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10-20-2007, 06:58 PM
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Ever hear of the KY Derby? Louisville is in the national spotlight every year for that and gets written up in every major paper in the country. Since when are the NY Times and Dallas Morning News authorities on cities any more than the sources I cited? Did you READ my links? You do realize that many major papers have travel guides and virtually any city gets written up?
What's Doing In; Louisville - New York Times Louisville Travel Guide - Hotels, Restaurants, Sightseeing in Louisville - New York Times Travel http://theater2.nytimes.com/2005/04/...sions/Kentucky I mean, seriously, a simple google search with "Louisville" and "New York Times" will produce thousands of articles. Same for any of teh other sources you think are so reliable. I cited articles from Atlanta and DC. Are they inferior to Dallas? How about Chicago? Whats more, since Birmingham has ZERO major sports venues, it hardly EVER gets mentioned in the national media. Louisville may not have pros but its flagship university brings it lots of attention for sports unlike UAB. So you really think Birmingham is anywhere close to Louisville in development? I didn't want to have to do this, but here goes: There are 112 floors of LUXURY condos CURRENTLY under construction in towers. This does not include all the projects in the 4-8 story range, and I will try my best to list many of those. Museum Plaza This one project is larger and more vibrant than all of downtown Birmingham. I am not sure why you can't see this, but oh well. 62 floors of luxury condos, office space, Westin hotel, shopping, dining, and a rotating contemporary arts Museum 26 floors in the air. RiverPark Louisville Kentucky, Lofts and Luxury Condos Goody Clancy: RiverPark Place Master Plan 32 floors in twin towers in Phase 1. Also two five story loft buildings in Phase 1. Phases 2 and 3 will introduce at least 4 more condo towers, each at least 16 stories high, and about four more 5 story buildings. The largest marina on the Ohio River will be here, and it will be one of the most luxurious inland marina's in the country. Restuarants and retail will locate on the river here. Seminary Woods - Luxury Living in Louisville 11 Floor luxury Condo tower Center City District LouisvilleKy.gov - 2007 - $250 Million Plan To Build Housing, Retail, Office District Downtown 15-30 story luxury condo tower with at least 400 units. Just announced, this 6 block development will have high end retail and condos to compliment the existing restaurants and entertainment you will never find in dowtown Birmingham, like Hard Rock Cafe, Hard Rock Hotel, Hard Rock Casino, Hard Rock Live, and Hard Rock Rock Shop. Hard Rock Home. and LUCKY STRIKE LANES It will also renovate a small arena to be a concert venue. ZirMed - News Item Zirmed Gateway Towers 12 floors Another mixed use with a headquarters for a fast growing health industry company and luxury condos in the top. Embassy Suites Downtown and Proposed Condo Tower (rumored around 20 floors) Hotel could get adjacent condo and parking tower Kentucky Home Life Building: 19 floor historic highrise, currently under conversion to office condos and residential condos at the top. Office, residential condos planned at Kentucky Home Life Building - Business First of Louisville: Kentucky Towers Apartments: 18 floors, currently under massive renovation after purchased by a New York investor: Kentucky Towers undergoing $3.5 million in renovations - Business First of Louisville: Other downtown stuff: Louisville Arena Authority $250 Million dollar arena currently under construction, 15 stories high with 72 luxury suites. Oh, by the way, McCormick and Schmick's will locate here ina restaurant overlooking the river. Also, Fleming's is looking hard at a suburban mall. But who needs these places when Louisville has restaurants that blow them away like this FOUR DIAMOND Seafood place? Z's Oyster Bar & Steakhouse Iron Quarter | Louisville, KY 15 story office tower, 120,000 square feet of luxury lifestyle shopping Haymarket Life Sciences park, with associated apporx 10 story twin towers: Making hay: Haymarket project would represent nearly $300 million investment on East Jefferson - Business First of Louisville: 2.5 BILLION invested just in the life sciences park downtown: Governor announces $2.5 billion plan to benefit Louisville’s health sciences development :: News :: University of Louisville -- dare to be great Welcome to Waterfront Park! WaterfrontPark phase 3 and associated pedestrian bridge to Indiana. Fairfield Inn & Suites Louisville Downtown: Earn Rewards points and stay productive when traveling to Louisville 317 rooms in twin 8 and 5 story buildings currently under construction for Fairfield Inn and Spring Hill Suites by Marriot. Some "smaller projects" Ice House Lofts 7 floors, and 5 floors. 