How "Cosmopolitan" Is Atlanta? (Columbus, Rome: best cities, transplants, homes)

[jjbradleynyc]

Originally Posted by mg83

Aside from neighborhoods like VaHi and Decatur... I mean what else is REALLY walkable? Meaning, you technically wouldn't even need a car... there just aren't many in Atlanta. It's not how the city was designed or how the city has been shaped in the last 2-3 decades.

I don't commute to Alpharetta anymore. At my current job, I'd never be able to live anywhere south of maybe Buckhead... the daily commute would just make me an incredibly stressed out and angry person, thus living where I am now isn't TOO bad. That's the way it works here.

Yes, I've been to the Korean bbq places on Buford Hwy, what I said before still stands. If Buford Hwy is really all Atlanta has to show in terms of culture outside "Southern" and "African American"... well, again, it has a long way to go.

I feel like there are a few tiers of cosmopolitan US cities, NYC, San Francisco, Chicago, DC and LA. Second tier I'd include places like Boston, Seattle, Miami, San Diego, maybe Minneapolis. Third I'd put cities like Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, etc. I don't know exactly where to put Philadelphia..

Again, my own opinion. But I'm sure a lot of people (outside Atlanta) would tend to agree...

I completely agree with these comments. I'd add midtown as being walkable--at least mostly walkable--in addition to Virginia Highlands and Decatur. Buckhead is debatable--but there are some dangerous intersections--not THAT pedestrian friendly. The rest of Atlanta is not pedestrian friendly at all.

As for your described "tiers" of cities, I agree. I'd put NYC ahead of all cities. Then a tier of LA, San Fran, Chicago, DC, Miami, and Seattle. Next would be the third tier cities of Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Philly, and Boston, etc.

[HipLib]

Originally Posted by mg83

And I, again, would respectfully disagree with you. Or maybe what we define a "worldly" or cosmopolitan city as is just... different.

Most of the South American capitals/cities are located way closer to a coastline than Atlanta is... like by a few hundred miles... or, kilometers. Though, I'd consider the Brazilian cities to be international and cosmopolitan... on the level of the ones mentioned by a previous poster...

The other "landlocked" cities you've mentioned just are not on par to cities like NYC, London, Tokyo, Sydney, or even a "smaller" international city like San Francisco... sorry. There's no way I'd equate Mexico City or Warsaw to those other places. Again, that's my own opinion.

I'm not even talking about white sands/beaches like Miami or Barcelona. I'm talking about water in general. It makes geographical sense that the cities situated along coasts, large rivers/ bodies of water have lengthier histories and greater cultural diversity.

Sorry, I couldn't disagree more with your assessment that Atlanta is some huge cosmopolitan and international world hub. The fact that it hosted the Olympics has really blindsided people... Sure, there are plenty of international flights that are routed THROUGH the Atlanta airport, but that doesn't mean the people are actually getting off the planes and visiting for the deep historical culture of the American south.

If you want to compare Atlanta to INTERNATIONAL cities, then I wouldn't use facts like "it's the center for hip-hop and R&B". First, hip-hop originated in the boroughs of NYC... I mean maybe you can claim Atlanta is the center of "gangsta" and bling-bling rap... (save, OutKast).

What else would you use to compare Atlanta to these other so-called International cities, if you don't think comparing it to other American cities is fair?

Atlanta is about 200 miles from the Atlantic coast. These South American cities couldn't be closer to the coast "by a few hundred miles" unless they are on the coast.

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by jjbradleynyc

I completely agree with these comments. I'd add midtown as being walkable--at least mostly walkable--in addition to Virginia Highlands and Decatur. Buckhead is debatable--but there are some dangerous intersections--not THAT pedestrian friendly. The rest of Atlanta is not pedestrian friendly at all.

As for your described "tiers" of cities, I agree. I'd put NYC ahead of all cities. Then a tier of LA, San Fran, Chicago, DC, Miami, and Seattle. Next would be the third tier cities of Atlanta, Houston, Dallas, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Philly, and Boston, etc.

I strongly disagree with that list and I'm sure many demographers and geographers would disagree as well.

First Tier: NYC, Chicago, LA, San Francisco, DC

Second Tier: (in no particular order) Atlanta, Dallas, Houston, Boston, Philly, Seattle, Miami, Denver, Detroit, Minneapolis, Phoenix

Third Tier: San Diego, St. Louis, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Indianapolis, Charlotte, Raleigh-Durham, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Columbus, Portland, Austin, Nashville, Memphis, Tampa, San Antonio, Sacramento, Las Vegas, New Orleans

[plessthanpointohfive]

Let's not forget Atlanta's world-wide reach, perhaps because your (the general your, not anyone in particular) has a particularly naive view of the city based on your narrow set of experiences.

