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^^^FL cities in general have nicer SS's and less nice Northsides.
Miami: North and South are polar opposites. Coral Gables = *very* nice (though there's a random rough patch near Coconut Grove...weird). Opa Locka/Carol City/Liberty City = pretty much the worst ghetto I may have ever seen in the US.
Orlando: Mega mixture. North has ghettos and places like Winter Park and Lake Mary. South has the city's worst ghetto, but also has Isleworth, which is where Tiger Woods lives.
Tampa: it's almost south and west where the nice parts are, and the worst parts are kind of north. However, like Orlando, I wouldn't say it's cut and dry. Generally speaking, though, in Hillsborough County, North = kinda ghetto and South = nice. Past Hillsborough County, Tampa Bay's middle to upper class suburban enclaves are pervasive 2 counties north (Pasco and Hernando, which are basically golf course community after golf course community, North of Tampa).
Jacksonville: *Super* cut and dry like Miami. The Northside is just plain bad. The Southside is literally where all of the affluence is, whether it's middle class, young professionals, or the truly affluent. Locally, the Southside is known as the east side of the river and obviously south of DT. However, geographically, the city's other affluent hotspots are south of downtown, but on the west side of the river (Ortega and Avondale). Saint Johns County to Jacksonville's south is one of the most affluent counties in FL (smaller, but on similar level as Sarasota, Collier, and Palm Beach County).
It should also be pointed out that Jacksonville has traditionally been an industrial port town on a river. This river flows North. Thus, residential development was focused south with industry focused north.
There is no North/South or East/West dynamic in SF/Bay Area, except perhaps in Oakland, but that city generally follows the OP's stereotype.
The South US is the least affluent compared to other U.S. regions and South America is the least affluent compared to North America. I think we're on to something, Psykomonkee...
It is actually pretty simple. It is all about positioning, transportation, and the flow of materials and people.
The wealth in the world originally sprouted from Southern Europe and spread across the continent.
The Europeans then became explorers and expansionists looking to find further wealth and get a firm grip on the outside world before their rivals.
The Northeastern US has a shorter route to Europe. It is the first destination for a ship (or airliner) for that matter. This made Northeastern cities ideal places to locate and to do this day an ideal place to maintain business ties with Europe. It is also why Ellis became a huge immigrant port of entry.
The west got wealthy trying to leverage early trade with the world going west + much investment early on for manifest destiny to maintain control of most the continent.
Most the wealth in the interior has stayed near inland hubs that are the ideal crossroads of freeways and rail lines.
It should be noted the wealth is slowly equaling out, but that is a slow process.
South America is also even further away from Europe making it less desirable earlier on.
It also seems that places colonized by Britain are the most successful, whereas places settled by weaker European countries have had a harder time gaining wealth earlier on in the global economy.
I can't speak for other cities, but where I live (Charlotte) infrastructure and race played a huge part. Historically, Charlotte was a small manufacturing town with its greatest rail road infrastructure to the north. Even today, the city's largest (and ugliest) rail yard is just north of downtown.
When I saw this thread my first instinct was to think of Charlotte.
If I may expand on your answer and perhaps simplify it.
Cities often grow towards where goods, supplies, people, and wealth come from. Subsequently infrastructure planners choose to build roads and railroads with that in mind.
Once a direction is favored it doesn't reverse direction easily, because each subsequent layer of transportation plays to the existing form.
Early settlers of Charlotte wouldn't look to the northwest, because of the Appalachians. There is little to trade with. It might be viewed as a way of getting resources, but its trading partners were bound to be in the southwest.
The city likely grew in a more southern (than southwestern) direction to face Columbia and Charleston.
That early in history the inland Carolina's would have grown inward from charleston that founded the province of Carolina (even though Charlotte was formed after the split, Charleston still had the economic backbone and major port of the area).
This would cause planners to build railroads northeast of the city and northwest of the city, so early freight traffic and railroad beds wouldn't be an impediment to streets, goods, and people going towards the coast/Charleston.
^^^FL cities in general have nicer SS's and less nice Northsides.
Miami: North and South are polar opposites. Coral Gables = *very* nice (though there's a random rough patch near Coconut Grove...weird). Opa Locka/Carol City/Liberty City = pretty much the worst ghetto I may have ever seen in the US.
Even though there is a good amount of affluence in South Miami (places like Coral Gables, Kendall, Pinecrest, etc.), there is still a good amount of poorer areas. Especially in the southern areas close to the airport.
Pittsburgh's South Side Flats is one of the most desired neighborhood's in the Burgh. East Carson Street's nightlife is a contiguous string of 20+ blocks fill with eclectic bars/restaurants/clubs supposedly only NOLA has a more contiguous string of bars.
While the South Side Works development is a more Upper End Posh/Yuppified Lifestyle Center (Shopping/Entertainment/Living).
It also seems that places colonized by Britain are the most successful, whereas places settled by weaker European countries have had a harder time gaining wealth earlier on in the global economy.
Brazil and Chile are doing better than Zimbabwe or Jamaica though.
Took a quick overview and surprised no one has mentioned Birmingham, AL. The nicest areas of the city are on the slopes of Red Mountain to the south, the vast majority of the money has crossed the mountain. Mountain Brook, Vestavia, Hoover, Homewood and on into Shelby County. Very South heavy area.
^^^FL cities in general have nicer SS's and less nice Northsides.
Miami: North and South are polar opposites. Coral Gables = *very* nice (though there's a random rough patch near Coconut Grove...weird). Opa Locka/Carol City/Liberty City = pretty much the worst ghetto I may have ever seen in the US.
Orlando: Mega mixture. North has ghettos and places like Winter Park and Lake Mary. South has the city's worst ghetto, but also has Isleworth, which is where Tiger Woods lives.
Tampa: it's almost south and west where the nice parts are, and the worst parts are kind of north. However, like Orlando, I wouldn't say it's cut and dry. Generally speaking, though, in Hillsborough County, North = kinda ghetto and South = nice. Past Hillsborough County, Tampa Bay's middle to upper class suburban enclaves are pervasive 2 counties north (Pasco and Hernando, which are basically golf course community after golf course community, North of Tampa).
Jacksonville: *Super* cut and dry like Miami. The Northside is just plain bad. The Southside is literally where all of the affluence is, whether it's middle class, young professionals, or the truly affluent. Locally, the Southside is known as the east side of the river and obviously south of DT. However, geographically, the city's other affluent hotspots are south of downtown, but on the west side of the river (Ortega and Avondale). Saint Johns County to Jacksonville's south is one of the most affluent counties in FL (smaller, but on similar level as Sarasota, Collier, and Palm Beach County).
It should also be pointed out that Jacksonville has traditionally been an industrial port town on a river. This river flows North. Thus, residential development was focused south with industry focused north.
There is no North/South or East/West dynamic in SF/Bay Area, except perhaps in Oakland, but that city generally follows the OP's stereotype.
Yep. You forgot to mention West Palm Beach FL. Southern West Palm Beach consist of some of the nicest neighborhoods(El Cid, Flamingo Park, Grandview Heights, etc) and the Northend of West Palm Beach consist of some of the most high-crime neighborhoods in all of South Florida(Tamarind Ave/Palm Beach Lakes corridor, Progressive Northwest, Pleasant City, etc).
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