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I think Baltimore > Richmond is more accurate. Yes, Richmond and DC are close to one another and have a history as national capitals. However, Richmond and Baltimore share urban qualities, have waterways at the center of their downtowns, are at the center of rich, historically powerful states, with rolling countryside (again, their states). They also have rich suburbs, despite having strong, underappreciated urban cores.
Personally, I believe the architecture and housing stock in Richmond favors DC slightly more, however....Richmond is a composite of both DC and Baltimore in many ways, in the ways you mentioned and in others. Richmond is DC and Baltimore on a smaller scale with slightly more southern hospitality...
Unrelated, but as I've gotten older, the more I realize how unique Richmond is to The Commonwealth. There is nowhere else in Virginia much like it besides Petersburg. Richmond definitely is more alike DC and Baltimore than it is to Norfolk...
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Originally Posted by goat314
I don't agree with St. Louis and Memphis. St. Louis and Memphis share some BBQ, Blues, and river heritage, but other than that have really different layout and architecture.
St. Louis reminds me of Memphis in many ways. The blighted areas, stagnant economy, crime, large black populations, river heritage, cultural similarities, food, music etc. St. Louis is Midwestern, of course. It is like a blend of Memphis and Chicago (not in size, but feel). I still don't see the Houston/Tampa connection, but to each their own. I also thought about St. Louis>Louisville, but Louisville reminds me more of Cincinnati.
I will say that the African-American culture of the two cities are similar (although the Memphis region is much blacker demographically and culturally). Outside of the AA community, the cities are really different culturally. St. Louis was and is heavily Catholic and was defined by white ethnic neighborhoods in a way Memphis wasn't. As far as stagnant economy and crime, well that can be said for most urban cities with large, black underclasses. Detroit, Cleveland, Baltimore, New Orleans etc. all struggle with this, but I wouldn't say the cities are all that similar outside that fact. Again, I think most of the Memphis and St. Louis comparisons are based off of proximity and AA culture (BBQ, Blues, family ties). Outside of that, I don't think Memphis and St. Louis are all that similar.
Personally, I believe the architecture and housing stock in Richmond favors DC slightly more, however....Richmond is a composite of both DC and Baltimore in many ways, in the ways you mentioned and in others. Richmond is DC and Baltimore on a smaller scale with slightly more southern hospitality...
Unrelated, but as I've gotten older, the more I realize how unique Richmond is to The Commonwealth. There is nowhere else in Virginia much like it besides Petersburg. Richmond definitely is more alike DC and Baltimore than it is to Norfolk...
Given how well you know these cities, do you think Richmond will become more similar to Baltimore as time passes? The economy of DC has surely affected its culture, at least where prices have went through the roof. Richmond has a more healthy growth that, I'm guessing, will keep the local culture from being over-powered too harshly.
Note: I left in 2014 and haven't been back since, but I'm visiting later this year.
I was shocked at how different Richmond is in feel compared to Norfolk, considering how close they are. However, DC is closer, and a straight shot up a congested I-95 versus having to cross a congested tunnel across a body of water via 64. Norfolk is also a lot more transient than RVA due to the military population, and seemed as if it were isolated for a long period of time due to its location versus Richmond, which is on a much more heavily-traveled route. They both have different distinct cultures as a result. Norfolk was influenced by its port and the Navy. I can also tell that a lot of its older neighborhoods were not as well-preserved as Richmond's. Lots of attempts at urban renewal, some of which were more successful than others.
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Originally Posted by Shakeesha
St. Louis reminds me of Memphis in many ways. The blighted areas, stagnant economy, crime, large black populations, river heritage, cultural similarities, food, music etc. St. Louis is Midwestern, of course. It is like a blend of Memphis and Chicago (not in size, but feel). I still don't see the Houston/Tampa connection, but to each their own. I also thought about St. Louis>Louisville, but Louisville reminds me more of Cincinnati.
RE: Houston/Tampa - Fast growing Gulf-South metro areas with similar terrain/vegetation, and both serve as large port cities. Both have an strong industrial/working class heritage. Unlike most cities in Florida that were built for leisure, Tampa boomed due to the phosphate mining in the surrounding areas and its port, while nearby St. Petersburg and Clearwater were built for tourism and pleasure. Houston's fortunes came from the energy industry. A lot of the older neighborhoods in each city have similar architecture and both had decent sized ethnic enclaves (Tampa with its Cuban/Italian communities for example). However, there are differences between the cities. Houston is a much larger and far more diverse city for one, and a lot more bombastic in its appearance and vibe compared to the more laid-back approach and feel that Tampa has. Also, Tampa doesn't feel quite as southern as Houston due to the large number of Northeastern and Midwestern transplants who have relocated there over the decades. There are a lot of transplants from those regions that call Houston home, but lots of southerners from surrounding states (especially Louisiana) who have migrated to the area over the years have contributed to the vibe of the area, not to mention the local culture leans southern. Also, Houston has been a far larger city and metro for a much longer time than the Tampa Bay Area has.
