Is New Orleans the most Eastern looking city in the South? (crime, place)
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Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Bear with me for awhile!
Sure, the French Quarter looks like NOTHING in the US, although Charleston comes close.
But the actual downtown/business district of NOLA actually reminds me a lot of Philly. Not that I've been to Philly (just NY and Boston), although I would've if I had more time, but more what I've seen in videos and pictures. Just the relatively old building stock, the Victorian architecture, the type of urban canyons, the historicity of the urban landscape (moreso than NY and not quite as old as Boston).
I would even say it resembles Boston, in parts, due to the age of some of the buildings, and actually the density/foot traffic reminded me a bit of NYC.
I think the fact it's one of the few major southern cities to be founded pre 1776 in the colonial era also means it has more similarities with the old, big cities of the East coast. Perhaps it's closest relative to Baltimore?
Location: Formerly NYC by week; ATL by weekend...now Rio bi annually and ATL bi annually
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Trimac20
Bear with me for awhile!
Sure, the French Quarter looks like NOTHING in the US, although Charleston comes close.
But the actual downtown/business district of NOLA actually reminds me a lot of Philly. Not that I've been to Philly (just NY and Boston), although I would've if I had more time, but more what I've seen in videos and pictures. Just the relatively old building stock, the Victorian architecture, the type of urban canyons, the historicity of the urban landscape (moreso than NY and not quite as old as Boston).
I would even say it resembles Boston, in parts, due to the age of some of the buildings, and actually the density/foot traffic reminded me a bit of NYC.
I think the fact it's one of the few major southern cities to be founded pre 1776 in the colonial era also means it has more commonalities with the old, big cities of the East coast. Perhaps it's closest relative to Baltimore?
I tell people here in NYC all the time that it resembles a lot of what you said. The CBD is sorta like a scaled down version of what you speak. And its larger than most think.
Location: The western periphery of Terra Australis
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Quote:
Originally Posted by SLIMMACKEY
I tell people here in NYC all the time that it resembles a lot of what you said. The CBD is sorta like a scaled down version of what you speak. And its larger than most think.
For a city that is so economically depressed/crime ridden I found the downtown surprisingly busy/vibrant, outside the French Quarter. It has a cosmopolitan vibe that is unlike anywhere in the South.
Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Charlotte.etc are just too new looking to look like the old cities of the Eastern seaboard.
I visited New Orleans recently and my assessment is yes, it does have notable similarities to the cities on the east coast. I found it to be kind of a more easy-going version of DC actually. Very grid-like with historical neighborhoods.
I haven't been to Charleston or Savannah, but I expect those cities to be somewhat like New Orleans.
I visited New Orleans recently and my assessment is yes, it does have notable similarities to the cities on the east coast. I found it to be kind of a more easy-going version of DC actually. Very grid-like with historical neighborhoods.
I haven't been to Charleston or Savannah, but I expect those cities to be somewhat like New Orleans.
Agree and Charleston maybe moreso than Savannah but both have their similarities.
I suppose it can... I included some personal pictures that could remind you of that.
But, I also included 2 that remind you it isn't... Such as my Grits picture... definitely reminding you it is the south, and not the northeast. As well as the palm tree picture.
To me New Orleans definitely has the most "city" feel of any sizeable Southern city. It has that old-school feeling of density and vibrance. For several decades in the 1800's New Orleans was a top ten US city, and that history really comes through when you are there.
I have often told of how when I was a child New Orleans and Atlanta were the only two "big cities" I had been to. I was surprised when I learned that Atlanta was a larger metro area, b/c New Orleans always felt like the city to me far more than Atlanta (even though Atlanta had a few taller buildings).
The place has its issues, but there are a lot of wonderful things about it. I would love to see N.O. regain its place as one of the great American cities.
What other contenders with a good lot of older dense and urban development are there in the South? There's Charleston which was a top ten city for many decades. Savannah mentioned. Norfolk, maybe? Louisville? Richmond?
I know for the Midwest, Cincinnati and St. Louis are up there.
New Orleans feels bigger than both Cincy or St. Louis in terms of it's downtown and outer edge footprint, as well as vibrancy.
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