10 Things that must happed for Atlanta to be considered a "World City"

[DeaconJ]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

The issue in St. Louis is totally different. There isn't the issue with clogged expressways that you find in Atlanta. St. Louis is not a boom town with a lot of uncontrolled growth. Third there are some options for urban densified living that you will not find in the atl. (Clayton, ucity maplewood central westend) just to name a few. There are many things to look at other than the total land area vs population. Plus St. Louis grew up to function totally different. And yes people that live there have complained about sprawl for the past 15 years.

Also last time I checked cities like Arlington and alexandria in nova where densified more than the city of atlanta is?

The highways aren't clogged because the population is half of Atlanta's population - and in a larger area! That isn't difficult to comprehend, I'm pretty sure. St. Louis SPRAWLS worse than Atlanta. Period. You can list any number of excuses about why or what's different, but the fact remains. And many other cities sprawl worse than Atlanta. Period.

[rcsteiner]

Originally Posted by waronxmas

For now

Hehehe. Yeah, with Atlanta's historic growth rate...

[LovinDecatur]

Originally Posted by mjtinmemphis

Also last time I checked cities like Arlington and alexandria in nova where densified more than the city of atlanta is?

Arlington and Alexandria, maybe...but then you have to consider THE REST (ie the MAJOR part) of NOVA. my, how inconvenient. Suburban Hell Incarnate. Psssssst...that's the sound of your argument deflating.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by JakilaTheHun

So no, I'm not going to pay $3000 per month to live in urban DC and get the same thing I get in Fairfax for $800 per month.

I will focus on this one statement of yours even tho I did get a chuckle over my emotional attachment over a person I have never met, don't even know her name, only have appreciated her excellent comments for the year or so I have been visiting CD. Oh, and please let me know where all my wealth is. Might buy a car newer than my 7 year old one and finally get out of this crappy apartment and into a house.

You refuse to pay $3k for a house that you can get for $800 in the burbs. YOU AND EVERYONE ELSE!!! For goodness sake, it isn't public policy, it isn't income or employers whims or the government or anything else other than you want your slice of the American dream. More for less. That more for less came because a developer was able to buy land much cheaper further out from the city center and you in turn were able to buy much more house for the money by moving further out. You and everyone else doing this is THE reason that cities sprawl. So YOU are the cause for sprawl. Own it.

You could live in much smaller digs closer to the city for less money. You could search for a job nearer home that pays a lot less. But you, like every other American, wants MORE FOR LESS. It is the American dream after all and is what has manufactured the sprawl that you hate so badly.

Take responsibility for your own actions. Downsize and move closer to your job or get a job closer to your home. Stop the blame game or get your panties out of a wad about sprawl when you are aiding the problem just as much as anyone.

At the least acknowledge the sprawl in your own backyard before you start pointing the finger elsewhere. That is why your comment met with replies from LD and others including myself. You live in NOVA, the epitome of sprawl and you come on this thread and chide Atlanta. Amazing.

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by parle75

I must say after reading some of the comments here that some have the wrong idea about Miami. I am a Miami native who enjoys ATL whenever I visit, but I've never known Miami to care so much being the "king" of anything, anywhere or anyone.

We're not pressed about being something we're not; not pressed about dominating a region; not pressed to become something bigger or better. Miami is what it is and it doesn't apologize for that. We're known for what we're known for and people can either take it or leave it. That's the Miami I know.

I don't know anyone who compares Miami to Atlanta or uses them in the same sentence. They are so different.

I actually don't want to live in Miami or ATL, lol, because there are other cities that are a better fit for me. But I think it's important to let Miami be Miami and let ATL be ATL. I do prefer Atlanta's friendliness over the cold attitudes here in Miami or South Florida in general. At least in ATL, people speak and ask you how you're doing and wait for the answer. Down here, not so much or at all. But that's how it is in South Florida.

U.S. cities in general need to step their game up and improve the quality of life because personally, there aren't many U.S. cities I want to live in. It makes me sad to look at a map of the United States and see very few places I want to live.

I think U.S. are stepping up there game.Everywhere I go there are all kinds of redevelopment or urban development plans or projects in process.Dallas finally gets a great transportation system,Charlotte has created and building on the succes of it transport as well.City core of Atlanta and D.C. are booming much like the suburbs always have.People with education and money are escaping the traffic of the suburbs for the city core.Its gonna take time but some are moving faster than others.I think U.S. cities are in a unique position to create the cities they have always wanted.Their is space and relative amount of money to make that happen.Unlike our European counterparts,where its either gonna stay as it is and not change much or they will continued to get SO crowded that their is nothing much that can be done but to adapt to live differently in that city.Sprawl is pretty much out.Urban sustainability is in.Its not a fad either.