In YOUR honest opinion: Do you think Charlotte and Atlanta are similar?? (Gastonia: how much, living)

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by lovesMountains

Actually, you're wrong - a Charlotte poster DID NOT start this thread. Check again, the guy is in GERMANY and obviously trying to understand the differences between the two great cities.

The vast majority of us in Charlotte really don't care to compare the two at all we are just trying to help the newbie.

DITTO. I don't get the two cities being any more similar than any other two cities, but that is just me. All cities have a different vibe.

Now if you wanna talk about the BURBS of Atlanta and Charlotte - I think they are very similar. But then, I think ALL burbs are similar.

[Akhenaton06]

Originally Posted by anifani821

Agree. I was not referring to your post or to greg's. My bad for not making that clear.

OK, no problem.

[Akhenaton06]

Originally Posted by urbancharlotte

Charlotte will NEVER have a skyline the size of Atlanta's. Neither will DC LOL!!! Just wanted to put that out there because you have cited the skyline more than once on this thread. Charlotte's skyline currently resembles Cleveland, Ohio. It has ever since the BofA tower was built. Urban development uptown (higher density and mass transit) is what I would like to see more of in Charlotte.

Never say never. Years ago, when Cleveland was a national powerhouse and Charlotte was just a little backwater Southern hamlet, I'm sure the same was said about Charlotte. But I do agree that I would rather see more pedestrian-oriented density in Charlotte than height.

[Akhenaton06]

Originally Posted by anifani821

But then, I think ALL burbs are similar.

Not quite. For the most part I think so, but I think DC's burbs on average are better than those of most metros its size.

[gold15]

I've always been able to tell who had spent time in Atlanta and who had not while lurking and reading City Data. This thread; however, takes the cake.

People should stop parroting what they read/hear and spend some time in the cities they wish to comment on. You lose all credibility when you say things like "there's nothing beyond Peachtree," "there are no pedestrians," "it's not urban," "all 5.4 million should be in the core in Fulton," - then a few posts later - "Buckhead is (already) too crowded," etc. Five blocks from Peachtree is urban sprawl? In which direction? You might miss the urban neighborhoods from atop Peachtree Plaza. I mean, they are under that tree canopy you speak of.

One poster said everything he and his friends/hosts did in Atlanta involved a trip to the mall. Blame that on bad hosting. I have been in Atlanta nine years and have never take a guest to a mall (or a chain restaurant, but that's another story). I take them to "the city" - most of which is not along Peachtree, it's in that laundry list of Atlanta neighborhoods that are posted over and over again.

Afraid to walk around? I moved here during my "clubbing" years and have never felt "unsafe" in Atlanta - clubbing, downtown, MARTA, Underground, nowhere. If you're afraid of people who don't look like you, that's another issue. Now then - Atlanta does have a serious crime problem. Like most cities; however, the victim(s) and the criminal(s) almost always know each other and have dealings. It's about the company you keep. Cities, by default, are not sanitary zones.

For better or worse, I think Charlotte is 25 years behind Atlanta in general terms of population, growth, development, etc. That's not necessarily bad. I have seen the negative effects of growth on Atlanta. I am still overwhelmingly attracted to its positives though. There are definitely things I like about Charlotte - and will possibly move BACK that way when I'm over 40.

If Charlotte is NOT looking to Atlanta as a role model, it's hard to tell. 485/285. Two major interstates running through the city (not that this is something that was done to mimic). A core area with satellites (Buckhead, Perimeter/SouthPark, Ballyntyne). A rail system (active or planned) that runs in general N/S/E/W directions only. Seeing as how handling of traffic is probably one of Atlanta's worst characteristics, I'm not sure why Charlotte wouldn't go in different direction. The list goes on.

Some visitors apparently land at Hartsfield, ride along the connector and up/down Peachtree Street, then go back home and post on City Data.

People like Charlotte, and live there. People like Atlanta, and live here. That's hot.

By the way, I'm from Greensboro, and I've also lived in Charlotte.

Good day all.

[robertpolyglot]

Originally Posted by mrdkb

Also, Charlotte has a tons of cheap vinyl houses, where metro Atlanta neighborhoods and subdivisions are 100% better. Charlotte home prices, however, have held up better until recently where they are at 4.1 decline (Atlanta's at 10%). In the long run, I think there are areas of Charlotte that are going to seriously suffer for two reason: declining schools and cheap houses that already look like section homes - IMO. TOO MANY VINYL HUTS!!!!!

Wow. The planning guidelines should have been much stricter with the vinyl. It always seems those (vinyl) neighborhoods look bad after a while. I've lived in Atlanta and thought the housing options were very good.

[anifani821]

Originally Posted by robertpolyglot

Wow. The planning guidelines should have been much stricter with the vinyl. It always seems those (vinyl) neighborhoods look bad after a while. I've lived in Atlanta and thought the housing options were very good.

You know, that is the oddest statement and somehow, I had missed it. I wonder where all these "vinyl huts" are that the poster is talking about. I am in South Charlotte and we have mostly all brick homes here . . . ?????

[qc dreamin]

WOw GOld15. That is funny because I am from Charlotete. I have lived in Atlanta as well. NOW I LIVE IN GREENSBORO!!! IF people think Charlotte and/or Atlanta is bad they need to move to Greensboro!! HAHA

[gold15]

qc dreamin - that is wild.

[urbancharlotte]

Originally Posted by gold15

I've always been able to tell who had spent time in Atlanta and who had not while lurking and reading City Data. This thread; however, takes the cake.

People should stop parroting what they read/hear and spend some time in the cities they wish to comment on. You lose all credibility when you say things like "there's nothing beyond Peachtree," "there are no pedestrians," "it's not urban," "all 5.4 million should be in the core in Fulton,"

I think this was directed at me LOL!!! Re-read my post friend. I said "Outside of Buckhead, Midtown, and parts of Downtown, most of Atlanta looks like the Beattes Ford Rd area of Charlotte. Especially the area near the Bankhead courts housing project on Bankhead Hwy (thank goodness they are tearing that place down)." In addition to this, I will say that Atlanta's urban area extends much farther out than Charlotte's. In other words, Charlotte becomes very rural outside of I-485. Atlanta on the other hand stays "urban" (more so suburban) well into neighboring counties. The I-75 corridor in Cobb county (Smyrna) is a perfect example of this. So is much of North Atlanta up by Jimmy Carter and beyond Norcross. The problem with Atlanta is that NONE of this continueous development looks more urban than most of Charlotte. It just simply continues on for a longer distance. Inside the city of Atlanta, it is mostly a city that looks like Myers Park, Dilworth, Beattes Ford Rd, South End, the Clanton Rd area, Noda, and MANY more areas of Charlotte. This explains why Fulton and Mecklenburg have nearly the same population and density. The 100,000 people difference in Fulton is due to areas like Downtown, Midtown, and Buckhead. These three areas of Atlanta together have nearly 100,000 more people than Charlotte's Uptown, South Park, and Ballantyne. The difference in Uptown Charlotte and Downtown Atlanta is about 23,000 people alone. Uptown Charlotte has a population of about 13,000 and Downtown Atlanta has a population of about 36,000.

This is why I say Charlotte needs to just focus on urban density in Uptown (and South End). Charlotte needs a midtown. Charlotte does not need a Buckhead (eventhough it will probably get one anyway LOL).