Quote:
Originally Posted by rnc2mbfl
I'd say it's beyond being urban pioneer. That was in the mid 90's. I know because I WAS one of those urban pioneers in Raleigh. I bought a warehouse conversion condo for next to nothing and everyone thought I was making a mistake. Well, I have tripled my investment and now the immediate area has turned into a entertainment district with hundred of urban condos and apartments as well as a variety of entertainment options and dining.
I don't think that, when condos are sold for $300 a SF, one can still consider it "urban pioneer". Since the recession started, prices for them have dropped some but nowhere near the $67 a SF that I paid for my first investment DT 15 years ago.
A lot has changed in the last two decades in Raleigh. Time was that Cary was practically all white with "diversity" meaning a Jewish family moved from New York. East and South Asians make up a significant chunk of the population now and the Hispanic population is growing rapidly as well.
My family moved to Raleigh in 1974 from the Bay Area of California. Since then, the city has been on a remarkable journey and I only imagine it to continue that ride for the foreseeable future.
|
When comparing Raleigh to a league of cities like Seattle as the thread topic implies and considering how vanilla the city really is (IMO), I'd say urban pioneer would be appropriate. Especially if say a 20 something single is seeking out a fun, memorable, and eclectic city. And if Seattle is an unfair comparison, look to say Portland or Providence and Raleigh could be in that league yet still pretty ho hum. I don't doubt that it's come a long way since the 90's and Downtown Raleigh has it's charms, but it's still got a long way to go. It hasn't evolved yet into what it will become someday.The projected growth for the RDU area is phenomenal, yet is still exponentially suburban. Which appeals to some and I won't knock it, but that's what the differences between cities like Seattle/Portland and Raleigh are.