Atlanta as the world's premier public health organization which leads the way across the planet for health policy and research - the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Atlanta is home to some of the world's most respected research universitities - GA Tech and Emory, in particular.

Atlanta is home to the Coca-Cola company and CNN - which have global reach.

This argument is nonsense. Sure, Atlanta is not New York City. There is no other city on the planet as impressive as New York City.

But Atlanta is a large, international, cosmopolitan city.

And this nonsense about non-walkable? Sure, once you get outside the city limits you're going to have problems because of the post-modern sprawl phenomenon. But, just about anywhere in Atlanta city limits is very, very walkable.

I walk to work all the time - 3.5 miles away from my house. I drive my car so little that the battery tends to die from lack of use.

We can disagree on whether or not Atlanta offers everything to everyone, sure. And sure, you can personally not like the city (I despise Houston). But that doesn't mean anything towards its status as a city.

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by plessthanpointohfive

Let's not forget Atlanta's world-wide reach, perhaps because your (the general your, not anyone in particular) has a particularly naive view of the city based on your narrow set of experiences.

Atlanta as the world's premier public health organization which leads the way across the planet for health policy and research - the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Atlanta is home to some of the world's most respected research universitities - GA Tech and Emory, in particular.

Atlanta is home to the Coca-Cola company and CNN - which have global reach.

This argument is nonsense. Sure, Atlanta is not New York City. There is no other city on the planet as impressive as New York City.

But Atlanta is a large, international, cosmopolitan city.

And this nonsense about non-walkable? Sure, once you get outside the city limits you're going to have problems because of the post-modern sprawl phenomenon. But, just about anywhere in Atlanta city limits is very, very walkable.

I walk to work all the time - 3.5 miles away from my house. I drive my car so little that the battery tends to die from lack of use.

We can disagree on whether or not Atlanta offers everything to everyone, sure. And sure, you can personally not like the city (I despise Houston). But that doesn't mean anything towards its status as a city.

Well said!

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by mg83

I don't commute to Alpharetta anymore. At my current job, I'd never be able to live anywhere south of maybe Buckhead... the daily commute would just make me an incredibly stressed out and angry person, thus living where I am now isn't TOO bad. That's the way it works here.

I think where you live right now makes you stressed out and angry. You should really look into moving to another part of the city. If you don't work as far north as Alpharetta anymore, you could at least move down to the Highlands or the Little 5 area. I just don't think that the Vinings area is a good place for someone that wants to be within walking distance of a lot things and also wants to live in an area with a distince identity.

[mg83]

Hip, Atlanta's a good 265 miles from the coast... Sao Paolo, Caracas, etc are about 20-45 miles inland (though both way above sea level)... so yes, they're a couple hundred miles closer...

Sure some parts of the city limits are walkable, just like parts of Miami are walkable... but I will say that you are in the MINORITY if you walk to work/walk to amenities everyday... simply put - most of the 5 million people in Atlanta metro do not have the ability to walk to work. That's part of the reason why Atlanta's consistently one of the worst traffic jammed places in the U.S.

And S-to-W, the fact that you put Detroit as a "second tier" cosmopolitan city really solidifies my point that we are using completely different standards to evaluate what a "cosmopolitan" place is...

I don't particularly like Seattle, but I'd consider it more cosmopolitan than Atlanta is at this point. My final word - Atlanta's a younger place (with potential) that still has major issues to work out before it's considered world-class, sophisticated, progressive, cosmopolitan, and whatever else. That's all.

[mg83]

Originally Posted by south-to-west

I think where you live right now makes you stressed out and angry. You should really look into moving to another part of the city. If you don't work as far north as Alpharetta anymore, you could at least move down to the Highlands or the Little 5 area. I just don't think that the Vinings area is a good place for someone that wants to be within walking distance of a lot things and also wants to live in an area with a distince identity.

Well, I like Little 5 and VaHi, but I need my sea... I'll stick it out here for a few months before I move back to FL.

[south-to-west]

Originally Posted by mg83

Well, I like Little 5 and VaHi, but I need my sea... I'll stick it out here for a few months before I move back to FL.

Well if it's the sea you want, then I can't help you there. I grew up on Lake Michigan and although it's not an ocean, it's still big enough for me to miss living next to a big body of water. If you move back to FL, then good luck! However, if you end up having to stay in Atlanta, then get the hell out of the area you live in now and come down here to the Intown neighborhoods.

[mg83]

Which neighborhood do you live in?