22 percent. </p><p>Supply and demand doesn't simply disappear when it comes to the question of housing and there's lots of evidence of this both around the US and around the world. Ann Arbor can be more affordable and still be a desirable place to live.</p><p>More broadly its better to live in a place which is growing and people want to live versus being the opposite. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 2823</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614847&1=default&2=en&3=" token="1AAvwu20b-eFVnAQRq6-GqWc7LFF7h7M-VcG5YA5dOo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614855" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">And yet there are things one…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527281"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855#comment-245614855">July 14th, 2025 at 4:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:03:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I have lived in both cities, and people always like to compare the two. They are nothing alike. Austin is a hub of over 1 million people with legit suburbs and part of a larger corridor with San Antonio.</p><p>Austin also has had and has a real gentrification problem. Highway 35 created a colored and white divide but now the east side of 35 is hip and development is crazy. </p><p>Ann Arbor is far more like Boulder than Austin.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614855&1=default&2=en&3=" token="LDFJg8FjtXo7Lwh0QDGXSRnN30odAmIuZhML3blziJM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614767" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514654"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767#comment-245614767">July 14th, 2025 at 1:36 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:36:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recognize that it's the way Ann Arbor is going, but it is sad to see it losing a lot of it's quintessential midwestern college town feel. South U is completely unrecognizable these days. Feels like it's going the way of Austin</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614767&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sSooV8PHaICHUwpLlRYJKofg5BOu4nytbxhHrJVT_YE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614918" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537222"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918#comment-245614918">July 14th, 2025 at 7:53 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:53:42+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This reads like you told ChatGPT to sound like a human and be more of an asshole. Just saying.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614918&1=default&2=en&3=" token="8XPpc-OPihtiNFPWdCvyqEix3-YeS7rQZyA-BcrhG44"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614919" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537413"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919#comment-245614919">July 14th, 2025 at 7:56 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:56:23+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good time for a double post!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614919&1=default&2=en&3=" token="f1ZcUUAcenxVMNqRnayRMNW6f7nQjwabQrd6-VfqGhw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2048" id="comment-245614732" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">PeteM</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511237"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732#comment-245614732">July 14th, 2025 at 12:40 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:40:37+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great piece. I was at the forum prior to the 2018 election, and remember that the speaker in favor of the "Center of the City" talked about raising significant funds. I live in Ann Arbor, and have read the various arguments on the current proposals on Facebook. Supporters of the 2018 charter amendment argue that regardless of the level of private fundraising the fact that the charter now calls for a park obligates the city to move forward and pay for it since that was the voters' will. While I can't read the voters' minds in 2018 my sense that folks then were pushing back against development and change generally, and really didn't care that much whether the lot stayed a lot or became Liberty Plaza II.</p><p>That's funny about Alan Haber lighting a bowl during a meeting. I've met him once and he is an interesting character. I believe that he was an early mentor to future SDS leader Tom Hayden when Hayden was an undergrad and Daily editor the late '50s.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/15/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 4254</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614732&1=default&2=en&3=" token="AxAnai9MhLD2mP2bhfqtVXg62F5M8FLxF6DvYKSgF_4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614743" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752512944"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743">July 14th, 2025 at 1:09 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:09:04+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Seems like a no brainer to put the originally intended building on top of the underground structure. I never knew the backstory but always thought it was odd to have this enormous underground structure with nothing on top at ground level.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614743&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5mK-3QVY7Ud9rlZcjEKLTjiDLVV0irpUpukAp2fcZzQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="24817" id="comment-245614970" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Seems like a no brainer to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752567015"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970">July 15th, 2025 at 4:10 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T08:10:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Some of the backstory is that the City Council doesn't necessarily represent the will of the Ann Arbor populace (for a variety of reasons). That parking structure and its footings to support a development that wasn't approved is evidence of that. The Council wanted it and people didn't. It doesn't matter the reason, it's just poor planning. By building the structure as is, the Council wanted exactly the reasoning you outlined. Essentially a fait accompli that "well, we built a structure to support a huge ass building so now it has to be built". Many of those who voted "for" the city park were voting against the insular Council and its decision making and particularly the giveaway to the developer of the previous project.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 04/18/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5632</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614970&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sN7V30Ggn7GDIdkU-wyqK0k2Cs400tJWZkMunnMw59A"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245615093" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752606226"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093#comment-245615093">July 15th, 2025 at 3:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T19:03:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Decades of city and DDA planning documents recommended that site for a tall building. A bunch of NIMBYs put "park" on the ballot and won by six percent, largely on the backs of votes in student districts. And then every single CM who supported the park project lost their seats. And then residents tanked the park project on the PROS Plan survey. So... try again? </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615093&1=default&2=en&3=" token="172TQhRAiF6sXZ6VYY0HGwHyAlY6qqOA-Pmo3FJ08jQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617584" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753462196"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584#comment-245617584">July 25th, 2025 at 12:49 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:49:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This is just wrong. Eaton and the park proponents had a majority on council in 2018. Then they did this and the city’s population responded overwhelmingly by voting that majority out. So it’s kind of what you said but the exact opposite lol. A slim majority on a confusing ballot proposal is no more representative than the now overwhelming popularity of the new council who all won their races in landslides.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617584&1=default&2=en&3=" token="fdQroBLhrCyQenKmOX-J23W5x6Jf9kb-u0DmQFEy184"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614751" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513615"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751">July 14th, 2025 at 1:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:20:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Definitely in favor. Let's just not pretend development like this is going to help A2 affordability. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614751&1=default&2=en&3=" token="0nK3ZjxlxsSv0OoCl0nhgET9xBRf7cJ8w7E6RWqseRI"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="6867" id="comment-245614823" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752519777"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823">July 14th, 2025 at 3:02 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:02:57+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But it might. Supply and demand. I'm not an economist, but even if developers only build expensive units, eventually a a large supply of pricey units will bring down demand and hopefully prices</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/01/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 428</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614823&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m_nhNFiQ9duVK4ey752pXtokMdhOy4vT77c0QSQelrY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614856" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But it might. Supply and…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752542861"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856#comment-245614856">July 14th, 2025 at 4:04 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:04:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Or attract more 20 somethings with money and the University can continue to fill them with more international graduate students with no budget.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614856&1=default&2=en&3=" token="gp5lXBL3XJDYESfCduxDDPg3JfcahN0zXNLoNiJCmzU"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="8172" id="comment-245615010" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">tsabesi</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752592345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010#comment-245615010">July 15th, 2025 at 11:12 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:12:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This won't help a lot but it is part of the affordability solution. More, denser housing near (or connected via transit) to where people want to be is how you solve affordability and congestion and this development fits that bill.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/28/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1141</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615010&1=default&2=en&3=" token="FXh-4crZUKo89J9h-Rw0PQdmgKBRxWAYsetehNO7hlE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="31412" id="comment-245614757" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Blue Vet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514225"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757#comment-245614757">July 14th, 2025 at 1:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:30:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good luck. Wish I still lived in AA so I could vote.</p><p>Don't some nations allow voting by people of that nationality but living elsewhere?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 05/08/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 93252</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614757&1=default&2=en&3=" token="yXhtp5RfuBTHM-eaq27SxyJC43X78N2HaZnzH4c4Oow"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="92726" id="comment-245614784" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515646"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Yes, Brian, this is YOUR blog so I guess you have carte blanche to post something political. </p><p>Merits of your argument aside, I find this to be unfortunate and hypocritical, as all too often, political comments by users and/or threads get shut down.</p><p>How about a little consistency? Rather than do as I say and not as I do, how about letting people express their views and show tolerance with those which you disagree.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/24/2014</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 6920</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614784&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sUhc-6aZrXfkH5lYGtkGgeMat-9aeTUO5_Ogf8RL90I"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614794" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794#comment-245614794">July 14th, 2025 at 2:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:05:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Old man shouts at cloud</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614794&1=default&2=en&3=" token="48XBw28WUzbjOs5ToAdqACUcA1mnKavTw4MhyivC2eY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29905" id="comment-245614804" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Toby Flenderson</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517218"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804#comment-245614804">July 14th, 2025 at 2:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:20:18+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What do you want to say that’s political?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/16/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 26030</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614804&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m5-vyM_2j6XRB61blf0lRSkaoeqLn_Az55qjcsBFNng"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <nav class="pager" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="pagination-heading"> <h4 id="pagination-heading" class="visually-hidden">Pagination</h4> <ul class="pager__items js-pager__items"> <li class="pager__item is-active"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=0" title="Current page" aria-current="page"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Current page </span>1</a> </li> <li class="pager__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to page 2"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Page </span>2</a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--next"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to next page" rel="next"> <span class="visually-hidden">Next page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Next ›</span> </a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--last"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to last page"> <span class="visually-hidden">Last page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Last »</span> </a> </li> </ul> </nav> </section> <div class="field field--name-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics" hreflang="en">ANN ARBOR POLITICS!</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Hoops Hello: Brandon McCoy</h1> <p>Matt EM — Tue, 09 Jun 2026 14:37:50 +0000</p> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Yes On Ann Arbor Props A And B</span> <div class="field field--name-field-published-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-14T15:42:06Z" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Brian</a></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-07-14T11:42:06-04:00" title="Monday, July 14, 2025 - 11:42am" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> </picture> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-photo-caption-1 field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">[Scott Trudeau]</div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>A brief digression.</em></p><p>If you're an Ann Arbor voter, there's an unusual off-year August election coming up. There's really just one thing on the ballot; the two props are tied such that both must pass or nothing happens.</p><p>The TL;DR is: do you want this downtown surface parking lot for the rest of time…</p><p></p><p>…or do you want that parking lot to be half of a new downtown library with a bunch of housing on top? That is obvious. <a href="https://supportaadl.com/">Library + housing + tax revenue</a>. The end. Vote yes on (or before) August 5th.</p><p><strong>[The too long; didn't read follows AFTER THE JUMP.]</strong></p><div id="read-more"></div><p>If you're still here, the backstory: in 2018 Ann Arbor wanted to sell the rights to a piece of land to a developer that would create a <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/12/ann-arbor-cancels-deal-for-17-story-high-rise-on-library-lot.html">large building and an outdoor plaza</a>. The city would get a bunch of money in the affordable housing fund, a large number of permanently affordable downtown apartments, the public plaza, and a significant amount of annual tax revenue.</p><p>Unfortunately, a group of local NIMBYs got together enough signatures to get a proposal on the ballot that would designate that plot the "Center of the City" and they would then create a park on it. At the time, organizers said that they would privately fund that park. There was a sort of precedent for this, as Ann Arbor <a href="https://www.a2skatepark.org/">successfully funded a skate park</a> some years back without using any public funds.</p><p>The proposal, placed on a busy November ballot, passed 53-47. The development was nixed; a "Library Green" committee was assembled to guide the process of turning the parking lot into a park, and then nothing happened. This was due to a few different factors. One was that the proposal was <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">obviously infeasible from the beginning</a>:</p><blockquote><p>The Library Lot is a small city-owned surface parking lot just north of the Ann Arbor District Library. It sits atop an underground parking deck. The deck was specifically designed and reinforced, at significant taxpayer expense, to support the addition of a mixed-use building on top of it; <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/10/can_ann_arbors_library_lot_sup.html">it was not designed to support</a>, and perhaps cannot reasonably be made to support, large amounts of dirt, mature trees, and vegetation. The Library Lot is less than a block away from Liberty Plaza, a pocket park <a href="https://annarborobserver.com/a-pivotal-election/">in need</a> of <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/03/100k-proposed-for-liberty-plaza-as-ann-arbor-aims-to-curb-parks-problems.html">city attention and investment</a>, and about a half mile from West Park, a sprawling public space next to downtown with a famous band shell<a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/10/2m-relocation-among-options-for-saving-ann-arbors-historic-west-park-bandshell.html"> that needs relocation and/or repair</a>. It is hemmed in on three sides by other structures.</p></blockquote><p>Two was that the primary motivation of most of he people involved was to stop the construction of a tall building on a downtown parcel specifically designed to hold a tall building. Once that was accomplished interest waned. Fundraising attempts brought in something like 1% of the amount needed to do anything. The Library Green committee established by the city produced nothing. Seven years later the site is unchanged. The committee has been dissolved. There is no path forward for the site under 2018's Prop A.</p><p>Three is that Library Green people who were actually somewhat invested in a park were feckless dilettantes. Alan Haber infamously had to call in on Zoom most of the time because he was in France; once he <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/danieladams.bsky.social/post/3ltl6mjoecc2y">lit a bowl in the middle of a meeting</a>. His main contribution to the debate prior to the vote was to exclaim that the "love economy" would take care of everything. The <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/11/pop-up-dome-on-ann-arbors-library-lot-part-of-center-of-the-city-outreach.html">sole object</a> to appear on the parking lot was a "DecaDome," which was placed there at taxpayer expense. The money went to Eric Lipson, one of the Library Green supporters.</p><p>Still, the city has made a gesture towards the original intent of 2018's Prop A to keep that parcel in public hands by proposing to transfer it to the library. If the props pass the Library plans to build a new downtown branch that occupies both the current site adjacent to the parking lot and said parking lot, funding it by selling the air rights above the land to a developer who will put a bunch of housing there.</p><p>This is a win-win-win, as the city would get a swanky new downtown library without having to pass an additional millage, badly needed downtown housing, and the tax revenue from that housing. The alternative is literally nothing.</p><p>A few additional resources:</p><ul><li>Daniel Adams's <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">comprehensive survey</a> of the Prop A situation at <em>Damn Arbor</em>.</li><li>Ann Arbor AF's <a href="https://annarboraf.com/episode-79-new-downtown-library-getting-informed-with-eli-neiburger/">interview with library director Eli Neiburger</a>, which has detail on why the AADL needs a new downtown branch.</li><li>The library's website has a page <a href="https://aadl.org/morefacts">debunking the FUD</a> coming from the Library Green people.</li></ul></div> <div class="node__links"> <ul class="links inline"><li class="comment-forbidden"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/login?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">Log in</a> or <a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/register?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">register</a> to post comments</li></ul> </div> <section class="field field--name-comment field--type-comment field--label-hidden comment-wrapper" id="comments"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="25829" id="comment-245614702" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509150"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702">July 14th, 2025 at 12:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:05:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This analysis is spot on. <br><br>Also, the small, but painfully vocal coven of feckless dilettantes in this town is a real problem. </p><p><br><br><br> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/23/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 437</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614702&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iZ-y-ja68p0fsRqbcdikVm1Sh0dtTJQQLTqdu-MiM10"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"><article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205835" id="comment-245614729" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Crunklicious</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511147"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729#comment-245614729">July 14th, 2025 at 12:39 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:39:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Perfectly said. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 02/10/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 24</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614729&1=default&2=en&3=" token="caQMVOF6KnUZNYMHSQp-p21kJ-WsURpVMehfKNEl1_Y"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="3204" id="comment-245614880" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Robbie Moore</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527872"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880#comment-245614880">July 14th, 2025 at 5:16 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T21:16:34+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>NIMBY-ism is a thing everywhere. The folks who show up at planning commission meetings raising hell stand athwart progress and yell "stop." And it is progress to get a new library, downtown housing and a badly needed increase in tax revenue. </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 56174</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614880&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cGspnIiapNCDFC2sbFxflUXxus9XbJSy8sj_2w_9vS4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615015" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752593732"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015">July 15th, 2025 at 11:35 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:35:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>John U. Bacon leading the charge on the NIMBY crap is more than a bit disappointing, I have to admit. Not to mention Ken Burns jumping in the ring to criticize potential zoning changes in a city he hasn't lived in since the early 70s.</p><p>Ann Arbor needs to change. And it's going to be fine when it does.</p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615015&1=default&2=en&3=" token="Kmh6dYAqYTJeP6Mbid8CNoMjgBu7XBwvZaGIvCvLtUs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1464" id="comment-245615023" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">John U. Bacon leading the…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595246"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023">July 15th, 2025 at 12:00 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:00:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I mean, both traffic in nostalgia to a degree, even though NIMBYism and associated increased property values is significantly to blame for the disappearance of the Ann Arbor that they mourn. </p><p>As an aside, “the world I remember is endangered/disappearing” vs “I can’t afford the world that exists” is one of the most potent low key conflicts in politics right now (and one that doesn’t have clear left/right divides) </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/05/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17191</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615023&1=default&2=en&3=" token="bnK3X5BMgPiCZB2mgLWYhM5La0jzNiUFPr2TIXSMNKg"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615026" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I mean, both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595921"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026">July 15th, 2025 at 12:12 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:12:01+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>"...both traffic in nostalgia" is a perfect summation, yes.</p><p>We lived in A2 for a little bit recently after a long time away. Lived in the same neighborhood I lived in as a student and immediate postgrad, for that matter. The city really is fundamentally different, most definitely less weird and more corporate, and most definitely more congested. But it's still Ann Arbor.</p><p>I've said it here before, I think my only real critique of build more housing (and yes, <em>build more housing</em>) is that it never includes a similar discussion on just how congested traffic has become, with UM Medicine traffic leading the way. Every day right now is the equivalent of a football Saturday or more with people coming in and out of downtown for work, replicated several times throughout the day. You can watch the shift changes in lines of cars. There's just not enough road infrastructure, and no, bike lanes and buses really aren't fixing it so far. </p><p>I don't know what the answer is, but I wonder what will happen when the high-rises truly hit a place of supersaturation with the roads.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615026&1=default&2=en&3=" token="pZTANjvD7PUkPje6rZTJB75SYc1nXGPMQpM9crmwBbY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245615027" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">"...both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752596612"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027#comment-245615027">July 15th, 2025 at 12:23 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:23:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>UM Medicine that grows and grows but seemingly gets harder and harder to get an actual appointment. I finally left for a different medical system out of frustration.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615027&1=default&2=en&3=" token="TBYcVE0E6HA-ZC_nZ2-LpMv4wIRsjt68SXGWsN6MfEs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div></div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="195" id="comment-245614704" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509296"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:16+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The number of NIMBYs in Ann Arbor who want nothing is truly astounding. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 38716</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614704&1=default&2=en&3=" token="4Piq7-8WybHGGO3RcpEC8d8XXDAyNT40KxbfF-mPIMY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="145" id="comment-245614762" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ckersh74</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514340"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762#comment-245614762">July 14th, 2025 at 1:32 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:32:20+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The NIMBYs aren’t the ones to worry about. It’s the BANANAs you need to be concerned with:</p><p>Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 51159</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614762&1=default&2=en&3=" token="mkz6Fd0vduRGufRQ6g7lUTyUxkvh0M9SVMEUcfWzsRA"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614764" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752521671"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764#comment-245614764">July 14th, 2025 at 1:33 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:33:47+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I think this prop specifically is an easy yes, but to some degree I understand <em>some</em> NIMBYism in Ann Arbor because every time I'm in Ann Arbor it becomes less and less recognizable with a new high rise going up, a chain restaurant going in, and an establishment that made Ann Arbor what it once was when I went there disappearing. It feels like we're seeing the Austin-ification of Ann Arbor. It's sad to see even though I recognize the need for housing</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614764&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5lfyeYq5ABWM4wI6_UCDPdYA5fmqPrW-itDDou339HM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="111555" id="comment-245614705" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bob_Timberlake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509313"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705#comment-245614705">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:33+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Go Blue!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/29/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 8696</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614705&1=default&2=en&3=" token="x3W4Ya81hxKBNriVWqWo8P2cMGah2pNWsrOPwu58yv0"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205959" id="comment-245614727" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">RibbleMcDibble</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511026"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727#comment-245614727">July 14th, 2025 at 12:37 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:37:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This seems like a complicated offense for a true freshman to learn. I thought Chip Lindsey was good at melding an offense to his personnel?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/24/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 19306</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614727&1=default&2=en&3=" token="zWX86_vCMavJGxoErQ6VNYm5vbg13xYknmiY42ftQ7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614728" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511112"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728">July 14th, 2025 at 12:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:38:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is not and will never again be a small town. It is a growing city and will become much larger in the coming years, especially with natural disaster and wet bulb trends in the south accelerating with climate change and FEMA cuts.</p><p>They need to embrace growth and plan infrastructure in accordance with that. </p><p>Lastly, they need paid positions to make these decisions rather than endless faux- democratic bureaucracy. City Councils are fucking stupid and always have been. The cold hard truth? Most people who influence city-level decisions have no fucking clue what theyre doing. </p><p>Ypsi has refused to remediate a potential development site for decades for similar reasons- just bite the fucking bullet. </p><p>Bunch of do-nothings. Make more salaried positions tied to outcomes and slash the degree of council-level input. It's a massive waste. Have the advisory committees meet separately and provide reports, recommendations, and town feedback. They shouldnt be making the final decisions. </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614728&1=default&2=en&3=" token="3UK1wHYUZQlh8Wi9VgjyXHS_B1SnN7xB3OjMp5oqtE8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29395" id="comment-245614741" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515674"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741">July 14th, 2025 at 1:06 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:06:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>It is a growing city</p></blockquote><p>Close to 100% of the city's population growth between 2010 and 2020 was due to U-M expanding its enrollment. Since 2020, Ann Arbor has in fact lost population, despite U-M's enrollment continuing to grow.</p><p>At issue here is that U-M cavalierly expanded its enrollment by a third between 2000 and 2020 while building very little on-campus housing. Finally <a href="https://record.umich.edu/articles/new-residential-quad-adding-2300-beds-more-planned/">there are steps being taken to rectify that</a>. In the meantime, the high-rises have sprouted up to accommodate a growing demand for off-campus housing, as students have to live somewhere.</p><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (cannibalizing other universities in the state in the process, but who cares!), I guess I can see why the city wants to accommodate them. But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. Non-students are leaving the city. Ann Arbor needs to be careful about where things are headed.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/14/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 113998</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614741&1=default&2=en&3=" token="wqaJJmBENVGbIPcAb_VjfIVSGrGoQqJv64FypHJrOoM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614748" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513489"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748">July 14th, 2025 at 1:18 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:18:09+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>He's saying it's very long-term growth play given the climate stability, water availability, etc. in the area. There are plenty of white papers on this topic. If people are going to migrate towards this area over the next 100 years, there's a good chance a lot of them will end up in Ann Arbor.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614748&1=default&2=en&3=" token="OQ240KWFdcbZ7IS5LAHRGQdBczbca6mtI8Ixw6JICEk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614785" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">He's saying it's very long…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515655"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785#comment-245614785">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Exactly this. The region will grow in population- period. </p><p>Ann Arbor will either accommodate this or nearby areas will. Ypsi and AA have both plagued their own futures for decades. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614785&1=default&2=en&3=" token="ej6p3oXI0xcDrH_ckEhLpIQoyr-M171OK__4c2C-uzE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245614760" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514316"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760">July 14th, 2025 at 1:31 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:31:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I do wonder if there will be a population shift back to the North. I have thought about buying land in the UP because of this possible shift. Our winters have been much milder in the last 4-5 years. Water is plentiful in the great lakes region. And natural disasters are much lower rates, so insurance is much lower (besides car insurance). </p><p>I didn't know that Michigan had increased undergrad enrollment so much though. I was in A2 a few weeks ago driving around with the family, and had forgotten about the massive dorm complex being built where the lumber yard was. Make's a lot more sense why they need those in addition to North Quad. Wondering when my freshman dorm Mary Markely gets it's renovation. Definitely different levels of living when you compare some of the dorm rooms across campus when you are paying the same amount. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614760&1=default&2=en&3=" token="JMo0tOKCfHk-jSI14fy7ox2BcLhRtIEa7LBvfVHr5Vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="208462" id="comment-245614846" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522292"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846">July 14th, 2025 at 3:44 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:44:52+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was a Markley guy as well-rumours are that the already enormous UM hospital and associated facilities will soon gobble up Markley and continue to expand, probably within the next 3-5 years. If that is the case, there is no point in renovating. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/16/2024</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1899</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614846&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5dYD-Ta4THwVfT0XYDgjv_CB5BoBu0xdLVvKZEmEzy8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245615000" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I was a Markley guy as well…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752587121"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000#comment-245615000">July 15th, 2025 at 9:45 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T13:45:21+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>That makes sense. A little bummer that it will be gone, but understand there are a lot better dorms in more desirable places and the options for the hospital to grow are limited. </p><p>Going from my 10x10 Markley dorm to my 12x17 West quad dorm with a sink made me think I was living in luxury. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615000&1=default&2=en&3=" token="R9ajIa9uJb_zkmZr1gxxhy-SlqzP9n013VxJsyqjldc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7184" id="comment-245614859" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">bluebyyou</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752523863"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859#comment-245614859">July 14th, 2025 at 4:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:11:03+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Having lived in A2 until three years ago, I'd suggest that -17, while warmer than -20, is still pretty freaking cold. It will be a while before palm trees thrive in southern Michigan, CRISPR notwithstanding.</p><p>As for housing prices, they have gone up pretty much everywhere where people want to live. Ann Arbor is still relatively affordable compared to many other areas of the US.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/07/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 23952</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614859&1=default&2=en&3=" token="kK5N4aA5c3FN5OirMyhGT1Z4-8wT3Gf754X9BqG0Upw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="23367" id="comment-245614867" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">True Blue Grit</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752525821"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867#comment-245614867">July 14th, 2025 at 4:43 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:43:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Markely is basically toast. So, no renovation is coming. Once these two giant new dorms on the south campus are done, Markely has a date with the wrecking ball. The medical campus octopus wants this land pretty badly. