Which Midwestern city is most like Atlanta? (map, life, live)

[urbanologist]

Originally Posted by 2Easy

Palm Springs has an aerial trams to a mountain. Does that make it more like Atlanta than St Louis? I don't think so. Does the fact that London and Los Angeles both have ferris wheels make them more alike? Not at all. I guess that whatever point that you're trying to make is lost on me.

In that respect, yes. However, St Louis doesn't have this type of characteristic feature near by. May be one day St Louis can build an aerial tram system that goes across the Mississippi. Now that would be pretty cool.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by afonega1

St.Louis maybe in a Midwestern state but its the most conservative of the Midwestern states.

I think it's possible that Indiana is more conservative.

[Chadro77]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

Aren't these the same cities that blast these boomtowns for not having historic architecture or dense urban neighborhoods with pre-WW2 era buildings?

Atlanta can't help there lack of Nineteenth Century architecture, a fella from the Midwest saw to it that they wouldn't have much.

Remember, Atlanta wasn't very big the first half of the Twentieth Century. Not their fault, ya can't have it all.

[goat314]

Originally Posted by afonega1

I believe I said why early on but since you asked:
St.Louis has a significant African American population and a culture that developed with the city in music,art and history.St.Louis has deep roots of African American history like Atlanta.

St.Louis maybe in a Midwestern state but its the most conservative of the Midwestern states.People are fairly religious and traditional values are strong.MO is kinda a battlefield state that leans more Republican like Georgia.

St.Louis has also hosted some huge world events in the past like the World Expo(or Worlds Fair)/Atlanta hosted the Cotton States Exposition of 1886 and of course the Olympics.

So while they are not physically alike they do have some similarities in their populations.I see it as the best if asked.I did not feel like I needed to be so obvious to not vote.The O.P asked a question I obliged.I assumed he knew that none of these cities are like Atlanta.It was a hypothetical question so why not give an hypothetical answer?

St. Louis is not politically aligned to Missouri as a state. Atlanta is much more culturally similar to the rest of Georgia. In fact, metro St. Louis is noticeably bluer and more liberal than Atlanta despite Atlanta's diversity and "progressive" boom. If St. Louis had the economic/population boom Atlanta has experienced it would look a lot more like Chicago and Missouri would be a solidly blue state.

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8386/8...2fd2febc_o.jpg

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by goat314

I don't think anybody from St. Louis was trying to make the argument that St. Louis is more "relevant" than Atlanta on a national scale, but it is still pretty relevant to the nearly 3 million that call it home. For the record, I don't know why you assume Atlanta is so much more "progressive" than St. Louis. When I look at Atlanta, I do see a city with robust growth in low wage service sector jobs and an excellent marketing campaign. I don't see a very politically or socially progressive region, at least not anymore progressive than St. Louis.

For all the bad mouthing of how St. Louis is a decaying, ghetto cesspool, I have notice that Atlanta has the highest income disparity out of any major metropolitan area.

Gap between rich, poor is widest in Atlanta | Reuters

I do see a city that routinely shoots down transit ballot initiatives, despite this explosive economic growth. Funny it happened around the same time podunk St. Louis passed a referendum.

Transportation Referendum Failure Leaves Atlanta Transit’s Future Uncertain | Smart Growth America

Funny you Atlanta boosters don't want to compare Atlanta to Detroit, when the comparison has been made numerous times since the recession.

Is Atlanta the next Detroit? Land of Opportunity or Classes? | Black Blue Dog

With all that said, I do think Atlanta has some redeeming qualities. I just don't like it when people from current boomtowns try to disparage older cities. St. Louis is a matured metropolitan area that has already experienced growing pains and decline, now just really finding its footing in the new economy. It will be interesting to see what Atlanta looks like in 50 years.

The only thing that you posted that was fact is the gap between rich and poor.Its a problem that needs to be addressed.
Low wage job growth is the new norm in America.Its a reality that is an American problem.Atlanta is no different.However Atlanta DOES have a significant high tech sector and growing.It has a pool of great universities like Georgia Tech,Emory U and agencies like the CDC Headquarters.

The rest is not fact but just discussions and opinions.

Here are some fact for you.
The transportation referendum was a setback but the Atlanta economy has bounced back after the housing crisis.Housing sales are robust so how is this hindering the economy or the region TODAY?Its not.It may in the future if nothing is done.That is what the fuss was about.Our future.

