Augusta, Macon or Columbus: Who Will Be The Next Star In Georgia's Crown? (Atlanta: college, centers)

[JayHey]

Originally Posted by AUGnative

Despite it's larger MSA, the urban core of Augusta feels no larger than that of Columbus it Macon. Macon's downtown actually has. Larger footprint and Columbus has more of a corporate presence with companies like Synovus.

And that's kinda what was being mentioned back on page 1 or 2 on this page, is that right now Augusta feels pretty similar (+/- the various personal opinions) to Columbus and Macon, but I think longterm (over the next decade or two) Augusta's Downtown has a higher ceiling than the other two cities. Its core population size over Macon and especially Columbus will eventually cause this outpacing.

Which doesn't mean that Columbus' and Macon's downtowns aren't going to keep improving over that same time period. The younger generations willingness to live in the urban core and the general CBD rejuvenation pattern which has emerged over the last couple decades, after the mid-century abandonment of them, will help most mid-sized cities in the entire country.

[nortonguy]

Majority of the jobs associated with Fort Gordon went to the urban core. The rest in West Augusta. Unisys employs 700 ppl downtown. Taxslayer? The jobs in the King Mill at the Augusta Cyber Works? The private sector jobs in the Augusta cyber institute.

How can somebody include DT and Midtown Atlanta then say the Medical District is not really DT Augusta? Midtown is not really downtown Atlanta either. Those cities don’t have more jobs in the urban core.

This comments are never legitimate arguments.

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by JayHey

25 miles is good commute distance for the Columbus metro (and the Auburn one), looking at the Columbus (and Auburn) patterns of commuting.

That has nothing to do with Atlanta. I would absolutely assume that a commute distance where frequency of commuters statistically drops to a very small number is higher than 25 miles in Atlanta metro. I would guess somewhere in the 30-35 mile range.

I get you don't like my numbers, but I'm just looking at census data of commute patterns, which I suppose could be less accurate than your anecdotal references.

What the census data shows is that those living west of I85 do not statistically contribute in a significant way to the Columbus MSA. That's not me insulting or misrepresenting the Columbus region, it's me just looking at the numbers.

25 miles is not a lot for the Columbus area. From Coca Lake in Cataula, where my parents reside, is exactly 15 miles from downtown Columbus. Ellersie to downtown is 22. So commuting 25 miles or so into Columbus is not unusual.

[JayHey]

Originally Posted by Columbus1984

25 miles is not a lot for the Columbus area. From Coca Lake in Cataula, where my parents reside, is exactly 15 miles from downtown Columbus. Ellersie to downtown is 22. So commuting 25 miles or so into Columbus is not unusual.

Well, according to established Census data, for +90% of the metro population it is. Yes, you may know a dozen people who make a 25+ mile commute four times a day (I know someone who lives on the north end of Hamilton and works by Columbus Regional, and it would make sense for people who live in the Columbus exurbs to have to travel into town, more than the vice versa), but statistically it just isn't very often, less than 10% of the population in fact.

What the census data shows is that a tiny small fraction of Auburn-Opelika is working in Columbus, A-O residents aren't frequently eating or shopping in Columbus either.

The Columbus and Auburn CSA is a dual-binary system, Columbus is the larger of the two, but Auburn's gravity is significant enough that counting all of it as wholly part of Columbus isn't supported by the real world information we have.

[Columbus1984]

Originally Posted by JayHey

Well, according to established Census data, for +90% of the metro population it is. Yes, you may know a dozen people who make a 25+ mile commute four times a day (I know someone who lives on the north end of Hamilton and works by Columbus Regional, and it would make sense for people who live in the Columbus exurbs to have to travel into town, more than the vice versa), but statistically it just isn't very often, less than 10% of the population in fact.

What the census data shows is that a tiny small fraction of Auburn-Opelika is working in Columbus, A-O residents aren't frequently eating or shopping in Columbus either.

