Edge Cities with huge potential? (chapel, employment, university)

[gottaq]

What are some smaller cities at the edge of metro areas with huge growth potential? A few that come to mind for me are Frederick MD, Allentown-Bethlehem PA, Middletown NY, Danbury CT. any more?

[Maintainschaos]

Rockford, IL is a possibility. Aurora and Joliet have both grown by considerable margins as well--I think Aurora is almost 200,000 people now.

[Jowel]

Cary, NC (although it's sometimes overrated in my opinion), which is next to Raleigh. Close to UNC-Chapel Hill (Carolina), Duke, NC State, Research Triangle Park (a mini Silicon Valley of IT and biotechnology), high income, high rates of education, lots of yuppies. It's population has surpassed 150K, I believe.

[Lets Eat Candy]

It's sad because I think a lot of edge cities nowadays are becoming the new inner-city. As the inner areas of the metro become more expensive, the poor get priced out (but at least get "newer" housing) into exurbs that, a lot of the time, have long commutes to job centers or are plain out in the middle of nowhere.

Here in Southern California, Ventura County beats that exception, but it depends how "connected" to LA you think it is. Simi Valley touches the city of LA, so it's not really an edge city. Thousand Oaks is a bit further, is relatively high income and has lots of professionals, but it might be too close to LA to be an edge city. Ditto for Moorpark, but it's a bit more rundown than TO. Pass the Conejo Pass, Camarillo has pretty good, but Oxnard is making the transition from overgrown agricultural town to exurb.

All the CA edge cities are growing though. Just not in ways I think are always good. Riverside, San Bernardino, Stanislaus, San Joaquin, Merced counties are your traditional "edge" counties, but are full of the aforementioned poor.

[ckhthankgod]

I guess Ann Arbor MI comes to mind. Perhaps Holland and Pontiac also MI would fit. Elgin IL may be another one.

[speagles84]

Cranberry, PA

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cranber...,_Pennsylvania

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Bellevue, WA is the bonafide definition for an edge city and it will continue to grow. If Orange County and Vancouver, BC had a love child, it would be Bellevue.

[Champ le monstre du lac]

Originally Posted by Jowel

Cary, NC (although it's sometimes overrated in my opinion), which is next to Raleigh. Close to UNC-Chapel Hill (Carolina), Duke, NC State, Research Triangle Park (a mini Silicon Valley of IT and biotechnology), high income, high rates of education, lots of yuppies. It's population has surpassed 150K, I believe.

Cary still feels like a town even with 150K+, with a downtown that feels like the size of a small town around 7,000. It's all woodsy sprawl and has no edge city feel to it at all. I'd rather see more downtown investment in Raleigh and Durham rather than wasting edge city development on Cary. Even Apex has a more lively downtown than Cary. Perhaps if an edge city were to evolve in the RDU/Triangle area, it would probably happen within RTP itself, or immediately adjacent to it given the airport is right there alongside all the employment centers.

[jetsfan16]

Rock Hill, SC. 15-20 miles from Charlotte, has Winthrop University and is a very fast-growing area with a lot of well-paying jobs.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by jetsfan16

Rock Hill, SC. 15-20 miles from Charlotte, has Winthrop University and is a very fast-growing area with a lot of well-paying jobs.

Not really Rock Hill, but Fort Mill is a good contender for future edge city status.