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Detroit wins this one hands down. I cant believe Detroit even survived considering that 82% of the economy was related to the auto industry in 1955. That number was still almost 60% in 2000. The American Auto industry collapsed almost completely but Detroit has still seen job growth. The city was bankrupt less than 10 years ago.
Most people probably dont understand just how incredible the Detroit renaissance really has been.
Sure a lot of cities performed better overall but as far as most improved that certainly goes to Detroit.
I'm another vote for Philly as most improved large city in the 21st century. Center City is far more vital and it's seen a ton of gentrification beyond Center City.
I'm another vote for Philly as most improved large city in the 21st century. Center City is far more vital and it's seen a ton of gentrification beyond Center City.
Even beyond city limits in its metropolitan area you’ll find that Camden seems to be a fair bit better than it was a decade ago.
Most improved with a population at 1 million and above: Philadelphia definitely. Still lots of bad neighborhoods, but overall, gentrifcation has swept into many, and the center city is prime and on point with Manhattan, but cheaper.
Most Improved with population under 1 mil to 750,000: Denver in this category. The city has been building and building the past decade, and downtown is super livable. Up until March 2020, the economy was pretty hot, but this COVID bust may turn the tide for the city the next few years.
Most Improved with population under 750,000 to 500,000: Nashville here. No other city has really transformed so fast in such a short amount of time. The city has become a totally different place from about 2011 until 2020 today. The boom is continuing downtown and spreading into many city neighborhoods still.
Most Improved with population under 500,000 to 250,000: I'd say Cincinnati is a good example of overall improvement. Has some bad neighborhoods, but it is lively, downtown is livable and it's a vibrant city for its size.
Most Improved with population under 250,000 and lower: This was a tough one--and competitive. I'd say Greenville, SC wins this barely. The city has transformed from a small, conservative country city to a more dynamic, gentrified, livable destination for corporations, agencies, creatives, families, singles and those looking for smaller city life in a growing region.
For those who don’t truly understand how bad and hopeless the situation was there, the transformation has been nothing but remarkable. Yes it still has a ways to go, but measuring the change from where it was to where it is now, Detroit is definitely the most improved.
Chicago I am not sure about...Chicago is more or less on the same trajectory, if anything its future is a little shakier now than in 2010. I can't find any obvious ways that Chicago improved more than Philadelphia, and LA.
I started school at Drexel in 2009 (Philadelphia), and I spent a weekend there just prior to Covid, and it feels like a 180 in Center City and beyond. Obviously still a lot of problems throughout the city. LA is in the same boat with Philadelphia, although the change in LA doesn't feel as significant to me since its a much larger area.
I do wish people would provide some detail to their response, and this particular poster we are responding to is not a fan of Philadelphia or LA so that could be the reason they chose Chicago.
(to clarify, I love Chicago, and I already consider it the #1 or #2 most beautiful American city, therefore when mentioning most improved, I picture Philadelphia and LA, both wonderful cities, but there is a lot of room for them to improve in their own respective ways, and it showed more over the past decade.)
Just imagine if Chicago did make remarkable improvements. Smh...all that potential
Just imagine if Chicago did make remarkable improvements. Smh...all that potential
I would just say Chicago in no way stopped improvements in 2010 and this decade was going backwards or even slowed. Just it got a earlier start the perhaps Philly. But Its potential will be in future decades again in its areas that lost the most population and blight cleared out for a future of new infill.
I will let stand though that Philadelphia is perhaps the most improved given its spike in gentrifying was this decade to end. If Chicago was on the Coast or Sunbelt especially with mild winters. It clearly would be a booming city more then its core outward despite its issues. In the Midwest today does not help it in the least. Time will tell if the Midwest as a whole sees more growth in future decades as the Sunbelt has today. Clearly downtown Chicago was the fastest growing core of 2000-2010 and it did continue though this decade. I clearly saw it with each visit.
This new decade does not hold the most promise at this point for our denser legacy cities especially if they get true winters seen as worst then even the Eastern coastal cities. Chicago has no mighty NYC nearby to hope for transplants either as Philadelphia seems to see much potential for its continued renewal coming from.
Definitely Detroit, if nothing else symbolically it wins given the Michigan Central Station was an international symbol of urban decay and even with all the great Detroit redevelopment news in the last decade no one expected that to be saved.
I would just say Chicago in no way stopped improvements in 2010 and this decade was going backwards or even slowed. Just it got a earlier start the perhaps Philly. But Its potential will be in future decades again in its areas that lost the most population and blight cleared out for a future of new infill.
I will let stand though that Philadelphia is perhaps the most improved given its spike in gentrifying was this decade to end. If Chicago was on the Coast or Sunbelt especially with mild winters. It clearly would be a booming city more then its core outward despite its issues. In the Midwest today does not help it in the least. Time will tell if the Midwest as a whole sees more growth in future decades as the Sunbelt has today. Clearly downtown Chicago was the fastest growing core of 2000-2010 and it did continue though this decade. I clearly saw it with each visit.
This new decade does not hold the most promise at this point for our denser legacy cities especially if they get true winters seen as worst then even the Eastern coastal cities. Chicago has no mighty NYC nearby to hope for transplants either as Philadelphia seems to see much potential for its continued renewal coming from.
My points. I think the southern and western boomtowns will keep growing based on their location and ability to attract and retain jobs. I believe Chicago holds more promise than Philadelphia because it has no close competition in its region and has the more attractive core. I am not sure if enough people are moving away from NYC to make Philadelphia boom.
My points. I think the southern and western boomtowns will keep growing based on their location and ability to attract and retain jobs. I believe Chicago holds more promise than Philadelphia because it has no close competition in its region and has the more attractive core. I am not sure if enough people are moving away from NYC to make Philadelphia boom.
You realize Philadelphia can boom and *is booming* (not sure why you think that is up for debate) without completely relying on NYC?
If anything Chicago's isolation is proving to be a hindrance as time goes on, not a benefit.
(I see Chicago and Philadelphia doing decent / well in the 2020s, with the lead to Philadelphia. Literally every poster is in a general agreement that Philadelphia is the #1 or #2 most improved over 1M, yet you find a way to shortchange it...amazing at this point...you do the same thing in every thread.)
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