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People in the south get confused, because they associated city with CBD. Northerners are often confused when they go to the south, because it's hard to find any old residential neighborhoods near the CBD at all - it seems to go right to "suburbs."
Thoughts?
Last edited by JMT; 05-03-2013 at 05:31 AM..
Reason: Please follow the rules for posting images.
I don't get confused. DC and Baltimore are both in the south and have old neighborhoods and both of hundreds of blocks of rowhouses surrounding the CBD. The only walkable part of most southern cities is downtown and thats it.
First of all, do you know all southerners? Do you have any idea that there are urban southern cities? Do you know that most of them have plenty of old urban neighborhoods? New Orleans, Birmingham, Memphis, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Mobile, Richmond, and Galveston all have large urban districts.
First of all, do you know all southerners? Do you have any idea that there are urban southern cities? Do you know that most of them have plenty of old urban neighborhoods? New Orleans, Birmingham, Memphis, Lafayette, Baton Rouge, Mobile, Richmond, and Galveston all have large urban districts.
Of course I'm aware of New Orleans. Charleston and Savanna also famously have urban cores, and Richmond has the Fan District, which is of course classicly urban.
As for the other cities, I don't think the older neighborhoods, where they are intact, fit the classic mold. The historic districts I've seen which were built for the wealthy tend to have larger houses sitting fairly far back on the property. They look old, but seem "soft urban" at most. The worker housing tends to be shotgun houses, which to a northerner simply does not feel "urban."
Part of the issue regarding popular perceptions too is these are largely not the sunbelt southern megopolises most people go to. I'm aware cities like Houston used to have many historic neighborhoods, but they obliterated them when constructing their CBD and highways.
I think its more of a generational thing. Through the entire second half of the 20th century, suburbia was king and inner cities were deteriorating so walkability was not an essential requirement of being a real city and the people of that era had no problem with and maybe even preferred a large house in a culdesac. Today, walkability and being able to live without a car is one of the top things young adults look for in a place.
All of these cities in the pics posted above are real cities. The difference is, southern cities just grew up later than northern cities. Northern cities as everyone knows were built before vehicles, so of course their neighborhoods are going to be more dense and compact. Plus there are a few older neighborhoods near the core of ATL that are fairly compact. Granted, they are still filled with SFH, but they are older, streets are narrow, houses are close together and are on smaller lots. This is in the Sweet Auburn district namely and contrary to popular belief, there are few other neighborhoods that are fairly dense and walkable that many pple outside of Atlanta even know about. But of course, southern cities have never really developed rowhouses and those are pretty much a characteristic of northeastern cities and a few areas of VA.
I think its more of a generational thing. Through the entire second half of the 20th century, suburbia was king and inner cities were deteriorating so walkability was not an essential requirement of being a real city and the people of that era had no problem with and maybe even preferred a large house in a culdesac.
I don't see any generation difference. The older generation might not want to live in cities, but the idea of a "real city" didn't change.
If one judges cities by walkability of neighborhoods and the city as a whole. Yes the south is lacking a real urban experience compared to other parts of the country.
If one is looking at a city amenities such as colleges, retail and other things? No
When a southerner thinks about something being a "real city" - they think of this:
When a northerner thinks about a "real city" - they think of this:
People in the south get confused, because they associated city with CBD. Northerners are often confused when they go to the south, because it's hard to find any old residential neighborhoods near the CBD at all - it seems to go right to "suburbs."
Thoughts?
aren't they all "real cities"???
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