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/21/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 42866</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614867&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iRX4DyrMpXeZqodpk-uxXCknj6GmFH0jisDknPa-LAk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="159342" id="comment-245614905" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">andrew_</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532688"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905#comment-245614905">July 14th, 2025 at 6:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:38:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>From southern states, absolutely not. Hilariously absolutely not. The only thing that people who leave the state miss is the changing of the seasons. And that can be had in much friendlier climates and better economic and political zones. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1087</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614905&1=default&2=en&3=" token="giwGjoeqZdaN6J9-n2i1fCIM6W4cJub6Csxgr4X4ens"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614765" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514478"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765#comment-245614765">July 14th, 2025 at 1:34 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:34:38+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (<em><strong>canibalizing other universities in the state in the process</strong></em>, but who cares)</p></blockquote><p>I don't think M is cannibalizing other MI schools, at least insofar as taking their students. My guess is that very few of these added students were headed for struggling in-state schools but for their M admission. About the only thing those schools have in common with M is location; the students targeting M are by and large doing so for other reasons (i.e. location might be a plus, but it's not a driving factor).</p><p>Plus there's a double edge sword with the admission rates. I don't know about others, but I don't enjoy the fact that M is becoming more and more impossible to get into. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614765&1=default&2=en&3=" token="__XpqEc_bQHHch0E2qe4k23QO5ONmiBCyGX7dkdQwrk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="21779" id="comment-245614772" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Go Blue Eyes</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514928"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772#comment-245614772">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I had to look the growth issue up. From 1960 to 1970 Ann Arbor added 33,000 people to just over 100,000. Since then the population has only grown by 23,000 (estimated this year) or only just over 500 people per year in 50 years! Stunning to see that number considering all of the articles saying it is one of the best places to live in the country. <br><br>The proposals Brian relates seem like no brainers. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/04/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13440</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614772&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cMakYO04rVL5Cg5hqTtWvt5S5gKsN80xKpU_VZIfz5o"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614773" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514946"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:26+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. </p></blockquote><p>Don't conflate cause and effect. The city has throttled housing production with restrictive zoning for 50+ years. Developers (read: housing producers) report that building housing in Ann Arbor is extraordinarily difficult even compared to peer cities. The population flatlined in 1970, right around the time that the city's anti-apartment zoning and historic district regs began to bite. Make it illegal to build housing and, yeah, you'll find that general population growth will slow. But Ann Arbor is growing. Just ... in the townships, Saline, and Dexter. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614773&1=default&2=en&3=" token="CRme7DwkyY_pewLr94rt4mL4Tpm-X6antNg2hgRgW4g"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1750" id="comment-245614790" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516101"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790">July 14th, 2025 at 2:01 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:01:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recall, with a bit of fuzziness from my time as a student in the 1980s, that new high-rise housing was forbidden in Ann Arbor. Does anyone the history and reasoning?</p><p>Did everyone watch and get frightened by "The Towering Inferno"?</p><p>Was it the debacle of University Towers? (Is it still awful, or has it been improved?)</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/28/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15867</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614790&1=default&2=en&3=" token="rfrppBTv5lglzAYunyMldg8vCQ5PXTiIrrtluGGLDMc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614798" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516720"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798">July 14th, 2025 at 2:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:11:44+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>U Towers was a disaster 20 years ago. I had three friends that lived there, and all three had major problems with their apartments.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614798&1=default&2=en&3=" token="9haLQkNqk7IzyQLGCPz-4kj2FsosyDgNelvZfycLf7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="5812" id="comment-245614974" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">U Towers was a disaster 20…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">michengin87</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752576122"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974#comment-245614974">July 15th, 2025 at 6:42 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T10:42:02+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I lived in U Towers 40 years ago. It wasn't great but relatively affordable split between 4 guys. It was built in 1964, the same year that the UM Administration Building was erected. The Administration Building was torn down 3 years ago, but U Towers, in all its ugliness, remains.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/14/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5251</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614974&1=default&2=en&3=" token="WU9ZEJdyA6HXJxGL6ezGEjavlTKfWCAvJtll8z7yf7c"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614806" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517642"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806#comment-245614806">July 14th, 2025 at 2:27 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:27:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great summary of the history is here:</p><p><a href="https://aadl.org/node/15599">https://aadl.org/node/15599</a></p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614806&1=default&2=en&3=" token="SxYzNCXxpFFnZyTxPNK_Lg8lEJqNberN7jf1T14J0vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="817" id="comment-245614902" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">lhglrkwg</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532608"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902#comment-245614902">July 14th, 2025 at 6:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:30:58+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was gonna say- i know a lot of young families that would live in A2 if they could afford it but they had to setup roots in Saline, Ypsi, Belleville, etc and they have to commute in</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/03/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 102420</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614902&1=default&2=en&3=" token="eJb3rnSEHmg8Fo5NcMSxbEqK0Ti_ZCylhgkhVyDOCAM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617571" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753461702"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571#comment-245617571">July 25th, 2025 at 12:41 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:41:24+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But would the non-student population be growing if there were housing???</p><p>Saline and dexter certainly have grown. How of that growth is tied to employment in Ann Arbor? I’d bet a lot</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617571&1=default&2=en&3=" token="uXMN24M1ODCH2ZgExGYFSFZEr7V8w8EF-fPocARdbIQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614753" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513696"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753">July 14th, 2025 at 1:21 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:21:36+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is an expensive college town and always will be. I'm fine with growth, but call it what it is.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614753&1=default&2=en&3=" token="k25ipI3o9NXlg7_Jftgn6YdxCTOdAx0yH0onu67057E"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2617" id="comment-245614847" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is an expensive…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522487"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847">July 14th, 2025 at 3:48 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:48:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>And yet there are things one can do about that. Austin for instance built a ton of housing the last couple of years and rent is down 22 percent. </p><p>Supply and demand doesn't simply disappear when it comes to the question of housing and there's lots of evidence of this both around the US and around the world. Ann Arbor can be more affordable and still be a desirable place to live.</p><p>More broadly its better to live in a place which is growing and people want to live versus being the opposite. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 2823</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614847&1=default&2=en&3=" token="1AAvwu20b-eFVnAQRq6-GqWc7LFF7h7M-VcG5YA5dOo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614855" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">And yet there are things one…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527281"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855#comment-245614855">July 14th, 2025 at 4:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:03:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I have lived in both cities, and people always like to compare the two. They are nothing alike. Austin is a hub of over 1 million people with legit suburbs and part of a larger corridor with San Antonio.</p><p>Austin also has had and has a real gentrification problem. Highway 35 created a colored and white divide but now the east side of 35 is hip and development is crazy. </p><p>Ann Arbor is far more like Boulder than Austin.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614855&1=default&2=en&3=" token="LDFJg8FjtXo7Lwh0QDGXSRnN30odAmIuZhML3blziJM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614767" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514654"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767#comment-245614767">July 14th, 2025 at 1:36 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:36:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recognize that it's the way Ann Arbor is going, but it is sad to see it losing a lot of it's quintessential midwestern college town feel. South U is completely unrecognizable these days. Feels like it's going the way of Austin</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614767&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sSooV8PHaICHUwpLlRYJKofg5BOu4nytbxhHrJVT_YE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614918" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537222"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918#comment-245614918">July 14th, 2025 at 7:53 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:53:42+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This reads like you told ChatGPT to sound like a human and be more of an asshole. Just saying.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614918&1=default&2=en&3=" token="8XPpc-OPihtiNFPWdCvyqEix3-YeS7rQZyA-BcrhG44"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614919" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537413"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919#comment-245614919">July 14th, 2025 at 7:56 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:56:23+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good time for a double post!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614919&1=default&2=en&3=" token="f1ZcUUAcenxVMNqRnayRMNW6f7nQjwabQrd6-VfqGhw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2048" id="comment-245614732" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">PeteM</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511237"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732#comment-245614732">July 14th, 2025 at 12:40 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:40:37+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great piece. I was at the forum prior to the 2018 election, and remember that the speaker in favor of the "Center of the City" talked about raising significant funds. I live in Ann Arbor, and have read the various arguments on the current proposals on Facebook. Supporters of the 2018 charter amendment argue that regardless of the level of private fundraising the fact that the charter now calls for a park obligates the city to move forward and pay for it since that was the voters' will. While I can't read the voters' minds in 2018 my sense that folks then were pushing back against development and change generally, and really didn't care that much whether the lot stayed a lot or became Liberty Plaza II.</p><p>That's funny about Alan Haber lighting a bowl during a meeting. I've met him once and he is an interesting character. I believe that he was an early mentor to future SDS leader Tom Hayden when Hayden was an undergrad and Daily editor the late '50s.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/15/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 4254</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614732&1=default&2=en&3=" token="AxAnai9MhLD2mP2bhfqtVXg62F5M8FLxF6DvYKSgF_4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614743" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752512944"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743">July 14th, 2025 at 1:09 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:09:04+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Seems like a no brainer to put the originally intended building on top of the underground structure. I never knew the backstory but always thought it was odd to have this enormous underground structure with nothing on top at ground level.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614743&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5mK-3QVY7Ud9rlZcjEKLTjiDLVV0irpUpukAp2fcZzQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="24817" id="comment-245614970" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Seems like a no brainer to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752567015"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970">July 15th, 2025 at 4:10 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T08:10:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Some of the backstory is that the City Council doesn't necessarily represent the will of the Ann Arbor populace (for a variety of reasons). That parking structure and its footings to support a development that wasn't approved is evidence of that. The Council wanted it and people didn't. It doesn't matter the reason, it's just poor planning. By building the structure as is, the Council wanted exactly the reasoning you outlined. Essentially a fait accompli that "well, we built a structure to support a huge ass building so now it has to be built". Many of those who voted "for" the city park were voting against the insular Council and its decision making and particularly the giveaway to the developer of the previous project.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 04/18/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5632</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614970&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sN7V30Ggn7GDIdkU-wyqK0k2Cs400tJWZkMunnMw59A"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245615093" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752606226"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093#comment-245615093">July 15th, 2025 at 3:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T19:03:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Decades of city and DDA planning documents recommended that site for a tall building. A bunch of NIMBYs put "park" on the ballot and won by six percent, largely on the backs of votes in student districts. And then every single CM who supported the park project lost their seats. And then residents tanked the park project on the PROS Plan survey. So... try again? </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615093&1=default&2=en&3=" token="172TQhRAiF6sXZ6VYY0HGwHyAlY6qqOA-Pmo3FJ08jQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617584" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753462196"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584#comment-245617584">July 25th, 2025 at 12:49 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:49:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This is just wrong. Eaton and the park proponents had a majority on council in 2018. Then they did this and the city’s population responded overwhelmingly by voting that majority out. So it’s kind of what you said but the exact opposite lol. A slim majority on a confusing ballot proposal is no more representative than the now overwhelming popularity of the new council who all won their races in landslides.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617584&1=default&2=en&3=" token="fdQroBLhrCyQenKmOX-J23W5x6Jf9kb-u0DmQFEy184"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614751" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513615"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751">July 14th, 2025 at 1:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:20:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Definitely in favor. Let's just not pretend development like this is going to help A2 affordability. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614751&1=default&2=en&3=" token="0nK3ZjxlxsSv0OoCl0nhgET9xBRf7cJ8w7E6RWqseRI"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="6867" id="comment-245614823" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752519777"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823">July 14th, 2025 at 3:02 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:02:57+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But it might. Supply and demand. I'm not an economist, but even if developers only build expensive units, eventually a a large supply of pricey units will bring down demand and hopefully prices</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/01/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 428</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614823&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m_nhNFiQ9duVK4ey752pXtokMdhOy4vT77c0QSQelrY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614856" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But it might. Supply and…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752542861"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856#comment-245614856">July 14th, 2025 at 4:04 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:04:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Or attract more 20 somethings with money and the University can continue to fill them with more international graduate students with no budget.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614856&1=default&2=en&3=" token="gp5lXBL3XJDYESfCduxDDPg3JfcahN0zXNLoNiJCmzU"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="8172" id="comment-245615010" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">tsabesi</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752592345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010#comment-245615010">July 15th, 2025 at 11:12 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:12:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This won't help a lot but it is part of the affordability solution. More, denser housing near (or connected via transit) to where people want to be is how you solve affordability and congestion and this development fits that bill.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/28/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1141</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615010&1=default&2=en&3=" token="FXh-4crZUKo89J9h-Rw0PQdmgKBRxWAYsetehNO7hlE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="31412" id="comment-245614757" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Blue Vet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514225"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757#comment-245614757">July 14th, 2025 at 1:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:30:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good luck. Wish I still lived in AA so I could vote.</p><p>Don't some nations allow voting by people of that nationality but living elsewhere?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 05/08/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 93252</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614757&1=default&2=en&3=" token="yXhtp5RfuBTHM-eaq27SxyJC43X78N2HaZnzH4c4Oow"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="92726" id="comment-245614784" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515646"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Yes, Brian, this is YOUR blog so I guess you have carte blanche to post something political. </p><p>Merits of your argument aside, I find this to be unfortunate and hypocritical, as all too often, political comments by users and/or threads get shut down.</p><p>How about a little consistency? Rather than do as I say and not as I do, how about letting people express their views and show tolerance with those which you disagree.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/24/2014</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 6920</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614784&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sUhc-6aZrXfkH5lYGtkGgeMat-9aeTUO5_Ogf8RL90I"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614794" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794#comment-245614794">July 14th, 2025 at 2:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:05:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Old man shouts at cloud</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614794&1=default&2=en&3=" token="48XBw28WUzbjOs5ToAdqACUcA1mnKavTw4MhyivC2eY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29905" id="comment-245614804" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Toby Flenderson</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517218"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804#comment-245614804">July 14th, 2025 at 2:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:20:18+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What do you want to say that’s political?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/16/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 26030</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614804&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m5-vyM_2j6XRB61blf0lRSkaoeqLn_Az55qjcsBFNng"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <nav class="pager" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="pagination-heading"> <h4 id="pagination-heading" class="visually-hidden">Pagination</h4> <ul class="pager__items js-pager__items"> <li class="pager__item is-active"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=0" title="Current page" aria-current="page"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Current page </span>1</a> </li> <li class="pager__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to page 2"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Page </span>2</a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--next"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to next page" rel="next"> <span class="visually-hidden">Next page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Next ›</span> </a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--last"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to last page"> <span class="visually-hidden">Last page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Last »</span> </a> </li> </ul> </nav> </section> <div class="field field--name-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics" hreflang="en">ANN ARBOR POLITICS!</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>VALIANT IS HAPPENING</h1> <p>Seth — Mon, 08 Jun 2026 18:08:34 +0000</p> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Yes On Ann Arbor Props A And B</span> <div class="field field--name-field-published-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-14T15:42:06Z" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Brian</a></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-07-14T11:42:06-04:00" title="Monday, July 14, 2025 - 11:42am" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> </picture> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-photo-caption-1 field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">[Scott Trudeau]</div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>A brief digression.</em></p><p>If you're an Ann Arbor voter, there's an unusual off-year August election coming up. There's really just one thing on the ballot; the two props are tied such that both must pass or nothing happens.</p><p>The TL;DR is: do you want this downtown surface parking lot for the rest of time…</p><p></p><p>…or do you want that parking lot to be half of a new downtown library with a bunch of housing on top? That is obvious. <a href="https://supportaadl.com/">Library + housing + tax revenue</a>. The end. Vote yes on (or before) August 5th.</p><p><strong>[The too long; didn't read follows AFTER THE JUMP.]</strong></p><div id="read-more"></div><p>If you're still here, the backstory: in 2018 Ann Arbor wanted to sell the rights to a piece of land to a developer that would create a <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/12/ann-arbor-cancels-deal-for-17-story-high-rise-on-library-lot.html">large building and an outdoor plaza</a>. The city would get a bunch of money in the affordable housing fund, a large number of permanently affordable downtown apartments, the public plaza, and a significant amount of annual tax revenue.</p><p>Unfortunately, a group of local NIMBYs got together enough signatures to get a proposal on the ballot that would designate that plot the "Center of the City" and they would then create a park on it. At the time, organizers said that they would privately fund that park. There was a sort of precedent for this, as Ann Arbor <a href="https://www.a2skatepark.org/">successfully funded a skate park</a> some years back without using any public funds.</p><p>The proposal, placed on a busy November ballot, passed 53-47. The development was nixed; a "Library Green" committee was assembled to guide the process of turning the parking lot into a park, and then nothing happened. This was due to a few different factors. One was that the proposal was <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">obviously infeasible from the beginning</a>:</p><blockquote><p>The Library Lot is a small city-owned surface parking lot just north of the Ann Arbor District Library. It sits atop an underground parking deck. The deck was specifically designed and reinforced, at significant taxpayer expense, to support the addition of a mixed-use building on top of it; <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/10/can_ann_arbors_library_lot_sup.html">it was not designed to support</a>, and perhaps cannot reasonably be made to support, large amounts of dirt, mature trees, and vegetation. The Library Lot is less than a block away from Liberty Plaza, a pocket park <a href="https://annarborobserver.com/a-pivotal-election/">in need</a> of <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/03/100k-proposed-for-liberty-plaza-as-ann-arbor-aims-to-curb-parks-problems.html">city attention and investment</a>, and about a half mile from West Park, a sprawling public space next to downtown with a famous band shell<a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/10/2m-relocation-among-options-for-saving-ann-arbors-historic-west-park-bandshell.html"> that needs relocation and/or repair</a>. It is hemmed in on three sides by other structures.</p></blockquote><p>Two was that the primary motivation of most of he people involved was to stop the construction of a tall building on a downtown parcel specifically designed to hold a tall building. Once that was accomplished interest waned. Fundraising attempts brought in something like 1% of the amount needed to do anything. The Library Green committee established by the city produced nothing. Seven years later the site is unchanged. The committee has been dissolved. There is no path forward for the site under 2018's Prop A.</p><p>Three is that Library Green people who were actually somewhat invested in a park were feckless dilettantes. Alan Haber infamously had to call in on Zoom most of the time because he was in France; once he <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/danieladams.bsky.social/post/3ltl6mjoecc2y">lit a bowl in the middle of a meeting</a>. His main contribution to the debate prior to the vote was to exclaim that the "love economy" would take care of everything. The <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/11/pop-up-dome-on-ann-arbors-library-lot-part-of-center-of-the-city-outreach.html">sole object</a> to appear on the parking lot was a "DecaDome," which was placed there at taxpayer expense. The money went to Eric Lipson, one of the Library Green supporters.</p><p>Still, the city has made a gesture towards the original intent of 2018's Prop A to keep that parcel in public hands by proposing to transfer it to the library. If the props pass the Library plans to build a new downtown branch that occupies both the current site adjacent to the parking lot and said parking lot, funding it by selling the air rights above the land to a developer who will put a bunch of housing there.</p><p>This is a win-win-win, as the city would get a swanky new downtown library without having to pass an additional millage, badly needed downtown housing, and the tax revenue from that housing. The alternative is literally nothing.</p><p>A few additional resources:</p><ul><li>Daniel Adams's <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">comprehensive survey</a> of the Prop A situation at <em>Damn Arbor</em>.</li><li>Ann Arbor AF's <a href="https://annarboraf.com/episode-79-new-downtown-library-getting-informed-with-eli-neiburger/">interview with library director Eli Neiburger</a>, which has detail on why the AADL needs a new downtown branch.</li><li>The library's website has a page <a href="https://aadl.org/morefacts">debunking the FUD</a> coming from the Library Green people.</li></ul></div> <div class="node__links"> <ul class="links inline"><li class="comment-forbidden"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/login?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">Log in</a> or <a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/register?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">register</a> to post comments</li></ul> </div> <section class="field field--name-comment field--type-comment field--label-hidden comment-wrapper" id="comments"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="25829" id="comment-245614702" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509150"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702">July 14th, 2025 at 12:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:05:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This analysis is spot on. <br><br>Also, the small, but painfully vocal coven of feckless dilettantes in this town is a real problem. </p><p><br><br><br> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/23/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 437</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614702&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iZ-y-ja68p0fsRqbcdikVm1Sh0dtTJQQLTqdu-MiM10"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"><article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205835" id="comment-245614729" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Crunklicious</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511147"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729#comment-245614729">July 14th, 2025 at 12:39 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:39:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Perfectly said. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 02/10/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 24</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614729&1=default&2=en&3=" token="caQMVOF6KnUZNYMHSQp-p21kJ-WsURpVMehfKNEl1_Y"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="3204" id="comment-245614880" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Robbie Moore</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527872"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880#comment-245614880">July 14th, 2025 at 5:16 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T21:16:34+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>NIMBY-ism is a thing everywhere. The folks who show up at planning commission meetings raising hell stand athwart progress and yell "stop." And it is progress to get a new library, downtown housing and a badly needed increase in tax revenue. </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 56174</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614880&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cGspnIiapNCDFC2sbFxflUXxus9XbJSy8sj_2w_9vS4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615015" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752593732"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015">July 15th, 2025 at 11:35 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:35:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>John U. Bacon leading the charge on the NIMBY crap is more than a bit disappointing, I have to admit. Not to mention Ken Burns jumping in the ring to criticize potential zoning changes in a city he hasn't lived in since the early 70s.</p><p>Ann Arbor needs to change. And it's going to be fine when it does.</p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615015&1=default&2=en&3=" token="Kmh6dYAqYTJeP6Mbid8CNoMjgBu7XBwvZaGIvCvLtUs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1464" id="comment-245615023" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">John U. Bacon leading the…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595246"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023">July 15th, 2025 at 12:00 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:00:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I mean, both traffic in nostalgia to a degree, even though NIMBYism and associated increased property values is significantly to blame for the disappearance of the Ann Arbor that they mourn. </p><p>As an aside, “the world I remember is endangered/disappearing” vs “I can’t afford the world that exists” is one of the most potent low key conflicts in politics right now (and one that doesn’t have clear left/right divides) </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/05/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17191</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615023&1=default&2=en&3=" token="bnK3X5BMgPiCZB2mgLWYhM5La0jzNiUFPr2TIXSMNKg"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615026" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I mean, both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595921"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026">July 15th, 2025 at 12:12 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:12:01+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>"...both traffic in nostalgia" is a perfect summation, yes.</p><p>We lived in A2 for a little bit recently after a long time away. Lived in the same neighborhood I lived in as a student and immediate postgrad, for that matter. The city really is fundamentally different, most definitely less weird and more corporate, and most definitely more congested. But it's still Ann Arbor.</p><p>I've said it here before, I think my only real critique of build more housing (and yes, <em>build more housing</em>) is that it never includes a similar discussion on just how congested traffic has become, with UM Medicine traffic leading the way. Every day right now is the equivalent of a football Saturday or more with people coming in and out of downtown for work, replicated several times throughout the day. You can watch the shift changes in lines of cars. There's just not enough road infrastructure, and no, bike lanes and buses really aren't fixing it so far. </p><p>I don't know what the answer is, but I wonder what will happen when the high-rises truly hit a place of supersaturation with the roads.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615026&1=default&2=en&3=" token="pZTANjvD7PUkPje6rZTJB75SYc1nXGPMQpM9crmwBbY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245615027" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">"...both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752596612"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027#comment-245615027">July 15th, 2025 at 12:23 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:23:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>UM Medicine that grows and grows but seemingly gets harder and harder to get an actual appointment. I finally left for a different medical system out of frustration.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615027&1=default&2=en&3=" token="TBYcVE0E6HA-ZC_nZ2-LpMv4wIRsjt68SXGWsN6MfEs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div></div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="195" id="comment-245614704" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509296"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:16+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The number of NIMBYs in Ann Arbor who want nothing is truly astounding. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 38716</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614704&1=default&2=en&3=" token="4Piq7-8WybHGGO3RcpEC8d8XXDAyNT40KxbfF-mPIMY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="145" id="comment-245614762" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ckersh74</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514340"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762#comment-245614762">July 14th, 2025 at 1:32 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:32:20+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The NIMBYs aren’t the ones to worry about. It’s the BANANAs you need to be concerned with:</p><p>Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 51159</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614762&1=default&2=en&3=" token="mkz6Fd0vduRGufRQ6g7lUTyUxkvh0M9SVMEUcfWzsRA"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614764" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752521671"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764#comment-245614764">July 14th, 2025 at 1:33 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:33:47+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I think this prop specifically is an easy yes, but to some degree I understand <em>some</em> NIMBYism in Ann Arbor because every time I'm in Ann Arbor it becomes less and less recognizable with a new high rise going up, a chain restaurant going in, and an establishment that made Ann Arbor what it once was when I went there disappearing. It feels like we're seeing the Austin-ification of Ann Arbor. It's sad to see even though I recognize the need for housing</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614764&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5lfyeYq5ABWM4wI6_UCDPdYA5fmqPrW-itDDou339HM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="111555" id="comment-245614705" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bob_Timberlake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509313"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705#comment-245614705">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:33+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Go Blue!