St. Louis and Memphis' black communities share a lot of similarities, but its white communities are quite different, and the city has a much more overt Midwestern feel with minor southern elements as a result.
There were also more white ethnic enclaves in STL, primarily German and Italian, while the white communities in Memphis didn't have a lot of huge ethnic enclaves. I've visited the cities several times, and while I see similarities, they're a lot more different than they are alike. That being said, your comparison of STL to having elements of both Chicago and Memphis is pretty accurate.
Last edited by biscuit_head; 08-01-2017 at 09:54 AM..
Houston is a much larger and far more diverse city for one, and a lot more bombastic in its promotion and vibe compared to the more laid-back approach and feel that Tampa has.
That's a first. For a major city, Houston doesn't do much self-promotion at all and that's a criticism you'll hear from residents and outsiders alike.
Every other city and metro you posted is pretty much twice the size or more than the little brother. It's funny how Nashville has managed to vault itself into major city status when it really is not. Most the rest of your comparisons are accurate except possibly Jax being a baby brother to Tampa. Jax is about half the size so I guess it counts
This is so true. Nashville gets "compared up" much more than most every other city on C-D. Combining Nashville's strong brand identity along with bloated municipal and metropolitan land areas in support of their population metrics has served it well. That said, with Louisville's consolidation, it too has bloated its municipal population in a very similar way. So, it sort of makes sense to me to compare the two. However, big sister/little sister relationships between the two is a valid argument since they are not that different in contiguous urban area population associated with their core cities.
Nashville: 1,090,000
Louisville: 1,020,000
That's a first. For a major city, Houston doesn't do much self-promotion at all and that's a criticism you'll hear from residents and outsiders alike.
Whoops, let me clarify, LOL. I changed "promotion" to "appearance" because I meant that Houston is a much more in-your-face type of city in terms/context of the Texas swagger/pride and making larger-than-life development for its residents to enjoy. You're right that Houston doesn't have the braggadocio that say, Dallas has. Dallas had to really go out of its way to promote itself to attract residents and corporations due to its inland location and not being on a navigable river. Austin has the advantage of being the State Capital in a more naturally beautiful part of the state than DFW or Houston, and has promoted itself as a blue dot in the red sea of Texas...OTOH, Houston moves in comparative silence, but lets its tall skyscrapers, robust performing arts scene, its busy port, and large medical center speak for themselves, although they're not necessarily immediately associated with "HOUSTON," if that makes any sense. Whatever Houston does, it's done big, but you're right, they don't exactly promote themselves in the way Dallasites do. However, I can't deny that it speaks to people since it is one of the fastest-growing metros in the country. I feel that in direct comparison to Tampa, its a lot more of an in-your-face type of city than the more low-key Tampa.
Last edited by biscuit_head; 08-01-2017 at 09:59 AM..
That's a first. For a major city, Houston doesn't do much self-promotion at all and that's a criticism you'll hear from residents and outsiders alike.
Yeah that part confused me a little there too. Maybe biscuit_head is referring to something different when it comes to bombastic. But Houston is a mystery on what it offers to most people. Opposite of Dallas and Austin.
*edit* now I see what he is saying with the second reply.
Yeah that part confused me a little there too. Maybe biscuit_head is referring to something different when it comes to bombastic. But Houston is a mystery on what it offers to most people. Opposite of Dallas and Austin.
*edit* now I see what he is saying with the second reply.
My bad, I'm rambling, but I hope I made more sense in my second reply in what I'm trying to convey about H-Town.
Whoops, let me clarify, LOL. I changed "promotion" to "appearance" because I meant that Houston is a much more in-your-face type of city in terms/context of the Texas swagger/pride and making larger-than-life development for its residents to enjoy. You're right that Houston doesn't have the braggadocio that say, Dallas has. Dallas had to really go out of its way to promote itself to attract residents and corporations due to its inland location and not being on a navigable river. Austin has the advantage of being the State Capital in a more naturally beautiful part of the state than DFW or Houston, and has promoted itself as a blue dot in the red sea of Texas...OTOH, Houston moves in comparative silence, but lets its tall skyscrapers, robust performing arts scene, its busy port, and large medical center speak for themselves, although they're not necessarily immediately associated with "HOUSTON," if that makes any sense. Whatever Houston does, it's done big, but you're right, they don't exactly promote themselves in the way Dallasites do. However, I can't deny that it speaks to people since it is one of the fastest-growing metros in the country. I feel that in direct comparison to Tampa, its a lot more of an in-your-face type of city than the more low-key Tampa.
Hmmmm, ok. I'd think that much of Houston's "bombasticness," as you termed it, is directly related to its lack of zoning which you didn't mention. That's the one thing that's uniquely Houston compared to other major cities.
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