52 units. Fleur de Lis on Main - The Cornerstone of Downtown Living 5 floors. 82 units under construction now the Mercantile 5 floors 4 floors, under construction liberty green 6 city blocks of apartments and condos downtown with over 400 units, currently under construction Bycks Lofts 4 floors Gallery Square Lofts Central Park Lofts I mean, this list could go on for pages but I will quit here. All this, except Seminary woods, is in our downtown area. This does NOT include other nearby urban areas like Butchertown, Highlands, Crescent Hill, etc, which have their own infill projects. Just a couple examples of some Highlands infill: The Cherokee Grande • Residential Properties • Jefferson Development Group or the 6 floor Park Grande, just completed The Park Grande • Residential Properties • Jefferson Development Group Whew, I didnt come close to covering everything downtown, but I tried to list the bigger projects. And this does not count what ALREADY exists, which is already twice the urban options that you would find compared to a Birmingham. Then you have urban in the suburbs communities like Norton Commons: Norton Commons. The suburbs, likewise, have so much going on I couldn't do it justice to even try to list stuff like this lifestyle center: Hagan Properties · Providence Point The Urban Louisvillian This guy keeps alot of the bigger development info, but honestly I hope you see there is so much that even I (who has such an interest) can't keep up. I am not sure why I provide all this evidence because I don't even think people are reading it. You said Louisville doesn't have hills with views of the city. You are WRONG: Louisville Sparkling in the Night photo - Abdul Sharif photos at pbase.com That is not just "LOuisville sparkling in the night," it is a shot from a top of a hill in a beautiful, Frederick Law Olmstead designed park. So, just like Birmingham, Louisivlle has these views. And just like Birmingham, Louisville is a golfer's paradise. When was the last time the Ryder Cup made it to the Ham? Ryder Cup 2008 » The Official Site of the 37th Ryder Cup Matches played at prestigious Valhalla, which is always highly ranked in golf clubs: Valhalla Golf Club - Top 100 Golf Courses of the USA The only thing Birmingham has on Louisville is Saks. I really am serious. I am surprised Saks hasn't located here but I guess it doesn't hurt their coprorate is in the Ham. I am telling you, MERGER PAYS! 5 or 10 years ago, Birmingham and Louisville may have been more similar. Today the comparison is a stretch and 5 years from now, there will be absolutely no comparison. Birmingham is not in decline...but as SE cities go, it is getting left behind. I think merger would help the fragmented region. Last edited by stx12499 : 10-20-2007 at 07:15 PM. |
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10-22-2007, 02:01 PM
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1) Better public schools: A) Mountain Brook High School Recognized for the nationally prestigious Blue Ribbon School Award during two school years, 1983-84 and 1992-93. Additional honors for MBHS include these:
C) The top rated public school in Louisville was Eastern that came in at #662. 2) Better climate - obvious - no snow, in January I am playing golf and your courses are closed. 3) Better economy/job market - According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics - The Birmingham-Hoover metro was rated #4 in unemployment. Louisville was rated #48, just two notches above Detroit. http://stats.bls.gov/lau/malrgrank06.htm 4) Better healthcare Eight UAB Hospital specialty programs are among the nation’s top 50 — seven are in the top 25 — of the 16 categories evaluated at America’s 5,462 hospitals this year by U.S. News & World Report. The rankings appear in the magazine’s 18th annual “America’s Best Hospitals” issue, released July 13, 2007. 5) Better location - I can reach the beach in 4 hours...you cannot. Last edited by Bravo35223 : 10-22-2007 at 02:44 PM. |
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10-22-2007, 02:51 PM
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Note to self - bring lunch when debating with Bravo or stx :-)
Barbour Motorsports is awesome! The lobby inspires a real 'WOW' experience. And they don't have metro government... |
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10-22-2007, 03:28 PM
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10-22-2007, 03:43 PM
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HAHAHA this is hysterical! That 152,000 sq. foot entertainment district is miniscule! Louisville's new district will be over 500,000 sq feet and will include retail. Louisville has one block that is more vibrant than anything in Birmingham already, and it is not even that cool!