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/29/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 8696</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614705&1=default&2=en&3=" token="x3W4Ya81hxKBNriVWqWo8P2cMGah2pNWsrOPwu58yv0"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205959" id="comment-245614727" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">RibbleMcDibble</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511026"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727#comment-245614727">July 14th, 2025 at 12:37 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:37:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This seems like a complicated offense for a true freshman to learn. I thought Chip Lindsey was good at melding an offense to his personnel?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/24/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 19306</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614727&1=default&2=en&3=" token="zWX86_vCMavJGxoErQ6VNYm5vbg13xYknmiY42ftQ7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614728" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511112"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728">July 14th, 2025 at 12:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:38:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is not and will never again be a small town. It is a growing city and will become much larger in the coming years, especially with natural disaster and wet bulb trends in the south accelerating with climate change and FEMA cuts.</p><p>They need to embrace growth and plan infrastructure in accordance with that. </p><p>Lastly, they need paid positions to make these decisions rather than endless faux- democratic bureaucracy. City Councils are fucking stupid and always have been. The cold hard truth? Most people who influence city-level decisions have no fucking clue what theyre doing. </p><p>Ypsi has refused to remediate a potential development site for decades for similar reasons- just bite the fucking bullet. </p><p>Bunch of do-nothings. Make more salaried positions tied to outcomes and slash the degree of council-level input. It's a massive waste. Have the advisory committees meet separately and provide reports, recommendations, and town feedback. They shouldnt be making the final decisions. </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614728&1=default&2=en&3=" token="3UK1wHYUZQlh8Wi9VgjyXHS_B1SnN7xB3OjMp5oqtE8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29395" id="comment-245614741" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515674"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741">July 14th, 2025 at 1:06 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:06:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>It is a growing city</p></blockquote><p>Close to 100% of the city's population growth between 2010 and 2020 was due to U-M expanding its enrollment. Since 2020, Ann Arbor has in fact lost population, despite U-M's enrollment continuing to grow.</p><p>At issue here is that U-M cavalierly expanded its enrollment by a third between 2000 and 2020 while building very little on-campus housing. Finally <a href="https://record.umich.edu/articles/new-residential-quad-adding-2300-beds-more-planned/">there are steps being taken to rectify that</a>. In the meantime, the high-rises have sprouted up to accommodate a growing demand for off-campus housing, as students have to live somewhere.</p><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (cannibalizing other universities in the state in the process, but who cares!), I guess I can see why the city wants to accommodate them. But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. Non-students are leaving the city. Ann Arbor needs to be careful about where things are headed.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/14/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 113998</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614741&1=default&2=en&3=" token="wqaJJmBENVGbIPcAb_VjfIVSGrGoQqJv64FypHJrOoM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614748" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513489"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748">July 14th, 2025 at 1:18 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:18:09+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>He's saying it's very long-term growth play given the climate stability, water availability, etc. in the area. There are plenty of white papers on this topic. If people are going to migrate towards this area over the next 100 years, there's a good chance a lot of them will end up in Ann Arbor.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614748&1=default&2=en&3=" token="OQ240KWFdcbZ7IS5LAHRGQdBczbca6mtI8Ixw6JICEk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614785" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">He's saying it's very long…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515655"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785#comment-245614785">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Exactly this. The region will grow in population- period. </p><p>Ann Arbor will either accommodate this or nearby areas will. Ypsi and AA have both plagued their own futures for decades. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614785&1=default&2=en&3=" token="ej6p3oXI0xcDrH_ckEhLpIQoyr-M171OK__4c2C-uzE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245614760" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514316"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760">July 14th, 2025 at 1:31 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:31:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I do wonder if there will be a population shift back to the North. I have thought about buying land in the UP because of this possible shift. Our winters have been much milder in the last 4-5 years. Water is plentiful in the great lakes region. And natural disasters are much lower rates, so insurance is much lower (besides car insurance). </p><p>I didn't know that Michigan had increased undergrad enrollment so much though. I was in A2 a few weeks ago driving around with the family, and had forgotten about the massive dorm complex being built where the lumber yard was. Make's a lot more sense why they need those in addition to North Quad. Wondering when my freshman dorm Mary Markely gets it's renovation. Definitely different levels of living when you compare some of the dorm rooms across campus when you are paying the same amount. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614760&1=default&2=en&3=" token="JMo0tOKCfHk-jSI14fy7ox2BcLhRtIEa7LBvfVHr5Vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="208462" id="comment-245614846" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522292"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846">July 14th, 2025 at 3:44 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:44:52+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was a Markley guy as well-rumours are that the already enormous UM hospital and associated facilities will soon gobble up Markley and continue to expand, probably within the next 3-5 years. If that is the case, there is no point in renovating. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/16/2024</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1899</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614846&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5dYD-Ta4THwVfT0XYDgjv_CB5BoBu0xdLVvKZEmEzy8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245615000" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I was a Markley guy as well…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752587121"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000#comment-245615000">July 15th, 2025 at 9:45 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T13:45:21+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>That makes sense. A little bummer that it will be gone, but understand there are a lot better dorms in more desirable places and the options for the hospital to grow are limited. </p><p>Going from my 10x10 Markley dorm to my 12x17 West quad dorm with a sink made me think I was living in luxury. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615000&1=default&2=en&3=" token="R9ajIa9uJb_zkmZr1gxxhy-SlqzP9n013VxJsyqjldc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7184" id="comment-245614859" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">bluebyyou</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752523863"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859#comment-245614859">July 14th, 2025 at 4:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:11:03+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Having lived in A2 until three years ago, I'd suggest that -17, while warmer than -20, is still pretty freaking cold. It will be a while before palm trees thrive in southern Michigan, CRISPR notwithstanding.</p><p>As for housing prices, they have gone up pretty much everywhere where people want to live. Ann Arbor is still relatively affordable compared to many other areas of the US.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/07/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 23952</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614859&1=default&2=en&3=" token="kK5N4aA5c3FN5OirMyhGT1Z4-8wT3Gf754X9BqG0Upw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="23367" id="comment-245614867" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">True Blue Grit</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752525821"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867#comment-245614867">July 14th, 2025 at 4:43 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:43:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Markely is basically toast. So, no renovation is coming. Once these two giant new dorms on the south campus are done, Markely has a date with the wrecking ball. The medical campus octopus wants this land pretty badly. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/21/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 42866</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614867&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iRX4DyrMpXeZqodpk-uxXCknj6GmFH0jisDknPa-LAk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="159342" id="comment-245614905" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">andrew_</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532688"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905#comment-245614905">July 14th, 2025 at 6:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:38:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>From southern states, absolutely not. Hilariously absolutely not. The only thing that people who leave the state miss is the changing of the seasons. And that can be had in much friendlier climates and better economic and political zones. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1087</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614905&1=default&2=en&3=" token="giwGjoeqZdaN6J9-n2i1fCIM6W4cJub6Csxgr4X4ens"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614765" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514478"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765#comment-245614765">July 14th, 2025 at 1:34 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:34:38+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (<em><strong>canibalizing other universities in the state in the process</strong></em>, but who cares)</p></blockquote><p>I don't think M is cannibalizing other MI schools, at least insofar as taking their students. My guess is that very few of these added students were headed for struggling in-state schools but for their M admission. About the only thing those schools have in common with M is location; the students targeting M are by and large doing so for other reasons (i.e. location might be a plus, but it's not a driving factor).</p><p>Plus there's a double edge sword with the admission rates. I don't know about others, but I don't enjoy the fact that M is becoming more and more impossible to get into. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614765&1=default&2=en&3=" token="__XpqEc_bQHHch0E2qe4k23QO5ONmiBCyGX7dkdQwrk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="21779" id="comment-245614772" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Go Blue Eyes</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514928"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772#comment-245614772">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I had to look the growth issue up. From 1960 to 1970 Ann Arbor added 33,000 people to just over 100,000. Since then the population has only grown by 23,000 (estimated this year) or only just over 500 people per year in 50 years! Stunning to see that number considering all of the articles saying it is one of the best places to live in the country. <br><br>The proposals Brian relates seem like no brainers. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/04/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13440</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614772&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cMakYO04rVL5Cg5hqTtWvt5S5gKsN80xKpU_VZIfz5o"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614773" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514946"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:26+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. </p></blockquote><p>Don't conflate cause and effect. The city has throttled housing production with restrictive zoning for 50+ years. Developers (read: housing producers) report that building housing in Ann Arbor is extraordinarily difficult even compared to peer cities. The population flatlined in 1970, right around the time that the city's anti-apartment zoning and historic district regs began to bite. Make it illegal to build housing and, yeah, you'll find that general population growth will slow. But Ann Arbor is growing. Just ... in the townships, Saline, and Dexter. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614773&1=default&2=en&3=" token="CRme7DwkyY_pewLr94rt4mL4Tpm-X6antNg2hgRgW4g"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1750" id="comment-245614790" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516101"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790">July 14th, 2025 at 2:01 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:01:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recall, with a bit of fuzziness from my time as a student in the 1980s, that new high-rise housing was forbidden in Ann Arbor. Does anyone the history and reasoning?</p><p>Did everyone watch and get frightened by "The Towering Inferno"?</p><p>Was it the debacle of University Towers? (Is it still awful, or has it been improved?)</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/28/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15867</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614790&1=default&2=en&3=" token="rfrppBTv5lglzAYunyMldg8vCQ5PXTiIrrtluGGLDMc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614798" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516720"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798">July 14th, 2025 at 2:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:11:44+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>U Towers was a disaster 20 years ago. I had three friends that lived there, and all three had major problems with their apartments.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614798&1=default&2=en&3=" token="9haLQkNqk7IzyQLGCPz-4kj2FsosyDgNelvZfycLf7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="5812" id="comment-245614974" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">U Towers was a disaster 20…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">michengin87</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752576122"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974#comment-245614974">July 15th, 2025 at 6:42 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T10:42:02+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I lived in U Towers 40 years ago. It wasn't great but relatively affordable split between 4 guys. It was built in 1964, the same year that the UM Administration Building was erected. The Administration Building was torn down 3 years ago, but U Towers, in all its ugliness, remains.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/14/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5251</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614974&1=default&2=en&3=" token="WU9ZEJdyA6HXJxGL6ezGEjavlTKfWCAvJtll8z7yf7c"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614806" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517642"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806#comment-245614806">July 14th, 2025 at 2:27 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:27:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great summary of the history is here:</p><p><a href="https://aadl.org/node/15599">https://aadl.org/node/15599</a></p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614806&1=default&2=en&3=" token="SxYzNCXxpFFnZyTxPNK_Lg8lEJqNberN7jf1T14J0vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="817" id="comment-245614902" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">lhglrkwg</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532608"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902#comment-245614902">July 14th, 2025 at 6:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:30:58+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was gonna say- i know a lot of young families that would live in A2 if they could afford it but they had to setup roots in Saline, Ypsi, Belleville, etc and they have to commute in</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/03/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 102420</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614902&1=default&2=en&3=" token="eJb3rnSEHmg8Fo5NcMSxbEqK0Ti_ZCylhgkhVyDOCAM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617571" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753461702"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571#comment-245617571">July 25th, 2025 at 12:41 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:41:24+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But would the non-student population be growing if there were housing???</p><p>Saline and dexter certainly have grown. How of that growth is tied to employment in Ann Arbor? I’d bet a lot</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617571&1=default&2=en&3=" token="uXMN24M1ODCH2ZgExGYFSFZEr7V8w8EF-fPocARdbIQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614753" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513696"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753">July 14th, 2025 at 1:21 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:21:36+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is an expensive college town and always will be. I'm fine with growth, but call it what it is.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614753&1=default&2=en&3=" token="k25ipI3o9NXlg7_Jftgn6YdxCTOdAx0yH0onu67057E"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2617" id="comment-245614847" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is an expensive…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522487"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847">July 14th, 2025 at 3:48 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:48:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>And yet there are things one can do about that. Austin for instance built a ton of housing the last couple of years and rent is down 22 percent. </p><p>Supply and demand doesn't simply disappear when it comes to the question of housing and there's lots of evidence of this both around the US and around the world. Ann Arbor can be more affordable and still be a desirable place to live.</p><p>More broadly its better to live in a place which is growing and people want to live versus being the opposite. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 2823</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614847&1=default&2=en&3=" token="1AAvwu20b-eFVnAQRq6-GqWc7LFF7h7M-VcG5YA5dOo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614855" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">And yet there are things one…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527281"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855#comment-245614855">July 14th, 2025 at 4:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:03:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I have lived in both cities, and people always like to compare the two. They are nothing alike. Austin is a hub of over 1 million people with legit suburbs and part of a larger corridor with San Antonio.</p><p>Austin also has had and has a real gentrification problem. Highway 35 created a colored and white divide but now the east side of 35 is hip and development is crazy. </p><p>Ann Arbor is far more like Boulder than Austin.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614855&1=default&2=en&3=" token="LDFJg8FjtXo7Lwh0QDGXSRnN30odAmIuZhML3blziJM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614767" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514654"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767#comment-245614767">July 14th, 2025 at 1:36 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:36:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recognize that it's the way Ann Arbor is going, but it is sad to see it losing a lot of it's quintessential midwestern college town feel. South U is completely unrecognizable these days. Feels like it's going the way of Austin</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614767&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sSooV8PHaICHUwpLlRYJKofg5BOu4nytbxhHrJVT_YE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614918" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537222"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918#comment-245614918">July 14th, 2025 at 7:53 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:53:42+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This reads like you told ChatGPT to sound like a human and be more of an asshole. Just saying.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614918&1=default&2=en&3=" token="8XPpc-OPihtiNFPWdCvyqEix3-YeS7rQZyA-BcrhG44"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614919" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537413"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919#comment-245614919">July 14th, 2025 at 7:56 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:56:23+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good time for a double post!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614919&1=default&2=en&3=" token="f1ZcUUAcenxVMNqRnayRMNW6f7nQjwabQrd6-VfqGhw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2048" id="comment-245614732" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">PeteM</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511237"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732#comment-245614732">July 14th, 2025 at 12:40 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:40:37+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great piece. I was at the forum prior to the 2018 election, and remember that the speaker in favor of the "Center of the City" talked about raising significant funds. I live in Ann Arbor, and have read the various arguments on the current proposals on Facebook. Supporters of the 2018 charter amendment argue that regardless of the level of private fundraising the fact that the charter now calls for a park obligates the city to move forward and pay for it since that was the voters' will. While I can't read the voters' minds in 2018 my sense that folks then were pushing back against development and change generally, and really didn't care that much whether the lot stayed a lot or became Liberty Plaza II.</p><p>That's funny about Alan Haber lighting a bowl during a meeting. I've met him once and he is an interesting character. I believe that he was an early mentor to future SDS leader Tom Hayden when Hayden was an undergrad and Daily editor the late '50s.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/15/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 4254</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614732&1=default&2=en&3=" token="AxAnai9MhLD2mP2bhfqtVXg62F5M8FLxF6DvYKSgF_4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614743" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752512944"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743">July 14th, 2025 at 1:09 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:09:04+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Seems like a no brainer to put the originally intended building on top of the underground structure. I never knew the backstory but always thought it was odd to have this enormous underground structure with nothing on top at ground level.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614743&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5mK-3QVY7Ud9rlZcjEKLTjiDLVV0irpUpukAp2fcZzQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="24817" id="comment-245614970" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Seems like a no brainer to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752567015"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970">July 15th, 2025 at 4:10 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T08:10:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Some of the backstory is that the City Council doesn't necessarily represent the will of the Ann Arbor populace (for a variety of reasons). That parking structure and its footings to support a development that wasn't approved is evidence of that. The Council wanted it and people didn't. It doesn't matter the reason, it's just poor planning. By building the structure as is, the Council wanted exactly the reasoning you outlined. Essentially a fait accompli that "well, we built a structure to support a huge ass building so now it has to be built". Many of those who voted "for" the city park were voting against the insular Council and its decision making and particularly the giveaway to the developer of the previous project.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 04/18/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5632</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614970&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sN7V30Ggn7GDIdkU-wyqK0k2Cs400tJWZkMunnMw59A"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245615093" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752606226"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093#comment-245615093">July 15th, 2025 at 3:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T19:03:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Decades of city and DDA planning documents recommended that site for a tall building. A bunch of NIMBYs put "park" on the ballot and won by six percent, largely on the backs of votes in student districts. And then every single CM who supported the park project lost their seats. And then residents tanked the park project on the PROS Plan survey. So... try again? </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615093&1=default&2=en&3=" token="172TQhRAiF6sXZ6VYY0HGwHyAlY6qqOA-Pmo3FJ08jQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617584" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753462196"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584#comment-245617584">July 25th, 2025 at 12:49 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:49:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This is just wrong. Eaton and the park proponents had a majority on council in 2018. Then they did this and the city’s population responded overwhelmingly by voting that majority out. So it’s kind of what you said but the exact opposite lol. A slim majority on a confusing ballot proposal is no more representative than the now overwhelming popularity of the new council who all won their races in landslides.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617584&1=default&2=en&3=" token="fdQroBLhrCyQenKmOX-J23W5x6Jf9kb-u0DmQFEy184"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614751" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513615"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751">July 14th, 2025 at 1:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:20:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Definitely in favor. Let's just not pretend development like this is going to help A2 affordability. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614751&1=default&2=en&3=" token="0nK3ZjxlxsSv0OoCl0nhgET9xBRf7cJ8w7E6RWqseRI"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="6867" id="comment-245614823" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752519777"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823">July 14th, 2025 at 3:02 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:02:57+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But it might. Supply and demand. I'm not an economist, but even if developers only build expensive units, eventually a a large supply of pricey units will bring down demand and hopefully prices</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/01/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 428</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614823&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m_nhNFiQ9duVK4ey752pXtokMdhOy4vT77c0QSQelrY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614856" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But it might. Supply and…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752542861"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856#comment-245614856">July 14th, 2025 at 4:04 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:04:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Or attract more 20 somethings with money and the University can continue to fill them with more international graduate students with no budget.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614856&1=default&2=en&3=" token="gp5lXBL3XJDYESfCduxDDPg3JfcahN0zXNLoNiJCmzU"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="8172" id="comment-245615010" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">tsabesi</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752592345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010#comment-245615010">July 15th, 2025 at 11:12 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:12:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This won't help a lot but it is part of the affordability solution. More, denser housing near (or connected via transit) to where people want to be is how you solve affordability and congestion and this development fits that bill.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/28/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1141</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615010&1=default&2=en&3=" token="FXh-4crZUKo89J9h-Rw0PQdmgKBRxWAYsetehNO7hlE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="31412" id="comment-245614757" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Blue Vet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514225"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757#comment-245614757">July 14th, 2025 at 1:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:30:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good luck. Wish I still lived in AA so I could vote.</p><p>Don't some nations allow voting by people of that nationality but living elsewhere?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 05/08/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 93252</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614757&1=default&2=en&3=" token="yXhtp5RfuBTHM-eaq27SxyJC43X78N2HaZnzH4c4Oow"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="92726" id="comment-245614784" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515646"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Yes, Brian, this is YOUR blog so I guess you have carte blanche to post something political. </p><p>Merits of your argument aside, I find this to be unfortunate and hypocritical, as all too often, political comments by users and/or threads get shut down.</p><p>How about a little consistency? Rather than do as I say and not as I do, how about letting people express their views and show tolerance with those which you disagree.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/24/2014</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 6920</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614784&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sUhc-6aZrXfkH5lYGtkGgeMat-9aeTUO5_Ogf8RL90I"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614794" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794#comment-245614794">July 14th, 2025 at 2:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:05:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Old man shouts at cloud</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614794&1=default&2=en&3=" token="48XBw28WUzbjOs5ToAdqACUcA1mnKavTw4MhyivC2eY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29905" id="comment-245614804" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Toby Flenderson</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517218"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804#comment-245614804">July 14th, 2025 at 2:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:20:18+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What do you want to say that’s political?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/16/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 26030</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614804&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m5-vyM_2j6XRB61blf0lRSkaoeqLn_Az55qjcsBFNng"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <nav class="pager" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="pagination-heading"> <h4 id="pagination-heading" class="visually-hidden">Pagination</h4> <ul class="pager__items js-pager__items"> <li class="pager__item is-active"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=0" title="Current page" aria-current="page"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Current page </span>1</a> </li> <li class="pager__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to page 2"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Page </span>2</a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--next"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to next page" rel="next"> <span class="visually-hidden">Next page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Next ›</span> </a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--last"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to last page"> <span class="visually-hidden">Last page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Last »</span> </a> </li> </ul> </nav> </section> <div class="field field--name-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics" hreflang="en">ANN ARBOR POLITICS!</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Recruiting Bits Prepares For Official Visit Season</h1> <p>Alex.Drain — Fri, 05 Jun 2026 19:29:54 +0000</p> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Yes On Ann Arbor Props A And B</span> <div class="field field--name-field-published-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-14T15:42:06Z" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Brian</a></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-07-14T11:42:06-04:00" title="Monday, July 14, 2025 - 11:42am" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> </picture> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-photo-caption-1 field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">[Scott Trudeau]</div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>A brief digression.</em></p><p>If you're an Ann Arbor voter, there's an unusual off-year August election coming up. There's really just one thing on the ballot; the two props are tied such that both must pass or nothing happens.</p><p>The TL;DR is: do you want this downtown surface parking lot for the rest of time…</p><p></p><p>…or do you want that parking lot to be half of a new downtown library with a bunch of housing on top? That is obvious. <a href="https://supportaadl.com/">Library + housing + tax revenue</a>. The end. Vote yes on (or before) August 5th.</p><p><strong>[The too long; didn't read follows AFTER THE JUMP.]</strong></p><div id="read-more"></div><p>If you're still here, the backstory: in 2018 Ann Arbor wanted to sell the rights to a piece of land to a developer that would create a <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/12/ann-arbor-cancels-deal-for-17-story-high-rise-on-library-lot.html">large building and an outdoor plaza</a>. The city would get a bunch of money in the affordable housing fund, a large number of permanently affordable downtown apartments, the public plaza, and a significant amount of annual tax revenue.</p><p>Unfortunately, a group of local NIMBYs got together enough signatures to get a proposal on the ballot that would designate that plot the "Center of the City" and they would then create a park on it. At the time, organizers said that they would privately fund that park. There was a sort of precedent for this, as Ann Arbor <a href="https://www.a2skatepark.org/">successfully funded a skate park</a> some years back without using any public funds.</p><p>The proposal, placed on a busy November ballot, passed 53-47. The development was nixed; a "Library Green" committee was assembled to guide the process of turning the parking lot into a park, and then nothing happened. This was due to a few different factors. One was that the proposal was <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">obviously infeasible from the beginning</a>:</p><blockquote><p>The Library Lot is a small city-owned surface parking lot just north of the Ann Arbor District Library. It sits atop an underground parking deck. The deck was specifically designed and reinforced, at significant taxpayer expense, to support the addition of a mixed-use building on top of it; <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/10/can_ann_arbors_library_lot_sup.html">it was not designed to support</a>, and perhaps cannot reasonably be made to support, large amounts of dirt, mature trees, and vegetation. The Library Lot is less than a block away from Liberty Plaza, a pocket park <a href="https://annarborobserver.com/a-pivotal-election/">in need</a> of <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/03/100k-proposed-for-liberty-plaza-as-ann-arbor-aims-to-curb-parks-problems.html">city attention and investment</a>, and about a half mile from West Park, a sprawling public space next to downtown with a famous band shell<a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/10/2m-relocation-among-options-for-saving-ann-arbors-historic-west-park-bandshell.html"> that needs relocation and/or repair</a>. It is hemmed in on three sides by other structures.</p></blockquote><p>Two was that the primary motivation of most of he people involved was to stop the construction of a tall building on a downtown parcel specifically designed to hold a tall building. Once that was accomplished interest waned. Fundraising attempts brought in something like 1% of the amount needed to do anything. The Library Green committee established by the city produced nothing. Seven years later the site is unchanged. The committee has been dissolved. There is no path forward for the site under 2018's Prop A.</p><p>Three is that Library Green people who were actually somewhat invested in a park were feckless dilettantes. Alan Haber infamously had to call in on Zoom most of the time because he was in France; once he <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/danieladams.bsky.social/post/3ltl6mjoecc2y">lit a bowl in the middle of a meeting</a>. His main contribution to the debate prior to the vote was to exclaim that the "love economy" would take care of everything. The <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/11/pop-up-dome-on-ann-arbors-library-lot-part-of-center-of-the-city-outreach.html">sole object</a> to appear on the parking lot was a "DecaDome," which was placed there at taxpayer expense. The money went to Eric Lipson, one of the Library Green supporters.</p><p>Still, the city has made a gesture towards the original intent of 2018's Prop A to keep that parcel in public hands by proposing to transfer it to the library. If the props pass the Library plans to build a new downtown branch that occupies both the current site adjacent to the parking lot and said parking lot, funding it by selling the air rights above the land to a developer who will put a bunch of housing there.</p><p>This is a win-win-win, as the city would get a swanky new downtown library without having to pass an additional millage, badly needed downtown housing, and the tax revenue from that housing. The alternative is literally nothing.</p><p>A few additional resources:</p><ul><li>Daniel Adams's <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">comprehensive survey</a> of the Prop A situation at <em>Damn Arbor</em>.</li><li>Ann Arbor AF's <a href="https://annarboraf.com/episode-79-new-downtown-library-getting-informed-with-eli-neiburger/">interview with library director Eli Neiburger</a>, which has detail on why the AADL needs a new downtown branch.</li><li>The library's website has a page <a href="https://aadl.org/morefacts">debunking the FUD</a> coming from the Library Green people.