Which is really also irrelevant because we are still way ahead of St.Louis by leaps in bounds.
Atlanta is not a "boom town" anymore. Boomtowns don't grow from the beginning they are founded.That is just a city with the right stuff.Thats Atlanta.Not bragging.It just is what it is no matter how many articles you can pull put out that suggest that the time is over

NYC,Chicago,LA,San Francisco, are all just like Atlanta in that regard.
St.Louis was a boomtown that went bust that is trying to find its footing again.When it does(I sincerly hope it does)it will then be the "real" boomtown


You asked what makes Atlanta more progressive?Well we built a transit system in the 1970's and for the most part it is well ridden and makes a big difference in why every other week companies keep announcing they are moving or thinking of moving to Atlanta.How many have moved or thinking of moving to St.Louis because of it referendum that passed?

The fact that St.Louis passed ONE recently versus 40 years ago when Atlanta built its subway system is not a plus for progressiveness in St,Louis.Its like FINALLY.

St.Louis has HUGE potential.How is it progressive if it has languished in decline for so many years?
Usually progressive cities grow in their core.St.Louis core has been in a constant decline for well over 40 years.How would neighborhoods that are loosing their population not take on ghetto or a look of neglect?

Even Pittsburh and Clevland long time ago changed their image and thier appeal for the better by doing what needed to be done to stop their decline.

You really want to act like Atlanta is Detroit?As if St.Louis is not MUCH closer to that realty by a LONG shot than Atlanta. Thats just a fact

*Atlanta elected the first openly gay candidate for city council member who later was elected President in 1996.
*Atlanta elected the first black mayor of a Southern major city in 1973.
*Atlanta was the ONLY city in the South whose mayor testified in the 1960's in favor of Civil Rights legislation,
*Atlanta has had a Domestic Partner Benefits registry long before St.Louis and many other cities in the nation.
*Atlanta is building a streetcar.The first phase opens next year.
*When Atlantic Station was built it was lauded as THE largest urban infill project in North America.
*The BeltLine has also carried that distinction as well.Its a HUGE infrastructure project that is and has built new parks,biking and running paths and art along its route around the city repurposing old rail road tracks.
*Each year the LARGEST Black Gay Pride event in the world is hosted in Atlanta.
*Atlanta has THE largest Fiber optic Network in U.S
*Atlanta one of the most wired cities in America

I could go on but Imtalking too much.Your turn.What are we not aware of as to why St.Louis is so progressive?What is St.Louis doing?
Can't weight to hear what other weak rebuttal you can come up with.


The wild sprawling building that used to be a calling card for Atlanta has greatly been curtailed.There are SEVERAL articles addressing how Atlanta has become more of a example on how to do curb sprawl by its development of more walk-able communities.

So although transportation continues to be an issue,the city is infilling and even the suburbs are becoming much more urban than ever before.There were recent articles discussing this about how more 70% of the development is more urban walk able projects.

The fact that St.Louis has more urban neighborhoods is not really that impressive if so many of them are in decline.Atlanta had the fastest growing CITY population in 2011

Ant was wrong to suggest that St.Louis is not relevant.I would NEVER say such a thing.However it is correect that St.Louis is by NO means anywhere on any plain better than Atlanta.EVEN with Atlanta's negatives.

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by 2Easy

Palm Springs has an aerial trams to a mountain. Does that make it more like Atlanta than St Louis? I don't think so. Does the fact that London and Los Angeles both have ferris wheels make them more alike? Not at all. I guess that whatever point that you're trying to make is lost on me.

Were you the one complaing about the view?How did it now becaome more about what you responded to initially to now a comparion based on mountains in different cities nearby?

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

I think it's possible that Indiana is more conservative.

True.

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by Chadro77

Atlanta can't help there lack of Nineteenth Century architecture, a fella from the Midwest saw to it that they wouldn't have much.

Remember, Atlanta wasn't very big the first half of the Twentieth Century. Not their fault, ya can't have it all.

It was not big but its ALWAYS been important.

[ThreeSides]

Originally Posted by afonega1

The only thing that you posted that was fact is the gap between rich and poor.Its a problem that needs to be addressed.
Low wage job growth is the new norm in America.Its a reality that is an American problem.Atlanta is no different.However Atlanta DOES have a significant high tech sector and growing.It has a pool of great universities like Georgia Tech,Emory U and agencies like the CDC Headquarters.

The rest is not fact but just discussions and opinions.

