If it is not Atlanta, what Southern City has the best downtown? (Savannah: real estate, mover)

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by magnetar

Savannah is definitely on top. There are cities that are bigger (Atlanta) or fancier (Charleston) but Savannah's city plan, historic architecture, the energy of SCAD, and the continual improvement of Savannah as a city overall can't be beat.

Mobile is an interesting example; I spent quite a few years there. It's like the road not taken for Savannah, as both are southern port cities of similar size and age. Mobile never had anything like Savannah's squares, obviously, but it went all-in on the "urban renewal" projects of the mid 20th century, to the city's great detriment. There wasn't anything like the Historic Savannah Foundation, or an entity like SCAD, who could ensure that what history was left was preserved. Mobile still has some beautiful buildings and a few nice public spaces, but there's no cohesive sense of place in its downtown, just a few nice places with lots of surface parking in between.

Spot on. Same goes for Pensacola to a degree as well. And it's not too late, but it will take a concerted effort on the part of those citizens that have an appreciation for what is there.
In the absence of organizations such the Historic Savannah Foundation or New Orleans' Vieux Carre Commission, either of those cities might have gone the way of Mobile, and for the very reasons that you cited.
Interesting aside: New Orleans is the rare example where the African-American community drove the revitalization movement of a major American city.

"Nineteen thirty-six marked the onset of regulatory controls in the form of the state-sanctioned Vieux Carré Commission. Residents dug in to preserve the quaint and distinctive character of the old Quarter as art galleries and antique stores sprouted on Royal Street and brassy Dixieland-style jazz flourished in Bourbon Street nightclubs and strip joints. By 1960, with traditional jazz in decline, Preservation Hall emerged to serve beleaguered musicians. Here Sweet Emma Barrett and other traditional and largely African-American musicians found appreciative and sober audiences. Today, these and other preservation battles are the order of the day as increasing pressure from a tourist-driven economy lures some 10 million visitors annually to the time and foot-worn streets of the Vieux Carré."

Brief History of the New Orleans French Quarter

Other "Cinderella" downtowns in the South that might have gone the way of Mobile but for the efforts of its' citizens and civic leaders:

Decatur, GA
Athens, GA
Aiken, SC
Oxford, MS
Nashville, TN
Greenville, SC
Charlotte, NC
Madison, GA
Thomasville, GA
Natchez, MS
Charleston, SC
Chattanooga, TN
Fairhope, AL
Little Rock, AR
Huntsville, AL

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by magnetar

Savannah is definitely on top. There are cities that are bigger (Atlanta) or fancier (Charleston) but Savannah's city plan, historic architecture, the energy of SCAD, and the continual improvement of Savannah as a city overall can't be beat.

The layout of downtown Savannah in particular is quite enviable, but downtown New Orleans (including the FQ) is tops for me in the South. Not only does it have the history and the architecture, but it's also a major business center, has actual big city amenities, and hosts big city events regularly. It has the best of all worlds. I also like the Caribbean flavor of historic New Orleans (as well as historic Charleston); that's pretty rare outside of Florida and perhaps Galveston to an extent.

[sedimenjerry]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

The layout of downtown Savannah in particular is quite enviable, but downtown New Orleans (including the FQ) is tops for me in the South. Not only does it have the history and the architecture, but it's also a major business center, has actual big city amenities, and hosts big city events regularly. It has the best of all worlds. I also like the Caribbean flavor of historic New Orleans (as well as historic Charleston); that's pretty rare outside of Florida and perhaps Galveston to an extent.

I was recently in NOLA and haven't been to Savannah in quite some time but I agree that downtown NOLA is great. Even the CBD still has some flavor to it. It's not just typical big city concrete jungle (at least the parts I saw). But it's still fairly compact and you can walk just about everywhere. It's not as big as Atlanta or Houston but it is the biggest city on I 10 between Houston and Jacksonville. New Orleans offers a lot.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by sedimenjerry

I was recently in NOLA and haven't been to Savannah in quite some time but I agree that downtown NOLA is great. Even the CBD still has some flavor to it. It's not just typical big city concrete jungle (at least the parts I saw). But it's still fairly compact and you can walk just about everywhere. It's not as big as Atlanta or Houston but it is the biggest city on I 10 between Houston and Jacksonville. New Orleans offers a lot.

Yep. And while the metro itself isn't as large, the core of New Orleans has other active nodes outside of downtown/FQ and can easily go toe-to-toe with the cores of Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, and Miami. That's not really something that can be said about the cores of smaller cities like Savannah and Charleston.

[0nyxStation]

Walt Disney World

[magnetar]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Spot on. Same goes for Pensacola to a degree as well. And it's not too late, but it will take a concerted effort on the part of those citizens that have an appreciation for what is there.

Pensacola is definitely another good example. While its downtown is smaller than Mobile, there are parts of Pensacola's downtown that were stunning once, I'm sure. But now they're so completely surrounded by surface parking lots, like Mobile, it's hard to get a sense of place when you're there.

Won't argue with those who love the French Quarter. Spent lots of time there when I lived in New Orleans. I do think Savannah's bounty of public outdoor space can't be beat, though.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by magnetar

Won't argue with those who love the French Quarter. Spent lots of time there when I lived in New Orleans. I do think Savannah's bounty of public outdoor space can't be beat, though.

Not just the French Quarter, but the CBD/Canal Street, Warehouse District, etc. I agree that Savannah's squares in particular are tops.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

Not just the French Quarter, but the CBD/Canal Street, Warehouse District, etc. I agree that Savannah's squares in particular are tops.

Many do not know that other cities in coastal Georgia mimicked Savannah's layout in their own development.

Signature Squares of Historic Brunswick, Georgia

Columbus and Vernon Squares, Darien Georgia

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

Many do not know that other cities in coastal Georgia mimicked Savannah's layout in their own development.

Signature Squares of Historic Brunswick, Georgia

Columbus and Vernon Squares, Darien Georgia

And then there's the other city that Oglethorpe designed: Augusta. I wonder why no squares were incorporated into its design though.

I think it would've been something truly special had it not been for the great fire.

[AUGnative]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

And then there's the other city that Oglethorpe designed: Augusta. I wonder why no squares were incorporated into its design though.

I think it would've been something truly special had it not been for the great fire.

Yeah definitely a big difference from savannah.. just a long grid with no squares, unless you count the one that was built recently, the Common. The layout of Augusta is very odd indeed and I think it is a big hindrance to developing downtown. It just does not have the intimate feel of Savannah. YOu would never know that they were both designed by the same person