</li></ul></div> <div class="node__links"> <ul class="links inline"><li class="comment-forbidden"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/login?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">Log in</a> or <a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/register?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">register</a> to post comments</li></ul> </div> <section class="field field--name-comment field--type-comment field--label-hidden comment-wrapper" id="comments"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="25829" id="comment-245614702" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509150"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702">July 14th, 2025 at 12:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:05:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This analysis is spot on. <br><br>Also, the small, but painfully vocal coven of feckless dilettantes in this town is a real problem. </p><p><br><br><br> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/23/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 437</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614702&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iZ-y-ja68p0fsRqbcdikVm1Sh0dtTJQQLTqdu-MiM10"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"><article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205835" id="comment-245614729" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Crunklicious</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511147"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729#comment-245614729">July 14th, 2025 at 12:39 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:39:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Perfectly said. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 02/10/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 24</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614729&1=default&2=en&3=" token="caQMVOF6KnUZNYMHSQp-p21kJ-WsURpVMehfKNEl1_Y"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="3204" id="comment-245614880" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Robbie Moore</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527872"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880#comment-245614880">July 14th, 2025 at 5:16 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T21:16:34+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>NIMBY-ism is a thing everywhere. The folks who show up at planning commission meetings raising hell stand athwart progress and yell "stop." And it is progress to get a new library, downtown housing and a badly needed increase in tax revenue. </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 56174</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614880&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cGspnIiapNCDFC2sbFxflUXxus9XbJSy8sj_2w_9vS4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615015" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752593732"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015">July 15th, 2025 at 11:35 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:35:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>John U. Bacon leading the charge on the NIMBY crap is more than a bit disappointing, I have to admit. Not to mention Ken Burns jumping in the ring to criticize potential zoning changes in a city he hasn't lived in since the early 70s.</p><p>Ann Arbor needs to change. And it's going to be fine when it does.</p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615015&1=default&2=en&3=" token="Kmh6dYAqYTJeP6Mbid8CNoMjgBu7XBwvZaGIvCvLtUs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1464" id="comment-245615023" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">John U. Bacon leading the…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595246"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023">July 15th, 2025 at 12:00 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:00:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I mean, both traffic in nostalgia to a degree, even though NIMBYism and associated increased property values is significantly to blame for the disappearance of the Ann Arbor that they mourn. </p><p>As an aside, “the world I remember is endangered/disappearing” vs “I can’t afford the world that exists” is one of the most potent low key conflicts in politics right now (and one that doesn’t have clear left/right divides) </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/05/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17191</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615023&1=default&2=en&3=" token="bnK3X5BMgPiCZB2mgLWYhM5La0jzNiUFPr2TIXSMNKg"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615026" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I mean, both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595921"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026">July 15th, 2025 at 12:12 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:12:01+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>"...both traffic in nostalgia" is a perfect summation, yes.</p><p>We lived in A2 for a little bit recently after a long time away. Lived in the same neighborhood I lived in as a student and immediate postgrad, for that matter. The city really is fundamentally different, most definitely less weird and more corporate, and most definitely more congested. But it's still Ann Arbor.</p><p>I've said it here before, I think my only real critique of build more housing (and yes, <em>build more housing</em>) is that it never includes a similar discussion on just how congested traffic has become, with UM Medicine traffic leading the way. Every day right now is the equivalent of a football Saturday or more with people coming in and out of downtown for work, replicated several times throughout the day. You can watch the shift changes in lines of cars. There's just not enough road infrastructure, and no, bike lanes and buses really aren't fixing it so far. </p><p>I don't know what the answer is, but I wonder what will happen when the high-rises truly hit a place of supersaturation with the roads.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615026&1=default&2=en&3=" token="pZTANjvD7PUkPje6rZTJB75SYc1nXGPMQpM9crmwBbY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245615027" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">"...both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752596612"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027#comment-245615027">July 15th, 2025 at 12:23 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:23:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>UM Medicine that grows and grows but seemingly gets harder and harder to get an actual appointment. I finally left for a different medical system out of frustration.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615027&1=default&2=en&3=" token="TBYcVE0E6HA-ZC_nZ2-LpMv4wIRsjt68SXGWsN6MfEs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div></div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="195" id="comment-245614704" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509296"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:16+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The number of NIMBYs in Ann Arbor who want nothing is truly astounding. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 38716</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614704&1=default&2=en&3=" token="4Piq7-8WybHGGO3RcpEC8d8XXDAyNT40KxbfF-mPIMY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="145" id="comment-245614762" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ckersh74</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514340"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762#comment-245614762">July 14th, 2025 at 1:32 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:32:20+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The NIMBYs aren’t the ones to worry about. It’s the BANANAs you need to be concerned with:</p><p>Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 51159</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614762&1=default&2=en&3=" token="mkz6Fd0vduRGufRQ6g7lUTyUxkvh0M9SVMEUcfWzsRA"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614764" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752521671"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764#comment-245614764">July 14th, 2025 at 1:33 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:33:47+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I think this prop specifically is an easy yes, but to some degree I understand <em>some</em> NIMBYism in Ann Arbor because every time I'm in Ann Arbor it becomes less and less recognizable with a new high rise going up, a chain restaurant going in, and an establishment that made Ann Arbor what it once was when I went there disappearing. It feels like we're seeing the Austin-ification of Ann Arbor. It's sad to see even though I recognize the need for housing</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614764&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5lfyeYq5ABWM4wI6_UCDPdYA5fmqPrW-itDDou339HM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="111555" id="comment-245614705" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bob_Timberlake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509313"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705#comment-245614705">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:33+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Go Blue!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/29/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 8696</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614705&1=default&2=en&3=" token="x3W4Ya81hxKBNriVWqWo8P2cMGah2pNWsrOPwu58yv0"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205959" id="comment-245614727" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">RibbleMcDibble</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511026"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727#comment-245614727">July 14th, 2025 at 12:37 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:37:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This seems like a complicated offense for a true freshman to learn. I thought Chip Lindsey was good at melding an offense to his personnel?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/24/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 19306</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614727&1=default&2=en&3=" token="zWX86_vCMavJGxoErQ6VNYm5vbg13xYknmiY42ftQ7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614728" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511112"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728">July 14th, 2025 at 12:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:38:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is not and will never again be a small town. It is a growing city and will become much larger in the coming years, especially with natural disaster and wet bulb trends in the south accelerating with climate change and FEMA cuts.</p><p>They need to embrace growth and plan infrastructure in accordance with that. </p><p>Lastly, they need paid positions to make these decisions rather than endless faux- democratic bureaucracy. City Councils are fucking stupid and always have been. The cold hard truth? Most people who influence city-level decisions have no fucking clue what theyre doing. </p><p>Ypsi has refused to remediate a potential development site for decades for similar reasons- just bite the fucking bullet. </p><p>Bunch of do-nothings. Make more salaried positions tied to outcomes and slash the degree of council-level input. It's a massive waste. Have the advisory committees meet separately and provide reports, recommendations, and town feedback. They shouldnt be making the final decisions. </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614728&1=default&2=en&3=" token="3UK1wHYUZQlh8Wi9VgjyXHS_B1SnN7xB3OjMp5oqtE8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29395" id="comment-245614741" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515674"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741">July 14th, 2025 at 1:06 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:06:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>It is a growing city</p></blockquote><p>Close to 100% of the city's population growth between 2010 and 2020 was due to U-M expanding its enrollment. Since 2020, Ann Arbor has in fact lost population, despite U-M's enrollment continuing to grow.</p><p>At issue here is that U-M cavalierly expanded its enrollment by a third between 2000 and 2020 while building very little on-campus housing. Finally <a href="https://record.umich.edu/articles/new-residential-quad-adding-2300-beds-more-planned/">there are steps being taken to rectify that</a>. In the meantime, the high-rises have sprouted up to accommodate a growing demand for off-campus housing, as students have to live somewhere.</p><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (cannibalizing other universities in the state in the process, but who cares!), I guess I can see why the city wants to accommodate them. But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. Non-students are leaving the city. Ann Arbor needs to be careful about where things are headed.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/14/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 113998</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614741&1=default&2=en&3=" token="wqaJJmBENVGbIPcAb_VjfIVSGrGoQqJv64FypHJrOoM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614748" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513489"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748">July 14th, 2025 at 1:18 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:18:09+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>He's saying it's very long-term growth play given the climate stability, water availability, etc. in the area. There are plenty of white papers on this topic. If people are going to migrate towards this area over the next 100 years, there's a good chance a lot of them will end up in Ann Arbor.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614748&1=default&2=en&3=" token="OQ240KWFdcbZ7IS5LAHRGQdBczbca6mtI8Ixw6JICEk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614785" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">He's saying it's very long…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515655"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785#comment-245614785">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Exactly this. The region will grow in population- period. </p><p>Ann Arbor will either accommodate this or nearby areas will. Ypsi and AA have both plagued their own futures for decades. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614785&1=default&2=en&3=" token="ej6p3oXI0xcDrH_ckEhLpIQoyr-M171OK__4c2C-uzE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245614760" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514316"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760">July 14th, 2025 at 1:31 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:31:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I do wonder if there will be a population shift back to the North. I have thought about buying land in the UP because of this possible shift. Our winters have been much milder in the last 4-5 years. Water is plentiful in the great lakes region. And natural disasters are much lower rates, so insurance is much lower (besides car insurance). </p><p>I didn't know that Michigan had increased undergrad enrollment so much though. I was in A2 a few weeks ago driving around with the family, and had forgotten about the massive dorm complex being built where the lumber yard was. Make's a lot more sense why they need those in addition to North Quad. Wondering when my freshman dorm Mary Markely gets it's renovation. Definitely different levels of living when you compare some of the dorm rooms across campus when you are paying the same amount. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614760&1=default&2=en&3=" token="JMo0tOKCfHk-jSI14fy7ox2BcLhRtIEa7LBvfVHr5Vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="208462" id="comment-245614846" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522292"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846">July 14th, 2025 at 3:44 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:44:52+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was a Markley guy as well-rumours are that the already enormous UM hospital and associated facilities will soon gobble up Markley and continue to expand, probably within the next 3-5 years. If that is the case, there is no point in renovating. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/16/2024</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1899</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614846&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5dYD-Ta4THwVfT0XYDgjv_CB5BoBu0xdLVvKZEmEzy8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245615000" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I was a Markley guy as well…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752587121"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000#comment-245615000">July 15th, 2025 at 9:45 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T13:45:21+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>That makes sense. A little bummer that it will be gone, but understand there are a lot better dorms in more desirable places and the options for the hospital to grow are limited. </p><p>Going from my 10x10 Markley dorm to my 12x17 West quad dorm with a sink made me think I was living in luxury. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615000&1=default&2=en&3=" token="R9ajIa9uJb_zkmZr1gxxhy-SlqzP9n013VxJsyqjldc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7184" id="comment-245614859" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">bluebyyou</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752523863"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859#comment-245614859">July 14th, 2025 at 4:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:11:03+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Having lived in A2 until three years ago, I'd suggest that -17, while warmer than -20, is still pretty freaking cold. It will be a while before palm trees thrive in southern Michigan, CRISPR notwithstanding.</p><p>As for housing prices, they have gone up pretty much everywhere where people want to live. Ann Arbor is still relatively affordable compared to many other areas of the US.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/07/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 23952</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614859&1=default&2=en&3=" token="kK5N4aA5c3FN5OirMyhGT1Z4-8wT3Gf754X9BqG0Upw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="23367" id="comment-245614867" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">True Blue Grit</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752525821"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867#comment-245614867">July 14th, 2025 at 4:43 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:43:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Markely is basically toast. So, no renovation is coming. Once these two giant new dorms on the south campus are done, Markely has a date with the wrecking ball. The medical campus octopus wants this land pretty badly. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/21/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 42866</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614867&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iRX4DyrMpXeZqodpk-uxXCknj6GmFH0jisDknPa-LAk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="159342" id="comment-245614905" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">andrew_</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532688"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905#comment-245614905">July 14th, 2025 at 6:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:38:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>From southern states, absolutely not. Hilariously absolutely not. The only thing that people who leave the state miss is the changing of the seasons. And that can be had in much friendlier climates and better economic and political zones. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1087</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614905&1=default&2=en&3=" token="giwGjoeqZdaN6J9-n2i1fCIM6W4cJub6Csxgr4X4ens"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614765" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514478"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765#comment-245614765">July 14th, 2025 at 1:34 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:34:38+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (<em><strong>canibalizing other universities in the state in the process</strong></em>, but who cares)</p></blockquote><p>I don't think M is cannibalizing other MI schools, at least insofar as taking their students. My guess is that very few of these added students were headed for struggling in-state schools but for their M admission. About the only thing those schools have in common with M is location; the students targeting M are by and large doing so for other reasons (i.e. location might be a plus, but it's not a driving factor).</p><p>Plus there's a double edge sword with the admission rates. I don't know about others, but I don't enjoy the fact that M is becoming more and more impossible to get into. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614765&1=default&2=en&3=" token="__XpqEc_bQHHch0E2qe4k23QO5ONmiBCyGX7dkdQwrk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="21779" id="comment-245614772" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Go Blue Eyes</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514928"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772#comment-245614772">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I had to look the growth issue up. From 1960 to 1970 Ann Arbor added 33,000 people to just over 100,000. Since then the population has only grown by 23,000 (estimated this year) or only just over 500 people per year in 50 years! Stunning to see that number considering all of the articles saying it is one of the best places to live in the country. <br><br>The proposals Brian relates seem like no brainers. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/04/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13440</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614772&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cMakYO04rVL5Cg5hqTtWvt5S5gKsN80xKpU_VZIfz5o"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614773" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514946"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:26+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. </p></blockquote><p>Don't conflate cause and effect. The city has throttled housing production with restrictive zoning for 50+ years. Developers (read: housing producers) report that building housing in Ann Arbor is extraordinarily difficult even compared to peer cities. The population flatlined in 1970, right around the time that the city's anti-apartment zoning and historic district regs began to bite. Make it illegal to build housing and, yeah, you'll find that general population growth will slow. But Ann Arbor is growing. Just ... in the townships, Saline, and Dexter. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614773&1=default&2=en&3=" token="CRme7DwkyY_pewLr94rt4mL4Tpm-X6antNg2hgRgW4g"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1750" id="comment-245614790" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516101"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790">July 14th, 2025 at 2:01 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:01:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recall, with a bit of fuzziness from my time as a student in the 1980s, that new high-rise housing was forbidden in Ann Arbor. Does anyone the history and reasoning?</p><p>Did everyone watch and get frightened by "The Towering Inferno"?</p><p>Was it the debacle of University Towers? (Is it still awful, or has it been improved?)</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/28/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15867</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614790&1=default&2=en&3=" token="rfrppBTv5lglzAYunyMldg8vCQ5PXTiIrrtluGGLDMc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614798" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516720"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798">July 14th, 2025 at 2:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:11:44+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>U Towers was a disaster 20 years ago. I had three friends that lived there, and all three had major problems with their apartments.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614798&1=default&2=en&3=" token="9haLQkNqk7IzyQLGCPz-4kj2FsosyDgNelvZfycLf7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="5812" id="comment-245614974" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">U Towers was a disaster 20…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">michengin87</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752576122"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974#comment-245614974">July 15th, 2025 at 6:42 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T10:42:02+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I lived in U Towers 40 years ago. It wasn't great but relatively affordable split between 4 guys. It was built in 1964, the same year that the UM Administration Building was erected. The Administration Building was torn down 3 years ago, but U Towers, in all its ugliness, remains.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/14/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5251</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614974&1=default&2=en&3=" token="WU9ZEJdyA6HXJxGL6ezGEjavlTKfWCAvJtll8z7yf7c"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614806" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517642"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806#comment-245614806">July 14th, 2025 at 2:27 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:27:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great summary of the history is here:</p><p><a href="https://aadl.org/node/15599">https://aadl.org/node/15599</a></p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614806&1=default&2=en&3=" token="SxYzNCXxpFFnZyTxPNK_Lg8lEJqNberN7jf1T14J0vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="817" id="comment-245614902" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">lhglrkwg</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532608"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902#comment-245614902">July 14th, 2025 at 6:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:30:58+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was gonna say- i know a lot of young families that would live in A2 if they could afford it but they had to setup roots in Saline, Ypsi, Belleville, etc and they have to commute in</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/03/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 102420</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614902&1=default&2=en&3=" token="eJb3rnSEHmg8Fo5NcMSxbEqK0Ti_ZCylhgkhVyDOCAM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617571" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753461702"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571#comment-245617571">July 25th, 2025 at 12:41 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:41:24+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But would the non-student population be growing if there were housing???</p><p>Saline and dexter certainly have grown. How of that growth is tied to employment in Ann Arbor? I’d bet a lot</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617571&1=default&2=en&3=" token="uXMN24M1ODCH2ZgExGYFSFZEr7V8w8EF-fPocARdbIQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614753" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513696"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753">July 14th, 2025 at 1:21 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:21:36+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is an expensive college town and always will be. I'm fine with growth, but call it what it is.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614753&1=default&2=en&3=" token="k25ipI3o9NXlg7_Jftgn6YdxCTOdAx0yH0onu67057E"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2617" id="comment-245614847" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is an expensive…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522487"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847">July 14th, 2025 at 3:48 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:48:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>And yet there are things one can do about that. Austin for instance built a ton of housing the last couple of years and rent is down 22 percent. </p><p>Supply and demand doesn't simply disappear when it comes to the question of housing and there's lots of evidence of this both around the US and around the world. Ann Arbor can be more affordable and still be a desirable place to live.</p><p>More broadly its better to live in a place which is growing and people want to live versus being the opposite. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 2823</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614847&1=default&2=en&3=" token="1AAvwu20b-eFVnAQRq6-GqWc7LFF7h7M-VcG5YA5dOo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614855" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">And yet there are things one…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527281"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855#comment-245614855">July 14th, 2025 at 4:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:03:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I have lived in both cities, and people always like to compare the two. They are nothing alike. Austin is a hub of over 1 million people with legit suburbs and part of a larger corridor with San Antonio.</p><p>Austin also has had and has a real gentrification problem. Highway 35 created a colored and white divide but now the east side of 35 is hip and development is crazy. </p><p>Ann Arbor is far more like Boulder than Austin.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614855&1=default&2=en&3=" token="LDFJg8FjtXo7Lwh0QDGXSRnN30odAmIuZhML3blziJM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614767" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514654"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767#comment-245614767">July 14th, 2025 at 1:36 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:36:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recognize that it's the way Ann Arbor is going, but it is sad to see it losing a lot of it's quintessential midwestern college town feel. South U is completely unrecognizable these days. Feels like it's going the way of Austin</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614767&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sSooV8PHaICHUwpLlRYJKofg5BOu4nytbxhHrJVT_YE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614918" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537222"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918#comment-245614918">July 14th, 2025 at 7:53 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:53:42+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This reads like you told ChatGPT to sound like a human and be more of an asshole. Just saying.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614918&1=default&2=en&3=" token="8XPpc-OPihtiNFPWdCvyqEix3-YeS7rQZyA-BcrhG44"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614919" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537413"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919#comment-245614919">July 14th, 2025 at 7:56 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:56:23+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good time for a double post!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614919&1=default&2=en&3=" token="f1ZcUUAcenxVMNqRnayRMNW6f7nQjwabQrd6-VfqGhw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2048" id="comment-245614732" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">PeteM</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511237"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732#comment-245614732">July 14th, 2025 at 12:40 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:40:37+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great piece. I was at the forum prior to the 2018 election, and remember that the speaker in favor of the "Center of the City" talked about raising significant funds. I live in Ann Arbor, and have read the various arguments on the current proposals on Facebook. Supporters of the 2018 charter amendment argue that regardless of the level of private fundraising the fact that the charter now calls for a park obligates the city to move forward and pay for it since that was the voters' will. While I can't read the voters' minds in 2018 my sense that folks then were pushing back against development and change generally, and really didn't care that much whether the lot stayed a lot or became Liberty Plaza II.</p><p>That's funny about Alan Haber lighting a bowl during a meeting. I've met him once and he is an interesting character. I believe that he was an early mentor to future SDS leader Tom Hayden when Hayden was an undergrad and Daily editor the late '50s.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/15/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 4254</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614732&1=default&2=en&3=" token="AxAnai9MhLD2mP2bhfqtVXg62F5M8FLxF6DvYKSgF_4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614743" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752512944"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743">July 14th, 2025 at 1:09 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:09:04+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Seems like a no brainer to put the originally intended building on top of the underground structure. I never knew the backstory but always thought it was odd to have this enormous underground structure with nothing on top at ground level.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614743&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5mK-3QVY7Ud9rlZcjEKLTjiDLVV0irpUpukAp2fcZzQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="24817" id="comment-245614970" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Seems like a no brainer to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752567015"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970">July 15th, 2025 at 4:10 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T08:10:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Some of the backstory is that the City Council doesn't necessarily represent the will of the Ann Arbor populace (for a variety of reasons). That parking structure and its footings to support a development that wasn't approved is evidence of that. The Council wanted it and people didn't. It doesn't matter the reason, it's just poor planning. By building the structure as is, the Council wanted exactly the reasoning you outlined. Essentially a fait accompli that "well, we built a structure to support a huge ass building so now it has to be built". Many of those who voted "for" the city park were voting against the insular Council and its decision making and particularly the giveaway to the developer of the previous project.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 04/18/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5632</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614970&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sN7V30Ggn7GDIdkU-wyqK0k2Cs400tJWZkMunnMw59A"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245615093" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752606226"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093#comment-245615093">July 15th, 2025 at 3:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T19:03:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Decades of city and DDA planning documents recommended that site for a tall building. A bunch of NIMBYs put "park" on the ballot and won by six percent, largely on the backs of votes in student districts. And then every single CM who supported the park project lost their seats. And then residents tanked the park project on the PROS Plan survey. So... try again? </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615093&1=default&2=en&3=" token="172TQhRAiF6sXZ6VYY0HGwHyAlY6qqOA-Pmo3FJ08jQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617584" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753462196"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584#comment-245617584">July 25th, 2025 at 12:49 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:49:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This is just wrong. Eaton and the park proponents had a majority on council in 2018. Then they did this and the city’s population responded overwhelmingly by voting that majority out. So it’s kind of what you said but the exact opposite lol. A slim majority on a confusing ballot proposal is no more representative than the now overwhelming popularity of the new council who all won their races in landslides.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617584&1=default&2=en&3=" token="fdQroBLhrCyQenKmOX-J23W5x6Jf9kb-u0DmQFEy184"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614751" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513615"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751">July 14th, 2025 at 1:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:20:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Definitely in favor. Let's just not pretend development like this is going to help A2 affordability. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614751&1=default&2=en&3=" token="0nK3ZjxlxsSv0OoCl0nhgET9xBRf7cJ8w7E6RWqseRI"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="6867" id="comment-245614823" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752519777"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823">July 14th, 2025 at 3:02 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:02:57+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But it might. Supply and demand. I'm not an economist, but even if developers only build expensive units, eventually a a large supply of pricey units will bring down demand and hopefully prices</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/01/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 428</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614823&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m_nhNFiQ9duVK4ey752pXtokMdhOy4vT77c0QSQelrY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614856" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But it might. Supply and…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752542861"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856#comment-245614856">July 14th, 2025 at 4:04 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:04:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Or attract more 20 somethings with money and the University can continue to fill them with more international graduate students with no budget.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614856&1=default&2=en&3=" token="gp5lXBL3XJDYESfCduxDDPg3JfcahN0zXNLoNiJCmzU"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="8172" id="comment-245615010" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">tsabesi</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752592345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010#comment-245615010">July 15th, 2025 at 11:12 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:12:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This won't help a lot but it is part of the affordability solution. More, denser housing near (or connected via transit) to where people want to be is how you solve affordability and congestion and this development fits that bill.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/28/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1141</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615010&1=default&2=en&3=" token="FXh-4crZUKo89J9h-Rw0PQdmgKBRxWAYsetehNO7hlE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="31412" id="comment-245614757" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Blue Vet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514225"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757#comment-245614757">July 14th, 2025 at 1:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:30:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good luck. Wish I still lived in AA so I could vote.</p><p>Don't some nations allow voting by people of that nationality but living elsewhere?