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Location: East Central Pennsylvania/ Chicago for 6yrs.
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I also would add Chicago to the mix of a large downtown renaissance last couple decades. After living there in the 80s and now visiting today. You surely see it all over. Our other Rust belt cities were slower to jump in. I am glad cities like Cleveland and Pittsburgh and Philly are. Someone posted in a thread, the changes just since a city VS city thread began in 2009 to today. In comparing his city of Philly has had many changes to put against a argument for it VS the other today. Chicago though seems to have had the most.
FOOD
The gastronomy has evolved from old school hamburgers + Mexican, to a top of the list foodie destination city, with L.A. being home to the gourmet food truck movement (though, one can argue that Portland does it better) and a (bolder) neo-California cuisine that doesn't cater to the European sensibilities of the East Coast, but rather the Pan-Asian and Latin American flavors. I don't know if it is 'better' than New York, that is quite subjective, but it definitely has established itself as somewhere where chefs can be true artists and curators of their own master pieces (or disasters). The city allows for a level of experimentation not seen with the traditional vanguards. https://www.yahoo.com/travel/sorry-n...068605142.html Why Los Angeles Is the Best Food Town in America - The Daily Beast
Infrastructure
Since the early 1990's L.A.s metro went from zero to 100mph, with an ever expanding network and plans to double/triple the number of lines. If the city is able to secure federal funding (or perhaps even an Olympic bid for 2024), it would be able to fast track a lot of projects that right now are just 'ideas'. Already you can go, on the metro, to just about all of L.A.s most walkable neighborhoods/cities: Old town Pasadena, DTLA, Hollywood, North Hollywood, Koreatown, Long Beach, Culver City...and very soon, Santa Monica. I can't think of any other city that has added this much rail in the past two decades (if I am wrong, please correct me) http://a.scpr.org/i/64898d4b221a182c...78380-full.jpg
Redefining 'urbane' on its own terms
Los Angeles is not New York, nor will it ever be, nor do Angelenos want it to be (despite the influx of New Yorkers). The city is becoming increasingly more livable and urbane. Its neighborhoods, from Silver Lake to Abbot Kinney (Venice), as over hyped as they may be for many of us, are now the current definition of 'cool'. No longer the car oriented Sunset Strip, which is a shadow of its former self. The city has initiated reforms from fixing its decrepit roads, to innovative programs like Mayor Garcetti's "Great Streets." Then there are events like CicLAvia, which are changing the way Angelenos (and outsiders) view Los Angeles. Not to mention the resurgence of Downtown L.A., which is experiencing a renaissance of its own, from the Arts District to Broadway to South Park. GQ's Coolest Block In America: Abbot Kinney Takes The Cake http://www.laweekly.com/informer/201...-united-states The First 15 LA Streets Getting Big Great Streets Makeovers - Word on the Street - Curbed LA CicLAvia America's Next Great City Is Downtown L.A.
Bottom line, Los Angeles is definitely experiencing a renaissance and transforming itself in a way few cities are.
That may be but it is not affordable. It is becoming a city for the very very very rich and the very poor. LA released a report called "LA 2020" which was devastating for LA, basically it said the city is collapsing and can't sustain itself.
A lot seems to be a Cleveland VS Pittsburgh thread. I read post saying how nearby areas near Bigger cities will benefit when the large city is gentrified and displaces more? Well You do realize that poorer classes moving from the larger cities is occurring? For example, I live in small town PA east central. Cheap housing in old stock row homes are plenty. People moving in from Philly, NYC boroughs and even Allentown/Bethlehem areas. Are seeking better schools free of gangs, for their children and cheap housing. Many ethnic groups in the mix. But jobs are not the primary reasons for many, because the jobs are not there to support more in these small old towns. What I am saying is some large cities are loosing unskilled groups. But gaining in high skilled people gentrifying areas. With northern cities undergoing gentrification. They show population losses of poorer families. But gain in highly educated generally childless singles and couples. I for one am happy if all of our formerly titled Rust Belt cities all continue a renaissance. But much depends on our economy. So many downtown projects got cancelled by our economic crash in 2008.
I believe Pittsburgh has flatlined. There are zero long term plans for growth in Pittsburgh compared to Ohio. Cleveland will come out on top if they continue with such things as waterfront development and rail line transit. Ohio cities focus on uniting regions where as Pittsburgh only focuses on the inner city and high end suburbs.
On top of that, Pittsburgh is expensive for the region. Many people, including myself, are relocating to Ohio for cheaper living similar to what those in Philly and NYC are doing in eastern PA. Why live in Pittsburgh when I can get a better style of life in Columbus and pay half?
I believe Pittsburgh has flatlined. There are zero long term plans for growth in Pittsburgh compared to Ohio. Cleveland will come out on top if they continue with such things as waterfront development and rail line transit. Ohio cities focus on uniting regions where as Pittsburgh only focuses on the inner city and high end suburbs.
