Is Atlanta East Coast? (Macon, Dallas: move to, public transportation, oil)

[Tdiddy0027]

Geographically, Atlanta is somewhat of an east coast city, but as it grows will it become more culturally east coast? As more people move to our area and the growing southeast megalopolis running from west GA to the Carolinas will the area become more heavily democratic, rely on more public transit and become known for its diversity or will it become culturally different?

[LovinDecatur]

Wow, that is a great ? I'm thinking no. It will more resemble the sunbelt cities of Houston, Dallas and Charlotte more than the cities of DC and farther north.

[Tdiddy0027]

disagree, atlanta can't function as a car centric, conservative sunbelt city as it continues to grow and get bigger. Georgia will soon become a minority majority state which will pave the way for more liberal politics and as oil runs out and traffic gets worse public transit will be a must. It will never have the density of northern cities but I feel it will begin to mimic some of their policies.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by Tdiddy0027

Geographically, Atlanta is somewhat of an east coast city, but as it grows will it become more culturally east coast? As more people move to our area and the growing southeast megalopolis running from west GA to the Carolinas will the area become more heavily democratic, rely on more public transit and become known for its diversity or will it become culturally different?

What we need to stop doing is saying that Atlanta will "become" like something else.

What many people fail to see is that Atlanta is becoming (and has become) a unique phenomenon--an urban, southern metropolis that is at the center of a region that somewhat funtions as and has the identity of a separate country (the American South). Atlanta is the de-facto capital of a semi-country.

Moreover, Atlanta is the center of an emerging unique megalopolis known as the "Piedmont Atlantic Corridor" (something like that)...this emerging megalopolis is also lesser-known as the "Southern Cross." (I much prefer this name...Atlanta is the center...the east wing is NC cities, the south wing is Macon, the north wing is Chattanooga, and the west wing is Birmingham...yes, the east wing is way heavier!).

We don't know what Atlanta's future growth, emergence, and prominence will be like. It's original, different, exciting, and not exactly like the other sunbelt cities (Dallas, Houston, Phoenix, etc.) or the cities of the Northeast.

I like to think of Atlanta as the urban manifestation of "southerness" and southern culture/society (with key original Atlanta traits/trends thrown in...every city needs this).

[aries4118]

And...

Atlanta can move towards smart growth, more public transportation, metro-retrofit, etc. without being an "East Coast" city.

Being in the Sunbelt and implementing comprehensive public transit/more density do not have to be mutually exclusive.

[Tdiddy0027]

good points i suppose

[neil0311]

Originally Posted by Tdiddy0027

Geographically, Atlanta is somewhat of an east coast city, but as it grows will it become more culturally east coast? As more people move to our area and the growing southeast megalopolis running from west GA to the Carolinas will the area become more heavily democratic, rely on more public transit and become known for its diversity or will it become culturally different?

Interesting question. I guess it depends on how you define an "east coast city."

If the definition is a dense, older city, with an ethnically and religiously diverse population and a liberal political machine, then I would say definitely not.

[southgeorgia]

Originally Posted by Tdiddy0027

disagree, atlanta can't function as a car centric, conservative sunbelt city as it continues to grow and get bigger. Georgia will soon become a minority majority state which will pave the way for more liberal politics and as oil runs out and traffic gets worse public transit will be a must. It will never have the density of northern cities but I feel it will begin to mimic some of their policies.

That will be a sad, sad day.

Hopefully, the conservatives will finally take a stand before that happens.

[Scott Summers]

Atlanta's not East Coast but it's Eastern. I don't think Atlanta would be like Philly or Boston because those cities are what they are and we don't need to recreate the style of those cities. I do agree that ATL has outgrown what it used to be and I hope that the leaders of this area realize that and use some smarts. I have a always thought that the Atlanta metro should be straight up urban or at least the actual city. The last thing I want Atlanta to have is ethnic hoods (Little Scotland, Italia Piccolo, little Toronto, etc) because I'd rather see true diversity instead of little whatevers or thistown.

[MisterNY]

Originally Posted by southgeorgia

That will be a sad, sad day.

Hopefully, the conservatives will finally take a stand before that happens.

I dont think they will, and for good reason (hope they dont). That would be going backwards....Time to move forward. Aren't they a dying breed anyways? (dont take it to heart)..