Nothing in Birmingham's history gets the national media attention that the Derby festival does. E news reports live here every year, and the Barne-Stable Brown Party draws some pretty decent celebrities. Extra, MTV, you name it, they are all here. Remember Larry Birkhead, father of Anna Nicole's baby? That's a Louisville boy and of course brings in a lot of tabloid media to the city. Of course, Louisville sees nowhere near the national attention of a slightly larger city like Nashville, though...but at least I can admit that. About the only national attention you'll ever see the Ham get is for its American Idol singers. Most of American has no idea about Louisville or Birmingham...but at least they've heard of KY Derby! Louisville has chefs in the James Beard House every year. The James Beard Foundation Events: April 2006 If you think Birmingham restaurants come even close to Louisville's, I suggest you go to this site and post in the forums: LouisvilleHotBytes.com By the way, does Birmingham have a foodie community large enough to sustain a message board? I haven't seen one. Here are few local restuarants that have banded together. Is there a Birmingham chapter? Most major cities in teh region have a chapter. Louisville Originals The fact is, Louisville's restaurant scene is more in line with Atlanta's! Valhalla has hosted PGA Championships as well, with the PGA in 2000 and the Senior PGA in 2004. Again, your point? Where's your arena's? Arent they kind of old?? Greater Louisville Sports Commission > Sports Venues & Facilities I mean, Birmingham doesn't even compete in AAA baseball! Its in the minors of the minor leagues! Oh, and your park is located in some generic suburb? Well here's Louisville's Louisville Bats: Home Glad you are expanding the convention center..it needs it.. Louisville has one of the largest convention centers in tier two cities (outside convention centers of NY, Chicago, Atlanta, NO, Orlando, and Vegas). Kentucky Exposition Center we also already have a downtown convention center which is actually adjacent to nightlife and restuarants, AND multiple hotels. Do you seriously think some never heard of race track compares to a historical venue like Churchill Downs? How about the nation's largest firework's festival? How often do you have 750,000 people come down to the waterfront? Thunder Over Louisville - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia What, no reply to RiverPark Place or Museum Plaza? Didn't think so. How is Louisville catching up to a smaller city and metro? I think not. It is Birmingham who has long lagged behind the entire SE and comprable cities. You keep talking schools...I am NOT buying it. Louisville has one of the top rated Catholic and parochial school systems in the region. Also, you are forgetting several suburban districts like Oldham County are comprable to anything in the Birmingham metro. Furthermore, schools in teh actual CITY of Birmingham are crap and that is why they have declined by almost 10,000 students in a decade per your alt weekly magazine, Birmingham Weekly. I mean seriously, I enjoy a good debate, but you are a blind Birmingham booster. I would never say that Louisville has the amount of growth or urban development as Nashville. Why? Because the facts clearly point otherwise. Louisville has a good ways to go to catch up to the development in Nashville, and the size difference between Louisville and Nashville is similar to the difference between Louisville and Birmingham. And your idea of citing all these random rankings means nothing. When you start getting multiple entertainment districts, hundreds of floors of condos, and some semblence of a nightlife outside a tiny area of the southside, you will be attractive to young professionals. Louisville is equally as beautiful as the Ham with lots of trees and gorgeous parks, and rolling topography. Both are great cities to raise families, and overall, the school offerings are about the same. Louisville has Blue Ribbon schools every damn year, it just changes which get nominated: Holy Spirit among 3 earning Blue Ribbon honors Also, I am not just judging my experience based on a few visits. I know several people from Birmingham now living in Louisville. I used to date one of them, and went back there often for holidays with her family. I have only been in Louisville for about five years and I have seen this city grow tremendously in urban, sustainable development. The Ham is a nice city but just not there yet (or at least on the level of a Louisville). Let me add a disqualifier...if you are comparing Birmingham to the Louisville of five years ago, it may have been mroe of a fair comparison. Both were relatively stagnant, stay as you are areas. The difference now is night and day. All the stuff you listed for downtown...Louisville already has. The Marriot, the entertainment district, and not one but two 1920's hotels that are both AAA four diamond. One has a four diamond restaurant and one has a five diamond one. Last edited by stx12499 : 10-22-2007 at 04:17 PM. |
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10-22-2007, 04:10 PM
