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Remember reading a thread on here about which is NC's "3rd city." In 2019, how do these cities compare and contrast as far as growth, development, and influence in the state and beyond? What do you project their futures to look like?
Personally I think Winston has the best long-term potential with the growing impact of the Innovation Quarter, especially on its downtown. Durham is in the process of completing something similar, the Durham Innovation District. Greensboro has a lot of things going for it as well, such as larger-scale amenities not present in the other two.
Remember reading a thread on here about which is NC's "3rd city." In 2019, how do these cities compare and contrast as far as growth, development, and influence in the state and beyond? What do you project their futures to look like?
Personally I think Winston has the best long-term potential with the growing impact of the Innovation Quarter, especially on its downtown. Durham is in the process of completing something similar, the Durham Innovation District. Greensboro has a lot of things going for it as well, such as larger-scale amenities not present in the other two.
You think IQ is going to impact Winston-Salem more in the long run than RTP will for Durham? That's pretty interesting.
My wife (fiance/girlfriend at the time), lived in Greensboro for a few months, so I would visit often.
It looked like Greensboro was growing, but nowhere near as fast as Durham. Metaphorically speaking, Durham's growth almost seems exponential vs Greensboro's linear growth.
My only interaction with Winston is when I drive through it when visiting family in the mountains, but it never seems to be growing as much as Durham or Greensboro.
So in terms of growth and development now and in the future I would vote Durham, Greensboro and lastly Winston.
Durham is booming and it is inevitably going to be NC's 3rd city as it is one of the anchors of the triangle, which has been booming for decades. The Triad cities fall in line after Durham.
Durham's population has grown at more than double the rate of Greensboro's and almost triple the rate of Winston-Salem's since 2010. The rates are 20%, 9%, and 7% respectively.
Durham will most likely take Greensboro's spot as the third most populous city in the state within the decade.
Durham's population has grown at more than double the rate of Greensboro's and almost triple the rate of Winston-Salem's since 2010. The rates are 20%, 9%, and 7% respectively.
Durham will most likely take Greensboro's spot as the third most populous city in the state within the decade.
Within the decade? Do you mean within the next 5 months?
You think IQ is going to impact Winston-Salem more in the long run than RTP will for Durham? That's pretty interesting.
I think RTP has the bigger impact on Durham (rather this is probably a fact regardless of what I think) than IQ does for Winston, but that IQ has the bigger impact on its respective urban core. RTP isn't necessarily driving growth for Durham's downtown in the same manner as what IQ has, or rather could, for Winston's. I think that's a large reason for building Durham's Innovation District, to take advantage of the urban environment and its amenities and resources.
Truth be told, I think RTP has done much more for Cary's explosive suburban growth than it has for Durham's urban growth, considering the demographics and location of RTP's workforce. You're right in that Durham will probably remain as the overall healthier city when looking at both holistically, but Winston's downtown seems larger, better organized, and more well-equipped to handle growth in its core, which I think will have a bigger multiplying effect in the coming decades. This is coming from someone who has spent extensive time in downtown Durham (went to HS right by downtown), and whose favorite city in the state is probably Durham.
Overall, I think you're right though Mutiny. Durham as a whole seems to best claim "3rd city" status, but I wonder how likely that will change once more people "discover" the Triad.
Last edited by TarHeelTerritory; 07-24-2019 at 12:19 PM..
Reason: update
Durham's population has grown at more than double the rate of Greensboro's
and almost triple the rate of Winston-Salem's since 2010.
Durham will most likely take Greensboro's spot as the third most populous city...
And there are a lot of people who really think this is great.
I think RTP has the bigger impact on Durham (rather this is probably a fact regardless of what I think) than IQ does for Winston, but that IQ has the bigger impact on its respective urban core. RTP isn't necessarily driving growth for Durham's downtown in the same manner as what IQ has, or rather could, for Winston's. I think that's a large reason for building Durham's Innovation District, to take advantage of the urban environment and its amenities and resources.
Truth be told, I think RTP has done much more for Cary's explosive suburban growth than it has for Durham's urban growth, considering the demographics and location of RTP's workforce. You're right in that Durham will probably remain as the overall healthier city when looking at both holistically, but Winston's downtown seems larger, better organized, and more well-equipped to handle growth in its core, which I think will have a bigger multiplying effect in the coming decades. This is coming from someone who has spent extensive time in downtown Durham (went to HS right by downtown), and whose favorite city in the state is probably Durham.
Overall, I think you're right though Mutiny. Durham as a whole seems to best claim "3rd city" status, but I wonder how likely that will change once more people "discover" the Triad.
I think Winston has probably always had the most built-up downtown and skyline of these three cities, and for most of the 20th century it was second in the state after Charlotte. It also has a pretty big downtown footprint with more space for infill. Durham's downtown will likely have to expand its boundaries to catchup with Winston when it comes to that, and Greensboro's downtown appears to be on the verge of a building boom that will flesh out its downtown, which has a smaller footprint more akin to Durham's, more but it has some catching up to do to match the other two which were especially blessed to have old preserved tobacco warehouses that could be converted to other uses.
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