Sunbelt Downtown Showdown: Downtown Los Angeles, Downtown Houston or Downtown Atlanta? (state, compared)

[Rwarky]

From Los Angeles, California to Houston, Texas to Atlanta, Georgia, which city's downtown area is at the top when it comes to street level acvitity, visual and sensory appeal, up and coming status, and general usability and walkability?


Pictures are welcomed.

[Rowdy]

I worked at Big Spring State Hospital as a counselor about 30 miles east of Midland. Midland had more downtown life than downtown Houston from my experience. I hated going to Houston for training. So DULL. Good shopping though.

[EndersDrift]

You say "From" are you saying all Sunbelt cities and using those 3 as 'place-markers' or is it only between those 3?

[MB8abovetherim]

LA wins this. Both DT Atlanta and Houston don't have as much going on and Houston in particular, I've walked through Industrial Parks that were more interesting than DT Houston. The thing is, DT LA is on the East end of a long stretch of dense, vibrant build up starting at the Ocean and ending Downtown. So with all that connected the "hustle and bustle" tends to overlap.

[northbound74]

I didn't realize southeastern cities were in the sunbelt. In all my years living there, it never seemed any more sunny than other places, and certainly not nearly as sunny as the southwest.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by northbound74

I didn't realize southeastern cities were in the sunbelt. In all my years living there, it never seemed any more sunny than other places, and certainly not nearly as sunny as the southwest.

Wow, seriously? LOL...the Sunbelt pretty much refers to the Southern 1/3 of the country, roughly speaking.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedi...n_belt.svg.png

[pwright1]

Dt L.A. The most residents which means the most pedestrian traffic. By far the most shopping from the fashion district and Santee Alley to Macy's and the new Target opening this year. Also many new local independent boutiques opening around the Old Banking District. An explosion of new restaurants opening all over dt LA. The new Civic Park coming from City Hall to the Music Center. The Broad Museum of Contemporary Art u/c next to Disney Hall. LA Live with tons of restaurants, hotels, Grammy Museum and multiplex theater. Also the new Exposition lightrail line from Culver City to dt opens next week. Grand Central Market has been in dt LA since 1917.

I would put Dt Houston 2nd and dt Atlanta 3rd.

[Fastphilly]

I find Los Angeles compared to most other very large cities to have a inferior downtown IMO. It's so spread out and the city's amentities are not in one or two core sections, so it kinda takes away from that "Downtown Is Where It's At" cliche compared to most cities.

[Mutiny77]

Oh, and DT Los Angeles wins this. I put Atlanta second and Houston third.

[Ant131531]

No doubt Downtown LA is first. I don't know about Houston since I've never been there. Downtown Atlanta lights up during the weekday, especially in the main areas of Five Points, Fairlie Poplar and Peachtree Center and around GSU.