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The Urban Louisvillian If you can HONESTLY sit here and tell me the Ham has the same activity after looking at all the projects there, I will eat my hat! |
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10-22-2007, 07:40 PM
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1) Better Public Schools 2) Better Healthcare 3) Better Economy 4) Better Climate 5) Better Location. Rant all you want....I know you are frustrated. |
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10-22-2007, 09:23 PM
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And that is why young professionals flee from Birmingham...we don't care about schools. We care about DOWNTOWNS, JOBS, VIBRANCY, and NIGHTLIFE. This includes cool, modern condo communities. Skyscrapers. Transit. Cities that don't die after 5 PM. Downtown ARENAS to socialize at. Louisville is in Gourmet and Bon Appetit all the time. How about this month's issue for starters? Romantic/Special Occasions at Gourmet Features at Epicurious.com Do a google search next time, I am not doing your homework for you. But seriously, 1) So how are Birmingham public schools better? Birmingham city schools are crap. Pure Crap. One of the fastest declining enrollments in the country as all but the poorest of the poor have left the city limits. You haven't proved anything. Why don't you address this? Louisville metro has 5 schools listed on the US NEWS top high schools. You are very wrong to think Catholic schools are only open to Catholics, and that is the type of discriminatory comment that makes people not like southern states like Alabama. Do you even read my links? Louisville has lots of US Blue Ribbon Schools. If you read my "local link" you'd see that. Birmingham has better education? Hmm, then why is it when you compare Jefferson County KY to Jefferson County Alabama, you see that Jefferson KY has a higher percentage of college graduates and high school graduates. Jefferson County, Alabama - Fact Sheet - American FactFinder 2) Better healthcare? Huh? How? Louisville is investing in a 2 billion research park downtown. The city did the first hand transplant, the first artifical heart transplant, and invented the gardasil vaccine. All in the past decade or less. Louisville and Birmingham each had one hospital ranked on US NEWS...but who says US NEWS is the authority on this stuff anyways? Much of their methodology is flawed anyways. Google it for criticism of it all around. Anyways, both cities seem equal here. Oh, how many Fortune 150 Healthcare companies are headquartered in Birmingham? Humana - Guidance when you need it most. 3) Better Economy? How again? With your less college graduates? How?! Please tell me. Because you have one year with a slightly better unemployment? Care to post the unememployment stats for the CITY of Birmingham? Yes, Birmingham has a better unemployment rate in its metro due to its suburbs I guess? You got me on one point. Still, how is this a measure of the total economy? It is only one measure. Why isn't the Ham building infill like Louisville then? 4) Better Climate? Wrong again. How are more hot and humid summers making for a better climate? Some people prefer more of four equal seasons. Some people even like snow. Louisville averages about 16 inches a year...not much. This is totally subjective, and these two cities are not that far apart. Seriously, Chicago or Denver has a more desirable climate for many. There you go again with a "southerncentric" viewpoint. 5) Better Location? You CANNOT prove that Birmingham has a better location. For people like me, being closer to cooler, large cities is much better. Louiville is closer to Chicago, which blows away Atlanta. You can get to Cincinnati, Indianapolis, and Nashville really fast for some more entertainment. Brimingham is isolated, and since there is not much vibrancy there, no wonder I got bored. Besides Atlanta, what is around? Mobile? Huntsville? Jackson? Yawn! You act like Louisville is so far north, yet it is only 5-6 hours from Birmingham. Again, you can't prove better location. We don'd need to drive when our convenient airport offers cheap, nonstop flights to the best parts of Florida like Orlando, Miami, and Ft Lauderdale. I am sure many people fly to the beaches from the Ham as well. Me frustrated? Wrong. You just can't admit the obvious. Birmingham is not an attractive city for young professionals because it lacks urban growth and vibrancy. Merger would help that. I never brought up schools and the other stuff, but you are starting to go over the top here with accusations. My case rests on the facts of development I provided before. I do not appreciate you accusatory tone at this point in the conversation. Last edited by stx12499 : 10-22-2007 at 10:24 PM. |
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10-22-2007, 09:53 PM
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More about declining center city Birmingham, and the majority of its growth being suburban:
USA Major Metropolitan Areas: Suburban and Core City Growth: 2000 to 2004 |
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10-23-2007, 08:13 AM
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