The City's planning department has approved plans for two nine-story condominium towers at the corner of Bond Street and Trowbridge Avenue. Moch International, a company headed by Joseph W. Moch, is developing the towers. Moch, who last winter "threatened" to build low-income housing on the site after people living in nearby upscale condos criticized his original design, has had a difficult time getting approval for the project and has faced numerous delays in constructed as a result of various hearings before the city's Planning Commission.

While Moch's arrogance and paternalistic use of low-income people as a threat against rich neighbors should be reason enough to oppose the project, there has never been an honest evaluation of how best to meet the housing needs of all residents in downtown Grand Rapids--both those currently with homes and those without. Condos in Moch's "Icon on Bond" project will sell from $186,900 to $421,675, joining numerous other downtown construction projects aimed solely at wealthy residents.