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I've spent a lot of time in three of these cities (LA, Hou, and Dallas), but admittedly only a few days in Atlanta. I would rank them as follows:
1. LA
2. Atlanta
3. Dallas
4. Houston
LA was already a major city by the outbreak of WW2.
1940 Population:
LA- 1.5 million city (3.3 million metro)
Houston- 385K city (530 K metro)
Atlanta- 300K city (800K metro)
Dallas- 300K city (675K metro)
Those areas built prior to WWII were designed for less auto dependence than those areas that came after. Most of LA developed along the red line tracks (former streetcars), so the typical design in most of LA is commercial areas and apartments along the blvds/major streets (that carried the red line tracks) with the areas off these major streets being neighborhoods of SFH or of duplexes. The hillside areas developed prior to WW2 were designed with pedestrian stairs to cut down to major thoroughfares where the residents could take the red line or buses. The red line is gone, but buses run most of those routes and some subways, BRT, and lightrail run the remainder. People think of LA as car dependent because getting from one neighborhood to another without a car is slower, but most SFH neighborhood in the city have commercial districts within easy walking distance. Admittedly, in the Valley (About 1/3 of the city's population), the set-up is more for cars than people, with big streets and businesses fronted by huge parking lots, but in the LA basin, urban and streetcar suburban are the more common set-ups.
Housing stock diversity is anther area where LA really shines. Residential architecture in LA has been trendsetting in the country for the last century. There is a huge mix of housing, from hillside mega mansions to Victorians, Craftsman Bungalows, Tudors, Spanish style, Storybook, Mid century-Modern, California Ranch, Contemporary etc. One thing that always surprises me in California is that houses are often a lot older than you think based on there appearance. For example, the 'Brady Bunch' home just sold to HGTV, and they said they were going to restore it to it's '1970's prime.' It looks similar to houses that were built in the rest of the US in the early 1970's, but that house was actually designed and built in the mid to late 1950's in LA.
I've spent a lot of time in three of these cities (LA, Hou, and Dallas), but admittedly only a few days in Atlanta. I would rank them as follows:
1. LA
2. Atlanta
3. Dallas
4. Houston
LA was already a major city by the outbreak of WW2.
1940 Population:
LA- 1.5 million city (3.3 million metro)
Houston- 385K city (530 K metro)
Atlanta- 300K city (800K metro)
Dallas- 300K city (675K metro)
Those areas built prior to WWII were designed for less auto dependence than those areas that came after. Most of LA developed along the red line tracks (former streetcars), so the typical design in most of LA is commercial areas and apartments along the blvds/major streets (that carried the red line tracks) with the areas off these major streets being neighborhoods of SFH or of duplexes. The hillside areas developed prior to WW2 were designed with pedestrian stairs to cut down to major thoroughfares where the residents could take the red line or buses. The red line is gone, but buses run most of those routes and some subways, BRT, and lightrail run the remainder. People think of LA as car dependent because getting from one neighborhood to another without a car is slower, but most SFH neighborhood in the city have commercial districts within easy walking distance. Admittedly, in the Valley (About 1/3 of the city's population), the set-up is more for cars than people, with big streets and businesses fronted by huge parking lots, but in the LA basin, urban and streetcar suburban are the more common set-ups.
Housing stock diversity is anther area where LA really shines. Residential architecture in LA has been trendsetting in the country for the last century. There is a huge mix of housing, from hillside mega mansions to Victorians, Craftsman Bungalows, Tudors, Spanish style, Storybook, Mid century-Modern, California Ranch, Contemporary etc. One thing that always surprises me in California is that houses are often a lot older than you think based on there appearance. For example, the 'Brady Bunch' home just sold to HGTV, and they said they were going to restore it to it's '1970's prime.' It looks similar to houses that were built in the rest of the US in the early 1970's, but that house was actually designed and built in the mid to late 1950's in LA.
You know a lot about LA but seems you dont know alot about Atlanta.
Atlanta oldest neighborhoods dating back to the late 1880's were all streetcar neighborhoods.