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 05/08/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 93252</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614757&1=default&2=en&3=" token="yXhtp5RfuBTHM-eaq27SxyJC43X78N2HaZnzH4c4Oow"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="92726" id="comment-245614784" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515646"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Yes, Brian, this is YOUR blog so I guess you have carte blanche to post something political. </p><p>Merits of your argument aside, I find this to be unfortunate and hypocritical, as all too often, political comments by users and/or threads get shut down.</p><p>How about a little consistency? Rather than do as I say and not as I do, how about letting people express their views and show tolerance with those which you disagree.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/24/2014</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 6920</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614784&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sUhc-6aZrXfkH5lYGtkGgeMat-9aeTUO5_Ogf8RL90I"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614794" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794#comment-245614794">July 14th, 2025 at 2:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:05:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Old man shouts at cloud</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614794&1=default&2=en&3=" token="48XBw28WUzbjOs5ToAdqACUcA1mnKavTw4MhyivC2eY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29905" id="comment-245614804" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Toby Flenderson</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517218"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804#comment-245614804">July 14th, 2025 at 2:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:20:18+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What do you want to say that’s political?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/16/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 26030</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614804&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m5-vyM_2j6XRB61blf0lRSkaoeqLn_Az55qjcsBFNng"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <nav class="pager" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="pagination-heading"> <h4 id="pagination-heading" class="visually-hidden">Pagination</h4> <ul class="pager__items js-pager__items"> <li class="pager__item is-active"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=0" title="Current page" aria-current="page"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Current page </span>1</a> </li> <li class="pager__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to page 2"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Page </span>2</a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--next"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to next page" rel="next"> <span class="visually-hidden">Next page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Next ›</span> </a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--last"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to last page"> <span class="visually-hidden">Last page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Last »</span> </a> </li> </ul> </nav> </section> <div class="field field--name-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics" hreflang="en">ANN ARBOR POLITICS!</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>WTKA Roundtable 6/4/2026: Bratislava Hustles Harder</h1> <p>Seth — Thu, 04 Jun 2026 14:40:15 +0000</p> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Yes On Ann Arbor Props A And B</span> <div class="field field--name-field-published-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-14T15:42:06Z" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Brian</a></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-07-14T11:42:06-04:00" title="Monday, July 14, 2025 - 11:42am" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> </picture> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-photo-caption-1 field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">[Scott Trudeau]</div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>A brief digression.</em></p><p>If you're an Ann Arbor voter, there's an unusual off-year August election coming up. There's really just one thing on the ballot; the two props are tied such that both must pass or nothing happens.</p><p>The TL;DR is: do you want this downtown surface parking lot for the rest of time…</p><p></p><p>…or do you want that parking lot to be half of a new downtown library with a bunch of housing on top? That is obvious. <a href="https://supportaadl.com/">Library + housing + tax revenue</a>. The end. Vote yes on (or before) August 5th.</p><p><strong>[The too long; didn't read follows AFTER THE JUMP.]</strong></p><div id="read-more"></div><p>If you're still here, the backstory: in 2018 Ann Arbor wanted to sell the rights to a piece of land to a developer that would create a <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/12/ann-arbor-cancels-deal-for-17-story-high-rise-on-library-lot.html">large building and an outdoor plaza</a>. The city would get a bunch of money in the affordable housing fund, a large number of permanently affordable downtown apartments, the public plaza, and a significant amount of annual tax revenue.</p><p>Unfortunately, a group of local NIMBYs got together enough signatures to get a proposal on the ballot that would designate that plot the "Center of the City" and they would then create a park on it. At the time, organizers said that they would privately fund that park. There was a sort of precedent for this, as Ann Arbor <a href="https://www.a2skatepark.org/">successfully funded a skate park</a> some years back without using any public funds.</p><p>The proposal, placed on a busy November ballot, passed 53-47. The development was nixed; a "Library Green" committee was assembled to guide the process of turning the parking lot into a park, and then nothing happened. This was due to a few different factors. One was that the proposal was <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">obviously infeasible from the beginning</a>:</p><blockquote><p>The Library Lot is a small city-owned surface parking lot just north of the Ann Arbor District Library. It sits atop an underground parking deck. The deck was specifically designed and reinforced, at significant taxpayer expense, to support the addition of a mixed-use building on top of it; <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/10/can_ann_arbors_library_lot_sup.html">it was not designed to support</a>, and perhaps cannot reasonably be made to support, large amounts of dirt, mature trees, and vegetation. The Library Lot is less than a block away from Liberty Plaza, a pocket park <a href="https://annarborobserver.com/a-pivotal-election/">in need</a> of <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/03/100k-proposed-for-liberty-plaza-as-ann-arbor-aims-to-curb-parks-problems.html">city attention and investment</a>, and about a half mile from West Park, a sprawling public space next to downtown with a famous band shell<a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/10/2m-relocation-among-options-for-saving-ann-arbors-historic-west-park-bandshell.html"> that needs relocation and/or repair</a>. It is hemmed in on three sides by other structures.</p></blockquote><p>Two was that the primary motivation of most of he people involved was to stop the construction of a tall building on a downtown parcel specifically designed to hold a tall building. Once that was accomplished interest waned. Fundraising attempts brought in something like 1% of the amount needed to do anything. The Library Green committee established by the city produced nothing. Seven years later the site is unchanged. The committee has been dissolved. There is no path forward for the site under 2018's Prop A.</p><p>Three is that Library Green people who were actually somewhat invested in a park were feckless dilettantes. Alan Haber infamously had to call in on Zoom most of the time because he was in France; once he <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/danieladams.bsky.social/post/3ltl6mjoecc2y">lit a bowl in the middle of a meeting</a>. His main contribution to the debate prior to the vote was to exclaim that the "love economy" would take care of everything. The <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/11/pop-up-dome-on-ann-arbors-library-lot-part-of-center-of-the-city-outreach.html">sole object</a> to appear on the parking lot was a "DecaDome," which was placed there at taxpayer expense. The money went to Eric Lipson, one of the Library Green supporters.</p><p>Still, the city has made a gesture towards the original intent of 2018's Prop A to keep that parcel in public hands by proposing to transfer it to the library. If the props pass the Library plans to build a new downtown branch that occupies both the current site adjacent to the parking lot and said parking lot, funding it by selling the air rights above the land to a developer who will put a bunch of housing there.</p><p>This is a win-win-win, as the city would get a swanky new downtown library without having to pass an additional millage, badly needed downtown housing, and the tax revenue from that housing. The alternative is literally nothing.</p><p>A few additional resources:</p><ul><li>Daniel Adams's <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">comprehensive survey</a> of the Prop A situation at <em>Damn Arbor</em>.</li><li>Ann Arbor AF's <a href="https://annarboraf.com/episode-79-new-downtown-library-getting-informed-with-eli-neiburger/">interview with library director Eli Neiburger</a>, which has detail on why the AADL needs a new downtown branch.</li><li>The library's website has a page <a href="https://aadl.org/morefacts">debunking the FUD</a> coming from the Library Green people.</li></ul></div> <div class="node__links"> <ul class="links inline"><li class="comment-forbidden"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/login?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">Log in</a> or <a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/register?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">register</a> to post comments</li></ul> </div> <section class="field field--name-comment field--type-comment field--label-hidden comment-wrapper" id="comments"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="25829" id="comment-245614702" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509150"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702">July 14th, 2025 at 12:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:05:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This analysis is spot on. <br><br>Also, the small, but painfully vocal coven of feckless dilettantes in this town is a real problem. </p><p><br><br><br> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/23/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 437</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614702&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iZ-y-ja68p0fsRqbcdikVm1Sh0dtTJQQLTqdu-MiM10"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"><article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205835" id="comment-245614729" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Crunklicious</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511147"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729#comment-245614729">July 14th, 2025 at 12:39 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:39:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Perfectly said. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 02/10/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 24</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614729&1=default&2=en&3=" token="caQMVOF6KnUZNYMHSQp-p21kJ-WsURpVMehfKNEl1_Y"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="3204" id="comment-245614880" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Robbie Moore</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527872"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880#comment-245614880">July 14th, 2025 at 5:16 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T21:16:34+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>NIMBY-ism is a thing everywhere. The folks who show up at planning commission meetings raising hell stand athwart progress and yell "stop." And it is progress to get a new library, downtown housing and a badly needed increase in tax revenue. </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 56174</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614880&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cGspnIiapNCDFC2sbFxflUXxus9XbJSy8sj_2w_9vS4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615015" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752593732"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015">July 15th, 2025 at 11:35 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:35:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>John U. Bacon leading the charge on the NIMBY crap is more than a bit disappointing, I have to admit. Not to mention Ken Burns jumping in the ring to criticize potential zoning changes in a city he hasn't lived in since the early 70s.</p><p>Ann Arbor needs to change. And it's going to be fine when it does.</p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615015&1=default&2=en&3=" token="Kmh6dYAqYTJeP6Mbid8CNoMjgBu7XBwvZaGIvCvLtUs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1464" id="comment-245615023" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">John U. Bacon leading the…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595246"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023">July 15th, 2025 at 12:00 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:00:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I mean, both traffic in nostalgia to a degree, even though NIMBYism and associated increased property values is significantly to blame for the disappearance of the Ann Arbor that they mourn. </p><p>As an aside, “the world I remember is endangered/disappearing” vs “I can’t afford the world that exists” is one of the most potent low key conflicts in politics right now (and one that doesn’t have clear left/right divides) </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/05/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17191</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615023&1=default&2=en&3=" token="bnK3X5BMgPiCZB2mgLWYhM5La0jzNiUFPr2TIXSMNKg"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615026" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I mean, both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595921"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026">July 15th, 2025 at 12:12 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:12:01+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>"...both traffic in nostalgia" is a perfect summation, yes.</p><p>We lived in A2 for a little bit recently after a long time away. Lived in the same neighborhood I lived in as a student and immediate postgrad, for that matter. The city really is fundamentally different, most definitely less weird and more corporate, and most definitely more congested. But it's still Ann Arbor.</p><p>I've said it here before, I think my only real critique of build more housing (and yes, <em>build more housing</em>) is that it never includes a similar discussion on just how congested traffic has become, with UM Medicine traffic leading the way. Every day right now is the equivalent of a football Saturday or more with people coming in and out of downtown for work, replicated several times throughout the day. You can watch the shift changes in lines of cars. There's just not enough road infrastructure, and no, bike lanes and buses really aren't fixing it so far. </p><p>I don't know what the answer is, but I wonder what will happen when the high-rises truly hit a place of supersaturation with the roads.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615026&1=default&2=en&3=" token="pZTANjvD7PUkPje6rZTJB75SYc1nXGPMQpM9crmwBbY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245615027" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">"...both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752596612"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027#comment-245615027">July 15th, 2025 at 12:23 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:23:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>UM Medicine that grows and grows but seemingly gets harder and harder to get an actual appointment. I finally left for a different medical system out of frustration.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615027&1=default&2=en&3=" token="TBYcVE0E6HA-ZC_nZ2-LpMv4wIRsjt68SXGWsN6MfEs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div></div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="195" id="comment-245614704" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509296"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:16+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The number of NIMBYs in Ann Arbor who want nothing is truly astounding. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 38716</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614704&1=default&2=en&3=" token="4Piq7-8WybHGGO3RcpEC8d8XXDAyNT40KxbfF-mPIMY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="145" id="comment-245614762" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ckersh74</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514340"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762#comment-245614762">July 14th, 2025 at 1:32 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:32:20+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The NIMBYs aren’t the ones to worry about. It’s the BANANAs you need to be concerned with:</p><p>Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 51159</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614762&1=default&2=en&3=" token="mkz6Fd0vduRGufRQ6g7lUTyUxkvh0M9SVMEUcfWzsRA"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614764" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752521671"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764#comment-245614764">July 14th, 2025 at 1:33 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:33:47+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I think this prop specifically is an easy yes, but to some degree I understand <em>some</em> NIMBYism in Ann Arbor because every time I'm in Ann Arbor it becomes less and less recognizable with a new high rise going up, a chain restaurant going in, and an establishment that made Ann Arbor what it once was when I went there disappearing. It feels like we're seeing the Austin-ification of Ann Arbor. It's sad to see even though I recognize the need for housing</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614764&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5lfyeYq5ABWM4wI6_UCDPdYA5fmqPrW-itDDou339HM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="111555" id="comment-245614705" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bob_Timberlake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509313"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705#comment-245614705">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:33+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Go Blue!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/29/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 8696</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614705&1=default&2=en&3=" token="x3W4Ya81hxKBNriVWqWo8P2cMGah2pNWsrOPwu58yv0"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205959" id="comment-245614727" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">RibbleMcDibble</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511026"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727#comment-245614727">July 14th, 2025 at 12:37 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:37:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This seems like a complicated offense for a true freshman to learn. I thought Chip Lindsey was good at melding an offense to his personnel?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/24/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 19306</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614727&1=default&2=en&3=" token="zWX86_vCMavJGxoErQ6VNYm5vbg13xYknmiY42ftQ7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614728" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511112"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728">July 14th, 2025 at 12:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:38:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is not and will never again be a small town. It is a growing city and will become much larger in the coming years, especially with natural disaster and wet bulb trends in the south accelerating with climate change and FEMA cuts.</p><p>They need to embrace growth and plan infrastructure in accordance with that. </p><p>Lastly, they need paid positions to make these decisions rather than endless faux- democratic bureaucracy. City Councils are fucking stupid and always have been. The cold hard truth? Most people who influence city-level decisions have no fucking clue what theyre doing. </p><p>Ypsi has refused to remediate a potential development site for decades for similar reasons- just bite the fucking bullet. </p><p>Bunch of do-nothings. Make more salaried positions tied to outcomes and slash the degree of council-level input. It's a massive waste. Have the advisory committees meet separately and provide reports, recommendations, and town feedback. They shouldnt be making the final decisions. </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614728&1=default&2=en&3=" token="3UK1wHYUZQlh8Wi9VgjyXHS_B1SnN7xB3OjMp5oqtE8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29395" id="comment-245614741" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515674"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741">July 14th, 2025 at 1:06 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:06:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>It is a growing city</p></blockquote><p>Close to 100% of the city's population growth between 2010 and 2020 was due to U-M expanding its enrollment. Since 2020, Ann Arbor has in fact lost population, despite U-M's enrollment continuing to grow.</p><p>At issue here is that U-M cavalierly expanded its enrollment by a third between 2000 and 2020 while building very little on-campus housing. Finally <a href="https://record.umich.edu/articles/new-residential-quad-adding-2300-beds-more-planned/">there are steps being taken to rectify that</a>. In the meantime, the high-rises have sprouted up to accommodate a growing demand for off-campus housing, as students have to live somewhere.</p><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (cannibalizing other universities in the state in the process, but who cares!), I guess I can see why the city wants to accommodate them. But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. Non-students are leaving the city. Ann Arbor needs to be careful about where things are headed.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/14/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 113998</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614741&1=default&2=en&3=" token="wqaJJmBENVGbIPcAb_VjfIVSGrGoQqJv64FypHJrOoM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614748" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513489"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748">July 14th, 2025 at 1:18 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:18:09+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>He's saying it's very long-term growth play given the climate stability, water availability, etc. in the area. There are plenty of white papers on this topic. If people are going to migrate towards this area over the next 100 years, there's a good chance a lot of them will end up in Ann Arbor.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614748&1=default&2=en&3=" token="OQ240KWFdcbZ7IS5LAHRGQdBczbca6mtI8Ixw6JICEk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614785" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">He's saying it's very long…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515655"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785#comment-245614785">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Exactly this. The region will grow in population- period. </p><p>Ann Arbor will either accommodate this or nearby areas will. Ypsi and AA have both plagued their own futures for decades. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614785&1=default&2=en&3=" token="ej6p3oXI0xcDrH_ckEhLpIQoyr-M171OK__4c2C-uzE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245614760" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514316"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760">July 14th, 2025 at 1:31 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:31:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I do wonder if there will be a population shift back to the North. I have thought about buying land in the UP because of this possible shift. Our winters have been much milder in the last 4-5 years. Water is plentiful in the great lakes region. And natural disasters are much lower rates, so insurance is much lower (besides car insurance). </p><p>I didn't know that Michigan had increased undergrad enrollment so much though. I was in A2 a few weeks ago driving around with the family, and had forgotten about the massive dorm complex being built where the lumber yard was. Make's a lot more sense why they need those in addition to North Quad. Wondering when my freshman dorm Mary Markely gets it's renovation. Definitely different levels of living when you compare some of the dorm rooms across campus when you are paying the same amount. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614760&1=default&2=en&3=" token="JMo0tOKCfHk-jSI14fy7ox2BcLhRtIEa7LBvfVHr5Vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="208462" id="comment-245614846" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522292"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846">July 14th, 2025 at 3:44 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:44:52+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was a Markley guy as well-rumours are that the already enormous UM hospital and associated facilities will soon gobble up Markley and continue to expand, probably within the next 3-5 years. If that is the case, there is no point in renovating. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/16/2024</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1899</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614846&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5dYD-Ta4THwVfT0XYDgjv_CB5BoBu0xdLVvKZEmEzy8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245615000" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I was a Markley guy as well…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752587121"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000#comment-245615000">July 15th, 2025 at 9:45 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T13:45:21+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>That makes sense. A little bummer that it will be gone, but understand there are a lot better dorms in more desirable places and the options for the hospital to grow are limited. </p><p>Going from my 10x10 Markley dorm to my 12x17 West quad dorm with a sink made me think I was living in luxury. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615000&1=default&2=en&3=" token="R9ajIa9uJb_zkmZr1gxxhy-SlqzP9n013VxJsyqjldc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7184" id="comment-245614859" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">bluebyyou</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752523863"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859#comment-245614859">July 14th, 2025 at 4:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:11:03+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Having lived in A2 until three years ago, I'd suggest that -17, while warmer than -20, is still pretty freaking cold. It will be a while before palm trees thrive in southern Michigan, CRISPR notwithstanding.</p><p>As for housing prices, they have gone up pretty much everywhere where people want to live. Ann Arbor is still relatively affordable compared to many other areas of the US.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/07/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 23952</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614859&1=default&2=en&3=" token="kK5N4aA5c3FN5OirMyhGT1Z4-8wT3Gf754X9BqG0Upw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="23367" id="comment-245614867" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">True Blue Grit</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752525821"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867#comment-245614867">July 14th, 2025 at 4:43 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:43:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Markely is basically toast. So, no renovation is coming. Once these two giant new dorms on the south campus are done, Markely has a date with the wrecking ball. The medical campus octopus wants this land pretty badly. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/21/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 42866</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614867&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iRX4DyrMpXeZqodpk-uxXCknj6GmFH0jisDknPa-LAk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="159342" id="comment-245614905" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">andrew_</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532688"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905#comment-245614905">July 14th, 2025 at 6:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:38:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>From southern states, absolutely not. Hilariously absolutely not. The only thing that people who leave the state miss is the changing of the seasons. And that can be had in much friendlier climates and better economic and political zones. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1087</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614905&1=default&2=en&3=" token="giwGjoeqZdaN6J9-n2i1fCIM6W4cJub6Csxgr4X4ens"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614765" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514478"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765#comment-245614765">July 14th, 2025 at 1:34 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:34:38+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (<em><strong>canibalizing other universities in the state in the process</strong></em>, but who cares)</p></blockquote><p>I don't think M is cannibalizing other MI schools, at least insofar as taking their students. My guess is that very few of these added students were headed for struggling in-state schools but for their M admission. About the only thing those schools have in common with M is location; the students targeting M are by and large doing so for other reasons (i.e. location might be a plus, but it's not a driving factor).</p><p>Plus there's a double edge sword with the admission rates. I don't know about others, but I don't enjoy the fact that M is becoming more and more impossible to get into. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614765&1=default&2=en&3=" token="__XpqEc_bQHHch0E2qe4k23QO5ONmiBCyGX7dkdQwrk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="21779" id="comment-245614772" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Go Blue Eyes</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514928"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772#comment-245614772">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I had to look the growth issue up. From 1960 to 1970 Ann Arbor added 33,000 people to just over 100,000. Since then the population has only grown by 23,000 (estimated this year) or only just over 500 people per year in 50 years! Stunning to see that number considering all of the articles saying it is one of the best places to live in the country. <br><br>The proposals Brian relates seem like no brainers. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/04/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13440</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614772&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cMakYO04rVL5Cg5hqTtWvt5S5gKsN80xKpU_VZIfz5o"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614773" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514946"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:26+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. </p></blockquote><p>Don't conflate cause and effect. The city has throttled housing production with restrictive zoning for 50+ years. Developers (read: housing producers) report that building housing in Ann Arbor is extraordinarily difficult even compared to peer cities. The population flatlined in 1970, right around the time that the city's anti-apartment zoning and historic district regs began to bite. Make it illegal to build housing and, yeah, you'll find that general population growth will slow. But Ann Arbor is growing. Just ... in the townships, Saline, and Dexter. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614773&1=default&2=en&3=" token="CRme7DwkyY_pewLr94rt4mL4Tpm-X6antNg2hgRgW4g"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1750" id="comment-245614790" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516101"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790">July 14th, 2025 at 2:01 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:01:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recall, with a bit of fuzziness from my time as a student in the 1980s, that new high-rise housing was forbidden in Ann Arbor. Does anyone the history and reasoning?</p><p>Did everyone watch and get frightened by "The Towering Inferno"?</p><p>Was it the debacle of University Towers? (Is it still awful, or has it been improved?)</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/28/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15867</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614790&1=default&2=en&3=" token="rfrppBTv5lglzAYunyMldg8vCQ5PXTiIrrtluGGLDMc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614798" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516720"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798">July 14th, 2025 at 2:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:11:44+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>U Towers was a disaster 20 years ago. I had three friends that lived there, and all three had major problems with their apartments.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614798&1=default&2=en&3=" token="9haLQkNqk7IzyQLGCPz-4kj2FsosyDgNelvZfycLf7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="5812" id="comment-245614974" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">U Towers was a disaster 20…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">michengin87</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752576122"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974#comment-245614974">July 15th, 2025 at 6:42 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T10:42:02+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I lived in U Towers 40 years ago. It wasn't great but relatively affordable split between 4 guys. It was built in 1964, the same year that the UM Administration Building was erected. The Administration Building was torn down 3 years ago, but U Towers, in all its ugliness, remains.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/14/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5251</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614974&1=default&2=en&3=" token="WU9ZEJdyA6HXJxGL6ezGEjavlTKfWCAvJtll8z7yf7c"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614806" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517642"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806#comment-245614806">July 14th, 2025 at 2:27 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:27:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great summary of the history is here:</p><p><a href="https://aadl.org/node/15599">https://aadl.org/node/15599</a></p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614806&1=default&2=en&3=" token="SxYzNCXxpFFnZyTxPNK_Lg8lEJqNberN7jf1T14J0vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="817" id="comment-245614902" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">lhglrkwg</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532608"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902#comment-245614902">July 14th, 2025 at 6:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:30:58+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was gonna say- i know a lot of young families that would live in A2 if they could afford it but they had to setup roots in Saline, Ypsi, Belleville, etc and they have to commute in</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/03/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 102420</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614902&1=default&2=en&3=" token="eJb3rnSEHmg8Fo5NcMSxbEqK0Ti_ZCylhgkhVyDOCAM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617571" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753461702"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571#comment-245617571">July 25th, 2025 at 12:41 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:41:24+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But would the non-student population be growing if there were housing???</p><p>Saline and dexter certainly have grown. How of that growth is tied to employment in Ann Arbor? I’d bet a lot</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617571&1=default&2=en&3=" token="uXMN24M1ODCH2ZgExGYFSFZEr7V8w8EF-fPocARdbIQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614753" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513696"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753">July 14th, 2025 at 1:21 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:21:36+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is an expensive college town and always will be. I'm fine with growth, but call it what it is.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614753&1=default&2=en&3=" token="k25ipI3o9NXlg7_Jftgn6YdxCTOdAx0yH0onu67057E"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2617" id="comment-245614847" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is an expensive…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522487"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847">July 14th, 2025 at 3:48 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:48:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>And yet there are things one can do about that. Austin for instance built a ton of housing the last couple of years and rent is down 22 percent. </p><p>Supply and demand doesn't simply disappear when it comes to the question of housing and there's lots of evidence of this both around the US and around the world. Ann Arbor can be more affordable and still be a desirable place to live.</p><p>More broadly its better to live in a place which is growing and people want to live versus being the opposite. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 2823</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614847&1=default&2=en&3=" token="1AAvwu20b-eFVnAQRq6-GqWc7LFF7h7M-VcG5YA5dOo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614855" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">And yet there are things one…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527281"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855#comment-245614855">July 14th, 2025 at 4:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:03:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I have lived in both cities, and people always like to compare the two. They are nothing alike. Austin is a hub of over 1 million people with legit suburbs and part of a larger corridor with San Antonio.</p><p>Austin also has had and has a real gentrification problem. Highway 35 created a colored and white divide but now the east side of 35 is hip and development is crazy. </p><p>Ann Arbor is far more like Boulder than Austin.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614855&1=default&2=en&3=" token="LDFJg8FjtXo7Lwh0QDGXSRnN30odAmIuZhML3blziJM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614767" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514654"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767#comment-245614767">July 14th, 2025 at 1:36 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:36:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recognize that it's the way Ann Arbor is going, but it is sad to see it losing a lot of it's quintessential midwestern college town feel. South U is completely unrecognizable these days. Feels like it's going the way of Austin</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614767&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sSooV8PHaICHUwpLlRYJKofg5BOu4nytbxhHrJVT_YE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614918" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537222"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918#comment-245614918">July 14th, 2025 at 7:53 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:53:42+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This reads like you told ChatGPT to sound like a human and be more of an asshole. Just saying.