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Is the metro DC area perfect? Far from it. But it is LEAP YEARS ahead of Atlanta when it comes to smart growth and mass transit. LEAP YEARS. And you can thank the good ol boys in Georgia with their anti-Federal government mindset for that.
Has nothing to do with an "anti-federal government mindset." A big reason is because the state won't do right by the city in several key areas, particularly in funding MARTA.
Not sure if it was intentional, but Kunstler's photo tour completely bypassed the most beautiful parts of Atlanta, notably the cute blonde Cracker chicks in bikinis at condo complex swimming pools.
Kunstler has ALWAYS hated Atlanta, so you have to take anything he says/posts about this place with a huge grain of salt. He picked the absolute worst things about Downtown to highlight, while practically ignoring any of the good. He also felt compelled to give a backhanded compliment to Broad St., which anyone would argue is a jewel of a neighborhood (Fairlie-Poplar).
While Downtown has loads of room for improvement, don't fool yourself into thinking that urban renewal here was successful at destroying the core. Nothing even approaching the level of the area around Boston's hideous City Hall redo has ever taken place here.
I know he's got an agenda. Frankly, I think the guy is obnoxious. However, even though Atlanta has some great pockets (and has made strides in the last decade or so), I think it has WAY too many gaps at the moment. Those pictures, no matter how biased the photographer is, show some of the worst ones.
Urban renewal was a b*tch for most cities that experienced it. While Atlanta has nothing on the scale of Boston's city hall (it's the plaza, not the building that's the worst part), it has TONs of smaller gaps interspersed all over the downtown area. For me, I can live with a few big holes (City Hall is bad in Boston, but so is the State Services center and the entire West End... all victims of urban renewal) when the rest of the urban core is pretty great. In Atlanta is almost the inverse. Nothing even close to as big and disastrous as Boston's City Hall, State Services Center or West End. However, there are far more smaller holes here and there and overall, I think that makes it a bit worse.
Again, I like Atlanta as a whole and think it's far better than it was 10-15 years ago downtown. But I don't know if I'd argue that it has one of the top downtowns in the U.S. (yet). Certainly not one of the worst, and not even as close to as bad as Kunstler makes it out to be.
Boston doesn't have much of a "downtown". At least not an impressive one. It is definitely a top 10 city in the US, but I would understand it not being included if the ranking is only for "downtown".
Boston doesn't have much of a "downtown". At least not an impressive one. It is definitely a top 10 city in the US, but I would understand it not being included if the ranking is only for "downtown".
What's your criteria? I would argue that one of Boston's greatest strengths is its urban downtown core and that it does have one of the 10 best downtowns in the US (closer to the top 5). It's dense, very active, walkable, and well served by public transportation. It also has a lot of residential development in the downtown and nearby. There aren't too many vacancies in terms of retail and office space. On top of that, it's architecturally impressive. Your top 5 is a great list and I wouldn't argue it, but I'm curious as to what you see as some of Boston's faults downtown.
also, a few days ago, you posted this in the same thread which is different than your top 5 posted today. What happened to Boston between the 9th and today for things to change?:
Quote:
Originally Posted by Slevin Kelevra
1. NYC
2. Chicago
3. San Francisco
4. Boston
5. Washington D.C.
6. Philadelphia
7. Seattle
8. Los Angeles
9. Minneapolis
10. Denver
11. Portland
12. New Orleans
13. Baltimore
14. Pittsburgh
15. San Diego
16. Houston
17. Milwaukee
18. Dallas
19. Indianapolis
20. Cincinnati
21. St. Louis
22. Salt Lake City
23. Cleveland
24. San Antonio
25. Austin
What's your criteria? I would argue that one of Boston's greatest strengths is its urban downtown core and that it does have one of the 10 best downtowns in the US (closer to the top 5). It's dense, very active, walkable, and well served by public transportation. It also has a lot of residential development in the downtown and nearby. There aren't too many vacancies in terms of retail and office space. On top of that, it's architecturally impressive. Your top 5 is a great list and I wouldn't argue it, but I'm curious as to what you see as some of Boston's faults downtown.
also, a few days ago, you posted this in the same thread which is different than your top 5 posted today. What happened to Boston between the 9th and today for things to change?:
If you include Back Bay, North End, South End and Fenway, it would be the top 10. Right now, It's more of a neighborhood city rather than downtown centric type. However, with that said, it does, however, has a great urban center!
I went to Seattle. I was so disappointed with that downtown. It's very bad and scetchy! It can be dangerous at times. The area is dead except for 1st Ave and parts of Beltown. Pioneer Sq. has gone way downhill. If you go, go to Capitol Hill or Ballard. Downtown Seattle is worst than Dt. LA. It's so sad! I'd now put it below LA on my best downtowns list.
If you include Back Bay, North End, South End and Fenway, it would be the top 10. Right now, It's more of a neighborhood city rather than downtown centric type. However, with that said, it does, however, has a great urban center!
Err... might as well through in Cambridge, Brookline and Somerville too huh?
I guess some people think of Back Bay as being downtown but IMO it really serves more as a "midtown" than being part of downtown. I'll give you the North End... But the South End or Fenway? No way.
I went to Seattle. I was so disappointed with that downtown. It's very bad and scetchy! It can be dangerous at times. The area is dead except for 1st Ave and parts of Beltown. Pioneer Sq. has gone way downhill. If you go, go to Capitol Hill or Ballard. Downtown Seattle is worst than Dt. LA. It's so sad! I'd now put it below LA on my best downtowns list.
Wow! If you think downtown Seattle is bad then you need to get around the country more. I've always been impressed with how clean and efficient the cities of the PNW are. If downtown Seattle is sketchy then 95% of other downtowns in America are warzones lol.
Last edited by goat314; 03-01-2012 at 03:03 PM..
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