Here are some fact for you.
The transportation referendum was a setback but the Atlanta economy has bounced back after the housing crisis.Housing sales are robust so how is this hindering the economy or the region TODAY?Its not.It may in the future if nothing is done.That is what the fuss was about.Our future.

Which is really also irrelevant because we are still way ahead of St.Louis by leaps in bounds.
Atlanta is not a "boom town" anymore. Boomtowns don't grow from the beginning they are founded.That is just a city with the right stuff.Thats Atlanta.Not bragging.It just is what it is no matter how many articles you can pull put out that suggest that the time is over

NYC,Chicago,LA,San Francisco, are all just like Atlanta in that regard.
St.Louis was a boomtown that went bust that is trying to find its footing again.When it does(I sincerly hope it does)it will then be the "real" boomtown


You asked what makes Atlanta more progressive?Well we built a transit system in the 1970's and for the most part it is well ridden and makes a big difference in why every other week companies keep announcing they are moving or thinking of moving to Atlanta.How many have moved or thinking of moving to St.Louis because of it referendum that passed?

The fact that St.Louis passed ONE recently versus 40 years ago when Atlanta built its subway system is not a plus for progressiveness in St,Louis.Its like FINALLY.

St.Louis has HUGE potential.How is it progressive if it has languished in decline for so many years?
Usually progressive cities grow in their core.St.Louis core has been in a constant decline for well over 40 years.How would neighborhoods that are loosing their population not take on ghetto or a look of neglect?

Even Pittsburh and Clevland long time ago changed their image and thier appeal for the better by doing what needed to be done to stop their decline.

You really want to act like Atlanta is Detroit?As if St.Louis is not MUCH closer to that realty by a LONG shot than Atlanta. Thats just a fact

*Atlanta elected the first openly gay candidate for city council member who later was elected President in 1996.
*Atlanta elected the first black mayor of a Southern major city in 1973.
*Atlanta was the ONLY city in the South whose mayor testified in the 1960's in favor of Civil Rights legislation,
*Atlanta has had a Domestic Partner Benefits registry long before St.Louis and many other cities in the nation.
*Atlanta is building a streetcar.The first phase opens next year.
*When Atlantic Station was built it was lauded as THE largest urban infill project in North America.
*The BeltLine has also carried that distinction as well.Its a HUGE infrastructure project that is and has built new parks,biking and running paths and art along its route around the city repurposing old rail road tracks.
*Each year the LARGEST Black Gay Pride event in the world is hosted in Atlanta.
*Atlanta has THE largest Fiber optic Network in U.S
*Atlanta one of the most wired cities in America

I could go on but Imtalking too much.Your turn.What are we not aware of as to why St.Louis is so progressive?What is St.Louis doing?
Can't weight to hear what other weak rebuttal you can come up with.


The wild sprawling building that used to be a calling card for Atlanta has greatly been curtailed.There are SEVERAL articles addressing how Atlanta has become more of a example on how to do curb sprawl by its development of more walk-able communities.

So although transportation continues to be an issue,the city is infilling and even the suburbs are becoming much more urban than ever before.There were recent articles discussing this about how more 70% of the development is more urban walk able projects.

The fact that St.Louis has more urban neighborhoods is not really that impressive if so many of them are in decline.Atlanta had the fastest growing CITY population in 2011

Ant was wrong to suggest that St.Louis is not relevant.I would NEVER say such a thing.However it is correect that St.Louis is by NO means anywhere on any plain better than Atlanta.EVEN with Atlanta's negatives.

Yeah Goat, you'd better come back strong. We're all weighting. I'm certain that your rebuttal will be heavy.

[afonega1]

Originally Posted by goat314

St. Louis is not politically aligned to Missouri as a state. Atlanta is much more culturally similar to the rest of Georgia. In fact, metro St. Louis is noticeably bluer and more liberal than Atlanta despite Atlanta's diversity and "progressive" boom. If St. Louis had the economic/population boom Atlanta has experienced it would look a lot more like Chicago and Missouri would be a solidly blue state.

Something is wrong with your eyes.
Are we looking at the same map?It looks to me that MO is definitely more conservative.That blue is mostly in Illinois.That is EAST ST.LOUIS.(black and poor).

Obama carried the Atlanta metro in both 2008 and 2012, by 4 points and 1 point, respectively

A slightly more amount of people voted for Romney than in Georgia.More also voted more for Obama in Georgia than MO.
Presidential 2012 election results | World news | theguardian.com

Instead of a map,how about some raw numbers?