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614918&1=default&2=en&3=" token="8XPpc-OPihtiNFPWdCvyqEix3-YeS7rQZyA-BcrhG44"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614919" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537413"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919#comment-245614919">July 14th, 2025 at 7:56 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:56:23+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good time for a double post!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614919&1=default&2=en&3=" token="f1ZcUUAcenxVMNqRnayRMNW6f7nQjwabQrd6-VfqGhw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2048" id="comment-245614732" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">PeteM</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511237"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732#comment-245614732">July 14th, 2025 at 12:40 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:40:37+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great piece. I was at the forum prior to the 2018 election, and remember that the speaker in favor of the "Center of the City" talked about raising significant funds. I live in Ann Arbor, and have read the various arguments on the current proposals on Facebook. Supporters of the 2018 charter amendment argue that regardless of the level of private fundraising the fact that the charter now calls for a park obligates the city to move forward and pay for it since that was the voters' will. While I can't read the voters' minds in 2018 my sense that folks then were pushing back against development and change generally, and really didn't care that much whether the lot stayed a lot or became Liberty Plaza II.</p><p>That's funny about Alan Haber lighting a bowl during a meeting. I've met him once and he is an interesting character. I believe that he was an early mentor to future SDS leader Tom Hayden when Hayden was an undergrad and Daily editor the late '50s.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/15/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 4254</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614732&1=default&2=en&3=" token="AxAnai9MhLD2mP2bhfqtVXg62F5M8FLxF6DvYKSgF_4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614743" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752512944"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743">July 14th, 2025 at 1:09 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:09:04+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Seems like a no brainer to put the originally intended building on top of the underground structure. I never knew the backstory but always thought it was odd to have this enormous underground structure with nothing on top at ground level.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614743&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5mK-3QVY7Ud9rlZcjEKLTjiDLVV0irpUpukAp2fcZzQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="24817" id="comment-245614970" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Seems like a no brainer to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752567015"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970">July 15th, 2025 at 4:10 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T08:10:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Some of the backstory is that the City Council doesn't necessarily represent the will of the Ann Arbor populace (for a variety of reasons). That parking structure and its footings to support a development that wasn't approved is evidence of that. The Council wanted it and people didn't. It doesn't matter the reason, it's just poor planning. By building the structure as is, the Council wanted exactly the reasoning you outlined. Essentially a fait accompli that "well, we built a structure to support a huge ass building so now it has to be built". Many of those who voted "for" the city park were voting against the insular Council and its decision making and particularly the giveaway to the developer of the previous project.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 04/18/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5632</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614970&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sN7V30Ggn7GDIdkU-wyqK0k2Cs400tJWZkMunnMw59A"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245615093" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752606226"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093#comment-245615093">July 15th, 2025 at 3:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T19:03:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Decades of city and DDA planning documents recommended that site for a tall building. A bunch of NIMBYs put "park" on the ballot and won by six percent, largely on the backs of votes in student districts. And then every single CM who supported the park project lost their seats. And then residents tanked the park project on the PROS Plan survey. So... try again? </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615093&1=default&2=en&3=" token="172TQhRAiF6sXZ6VYY0HGwHyAlY6qqOA-Pmo3FJ08jQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617584" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753462196"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584#comment-245617584">July 25th, 2025 at 12:49 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:49:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This is just wrong. Eaton and the park proponents had a majority on council in 2018. Then they did this and the city’s population responded overwhelmingly by voting that majority out. So it’s kind of what you said but the exact opposite lol. A slim majority on a confusing ballot proposal is no more representative than the now overwhelming popularity of the new council who all won their races in landslides.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617584&1=default&2=en&3=" token="fdQroBLhrCyQenKmOX-J23W5x6Jf9kb-u0DmQFEy184"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614751" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513615"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751">July 14th, 2025 at 1:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:20:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Definitely in favor. Let's just not pretend development like this is going to help A2 affordability. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614751&1=default&2=en&3=" token="0nK3ZjxlxsSv0OoCl0nhgET9xBRf7cJ8w7E6RWqseRI"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="6867" id="comment-245614823" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752519777"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823">July 14th, 2025 at 3:02 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:02:57+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But it might. Supply and demand. I'm not an economist, but even if developers only build expensive units, eventually a a large supply of pricey units will bring down demand and hopefully prices</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/01/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 428</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614823&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m_nhNFiQ9duVK4ey752pXtokMdhOy4vT77c0QSQelrY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614856" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But it might. Supply and…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752542861"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856#comment-245614856">July 14th, 2025 at 4:04 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:04:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Or attract more 20 somethings with money and the University can continue to fill them with more international graduate students with no budget.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614856&1=default&2=en&3=" token="gp5lXBL3XJDYESfCduxDDPg3JfcahN0zXNLoNiJCmzU"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="8172" id="comment-245615010" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">tsabesi</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752592345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010#comment-245615010">July 15th, 2025 at 11:12 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:12:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This won't help a lot but it is part of the affordability solution. More, denser housing near (or connected via transit) to where people want to be is how you solve affordability and congestion and this development fits that bill.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/28/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1141</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615010&1=default&2=en&3=" token="FXh-4crZUKo89J9h-Rw0PQdmgKBRxWAYsetehNO7hlE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="31412" id="comment-245614757" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Blue Vet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514225"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757#comment-245614757">July 14th, 2025 at 1:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:30:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good luck. Wish I still lived in AA so I could vote.</p><p>Don't some nations allow voting by people of that nationality but living elsewhere?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 05/08/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 93252</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614757&1=default&2=en&3=" token="yXhtp5RfuBTHM-eaq27SxyJC43X78N2HaZnzH4c4Oow"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="92726" id="comment-245614784" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515646"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Yes, Brian, this is YOUR blog so I guess you have carte blanche to post something political. </p><p>Merits of your argument aside, I find this to be unfortunate and hypocritical, as all too often, political comments by users and/or threads get shut down.</p><p>How about a little consistency? Rather than do as I say and not as I do, how about letting people express their views and show tolerance with those which you disagree.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/24/2014</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 6920</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614784&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sUhc-6aZrXfkH5lYGtkGgeMat-9aeTUO5_Ogf8RL90I"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614794" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794#comment-245614794">July 14th, 2025 at 2:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:05:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Old man shouts at cloud</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614794&1=default&2=en&3=" token="48XBw28WUzbjOs5ToAdqACUcA1mnKavTw4MhyivC2eY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29905" id="comment-245614804" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Toby Flenderson</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517218"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804#comment-245614804">July 14th, 2025 at 2:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:20:18+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What do you want to say that’s political?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/16/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 26030</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614804&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m5-vyM_2j6XRB61blf0lRSkaoeqLn_Az55qjcsBFNng"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <nav class="pager" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="pagination-heading"> <h4 id="pagination-heading" class="visually-hidden">Pagination</h4> <ul class="pager__items js-pager__items"> <li class="pager__item is-active"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=0" title="Current page" aria-current="page"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Current page </span>1</a> </li> <li class="pager__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to page 2"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Page </span>2</a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--next"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to next page" rel="next"> <span class="visually-hidden">Next page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Next ›</span> </a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--last"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to last page"> <span class="visually-hidden">Last page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Last »</span> </a> </li> </ul> </nav> </section> <div class="field field--name-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics" hreflang="en">ANN ARBOR POLITICS!</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>Hello: Xavier Muhammad</h1> <p>Alex.Drain — Wed, 03 Jun 2026 17:32:17 +0000</p> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Yes On Ann Arbor Props A And B</span> <div class="field field--name-field-published-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-14T15:42:06Z" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Brian</a></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-07-14T11:42:06-04:00" title="Monday, July 14, 2025 - 11:42am" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> </picture> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-photo-caption-1 field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">[Scott Trudeau]</div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>A brief digression.</em></p><p>If you're an Ann Arbor voter, there's an unusual off-year August election coming up. There's really just one thing on the ballot; the two props are tied such that both must pass or nothing happens.</p><p>The TL;DR is: do you want this downtown surface parking lot for the rest of time…</p><p></p><p>…or do you want that parking lot to be half of a new downtown library with a bunch of housing on top? That is obvious. <a href="https://supportaadl.com/">Library + housing + tax revenue</a>. The end. Vote yes on (or before) August 5th.</p><p><strong>[The too long; didn't read follows AFTER THE JUMP.]</strong></p><div id="read-more"></div><p>If you're still here, the backstory: in 2018 Ann Arbor wanted to sell the rights to a piece of land to a developer that would create a <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/12/ann-arbor-cancels-deal-for-17-story-high-rise-on-library-lot.html">large building and an outdoor plaza</a>. The city would get a bunch of money in the affordable housing fund, a large number of permanently affordable downtown apartments, the public plaza, and a significant amount of annual tax revenue.</p><p>Unfortunately, a group of local NIMBYs got together enough signatures to get a proposal on the ballot that would designate that plot the "Center of the City" and they would then create a park on it. At the time, organizers said that they would privately fund that park. There was a sort of precedent for this, as Ann Arbor <a href="https://www.a2skatepark.org/">successfully funded a skate park</a> some years back without using any public funds.</p><p>The proposal, placed on a busy November ballot, passed 53-47. The development was nixed; a "Library Green" committee was assembled to guide the process of turning the parking lot into a park, and then nothing happened. This was due to a few different factors. One was that the proposal was <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">obviously infeasible from the beginning</a>:</p><blockquote><p>The Library Lot is a small city-owned surface parking lot just north of the Ann Arbor District Library. It sits atop an underground parking deck. The deck was specifically designed and reinforced, at significant taxpayer expense, to support the addition of a mixed-use building on top of it; <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/10/can_ann_arbors_library_lot_sup.html">it was not designed to support</a>, and perhaps cannot reasonably be made to support, large amounts of dirt, mature trees, and vegetation. The Library Lot is less than a block away from Liberty Plaza, a pocket park <a href="https://annarborobserver.com/a-pivotal-election/">in need</a> of <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/03/100k-proposed-for-liberty-plaza-as-ann-arbor-aims-to-curb-parks-problems.html">city attention and investment</a>, and about a half mile from West Park, a sprawling public space next to downtown with a famous band shell<a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/10/2m-relocation-among-options-for-saving-ann-arbors-historic-west-park-bandshell.html"> that needs relocation and/or repair</a>. It is hemmed in on three sides by other structures.</p></blockquote><p>Two was that the primary motivation of most of he people involved was to stop the construction of a tall building on a downtown parcel specifically designed to hold a tall building. Once that was accomplished interest waned. Fundraising attempts brought in something like 1% of the amount needed to do anything. The Library Green committee established by the city produced nothing. Seven years later the site is unchanged. The committee has been dissolved. There is no path forward for the site under 2018's Prop A.</p><p>Three is that Library Green people who were actually somewhat invested in a park were feckless dilettantes. Alan Haber infamously had to call in on Zoom most of the time because he was in France; once he <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/danieladams.bsky.social/post/3ltl6mjoecc2y">lit a bowl in the middle of a meeting</a>. His main contribution to the debate prior to the vote was to exclaim that the "love economy" would take care of everything. The <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/11/pop-up-dome-on-ann-arbors-library-lot-part-of-center-of-the-city-outreach.html">sole object</a> to appear on the parking lot was a "DecaDome," which was placed there at taxpayer expense. The money went to Eric Lipson, one of the Library Green supporters.</p><p>Still, the city has made a gesture towards the original intent of 2018's Prop A to keep that parcel in public hands by proposing to transfer it to the library. If the props pass the Library plans to build a new downtown branch that occupies both the current site adjacent to the parking lot and said parking lot, funding it by selling the air rights above the land to a developer who will put a bunch of housing there.</p><p>This is a win-win-win, as the city would get a swanky new downtown library without having to pass an additional millage, badly needed downtown housing, and the tax revenue from that housing. The alternative is literally nothing.</p><p>A few additional resources:</p><ul><li>Daniel Adams's <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">comprehensive survey</a> of the Prop A situation at <em>Damn Arbor</em>.</li><li>Ann Arbor AF's <a href="https://annarboraf.com/episode-79-new-downtown-library-getting-informed-with-eli-neiburger/">interview with library director Eli Neiburger</a>, which has detail on why the AADL needs a new downtown branch.</li><li>The library's website has a page <a href="https://aadl.org/morefacts">debunking the FUD</a> coming from the Library Green people.</li></ul></div> <div class="node__links"> <ul class="links inline"><li class="comment-forbidden"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/login?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">Log in</a> or <a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/register?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">register</a> to post comments</li></ul> </div> <section class="field field--name-comment field--type-comment field--label-hidden comment-wrapper" id="comments"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="25829" id="comment-245614702" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509150"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702">July 14th, 2025 at 12:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:05:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This analysis is spot on. <br><br>Also, the small, but painfully vocal coven of feckless dilettantes in this town is a real problem. </p><p><br><br><br> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/23/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 437</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614702&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iZ-y-ja68p0fsRqbcdikVm1Sh0dtTJQQLTqdu-MiM10"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"><article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205835" id="comment-245614729" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Crunklicious</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511147"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729#comment-245614729">July 14th, 2025 at 12:39 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:39:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Perfectly said. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 02/10/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 24</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614729&1=default&2=en&3=" token="caQMVOF6KnUZNYMHSQp-p21kJ-WsURpVMehfKNEl1_Y"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="3204" id="comment-245614880" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Robbie Moore</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527872"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880#comment-245614880">July 14th, 2025 at 5:16 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T21:16:34+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>NIMBY-ism is a thing everywhere. The folks who show up at planning commission meetings raising hell stand athwart progress and yell "stop." And it is progress to get a new library, downtown housing and a badly needed increase in tax revenue. </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 56174</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614880&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cGspnIiapNCDFC2sbFxflUXxus9XbJSy8sj_2w_9vS4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615015" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752593732"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015">July 15th, 2025 at 11:35 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:35:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>John U. Bacon leading the charge on the NIMBY crap is more than a bit disappointing, I have to admit. Not to mention Ken Burns jumping in the ring to criticize potential zoning changes in a city he hasn't lived in since the early 70s.</p><p>Ann Arbor needs to change. And it's going to be fine when it does.</p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615015&1=default&2=en&3=" token="Kmh6dYAqYTJeP6Mbid8CNoMjgBu7XBwvZaGIvCvLtUs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1464" id="comment-245615023" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">John U. Bacon leading the…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595246"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023">July 15th, 2025 at 12:00 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:00:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I mean, both traffic in nostalgia to a degree, even though NIMBYism and associated increased property values is significantly to blame for the disappearance of the Ann Arbor that they mourn. </p><p>As an aside, “the world I remember is endangered/disappearing” vs “I can’t afford the world that exists” is one of the most potent low key conflicts in politics right now (and one that doesn’t have clear left/right divides) </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/05/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17191</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615023&1=default&2=en&3=" token="bnK3X5BMgPiCZB2mgLWYhM5La0jzNiUFPr2TIXSMNKg"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615026" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I mean, both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595921"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026">July 15th, 2025 at 12:12 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:12:01+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>"...both traffic in nostalgia" is a perfect summation, yes.</p><p>We lived in A2 for a little bit recently after a long time away. Lived in the same neighborhood I lived in as a student and immediate postgrad, for that matter. The city really is fundamentally different, most definitely less weird and more corporate, and most definitely more congested. But it's still Ann Arbor.</p><p>I've said it here before, I think my only real critique of build more housing (and yes, <em>build more housing</em>) is that it never includes a similar discussion on just how congested traffic has become, with UM Medicine traffic leading the way. Every day right now is the equivalent of a football Saturday or more with people coming in and out of downtown for work, replicated several times throughout the day. You can watch the shift changes in lines of cars. There's just not enough road infrastructure, and no, bike lanes and buses really aren't fixing it so far. </p><p>I don't know what the answer is, but I wonder what will happen when the high-rises truly hit a place of supersaturation with the roads.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615026&1=default&2=en&3=" token="pZTANjvD7PUkPje6rZTJB75SYc1nXGPMQpM9crmwBbY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245615027" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">"...both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752596612"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027#comment-245615027">July 15th, 2025 at 12:23 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:23:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>UM Medicine that grows and grows but seemingly gets harder and harder to get an actual appointment. I finally left for a different medical system out of frustration.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615027&1=default&2=en&3=" token="TBYcVE0E6HA-ZC_nZ2-LpMv4wIRsjt68SXGWsN6MfEs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div></div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="195" id="comment-245614704" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509296"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:16+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The number of NIMBYs in Ann Arbor who want nothing is truly astounding. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 38716</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614704&1=default&2=en&3=" token="4Piq7-8WybHGGO3RcpEC8d8XXDAyNT40KxbfF-mPIMY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="145" id="comment-245614762" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ckersh74</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514340"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762#comment-245614762">July 14th, 2025 at 1:32 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:32:20+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The NIMBYs aren’t the ones to worry about. It’s the BANANAs you need to be concerned with:</p><p>Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 51159</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614762&1=default&2=en&3=" token="mkz6Fd0vduRGufRQ6g7lUTyUxkvh0M9SVMEUcfWzsRA"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614764" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752521671"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764#comment-245614764">July 14th, 2025 at 1:33 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:33:47+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I think this prop specifically is an easy yes, but to some degree I understand <em>some</em> NIMBYism in Ann Arbor because every time I'm in Ann Arbor it becomes less and less recognizable with a new high rise going up, a chain restaurant going in, and an establishment that made Ann Arbor what it once was when I went there disappearing. It feels like we're seeing the Austin-ification of Ann Arbor. It's sad to see even though I recognize the need for housing</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614764&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5lfyeYq5ABWM4wI6_UCDPdYA5fmqPrW-itDDou339HM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="111555" id="comment-245614705" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bob_Timberlake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509313"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705#comment-245614705">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:33+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Go Blue!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/29/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 8696</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614705&1=default&2=en&3=" token="x3W4Ya81hxKBNriVWqWo8P2cMGah2pNWsrOPwu58yv0"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205959" id="comment-245614727" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">RibbleMcDibble</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511026"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727#comment-245614727">July 14th, 2025 at 12:37 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:37:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This seems like a complicated offense for a true freshman to learn. I thought Chip Lindsey was good at melding an offense to his personnel?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/24/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 19306</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614727&1=default&2=en&3=" token="zWX86_vCMavJGxoErQ6VNYm5vbg13xYknmiY42ftQ7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614728" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511112"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728">July 14th, 2025 at 12:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:38:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is not and will never again be a small town. It is a growing city and will become much larger in the coming years, especially with natural disaster and wet bulb trends in the south accelerating with climate change and FEMA cuts.</p><p>They need to embrace growth and plan infrastructure in accordance with that. </p><p>Lastly, they need paid positions to make these decisions rather than endless faux- democratic bureaucracy. City Councils are fucking stupid and always have been. The cold hard truth? Most people who influence city-level decisions have no fucking clue what theyre doing. </p><p>Ypsi has refused to remediate a potential development site for decades for similar reasons- just bite the fucking bullet. </p><p>Bunch of do-nothings. Make more salaried positions tied to outcomes and slash the degree of council-level input. It's a massive waste. Have the advisory committees meet separately and provide reports, recommendations, and town feedback. They shouldnt be making the final decisions. </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614728&1=default&2=en&3=" token="3UK1wHYUZQlh8Wi9VgjyXHS_B1SnN7xB3OjMp5oqtE8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29395" id="comment-245614741" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515674"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741">July 14th, 2025 at 1:06 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:06:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>It is a growing city</p></blockquote><p>Close to 100% of the city's population growth between 2010 and 2020 was due to U-M expanding its enrollment. Since 2020, Ann Arbor has in fact lost population, despite U-M's enrollment continuing to grow.</p><p>At issue here is that U-M cavalierly expanded its enrollment by a third between 2000 and 2020 while building very little on-campus housing. Finally <a href="https://record.umich.edu/articles/new-residential-quad-adding-2300-beds-more-planned/">there are steps being taken to rectify that</a>. In the meantime, the high-rises have sprouted up to accommodate a growing demand for off-campus housing, as students have to live somewhere.</p><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (cannibalizing other universities in the state in the process, but who cares!), I guess I can see why the city wants to accommodate them. But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. Non-students are leaving the city. Ann Arbor needs to be careful about where things are headed.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/14/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 113998</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614741&1=default&2=en&3=" token="wqaJJmBENVGbIPcAb_VjfIVSGrGoQqJv64FypHJrOoM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614748" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513489"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748">July 14th, 2025 at 1:18 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:18:09+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>He's saying it's very long-term growth play given the climate stability, water availability, etc. in the area. There are plenty of white papers on this topic. If people are going to migrate towards this area over the next 100 years, there's a good chance a lot of them will end up in Ann Arbor.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614748&1=default&2=en&3=" token="OQ240KWFdcbZ7IS5LAHRGQdBczbca6mtI8Ixw6JICEk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614785" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">He's saying it's very long…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515655"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785#comment-245614785">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Exactly this. The region will grow in population- period. </p><p>Ann Arbor will either accommodate this or nearby areas will. Ypsi and AA have both plagued their own futures for decades. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614785&1=default&2=en&3=" token="ej6p3oXI0xcDrH_ckEhLpIQoyr-M171OK__4c2C-uzE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245614760" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514316"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760">July 14th, 2025 at 1:31 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:31:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I do wonder if there will be a population shift back to the North. I have thought about buying land in the UP because of this possible shift. Our winters have been much milder in the last 4-5 years. Water is plentiful in the great lakes region. And natural disasters are much lower rates, so insurance is much lower (besides car insurance). </p><p>I didn't know that Michigan had increased undergrad enrollment so much though. I was in A2 a few weeks ago driving around with the family, and had forgotten about the massive dorm complex being built where the lumber yard was. Make's a lot more sense why they need those in addition to North Quad. Wondering when my freshman dorm Mary Markely gets it's renovation. Definitely different levels of living when you compare some of the dorm rooms across campus when you are paying the same amount. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614760&1=default&2=en&3=" token="JMo0tOKCfHk-jSI14fy7ox2BcLhRtIEa7LBvfVHr5Vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="208462" id="comment-245614846" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522292"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846">July 14th, 2025 at 3:44 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:44:52+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was a Markley guy as well-rumours are that the already enormous UM hospital and associated facilities will soon gobble up Markley and continue to expand, probably within the next 3-5 years. If that is the case, there is no point in renovating. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/16/2024</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1899</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614846&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5dYD-Ta4THwVfT0XYDgjv_CB5BoBu0xdLVvKZEmEzy8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245615000" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I was a Markley guy as well…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752587121"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000#comment-245615000">July 15th, 2025 at 9:45 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T13:45:21+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>That makes sense. A little bummer that it will be gone, but understand there are a lot better dorms in more desirable places and the options for the hospital to grow are limited. </p><p>Going from my 10x10 Markley dorm to my 12x17 West quad dorm with a sink made me think I was living in luxury. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615000&1=default&2=en&3=" token="R9ajIa9uJb_zkmZr1gxxhy-SlqzP9n013VxJsyqjldc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7184" id="comment-245614859" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">bluebyyou</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752523863"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859#comment-245614859">July 14th, 2025 at 4:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:11:03+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Having lived in A2 until three years ago, I'd suggest that -17, while warmer than -20, is still pretty freaking cold. It will be a while before palm trees thrive in southern Michigan, CRISPR notwithstanding.</p><p>As for housing prices, they have gone up pretty much everywhere where people want to live. Ann Arbor is still relatively affordable compared to many other areas of the US.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/07/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 23952</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614859&1=default&2=en&3=" token="kK5N4aA5c3FN5OirMyhGT1Z4-8wT3Gf754X9BqG0Upw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="23367" id="comment-245614867" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">True Blue Grit</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752525821"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867#comment-245614867">July 14th, 2025 at 4:43 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:43:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Markely is basically toast. So, no renovation is coming. Once these two giant new dorms on the south campus are done, Markely has a date with the wrecking ball. The medical campus octopus wants this land pretty badly. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/21/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 42866</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614867&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iRX4DyrMpXeZqodpk-uxXCknj6GmFH0jisDknPa-LAk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="159342" id="comment-245614905" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">andrew_</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532688"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905#comment-245614905">July 14th, 2025 at 6:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:38:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>From southern states, absolutely not. Hilariously absolutely not. The only thing that people who leave the state miss is the changing of the seasons. And that can be had in much friendlier climates and better economic and political zones. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1087</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614905&1=default&2=en&3=" token="giwGjoeqZdaN6J9-n2i1fCIM6W4cJub6Csxgr4X4ens"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614765" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514478"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765#comment-245614765">July 14th, 2025 at 1:34 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:34:38+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (<em><strong>canibalizing other universities in the state in the process</strong></em>, but who cares)</p></blockquote><p>I don't think M is cannibalizing other MI schools, at least insofar as taking their students. My guess is that very few of these added students were headed for struggling in-state schools but for their M admission. About the only thing those schools have in common with M is location; the students targeting M are by and large doing so for other reasons (i.e. location might be a plus, but it's not a driving factor).</p><p>Plus there's a double edge sword with the admission rates. I don't know about others, but I don't enjoy the fact that M is becoming more and more impossible to get into. