The Next Atlanta (Birmingham, Montgomery, Cullman: high crime, schools, subdivisions)

[sleepless in Bham]

Originally Posted by Tourian

Hockey means nothing to me.

Me either, but I just keep up with sports as a whole.

[bluebeard]

Originally Posted by sleepless in Bham

I think we can have a smart, 20%+ growth rate per decade to prevent a sprawling mess.

Umm, like Atlanta? That was some dumb growth.
Sunbelt cities with smart growth are few and far between. Of course, I think we can fight for that growth, and are slowly moving towards it, but ideas like that are quite far behind here, so I'm not going to stake any bets on it. smart growth is difficult enough in more progressive regions already. and 20% is quite a target.

But reach for the stars!

[sleepless in Bham]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

Umm, like Atlanta? That was some dumb growth.
Sunbelt cities with smart growth are few and far between. Of course, I think we can fight for that growth, and are slowly moving towards it, but ideas like that are quite far behind here, so I'm not going to stake any bets on it. smart growth is difficult enough in more progressive regions already. and 20% is quite a target.

But reach for the stars!

I dont think its as difficult as you assume. I think that we have learned from Atlanta's and our own mistake (US 280 for example) to just promote uncontrollable sprawl. So yes 20%+ growth in a 10 yr span is very doable, look at Charlotte, they had 35% growth in the last decade.

[bluebeard]

Originally Posted by sleepless in Bham

I dont think its as difficult as you assume. I think that we have learned from Atlanta's and own mistake (US 280 for example) to just promote uncontrollable sprawl. So yes 20%+ growth in a 10 yr span is very doable, look at Charlotte, they had 35% growth in the last decade.

Currently the 2 most realistic major transit-related projects are the beltline and 280.
The title of this thread is even "the next Atlanta".

[sleepless in Bham]

Originally Posted by bluebeard

Currently the 2 most realistic major transit-related projects are the beltline and 280.
The title of this thread is even "the next Atlanta".

I know, but the days of Birmingham competing with Atlanta ended 50-60 yrs ago. Now we are falling behind areas like Charlotte, Nashville, Tampa, and the like.

[PortCity]

I think B-ham is farther behind Tampa population wise(3 mill) than Nashville and Charlotte.I can see B-ham growing at a 20 % rate as long as they keep the momentum going.

[brent6969]

Originally Posted by PortCity

^^^ This could be a factor but it is an ignorant one.It was the 60`s come on !!!!

Not so fast, still very fresh in a lot of people. Look what an idiot "Bull" Connor did to Birmingham, Atlanta never had anything close to that, it was literally like night and day between the two cities. William Hartsfield was a forward thinking kind man with no hatred at all.
I like BHAM, but it is in sad shape, with very little hope to recover anytime soon. Birmingham still suffers from those images and really always will, you can't erase history.

[PortCity]

Originally Posted by brent6969

Not so fast, still very fresh in a lot of people. Look what an idiot "Bull" Connor did to Birmingham, Atlanta never had anything close to that, it was literally like night and day between the two cities. William Hartsfield was a forward thinking kind man with no hatred at all.
I like BHAM, but it is in sad shape, with very little hope to recover anytime soon. Birmingham still suffers from those images and really always will, you can't erase history.

No you can`t erase history but again it is "history".One of the last slave ships the Clotilda docked in Mobile after slavery was declared illegal.No one is saying that the city will not recover anytime soon because it is known for illegally transporting slaves.As a matter of fact I don`t think that you knew that you knew about the ship and that it still lay at the bottom of the Saraland Bayou TODAY.


My point is that it is ignorant to write off a city because of what happened in the past that does not exist anymore my friend ! The level of racism that you may encounter in B-ham TODAY is no different from any other city including Atlanta.

Slavery in the U.S and the films that you saw about B-ham in the 60`s is no different from European decolonization through out history or the brutal killings of Jews at the hands of Hitler. Decolonization has always been a form of racism.The bloody past of the killings in the China`s major cities at the hands of the Japanese through Female genocide has not conflict progress of China`s cities.We can also look at the slaughter of Jews in European countries and cities out side of Germany they are progressive cities.

I would rather blame B-ham`s issue on leadership not the 60`s. I`m sorry because i`m not judgmental but when I read a post by someone who use the 60`s as an excuse for lack of growth .I really began to question some things about that poster in a cognitive way.


I live in Mobile and i`m only a 25 year old black male so maybe i`m to young to really know I guess.

[Tourian]

Originally Posted by brent6969

Not so fast, still very fresh in a lot of people. Look what an idiot "Bull" Connor did to Birmingham, Atlanta never had anything close to that, it was literally like night and day between the two cities. William Hartsfield was a forward thinking kind man with no hatred at all.
I like BHAM, but it is in sad shape, with very little hope to recover anytime soon. Birmingham still suffers from those images and really always will, you can't erase history.

I know Jewish people who drive Mercedes and BMWs. Your point is invalid. There are real issues that face Birmingham like bad leadership, poor schools and a bankrupt country that have caused people to flee to the burbs. It has nothing to do with Bull, firehoses or dogs.

[brent6969]

Originally Posted by Tourian

I know Jewish people who drive Mercedes and BMWs. Your point is invalid. There are real issues that face Birmingham like bad leadership, poor schools and a bankrupt country that have caused people to flee to the burbs. It has nothing to do with Bull, firehoses or dogs.

Like I said, I am disappointed that Birmingham has not lived up to its full potential. It is in a beautiful area with the hills and such, but just lacks many things to do. I wish it could be more competitive with Atlanta. But Atlanta is just light years away now, at one point on or around 1950 they were very much the same size. My point above in VALID, sorry, and just the fact you mentioned "Jewish" people driving Mercedes and BMWs is a racist remark. Currently Birmingham is in a mess not totally different from a Rustbelt city.