Cleveland does have a much better rail transit system than Pittsburgh, but their overall ridership as a percentage of total population is much lower. And frankly, the rail system was set up decades ago - they just have a legacy of much better choices.
As for "uniting regions" - you need to be more specific here, because I have no idea what this means.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bluecarebear
On top of that, Pittsburgh is expensive for the region. Many people, including myself, are relocating to Ohio for cheaper living similar to what those in Philly and NYC are doing in eastern PA. Why live in Pittsburgh when I can get a better style of life in Columbus and pay half?
Fine, go. We're getting plenty of transplants still from Brooklyn and DC who will happily replace you. The reason prices have spiked here is because tons of people from elsewhere think it's worth the money.
Cleveland does have a much better rail transit system than Pittsburgh, but their overall ridership as a percentage of total population is much lower. And frankly, the rail system was set up decades ago - they just have a legacy of much better choices.
As for "uniting regions" - you need to be more specific here, because I have no idea what this means.
Fine, go. We're getting plenty of transplants still from Brooklyn and DC who will happily replace you. The reason prices have spiked here is because tons of people from elsewhere think it's worth the money.
Cleveland has plans for extending their rail service and including other counties (Lake). The rail system may be old but it goes downtown, to universities, and even to the airport. Pittsburgh doesn't have a rail system to the airport. Hopefully, a traveler has a hotel shuttle or a friend picking them up otherwise they will pay a good deal for a rental car or taxi.
Cleveland is a regional city with inclusion of the Akron/Canton corridor and the East/West corridor along the lake. The city is able to draw in big name conventions. For instance, the Gay Games of Cleveland and Akron. Notice the title isn't Cleveland only. When visitors think of Cleveland, several communities come to mind.
Pittsburgh focuses on high end neighborhoods within Allegheny and Butler County. There is never any focus on a regional growth including Washington, New Castle, Butler, and Johnstown. Those cities are left on their own to survive. When visitors think of Pittsburgh, downtown is what comes to mind.
"Fine, go. We're getting plenty of transplants still from Brooklyn and DC who will happily replace you. The reason prices have spiked here is because tons of people from elsewhere think it's worth the money." If that is true, then more residents would be buying instead of renting. That isn't the case.
Cleveland has plans for extending their rail service and including other counties (Lake). The rail system may be old but it goes downtown, to universities, and even to the airport. Pittsburgh doesn't have a rail system to the airport. Hopefully, a traveler has a hotel shuttle or a friend picking them up otherwise they will pay a good deal for a rental car or taxi.
Cleveland is a regional city with inclusion of the Akron/Canton corridor and the East/West corridor along the lake. The city is able to draw in big name conventions. For instance, the Gay Games of Cleveland and Akron. Notice the title isn't Cleveland only. When visitors think of Cleveland, several communities come to mind.
Pittsburgh focuses on high end neighborhoods within Allegheny and Butler County. There is never any focus on a regional growth including Washington, New Castle, Butler, and Johnstown. Those cities are left on their own to survive. When visitors think of Pittsburgh, downtown is what comes to mind.
Southwestern Pennsylvania doesn't have a regional transit agency. It has county-based transit agencies. There have been pushes for these to amalgamate, but nothing has happened yet. Unless/until it does, you're not going to see regional coordination on things like transit.
I'd actually argue Pittsburgh is a lot less Downtown focused than many rust-belt cities. The East End pulls most of the weight in terms of development/gentrification, not downtown.
I completely agree the outer cities are dying off though - but I think that would happen no matter what, given the economy (outside of the exurbs and the shale boom in Washington County) keeps getting worse and worse in the region. Regardless, it's beside the point. The OP was asking for cities that are in renaissance, not metros. The outlying counties loss is our gain. I can't tell you how many people I know who are younger who moved to Pittsburgh from Greensburg, Latrobe, etc.
Quote:
Originally Posted by bluecarebear
If that is true, then more residents would be buying instead of renting. That isn't the case.
Younger people prefer renting to buying these days, and most newcomers who don't have kids are going to want to rent for a year or two to get their bearings regardless.
If that is true, then more residents would be buying instead of renting. That isn't the case.
It's very typical for new residents of any city to rent for the first few years. Frankly, it's pretty stupid to buy a house until you know an area well, whether you plan on staying or not. Aside from that, they need time to settle into their job and confident they will stay at that job. And in addition to that, renting has become a more popular choice almost everywhere in the US because people are still skittish about the housing market and may have trouble getting mortgages.
Cleveland is a regional city with inclusion of the Akron/Canton corridor and the East/West corridor along the lake. The city is able to draw in big name conventions. For instance, the Gay Games of Cleveland and Akron. Notice the title isn't Cleveland only. When visitors think of Cleveland, several communities come to mind.
Pittsburgh focuses on high end neighborhoods within Allegheny and Butler County. There is never any focus on a regional growth including Washington, New Castle, Butler, and Johnstown. Those cities are left on their own to survive. When visitors think of Pittsburgh, downtown is what comes to mind.
What's wrong with that? Would you rather the urban core be ignored?
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