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This. Downtown/Midtown Atlanta pack is a pretty powerful punch these days...very underrated on this forum. It feels large, especially say if you're on 5th and Peachtree, you can see a line of skyscrapers going both ways for another mile or two. I honestly think Atlanta's core is the 2nd biggest one out of the list...only Seattle's is larger.
Atlanta also does a pretty nice job centralizing it's museums, world class aquarium, convention centers, tourist traps, and nightlife in Downtown/Midtown and if it's not in one of those two areas, it's in one of the neighborhoods that abut them like the Martin Luther King Jr. area in Sweet Auburn which is right next to downtown or Atlantic Station right across the bridge from Midtown.
Atlanta is also currently the only one on this list to actually have a real subway like system so that adds to the big city feel when you see people going in and out of the train stations. Downtown/Midtown have a combined 8 or 9 stations.
Atlanta's central core:
Midtown Atlanta from Downtown Skyscraper
The other three cities wishes they had an actual subway station like this:
Too bad they'll only get lightrail.
I just don't see how people can say Atlanta is the least bustling or fast paced. For example, What makes Minneapolis so fast paced? Because it's not a southern city? Give me a break.
Not to take anything away from MARTA but here in Seattle we have an underground transit tunnel as well (which we are extending - the next 3 miles and 2 stations are finally less than a year from opening) Note: its the only one I know which allows both buses and trains. Given Seattle's size I think this a reasonable solution for its transit infrastructure.
Your mileage may vary. Minneapolis and especially Seattle have denser cores, so while they are much smaller, I can understand why many will give them the edge over Houston.
Atlanta? No way. Houston's compact neighborhoods and foot traffic may be a tad less centralized, but the city as a WHOLE is easily more bustling.
Your own personal criteria might be based on WalkScore alone, but mine is based on several other things.
Houston is 600 square miles...come on now. Where exactly are these bustling and vibrant neighborhoods of Houston and why don't I ever see them in photos? What neighborhood in Houston gets as much foot traffic as Atlantic Station in Atlanta for example? None. Any neighborhood in Houston comparable to Midtown Atlanta? No.
And the foot traffic in the downtowns of both cities aren't close. Atlanta's downtown supports a large tourist base, a large student population of 35,000 students(Georgia State University), and over 80,000 workers, along with over 16,000 living in Downtown core. There's a reason why the Ferris Wheel in downtown is so successful. The concentration of tourist attractions in Atlanta is only beaten by Seattle on this list and even then, that's probably not the case.
Come on, tell us what several other things you're basing it on. Any one who has been to both cities can easily see Atlanta's core is more bustling.
Houston is 600 square miles...come on now. Where exactly are these bustling and vibrant neighborhoods of Houston and why don't I ever see them in photos? What neighborhood in Houston gets as much foot traffic as Atlantic Station in Atlanta for example? None. Any neighborhood in Houston comparable to Midtown Atlanta? No.
And the foot traffic in the downtowns of both cities aren't close. Atlanta's downtown supports a large tourist base, a large student population of 35,000 students(Georgia State University), and over 80,000 workers, along with over 16,000 living in Downtown core. There's a reason why the Ferris Wheel in downtown is so successful. The concentration of tourist attractions in Atlanta is only beaten by Seattle on this list and even then, that's probably not the case.
Come on, tell us what several other things you're basing it on. Any one who has been to both cities can easily see Atlanta's core is more bustling.
This OP asked us about the entire cities; not just their cores. So I will add to your comment and say that anyone who has been to both cities will tell you that Houston is more bustling overall.
It certainly looks sleeker and more updated than anything you'll find in Atlanta.
I do indeed wish Houston had more developed rail transit. It's quite astounding that they've been able to get by without one. The city's low elevation probably makes subway stations unlikely, but there's no reason a solid elevated system wouldn't work.
This OP asked us about the entire cities; not just their cores. So I will add to your comment and say that anyone who has been to both cities will tell you that Houston is more bustling overall.
It's probably more apples-to-apples to look at the cores (inner CBD[s] + surrounding neighborhoods) of all of these cities though, since the square mileage of the cities proper vary so much.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Gunion Powder
It certainly looks sleeker and more updated than anything you'll find in Atlanta.
Except the Sandy Springs and North Springs stations which are relatively newish.
It certainly looks sleeker and more updated than anything you'll find in Atlanta.
I do indeed wish Houston had more developed rail transit. It's quite astounding that they've been able to get by without one. The city's low elevation probably makes subway stations unlikely, but there's no reason a solid elevated system wouldn't work.
It certainly looks sleeker and more updated than anything you'll find in Atlanta.
I do indeed wish Houston had more developed rail transit. It's quite astounding that they've been able to get by without one. The city's low elevation probably makes subway stations unlikely, but there's no reason a solid elevated system wouldn't work.
And? NYC's subway stations mostly look like crap, still functional and the best transit system in the country.
It's probably more apples-to-apples to look at the cores (inner CBD[s] + surrounding neighborhoods) of all of these cities though, since the square mileage of the cities proper vary so much.
Except the Sandy Springs and North Springs stations which are relatively newish.
Agreed. Decatur Station doesn't look new, but it's easily the more remarkable rail stations I've ever seen.
Nothing that I would call sleek or updated, to answer your question.
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