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614765&1=default&2=en&3=" token="__XpqEc_bQHHch0E2qe4k23QO5ONmiBCyGX7dkdQwrk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="21779" id="comment-245614772" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Go Blue Eyes</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514928"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772#comment-245614772">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I had to look the growth issue up. From 1960 to 1970 Ann Arbor added 33,000 people to just over 100,000. Since then the population has only grown by 23,000 (estimated this year) or only just over 500 people per year in 50 years! Stunning to see that number considering all of the articles saying it is one of the best places to live in the country. <br><br>The proposals Brian relates seem like no brainers. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/04/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13440</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614772&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cMakYO04rVL5Cg5hqTtWvt5S5gKsN80xKpU_VZIfz5o"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614773" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514946"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:26+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. </p></blockquote><p>Don't conflate cause and effect. The city has throttled housing production with restrictive zoning for 50+ years. Developers (read: housing producers) report that building housing in Ann Arbor is extraordinarily difficult even compared to peer cities. The population flatlined in 1970, right around the time that the city's anti-apartment zoning and historic district regs began to bite. Make it illegal to build housing and, yeah, you'll find that general population growth will slow. But Ann Arbor is growing. Just ... in the townships, Saline, and Dexter. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614773&1=default&2=en&3=" token="CRme7DwkyY_pewLr94rt4mL4Tpm-X6antNg2hgRgW4g"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1750" id="comment-245614790" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516101"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790">July 14th, 2025 at 2:01 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:01:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recall, with a bit of fuzziness from my time as a student in the 1980s, that new high-rise housing was forbidden in Ann Arbor. Does anyone the history and reasoning?</p><p>Did everyone watch and get frightened by "The Towering Inferno"?</p><p>Was it the debacle of University Towers? (Is it still awful, or has it been improved?)</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/28/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15867</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614790&1=default&2=en&3=" token="rfrppBTv5lglzAYunyMldg8vCQ5PXTiIrrtluGGLDMc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614798" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516720"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798">July 14th, 2025 at 2:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:11:44+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>U Towers was a disaster 20 years ago. I had three friends that lived there, and all three had major problems with their apartments.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614798&1=default&2=en&3=" token="9haLQkNqk7IzyQLGCPz-4kj2FsosyDgNelvZfycLf7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="5812" id="comment-245614974" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">U Towers was a disaster 20…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">michengin87</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752576122"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974#comment-245614974">July 15th, 2025 at 6:42 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T10:42:02+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I lived in U Towers 40 years ago. It wasn't great but relatively affordable split between 4 guys. It was built in 1964, the same year that the UM Administration Building was erected. The Administration Building was torn down 3 years ago, but U Towers, in all its ugliness, remains.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/14/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5251</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614974&1=default&2=en&3=" token="WU9ZEJdyA6HXJxGL6ezGEjavlTKfWCAvJtll8z7yf7c"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614806" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517642"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806#comment-245614806">July 14th, 2025 at 2:27 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:27:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great summary of the history is here:</p><p><a href="https://aadl.org/node/15599">https://aadl.org/node/15599</a></p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614806&1=default&2=en&3=" token="SxYzNCXxpFFnZyTxPNK_Lg8lEJqNberN7jf1T14J0vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="817" id="comment-245614902" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">lhglrkwg</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532608"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902#comment-245614902">July 14th, 2025 at 6:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:30:58+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was gonna say- i know a lot of young families that would live in A2 if they could afford it but they had to setup roots in Saline, Ypsi, Belleville, etc and they have to commute in</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/03/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 102420</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614902&1=default&2=en&3=" token="eJb3rnSEHmg8Fo5NcMSxbEqK0Ti_ZCylhgkhVyDOCAM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617571" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753461702"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571#comment-245617571">July 25th, 2025 at 12:41 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:41:24+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But would the non-student population be growing if there were housing???</p><p>Saline and dexter certainly have grown. How of that growth is tied to employment in Ann Arbor? I’d bet a lot</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617571&1=default&2=en&3=" token="uXMN24M1ODCH2ZgExGYFSFZEr7V8w8EF-fPocARdbIQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614753" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513696"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753">July 14th, 2025 at 1:21 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:21:36+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is an expensive college town and always will be. I'm fine with growth, but call it what it is.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614753&1=default&2=en&3=" token="k25ipI3o9NXlg7_Jftgn6YdxCTOdAx0yH0onu67057E"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2617" id="comment-245614847" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is an expensive…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522487"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847">July 14th, 2025 at 3:48 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:48:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>And yet there are things one can do about that. Austin for instance built a ton of housing the last couple of years and rent is down 22 percent. </p><p>Supply and demand doesn't simply disappear when it comes to the question of housing and there's lots of evidence of this both around the US and around the world. Ann Arbor can be more affordable and still be a desirable place to live.</p><p>More broadly its better to live in a place which is growing and people want to live versus being the opposite. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 2823</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614847&1=default&2=en&3=" token="1AAvwu20b-eFVnAQRq6-GqWc7LFF7h7M-VcG5YA5dOo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614855" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">And yet there are things one…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527281"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855#comment-245614855">July 14th, 2025 at 4:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:03:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I have lived in both cities, and people always like to compare the two. They are nothing alike. Austin is a hub of over 1 million people with legit suburbs and part of a larger corridor with San Antonio.</p><p>Austin also has had and has a real gentrification problem. Highway 35 created a colored and white divide but now the east side of 35 is hip and development is crazy. </p><p>Ann Arbor is far more like Boulder than Austin.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614855&1=default&2=en&3=" token="LDFJg8FjtXo7Lwh0QDGXSRnN30odAmIuZhML3blziJM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614767" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514654"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767#comment-245614767">July 14th, 2025 at 1:36 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:36:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recognize that it's the way Ann Arbor is going, but it is sad to see it losing a lot of it's quintessential midwestern college town feel. South U is completely unrecognizable these days. Feels like it's going the way of Austin</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614767&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sSooV8PHaICHUwpLlRYJKofg5BOu4nytbxhHrJVT_YE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614918" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537222"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918#comment-245614918">July 14th, 2025 at 7:53 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:53:42+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This reads like you told ChatGPT to sound like a human and be more of an asshole. Just saying.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614918&1=default&2=en&3=" token="8XPpc-OPihtiNFPWdCvyqEix3-YeS7rQZyA-BcrhG44"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614919" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537413"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919#comment-245614919">July 14th, 2025 at 7:56 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:56:23+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good time for a double post!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614919&1=default&2=en&3=" token="f1ZcUUAcenxVMNqRnayRMNW6f7nQjwabQrd6-VfqGhw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2048" id="comment-245614732" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">PeteM</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511237"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732#comment-245614732">July 14th, 2025 at 12:40 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:40:37+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great piece. I was at the forum prior to the 2018 election, and remember that the speaker in favor of the "Center of the City" talked about raising significant funds. I live in Ann Arbor, and have read the various arguments on the current proposals on Facebook. Supporters of the 2018 charter amendment argue that regardless of the level of private fundraising the fact that the charter now calls for a park obligates the city to move forward and pay for it since that was the voters' will. While I can't read the voters' minds in 2018 my sense that folks then were pushing back against development and change generally, and really didn't care that much whether the lot stayed a lot or became Liberty Plaza II.</p><p>That's funny about Alan Haber lighting a bowl during a meeting. I've met him once and he is an interesting character. I believe that he was an early mentor to future SDS leader Tom Hayden when Hayden was an undergrad and Daily editor the late '50s.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/15/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 4254</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614732&1=default&2=en&3=" token="AxAnai9MhLD2mP2bhfqtVXg62F5M8FLxF6DvYKSgF_4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614743" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752512944"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743">July 14th, 2025 at 1:09 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:09:04+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Seems like a no brainer to put the originally intended building on top of the underground structure. I never knew the backstory but always thought it was odd to have this enormous underground structure with nothing on top at ground level.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614743&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5mK-3QVY7Ud9rlZcjEKLTjiDLVV0irpUpukAp2fcZzQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="24817" id="comment-245614970" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Seems like a no brainer to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752567015"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970">July 15th, 2025 at 4:10 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T08:10:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Some of the backstory is that the City Council doesn't necessarily represent the will of the Ann Arbor populace (for a variety of reasons). That parking structure and its footings to support a development that wasn't approved is evidence of that. The Council wanted it and people didn't. It doesn't matter the reason, it's just poor planning. By building the structure as is, the Council wanted exactly the reasoning you outlined. Essentially a fait accompli that "well, we built a structure to support a huge ass building so now it has to be built". Many of those who voted "for" the city park were voting against the insular Council and its decision making and particularly the giveaway to the developer of the previous project.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 04/18/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5632</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614970&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sN7V30Ggn7GDIdkU-wyqK0k2Cs400tJWZkMunnMw59A"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245615093" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752606226"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093#comment-245615093">July 15th, 2025 at 3:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T19:03:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Decades of city and DDA planning documents recommended that site for a tall building. A bunch of NIMBYs put "park" on the ballot and won by six percent, largely on the backs of votes in student districts. And then every single CM who supported the park project lost their seats. And then residents tanked the park project on the PROS Plan survey. So... try again? </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615093&1=default&2=en&3=" token="172TQhRAiF6sXZ6VYY0HGwHyAlY6qqOA-Pmo3FJ08jQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617584" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753462196"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584#comment-245617584">July 25th, 2025 at 12:49 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:49:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This is just wrong. Eaton and the park proponents had a majority on council in 2018. Then they did this and the city’s population responded overwhelmingly by voting that majority out. So it’s kind of what you said but the exact opposite lol. A slim majority on a confusing ballot proposal is no more representative than the now overwhelming popularity of the new council who all won their races in landslides.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617584&1=default&2=en&3=" token="fdQroBLhrCyQenKmOX-J23W5x6Jf9kb-u0DmQFEy184"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614751" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513615"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751">July 14th, 2025 at 1:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:20:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Definitely in favor. Let's just not pretend development like this is going to help A2 affordability. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614751&1=default&2=en&3=" token="0nK3ZjxlxsSv0OoCl0nhgET9xBRf7cJ8w7E6RWqseRI"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="6867" id="comment-245614823" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752519777"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823">July 14th, 2025 at 3:02 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:02:57+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But it might. Supply and demand. I'm not an economist, but even if developers only build expensive units, eventually a a large supply of pricey units will bring down demand and hopefully prices</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/01/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 428</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614823&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m_nhNFiQ9duVK4ey752pXtokMdhOy4vT77c0QSQelrY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614856" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But it might. Supply and…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752542861"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856#comment-245614856">July 14th, 2025 at 4:04 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:04:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Or attract more 20 somethings with money and the University can continue to fill them with more international graduate students with no budget.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614856&1=default&2=en&3=" token="gp5lXBL3XJDYESfCduxDDPg3JfcahN0zXNLoNiJCmzU"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="8172" id="comment-245615010" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">tsabesi</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752592345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010#comment-245615010">July 15th, 2025 at 11:12 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:12:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This won't help a lot but it is part of the affordability solution. More, denser housing near (or connected via transit) to where people want to be is how you solve affordability and congestion and this development fits that bill.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/28/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1141</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615010&1=default&2=en&3=" token="FXh-4crZUKo89J9h-Rw0PQdmgKBRxWAYsetehNO7hlE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="31412" id="comment-245614757" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Blue Vet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514225"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757#comment-245614757">July 14th, 2025 at 1:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:30:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good luck. Wish I still lived in AA so I could vote.</p><p>Don't some nations allow voting by people of that nationality but living elsewhere?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 05/08/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 93252</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614757&1=default&2=en&3=" token="yXhtp5RfuBTHM-eaq27SxyJC43X78N2HaZnzH4c4Oow"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="92726" id="comment-245614784" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515646"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Yes, Brian, this is YOUR blog so I guess you have carte blanche to post something political. </p><p>Merits of your argument aside, I find this to be unfortunate and hypocritical, as all too often, political comments by users and/or threads get shut down.</p><p>How about a little consistency? Rather than do as I say and not as I do, how about letting people express their views and show tolerance with those which you disagree.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/24/2014</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 6920</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614784&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sUhc-6aZrXfkH5lYGtkGgeMat-9aeTUO5_Ogf8RL90I"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614794" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794#comment-245614794">July 14th, 2025 at 2:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:05:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Old man shouts at cloud</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614794&1=default&2=en&3=" token="48XBw28WUzbjOs5ToAdqACUcA1mnKavTw4MhyivC2eY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29905" id="comment-245614804" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Toby Flenderson</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517218"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804#comment-245614804">July 14th, 2025 at 2:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:20:18+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What do you want to say that’s political?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/16/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 26030</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614804&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m5-vyM_2j6XRB61blf0lRSkaoeqLn_Az55qjcsBFNng"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <nav class="pager" role="navigation" aria-labelledby="pagination-heading"> <h4 id="pagination-heading" class="visually-hidden">Pagination</h4> <ul class="pager__items js-pager__items"> <li class="pager__item is-active"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=0" title="Current page" aria-current="page"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Current page </span>1</a> </li> <li class="pager__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to page 2"> <span class="visually-hidden"> Page </span>2</a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--next"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to next page" rel="next"> <span class="visually-hidden">Next page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Next ›</span> </a> </li> <li class="pager__item pager__item--last"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics/feed?page=1" title="Go to last page"> <span class="visually-hidden">Last page</span> <span aria-hidden="true">Last »</span> </a> </li> </ul> </nav> </section> <div class="field field--name-tags field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden field__items"> <div class="field__item"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/category/tags/ann-arbor-politics" hreflang="en">ANN ARBOR POLITICS!</a></div> </div> </article> <article> <h1>2026 Recruiting: Jacob Baggett</h1> <p>Seth — Tue, 02 Jun 2026 13:01:59 +0000</p> <span class="field field--name-title field--type-string field--label-hidden">Yes On Ann Arbor Props A And B</span> <div class="field field--name-field-published-date field--type-datetime field--label-hidden field__item"><time datetime="2025-07-14T15:42:06Z" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </div> <span class="field field--name-uid field--type-entity-reference field--label-hidden"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Brian</a></span> <span class="field field--name-created field--type-created field--label-hidden"><time datetime="2025-07-14T11:42:06-04:00" title="Monday, July 14, 2025 - 11:42am" class="datetime">July 14th, 2025 at 11:42 AM</time> </span> <div class="field field--name-field-image field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> </picture> </div> <div class="field field--name-field-photo-caption-1 field--type-string field--label-hidden field__item">[Scott Trudeau]</div> <div class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-body field--type-text-with-summary field--label-hidden field__item"><p><em>A brief digression.</em></p><p>If you're an Ann Arbor voter, there's an unusual off-year August election coming up. There's really just one thing on the ballot; the two props are tied such that both must pass or nothing happens.</p><p>The TL;DR is: do you want this downtown surface parking lot for the rest of time…</p><p></p><p>…or do you want that parking lot to be half of a new downtown library with a bunch of housing on top? That is obvious. <a href="https://supportaadl.com/">Library + housing + tax revenue</a>. The end. Vote yes on (or before) August 5th.</p><p><strong>[The too long; didn't read follows AFTER THE JUMP.]</strong></p><div id="read-more"></div><p>If you're still here, the backstory: in 2018 Ann Arbor wanted to sell the rights to a piece of land to a developer that would create a <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/12/ann-arbor-cancels-deal-for-17-story-high-rise-on-library-lot.html">large building and an outdoor plaza</a>. The city would get a bunch of money in the affordable housing fund, a large number of permanently affordable downtown apartments, the public plaza, and a significant amount of annual tax revenue.</p><p>Unfortunately, a group of local NIMBYs got together enough signatures to get a proposal on the ballot that would designate that plot the "Center of the City" and they would then create a park on it. At the time, organizers said that they would privately fund that park. There was a sort of precedent for this, as Ann Arbor <a href="https://www.a2skatepark.org/">successfully funded a skate park</a> some years back without using any public funds.</p><p>The proposal, placed on a busy November ballot, passed 53-47. The development was nixed; a "Library Green" committee was assembled to guide the process of turning the parking lot into a park, and then nothing happened. This was due to a few different factors. One was that the proposal was <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">obviously infeasible from the beginning</a>:</p><blockquote><p>The Library Lot is a small city-owned surface parking lot just north of the Ann Arbor District Library. It sits atop an underground parking deck. The deck was specifically designed and reinforced, at significant taxpayer expense, to support the addition of a mixed-use building on top of it; <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2018/10/can_ann_arbors_library_lot_sup.html">it was not designed to support</a>, and perhaps cannot reasonably be made to support, large amounts of dirt, mature trees, and vegetation. The Library Lot is less than a block away from Liberty Plaza, a pocket park <a href="https://annarborobserver.com/a-pivotal-election/">in need</a> of <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2022/03/100k-proposed-for-liberty-plaza-as-ann-arbor-aims-to-curb-parks-problems.html">city attention and investment</a>, and about a half mile from West Park, a sprawling public space next to downtown with a famous band shell<a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2021/10/2m-relocation-among-options-for-saving-ann-arbors-historic-west-park-bandshell.html"> that needs relocation and/or repair</a>. It is hemmed in on three sides by other structures.</p></blockquote><p>Two was that the primary motivation of most of he people involved was to stop the construction of a tall building on a downtown parcel specifically designed to hold a tall building. Once that was accomplished interest waned. Fundraising attempts brought in something like 1% of the amount needed to do anything. The Library Green committee established by the city produced nothing. Seven years later the site is unchanged. The committee has been dissolved. There is no path forward for the site under 2018's Prop A.</p><p>Three is that Library Green people who were actually somewhat invested in a park were feckless dilettantes. Alan Haber infamously had to call in on Zoom most of the time because he was in France; once he <a href="https://bsky.app/profile/danieladams.bsky.social/post/3ltl6mjoecc2y">lit a bowl in the middle of a meeting</a>. His main contribution to the debate prior to the vote was to exclaim that the "love economy" would take care of everything. The <a href="https://www.mlive.com/news/ann-arbor/2019/11/pop-up-dome-on-ann-arbors-library-lot-part-of-center-of-the-city-outreach.html">sole object</a> to appear on the parking lot was a "DecaDome," which was placed there at taxpayer expense. The money went to Eric Lipson, one of the Library Green supporters.</p><p>Still, the city has made a gesture towards the original intent of 2018's Prop A to keep that parcel in public hands by proposing to transfer it to the library. If the props pass the Library plans to build a new downtown branch that occupies both the current site adjacent to the parking lot and said parking lot, funding it by selling the air rights above the land to a developer who will put a bunch of housing there.</p><p>This is a win-win-win, as the city would get a swanky new downtown library without having to pass an additional millage, badly needed downtown housing, and the tax revenue from that housing. The alternative is literally nothing.</p><p>A few additional resources:</p><ul><li>Daniel Adams's <a href="https://www.damnarbor.com/2022/11/guest-opinion-desolate-and.html">comprehensive survey</a> of the Prop A situation at <em>Damn Arbor</em>.</li><li>Ann Arbor AF's <a href="https://annarboraf.com/episode-79-new-downtown-library-getting-informed-with-eli-neiburger/">interview with library director Eli Neiburger</a>, which has detail on why the AADL needs a new downtown branch.</li><li>The library's website has a page <a href="https://aadl.org/morefacts">debunking the FUD</a> coming from the Library Green people.</li></ul></div> <div class="node__links"> <ul class="links inline"><li class="comment-forbidden"><a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/login?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">Log in</a> or <a href="https://mgoblog.com/user/register?destination=/content/yes-ann-arbor-props-and-b%23comment-form">register</a> to post comments</li></ul> </div> <section class="field field--name-comment field--type-comment field--label-hidden comment-wrapper" id="comments"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="25829" id="comment-245614702" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509150"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702">July 14th, 2025 at 12:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:05:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This analysis is spot on. <br><br>Also, the small, but painfully vocal coven of feckless dilettantes in this town is a real problem. </p><p><br><br><br> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/23/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 437</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614702&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iZ-y-ja68p0fsRqbcdikVm1Sh0dtTJQQLTqdu-MiM10"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"><article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205835" id="comment-245614729" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/crunklicious" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Crunklicious</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511147"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614729#comment-245614729">July 14th, 2025 at 12:39 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:39:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Perfectly said. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 02/10/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 24</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614729&1=default&2=en&3=" token="caQMVOF6KnUZNYMHSQp-p21kJ-WsURpVMehfKNEl1_Y"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="3204" id="comment-245614880" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/robbie-moore" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Robbie Moore</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527872"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614880#comment-245614880">July 14th, 2025 at 5:16 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T21:16:34+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>NIMBY-ism is a thing everywhere. The folks who show up at planning commission meetings raising hell stand athwart progress and yell "stop." And it is progress to get a new library, downtown housing and a badly needed increase in tax revenue. </p><p></p><p> </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 56174</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614880&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cGspnIiapNCDFC2sbFxflUXxus9XbJSy8sj_2w_9vS4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615015" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614702#comment-245614702" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">This analysis is spot on…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/leftwing19" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">leftwing19</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752593732"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015">July 15th, 2025 at 11:35 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:35:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>John U. Bacon leading the charge on the NIMBY crap is more than a bit disappointing, I have to admit. Not to mention Ken Burns jumping in the ring to criticize potential zoning changes in a city he hasn't lived in since the early 70s.</p><p>Ann Arbor needs to change. And it's going to be fine when it does.</p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615015&1=default&2=en&3=" token="Kmh6dYAqYTJeP6Mbid8CNoMjgBu7XBwvZaGIvCvLtUs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1464" id="comment-245615023" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615015#comment-245615015" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">John U. Bacon leading the…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595246"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023">July 15th, 2025 at 12:00 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:00:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I mean, both traffic in nostalgia to a degree, even though NIMBYism and associated increased property values is significantly to blame for the disappearance of the Ann Arbor that they mourn. </p><p>As an aside, “the world I remember is endangered/disappearing” vs “I can’t afford the world that exists” is one of the most potent low key conflicts in politics right now (and one that doesn’t have clear left/right divides) </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/05/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17191</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615023&1=default&2=en&3=" token="bnK3X5BMgPiCZB2mgLWYhM5La0jzNiUFPr2TIXSMNKg"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="735" id="comment-245615026" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615023#comment-245615023" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I mean, both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/needs" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Needs</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752595921"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026">July 15th, 2025 at 12:12 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:12:01+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>"...both traffic in nostalgia" is a perfect summation, yes.</p><p>We lived in A2 for a little bit recently after a long time away. Lived in the same neighborhood I lived in as a student and immediate postgrad, for that matter. The city really is fundamentally different, most definitely less weird and more corporate, and most definitely more congested. But it's still Ann Arbor.</p><p>I've said it here before, I think my only real critique of build more housing (and yes, <em>build more housing</em>) is that it never includes a similar discussion on just how congested traffic has become, with UM Medicine traffic leading the way. Every day right now is the equivalent of a football Saturday or more with people coming in and out of downtown for work, replicated several times throughout the day. You can watch the shift changes in lines of cars. There's just not enough road infrastructure, and no, bike lanes and buses really aren't fixing it so far. </p><p>I don't know what the answer is, but I wonder what will happen when the high-rises truly hit a place of supersaturation with the roads.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 75422</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615026&1=default&2=en&3=" token="pZTANjvD7PUkPje6rZTJB75SYc1nXGPMQpM9crmwBbY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245615027" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615026#comment-245615026" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">"...both traffic in…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bando-calrissian" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bando Calrissian</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752596612"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615027#comment-245615027">July 15th, 2025 at 12:23 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T16:23:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>UM Medicine that grows and grows but seemingly gets harder and harder to get an actual appointment. I finally left for a different medical system out of frustration.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615027&1=default&2=en&3=" token="TBYcVE0E6HA-ZC_nZ2-LpMv4wIRsjt68SXGWsN6MfEs"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div></div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="195" id="comment-245614704" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509296"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:16+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The number of NIMBYs in Ann Arbor who want nothing is truly astounding. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 38716</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614704&1=default&2=en&3=" token="4Piq7-8WybHGGO3RcpEC8d8XXDAyNT40KxbfF-mPIMY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="145" id="comment-245614762" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ckersh74" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ckersh74</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514340"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614762#comment-245614762">July 14th, 2025 at 1:32 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:32:20+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>The NIMBYs aren’t the ones to worry about. It’s the BANANAs you need to be concerned with:</p><p>Build Absolutely Nothing Anywhere Near Anybody. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/30/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 51159</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614762&1=default&2=en&3=" token="mkz6Fd0vduRGufRQ6g7lUTyUxkvh0M9SVMEUcfWzsRA"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614764" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614704#comment-245614704" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">The number of NIMBYs in Ann…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/kblow" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">KBLOW</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752521671"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614764#comment-245614764">July 14th, 2025 at 1:33 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:33:47+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I think this prop specifically is an easy yes, but to some degree I understand <em>some</em> NIMBYism in Ann Arbor because every time I'm in Ann Arbor it becomes less and less recognizable with a new high rise going up, a chain restaurant going in, and an establishment that made Ann Arbor what it once was when I went there disappearing. It feels like we're seeing the Austin-ification of Ann Arbor. It's sad to see even though I recognize the need for housing</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614764&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5lfyeYq5ABWM4wI6_UCDPdYA5fmqPrW-itDDou339HM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="111555" id="comment-245614705" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bobtimberlake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Bob_Timberlake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752509313"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614705#comment-245614705">July 14th, 2025 at 12:08 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:08:33+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Go Blue!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/29/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 8696</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614705&1=default&2=en&3=" token="x3W4Ya81hxKBNriVWqWo8P2cMGah2pNWsrOPwu58yv0"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="205959" id="comment-245614727" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/ribblemcdibble" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">RibbleMcDibble</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511026"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614727#comment-245614727">July 14th, 2025 at 12:37 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:37:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This seems like a complicated offense for a true freshman to learn. I thought Chip Lindsey was good at melding an offense to his personnel?