WestEnd
Inman Park
Grant Park
Candler park
Old Fourth Ward
All these neighborhoods have SFH being the predominate footprint in each of them.
many of the towers and larger residential building were not being built until the 1950;-60's
As far as housing stock.Sure Cali and LA are trendestters and those styles did make it South but Southern styles do not make it to the west coast very often. like they do in other parts of the country
I have seen every single style in the Atlanta metro that is in LA but several styles found in Atlanta are rarely seen.Like Greek revival,Neo-Georgian,brick ranches and some other styles I dont know by name but I have rarely seen them also out West
Which one of the poll choices do you feel does SFH neighborhoods better as far as quality of life goes. This includes walkability (sidewalks, close access to retail and schools), access to transit (Not exclusive to rail, BRT and neighborhood circulators count), housing stock diversity, etc
Based on this criteria, I think Los Angeles is #1.
LA does the patchwork of walkable village towns very well. Eventually all these towns melted into each other making a giant patchwork quilt city than is not dense urban and concentrated like Manhattan but more like what you see in Queens or Brooklyn or dense suburban with pockets of dense urban. Some areas have nearby Metro rail stations or BRT. But all areas have bus lines along major street corridors some with more rapid buses on the busiest stations. The major street corridors are really long and are primarily commercial corridors for things like supermarkets, restaurants, bars, shopping, offices mix-used. Generally wont find businesses in the SFH streets. What I love about the neighborhoods of SFH is they aren't far from walkable commercial streets or centers. Here are some examples of SFH areas, walkable commercial areas nearby, schools parks amenities, walkable streets, near transit, a variety of housing styles
Based on this criteria, I think Los Angeles is #1.
LA does the patchwork of walkable village towns very well. Eventually all these towns melted into each other making a giant patchwork quilt city than is not dense urban and concentrated like Manhattan but more like what you see in Queens or Brooklyn or dense suburban with pockets of dense urban. Some areas have nearby Metro rail stations or BRT. But all areas have bus lines along major street corridors some with more rapid buses on the busiest stations. The major street corridors are really long and are primarily commercial corridors for things like supermarkets, restaurants, bars, shopping, offices mix-used. Generally wont find businesses in the SFH streets. What I love about the neighborhoods of SFH is they aren't far from walkable commercial streets or centers. Here are some examples of SFH areas, walkable commercial areas nearby, schools parks amenities, walkable streets, near transit, a variety of housing styles
You know one or two houses does not mean they are common right?Diversity also includes different price points.Wealthy enclaves are more likely to have what ever the owner can afford.
How about posting some pictures of a solid middle class neighborhood?
You know one or two houses does not mean they are common right?Diversity also includes different price points.Wealthy enclaves are more likely to have what ever the owner can afford.
How about posting some pictures of a solid middle class neighborhood?
Even in Middle class neighborhood in LA most the country couldn't afford them. Here is Leimert Park a middle class nieghborhood in South LA https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0025...7i13312!8i6656 most of the homes here are around 700k though. It's insane even in the worst parts of town you'll find many homes in 600-700k range easily, just about every home has doubled in value in the last 6 years equity central.
Even in Middle class neighborhood in LA most the country couldn't afford them. Here is Leimert Park a middle class nieghborhood in South LA https://www.google.com/maps/@34.0025...7i13312!8i6656 most of the homes here are around 700k though. It's insane even in the worst parts of town you'll find many homes in 600-700k range easily, just about every home has doubled in value in the last 6 years equity central.
yes I have family in Gardenia and their neighborhood looks similar but its lower middle class.These houses anywhere in most of America would be lower income,This is what I meant my the housing styles in California for the average person.
You can find a smaller houses of variety in ALL classes of neighborhoods
Another aunt lived in Grenada Hills before she died several years ago.Her house on a llittle more than 0.25 acre lot was bout the size of my house in Atlanta which is 3700sq ft on a 1 acre lot(big even for Atlanta standards).Her house back then was worth just over half a million.That was 30 years ago.
You know one or two houses does not mean they are common right?Diversity also includes different price points.Wealthy enclaves are more likely to have what ever the owner can afford.
How about posting some pictures of a solid middle class neighborhood?
Actually the last pic is my brother's street in Leimert Park which is a nice solid middle class neighborhood.
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