The Columbus and Auburn CSA is a dual-binary system, Columbus is the larger of the two, but Auburn's gravity is significant enough that counting all of it as wholly part of Columbus isn't supported by the real world information we have.

Please provide a link indicating this number. Interested to learn more.

[JayHey]

I got it from my work's ArcGIS using current census data, like I said earlier you could get similar numbers with the census' On the Map tool. I just checked and the data is from 2015, but that won't have changed much.

[TheYoungProfessional]

Originally Posted by Columbus1984

So nobody commutes into Atlanta from Alpharetta, Lawrenceville, Cumming, Canton, etc? Those cities are outside of the 25 mile radius.

I know a dozen people who commute that distance in the Columbus area. Columbus and A/O are very much tied together and represent the true size of our area. Trying to exclude that fact is a pure misrepresentation of the Columbus region.

I agree with you! Although the population debate of the “area” seems to be subjective depending on who you’re talking to. I also tend to look at the CSA as representative of the size of an area where they exist. In Augusta’s GA-SC case, it has one MSA with a population of 600K including the surrounding areas. Macon, Columbus, and Savannah all have 2 MSA’s in the general area that form a broader CSA according the the OMB. Macon-Warner Robins/Perry (420K), Columbus/Phenix City-Auburn/Opelika (470K), and Savannah-Hinevsville-Statesboro (545K). Regardless of MSA or CSA, the Augusta area has the largest population broadly speaking.

[Fountain-of-youth]

Originally Posted by TheYoungProfessional

I agree with you! Although the population debate of the “area” seems to be subjective depending on who you’re talking to. I also tend to look at the CSA as representative of the size of an area where they exist. In Augusta’s GA-SC case, it has one MSA with a population of 600K including the surrounding areas. Macon, Columbus, and Savannah all have 2 MSA’s in the general area that form a broader CSA according the the OMB. Macon-Warner Robins/Perry (420K), Columbus/Phenix City-Auburn/Opelika (470K), and Savannah-Hinevsville-Statesboro (545K). Regardless of MSA or CSA, the Augusta area has the largest population broadly speaking.

According to google maps,the drive between opelika and smith station is only 17.6 miles (19 minutes). That somewhat explains Auburn/Opelika and Columbus being a CSA. Columbus urban core extends far enough in Lee County for it to be.

[Southern Soul Bro]

Originally Posted by Columbus1984

I don’t see that happening at all. I see Columbus pushing further ahead. Downtown Macon and Downtown Augusta are both very quiet at night. I’m there weekly. You can’t say that about Columbus. There is constant foot traffic all throughout downtown Columbus. I’ll be in Augusta for work tomorrow and will take note. I’ve been to Augustino’s at the Augusta Marriott and have literally been the only person in there and it’s a huge restaurant. The energy for downtown development is much, and I mean much, higher in Columbus. The pipeline for Columbus is amazing. Several new hotels, downtown apartments, office development, new restaurants popping up monthly, Mercer Medical School expansion, Liberty District redevelopment, City Village, etc. Also, that 25 mile radius for Columbus seems very low. You are pushing very close to downtown Auburn at that point which adds 160k+ to that radius, not to mention Lagrange. Would like to see your source.

Macon's Downtown has constant foot traffic on the weekend. It's not as active on the weekdays but Cherry St. still is pretty "alive" until 10 or 11 PM Monday-Thursday. I know for a fact Columbus isn't any busier on a random weekday because I took a road trip to the casino in Montgomery after work not too long ago and I stopped at Crowne Street Hookah about 10 or 11 PM and met up with my brother who goes to CSU and Broadway was no more busier than Cherry St. is on a weekday at that particular time. This was very recent.

As for the thread topic, it's obviously Augusta IMO.

Metro Augusta is somewhere on a tier just below the SC cities like Columbia and just above Macon/Columbus/Montgomery, etc

Not a huge mind blowing gap between any of these tiers, but definitely noticeable.

[AUGnative]

Simple Short Answer: None of the Above