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/24/2023</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 19306</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614727&1=default&2=en&3=" token="zWX86_vCMavJGxoErQ6VNYm5vbg13xYknmiY42ftQ7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614728" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511112"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728">July 14th, 2025 at 12:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:38:32+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is not and will never again be a small town. It is a growing city and will become much larger in the coming years, especially with natural disaster and wet bulb trends in the south accelerating with climate change and FEMA cuts.</p><p>They need to embrace growth and plan infrastructure in accordance with that. </p><p>Lastly, they need paid positions to make these decisions rather than endless faux- democratic bureaucracy. City Councils are fucking stupid and always have been. The cold hard truth? Most people who influence city-level decisions have no fucking clue what theyre doing. </p><p>Ypsi has refused to remediate a potential development site for decades for similar reasons- just bite the fucking bullet. </p><p>Bunch of do-nothings. Make more salaried positions tied to outcomes and slash the degree of council-level input. It's a massive waste. Have the advisory committees meet separately and provide reports, recommendations, and town feedback. They shouldnt be making the final decisions. </p><p> </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614728&1=default&2=en&3=" token="3UK1wHYUZQlh8Wi9VgjyXHS_B1SnN7xB3OjMp5oqtE8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29395" id="comment-245614741" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515674"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741">July 14th, 2025 at 1:06 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:06:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>It is a growing city</p></blockquote><p>Close to 100% of the city's population growth between 2010 and 2020 was due to U-M expanding its enrollment. Since 2020, Ann Arbor has in fact lost population, despite U-M's enrollment continuing to grow.</p><p>At issue here is that U-M cavalierly expanded its enrollment by a third between 2000 and 2020 while building very little on-campus housing. Finally <a href="https://record.umich.edu/articles/new-residential-quad-adding-2300-beds-more-planned/">there are steps being taken to rectify that</a>. In the meantime, the high-rises have sprouted up to accommodate a growing demand for off-campus housing, as students have to live somewhere.</p><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (cannibalizing other universities in the state in the process, but who cares!), I guess I can see why the city wants to accommodate them. But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. Non-students are leaving the city. Ann Arbor needs to be careful about where things are headed.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/14/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 113998</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614741&1=default&2=en&3=" token="wqaJJmBENVGbIPcAb_VjfIVSGrGoQqJv64FypHJrOoM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614748" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513489"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748">July 14th, 2025 at 1:18 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:18:09+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>He's saying it's very long-term growth play given the climate stability, water availability, etc. in the area. There are plenty of white papers on this topic. If people are going to migrate towards this area over the next 100 years, there's a good chance a lot of them will end up in Ann Arbor.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614748&1=default&2=en&3=" token="OQ240KWFdcbZ7IS5LAHRGQdBczbca6mtI8Ixw6JICEk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614785" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614748#comment-245614748" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">He's saying it's very long…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515655"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614785#comment-245614785">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Exactly this. The region will grow in population- period. </p><p>Ann Arbor will either accommodate this or nearby areas will. Ypsi and AA have both plagued their own futures for decades. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614785&1=default&2=en&3=" token="ej6p3oXI0xcDrH_ckEhLpIQoyr-M171OK__4c2C-uzE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245614760" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514316"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760">July 14th, 2025 at 1:31 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:31:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I do wonder if there will be a population shift back to the North. I have thought about buying land in the UP because of this possible shift. Our winters have been much milder in the last 4-5 years. Water is plentiful in the great lakes region. And natural disasters are much lower rates, so insurance is much lower (besides car insurance). </p><p>I didn't know that Michigan had increased undergrad enrollment so much though. I was in A2 a few weeks ago driving around with the family, and had forgotten about the massive dorm complex being built where the lumber yard was. Make's a lot more sense why they need those in addition to North Quad. Wondering when my freshman dorm Mary Markely gets it's renovation. Definitely different levels of living when you compare some of the dorm rooms across campus when you are paying the same amount. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614760&1=default&2=en&3=" token="JMo0tOKCfHk-jSI14fy7ox2BcLhRtIEa7LBvfVHr5Vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="208462" id="comment-245614846" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522292"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846">July 14th, 2025 at 3:44 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:44:52+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was a Markley guy as well-rumours are that the already enormous UM hospital and associated facilities will soon gobble up Markley and continue to expand, probably within the next 3-5 years. If that is the case, there is no point in renovating. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/16/2024</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1899</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614846&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5dYD-Ta4THwVfT0XYDgjv_CB5BoBu0xdLVvKZEmEzy8"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="18029" id="comment-245615000" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614846#comment-245614846" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I was a Markley guy as well…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/brakeforjake" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">BrakeforJake</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752587121"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615000#comment-245615000">July 15th, 2025 at 9:45 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T13:45:21+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>That makes sense. A little bummer that it will be gone, but understand there are a lot better dorms in more desirable places and the options for the hospital to grow are limited. </p><p>Going from my 10x10 Markley dorm to my 12x17 West quad dorm with a sink made me think I was living in luxury. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 06/07/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 12360</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615000&1=default&2=en&3=" token="R9ajIa9uJb_zkmZr1gxxhy-SlqzP9n013VxJsyqjldc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7184" id="comment-245614859" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/bluebyyou" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">bluebyyou</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752523863"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614859#comment-245614859">July 14th, 2025 at 4:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:11:03+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Having lived in A2 until three years ago, I'd suggest that -17, while warmer than -20, is still pretty freaking cold. It will be a while before palm trees thrive in southern Michigan, CRISPR notwithstanding.</p><p>As for housing prices, they have gone up pretty much everywhere where people want to live. Ann Arbor is still relatively affordable compared to many other areas of the US.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/07/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 23952</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614859&1=default&2=en&3=" token="kK5N4aA5c3FN5OirMyhGT1Z4-8wT3Gf754X9BqG0Upw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="23367" id="comment-245614867" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/true-blue-grit" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">True Blue Grit</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752525821"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614867#comment-245614867">July 14th, 2025 at 4:43 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:43:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Markely is basically toast. So, no renovation is coming. Once these two giant new dorms on the south campus are done, Markely has a date with the wrecking ball. The medical campus octopus wants this land pretty badly. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/21/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 42866</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614867&1=default&2=en&3=" token="iRX4DyrMpXeZqodpk-uxXCknj6GmFH0jisDknPa-LAk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="159342" id="comment-245614905" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614760#comment-245614760" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I do wonder if there will be…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/hail-storm" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Hail-Storm</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/andrew-0" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">andrew_</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532688"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614905#comment-245614905">July 14th, 2025 at 6:38 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:38:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>From southern states, absolutely not. Hilariously absolutely not. The only thing that people who leave the state miss is the changing of the seasons. And that can be had in much friendlier climates and better economic and political zones. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/01/2015</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1087</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614905&1=default&2=en&3=" token="giwGjoeqZdaN6J9-n2i1fCIM6W4cJub6Csxgr4X4ens"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614765" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514478"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614765#comment-245614765">July 14th, 2025 at 1:34 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:34:38+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>As U-M seems hellbent on cramming more and more students onto campus (<em><strong>canibalizing other universities in the state in the process</strong></em>, but who cares)</p></blockquote><p>I don't think M is cannibalizing other MI schools, at least insofar as taking their students. My guess is that very few of these added students were headed for struggling in-state schools but for their M admission. About the only thing those schools have in common with M is location; the students targeting M are by and large doing so for other reasons (i.e. location might be a plus, but it's not a driving factor).</p><p>Plus there's a double edge sword with the admission rates. I don't know about others, but I don't enjoy the fact that M is becoming more and more impossible to get into. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614765&1=default&2=en&3=" token="__XpqEc_bQHHch0E2qe4k23QO5ONmiBCyGX7dkdQwrk"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="21779" id="comment-245614772" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/go-blue-eyes" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Go Blue Eyes</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514928"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614772#comment-245614772">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I had to look the growth issue up. From 1960 to 1970 Ann Arbor added 33,000 people to just over 100,000. Since then the population has only grown by 23,000 (estimated this year) or only just over 500 people per year in 50 years! Stunning to see that number considering all of the articles saying it is one of the best places to live in the country. <br><br>The proposals Brian relates seem like no brainers. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 12/04/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13440</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614772&1=default&2=en&3=" token="cMakYO04rVL5Cg5hqTtWvt5S5gKsN80xKpU_VZIfz5o"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614773" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514946"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773">July 14th, 2025 at 1:42 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:42:26+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><blockquote><p>But the idea that this is just a general population boom, and that people of all stripes are moving in, simply isn't true. </p></blockquote><p>Don't conflate cause and effect. The city has throttled housing production with restrictive zoning for 50+ years. Developers (read: housing producers) report that building housing in Ann Arbor is extraordinarily difficult even compared to peer cities. The population flatlined in 1970, right around the time that the city's anti-apartment zoning and historic district regs began to bite. Make it illegal to build housing and, yeah, you'll find that general population growth will slow. But Ann Arbor is growing. Just ... in the townships, Saline, and Dexter. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614773&1=default&2=en&3=" token="CRme7DwkyY_pewLr94rt4mL4Tpm-X6antNg2hgRgW4g"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1750" id="comment-245614790" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516101"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790">July 14th, 2025 at 2:01 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:01:41+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recall, with a bit of fuzziness from my time as a student in the 1980s, that new high-rise housing was forbidden in Ann Arbor. Does anyone the history and reasoning?</p><p>Did everyone watch and get frightened by "The Towering Inferno"?</p><p>Was it the debacle of University Towers? (Is it still awful, or has it been improved?)</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/28/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15867</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614790&1=default&2=en&3=" token="rfrppBTv5lglzAYunyMldg8vCQ5PXTiIrrtluGGLDMc"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="1284" id="comment-245614798" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516720"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798">July 14th, 2025 at 2:11 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:11:44+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>U Towers was a disaster 20 years ago. I had three friends that lived there, and all three had major problems with their apartments.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/22/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 39902</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614798&1=default&2=en&3=" token="9haLQkNqk7IzyQLGCPz-4kj2FsosyDgNelvZfycLf7k"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="5812" id="comment-245614974" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614798#comment-245614798" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">U Towers was a disaster 20…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/shadowstorm33" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ShadowStorm33</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michengin87" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">michengin87</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752576122"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614974#comment-245614974">July 15th, 2025 at 6:42 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T10:42:02+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I lived in U Towers 40 years ago. It wasn't great but relatively affordable split between 4 guys. It was built in 1964, the same year that the UM Administration Building was erected. The Administration Building was torn down 3 years ago, but U Towers, in all its ugliness, remains.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/14/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5251</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614974&1=default&2=en&3=" token="WU9ZEJdyA6HXJxGL6ezGEjavlTKfWCAvJtll8z7yf7c"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245614806" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614790#comment-245614790" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">I recall, with a bit of…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mmbbones" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MMBbones</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517642"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614806#comment-245614806">July 14th, 2025 at 2:27 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:27:22+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great summary of the history is here:</p><p><a href="https://aadl.org/node/15599">https://aadl.org/node/15599</a></p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614806&1=default&2=en&3=" token="SxYzNCXxpFFnZyTxPNK_Lg8lEJqNberN7jf1T14J0vo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="817" id="comment-245614902" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614773#comment-245614773" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But the idea that this is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/lhglrkwg" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">lhglrkwg</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752532608"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614902#comment-245614902">July 14th, 2025 at 6:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T22:30:58+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I was gonna say- i know a lot of young families that would live in A2 if they could afford it but they had to setup roots in Saline, Ypsi, Belleville, etc and they have to commute in</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/03/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 102420</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614902&1=default&2=en&3=" token="eJb3rnSEHmg8Fo5NcMSxbEqK0Ti_ZCylhgkhVyDOCAM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617571" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614741#comment-245614741" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">It is a growing cityClose to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/snarling-wolverine" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">snarling wolverine</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753461702"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617571#comment-245617571">July 25th, 2025 at 12:41 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:41:24+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But would the non-student population be growing if there were housing???</p><p>Saline and dexter certainly have grown. How of that growth is tied to employment in Ann Arbor? I’d bet a lot</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617571&1=default&2=en&3=" token="uXMN24M1ODCH2ZgExGYFSFZEr7V8w8EF-fPocARdbIQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614753" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513696"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753">July 14th, 2025 at 1:21 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:21:36+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Ann Arbor is an expensive college town and always will be. I'm fine with growth, but call it what it is.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614753&1=default&2=en&3=" token="k25ipI3o9NXlg7_Jftgn6YdxCTOdAx0yH0onu67057E"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2617" id="comment-245614847" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614753#comment-245614753" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is an expensive…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752522487"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847">July 14th, 2025 at 3:48 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:48:07+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>And yet there are things one can do about that. Austin for instance built a ton of housing the last couple of years and rent is down 22 percent. </p><p>Supply and demand doesn't simply disappear when it comes to the question of housing and there's lots of evidence of this both around the US and around the world. Ann Arbor can be more affordable and still be a desirable place to live.</p><p>More broadly its better to live in a place which is growing and people want to live versus being the opposite. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/02/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 2823</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614847&1=default&2=en&3=" token="1AAvwu20b-eFVnAQRq6-GqWc7LFF7h7M-VcG5YA5dOo"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614855" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614847#comment-245614847" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">And yet there are things one…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/michiganfootball" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MichiganFootball</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752527281"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614855#comment-245614855">July 14th, 2025 at 4:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:03:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I have lived in both cities, and people always like to compare the two. They are nothing alike. Austin is a hub of over 1 million people with legit suburbs and part of a larger corridor with San Antonio.</p><p>Austin also has had and has a real gentrification problem. Highway 35 created a colored and white divide but now the east side of 35 is hip and development is crazy. </p><p>Ann Arbor is far more like Boulder than Austin.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614855&1=default&2=en&3=" token="LDFJg8FjtXo7Lwh0QDGXSRnN30odAmIuZhML3blziJM"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="197986" id="comment-245614767" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/njvictor" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">njvictor</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514654"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614767#comment-245614767">July 14th, 2025 at 1:36 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:36:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>I recognize that it's the way Ann Arbor is going, but it is sad to see it losing a lot of it's quintessential midwestern college town feel. South U is completely unrecognizable these days. Feels like it's going the way of Austin</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/20/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 88929</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614767&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sSooV8PHaICHUwpLlRYJKofg5BOu4nytbxhHrJVT_YE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614918" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537222"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614918#comment-245614918">July 14th, 2025 at 7:53 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:53:42+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This reads like you told ChatGPT to sound like a human and be more of an asshole. Just saying.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614918&1=default&2=en&3=" token="8XPpc-OPihtiNFPWdCvyqEix3-YeS7rQZyA-BcrhG44"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="7716" id="comment-245614919" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614728#comment-245614728" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Ann Arbor is not and will…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/jon06" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Jon06</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752537413"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614919#comment-245614919">July 14th, 2025 at 7:56 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T23:56:23+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good time for a double post!</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/19/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 17809</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614919&1=default&2=en&3=" token="f1ZcUUAcenxVMNqRnayRMNW6f7nQjwabQrd6-VfqGhw"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="2048" id="comment-245614732" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/petem" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">PeteM</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752511237"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614732#comment-245614732">July 14th, 2025 at 12:40 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T16:40:37+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Great piece. I was at the forum prior to the 2018 election, and remember that the speaker in favor of the "Center of the City" talked about raising significant funds. I live in Ann Arbor, and have read the various arguments on the current proposals on Facebook. Supporters of the 2018 charter amendment argue that regardless of the level of private fundraising the fact that the charter now calls for a park obligates the city to move forward and pay for it since that was the voters' will. While I can't read the voters' minds in 2018 my sense that folks then were pushing back against development and change generally, and really didn't care that much whether the lot stayed a lot or became Liberty Plaza II.</p><p>That's funny about Alan Haber lighting a bowl during a meeting. I've met him once and he is an interesting character. I believe that he was an early mentor to future SDS leader Tom Hayden when Hayden was an undergrad and Daily editor the late '50s.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/15/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 4254</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614732&1=default&2=en&3=" token="AxAnai9MhLD2mP2bhfqtVXg62F5M8FLxF6DvYKSgF_4"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="616" id="comment-245614743" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752512944"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743">July 14th, 2025 at 1:09 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:09:04+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Seems like a no brainer to put the originally intended building on top of the underground structure. I never knew the backstory but always thought it was odd to have this enormous underground structure with nothing on top at ground level.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 78503</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614743&1=default&2=en&3=" token="5mK-3QVY7Ud9rlZcjEKLTjiDLVV0irpUpukAp2fcZzQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="24817" id="comment-245614970" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614743#comment-245614743" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Seems like a no brainer to…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/goblue96" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">GoBlue96</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752567015"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970">July 15th, 2025 at 4:10 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T08:10:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Some of the backstory is that the City Council doesn't necessarily represent the will of the Ann Arbor populace (for a variety of reasons). That parking structure and its footings to support a development that wasn't approved is evidence of that. The Council wanted it and people didn't. It doesn't matter the reason, it's just poor planning. By building the structure as is, the Council wanted exactly the reasoning you outlined. Essentially a fait accompli that "well, we built a structure to support a huge ass building so now it has to be built". Many of those who voted "for" the city park were voting against the insular Council and its decision making and particularly the giveaway to the developer of the previous project.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 04/18/2011</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 5632</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614970&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sN7V30Ggn7GDIdkU-wyqK0k2Cs400tJWZkMunnMw59A"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="674" id="comment-245615093" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tenaciousgrizz" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">TenaciousGrizz</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752606226"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615093#comment-245615093">July 15th, 2025 at 3:03 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T19:03:46+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Decades of city and DDA planning documents recommended that site for a tall building. A bunch of NIMBYs put "park" on the ballot and won by six percent, largely on the backs of votes in student districts. And then every single CM who supported the park project lost their seats. And then residents tanked the park project on the PROS Plan survey. So... try again? </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 07/01/2008</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 287</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615093&1=default&2=en&3=" token="172TQhRAiF6sXZ6VYY0HGwHyAlY6qqOA-Pmo3FJ08jQ"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="17324" id="comment-245617584" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-trusted_user role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614970#comment-245614970" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Some of the backstory is…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/pptoilet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">ppToilet</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/mgobender" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">MGoBender</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1753462196"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245617584#comment-245617584">July 25th, 2025 at 12:49 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-25T16:49:56+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This is just wrong. Eaton and the park proponents had a majority on council in 2018. Then they did this and the city’s population responded overwhelmingly by voting that majority out. So it’s kind of what you said but the exact opposite lol. A slim majority on a confusing ballot proposal is no more representative than the now overwhelming popularity of the new council who all won their races in landslides.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 03/26/2010</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 15118</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245617584&1=default&2=en&3=" token="fdQroBLhrCyQenKmOX-J23W5x6Jf9kb-u0DmQFEy184"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div></div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614751" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752513615"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751">July 14th, 2025 at 1:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:20:15+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Definitely in favor. Let's just not pretend development like this is going to help A2 affordability. </p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614751&1=default&2=en&3=" token="0nK3ZjxlxsSv0OoCl0nhgET9xBRf7cJ8w7E6RWqseRI"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="6867" id="comment-245614823" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752519777"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823">July 14th, 2025 at 3:02 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T19:02:57+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>But it might. Supply and demand. I'm not an economist, but even if developers only build expensive units, eventually a a large supply of pricey units will bring down demand and hopefully prices</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/01/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 428</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614823&1=default&2=en&3=" token="m_nhNFiQ9duVK4ey752pXtokMdhOy4vT77c0QSQelrY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198382" id="comment-245614856" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614823#comment-245614823" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">But it might. Supply and…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/maple-leaf-illini" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">maple-leaf-illini</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752542861"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614856#comment-245614856">July 14th, 2025 at 4:04 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T20:04:08+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Or attract more 20 somethings with money and the University can continue to fill them with more international graduate students with no budget.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 08/29/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 11209</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614856&1=default&2=en&3=" token="gp5lXBL3XJDYESfCduxDDPg3JfcahN0zXNLoNiJCmzU"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="8172" id="comment-245615010" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" class="profile"> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614751#comment-245614751" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Definitely in favor. Let's…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/swn" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">swn</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/tsabesi" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">tsabesi</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752592345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245615010#comment-245615010">July 15th, 2025 at 11:12 AM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-15T15:12:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>This won't help a lot but it is part of the affordability solution. More, denser housing near (or connected via transit) to where people want to be is how you solve affordability and congestion and this development fits that bill.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 09/28/2009</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 1141</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245615010&1=default&2=en&3=" token="FXh-4crZUKo89J9h-Rw0PQdmgKBRxWAYsetehNO7hlE"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> </div> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="31412" id="comment-245614757" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/blue-vet" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Blue Vet</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752514225"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614757#comment-245614757">July 14th, 2025 at 1:30 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:30:25+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Good luck. Wish I still lived in AA so I could vote.</p><p>Don't some nations allow voting by people of that nationality but living elsewhere?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 05/08/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 93252</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614757&1=default&2=en&3=" token="yXhtp5RfuBTHM-eaq27SxyJC43X78N2HaZnzH4c4Oow"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="92726" id="comment-245614784" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" class="profile"> </article> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752515646"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784">July 14th, 2025 at 1:54 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T17:54:06+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Yes, Brian, this is YOUR blog so I guess you have carte blanche to post something political. </p><p>Merits of your argument aside, I find this to be unfortunate and hypocritical, as all too often, political comments by users and/or threads get shut down.</p><p>How about a little consistency? Rather than do as I say and not as I do, how about letting people express their views and show tolerance with those which you disagree.</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 11/24/2014</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 6920</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614784&1=default&2=en&3=" token="sUhc-6aZrXfkH5lYGtkGgeMat-9aeTUO5_Ogf8RL90I"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <div class="indented"> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="198733" id="comment-245614794" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/dennis" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Dennis</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752516345"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614794#comment-245614794">July 14th, 2025 at 2:05 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:05:45+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>Old man shouts at cloud</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 10/08/2017</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 13465</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder callback="comment.lazy_builders:renderLinks" arguments="0=245614794&1=default&2=en&3=" token="48XBw28WUzbjOs5ToAdqACUcA1mnKavTw4MhyivC2eY"></drupal-render-placeholder> </div> </div> </div> </div> </article> <article role="article" data-comment-user-id="29905" id="comment-245614804" about="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804" typeof="schema:Comment" class="comment js-comment clearfix role-basic_user role-trusted_user"> <footer class="comment__meta"> <article typeof="schema:Person" about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" class="profile"> <div class="field field--name-user-picture field--type-image field--label-hidden field__item"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" hreflang="en"> </a> </div> </article> <p class="visually-hidden">In reply to <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614784#comment-245614784" class="permalink" rel="bookmark" hreflang="en">Yes, Brian, this is YOUR…</a> by <a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/growler4" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">growler4</a></p> </footer> <div class="comment__content"> <div data-history-node-id="167635"> <p class="comment__author"><span rel="schema:author"><a title="View user profile." href="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" lang about="https://mgoblog.com/users/toby-flenderson" typeof="schema:Person" property="schema:name" datatype class="username">Toby Flenderson</a></span> <mark class="hidden" data-comment-timestamp="1752517218"></mark></p> <p class="comment__time"> <a href="https://mgoblog.com/comment/245614804#comment-245614804">July 14th, 2025 at 2:20 PM <span property="schema:dateCreated" content="2025-07-14T18:20:18+00:00" class="rdf-meta hidden"></span> </a> <span class="collapse">^</span> </p> <div property="schema:text" class="clearfix text-formatted field field--name-comment-body field--type-text-long field--label-hidden field__item"><p>What do you want to say that’s political?</p></div> <div class="comment__footer"> <div class="comment__user-data"> <p class="joined"><strong>Joined:</strong> 01/16/2012</p> <p class="mgopoints"> <strong>MGoPoints:</strong> 26030</p> </div> <div class="comment__actions"> <drupal-render-placeholder 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