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I would call those a deathbed resuscitation, not a renaissance.
"ones that are making a complete 180 turn regarding a revival of their cityscapes, particularly with downtown development, urbanity, and vibrancy"
DC, Seattle and New York are the ones that best fit this description. They were all in the pits 40 years ago.
Renaissance means rebirth Seattle had a pretty linear progression. I'll give you D.C. And I think saying Cleveland or Detriot is a bit premature because they havent turned the corner yet. Seattle lost about the same amount of people as Atlanta did in the 60s/70s and nobody in their right mind would call Atlanta a renaissance city.
Renaissance means rebirth Seattle had a pretty linear progression. I'll give you D.C. And I think saying Cleveland or Detriot is a bit premature because they havent turned the corner yet. Seattle lost about the same amount of people as Atlanta did in the 60s/70s and nobody in their right mind would call Atlanta a renaissance city.
Agreed. Any city that emerged from decentralization by or before 1990 does not qualify for currently experiencing a renaissance. Every city that had any sort of notable population declined in the 60s and 70s. I would argue that Detroit and Cleveland actually do count given the levels of compounding investment they are seeing. If/when they start gaining residents again would put them in a different category IMO. I specifically am not mentioning cities like Grand Rapids, because I feel like it's current momentum brings it beyond a renaissance. Though I suppose it truly depends on how the OP defines renaissance because there are several cities not far removed from one.
Agreed. Any city that emerged from decentralization by or before 1990 does not qualify for currently experiencing a renaissance. Every city that had any sort of notable population declined in the 60s and 70s. I would argue that Detroit and Cleveland actually do count given the levels of compounding investment they are seeing. If/when they start gaining residents again would put them in a different category IMO. I specifically am not mentioning cities like Grand Rapids, because I feel like it's current momentum brings it beyond a renaissance. Though I suppose it truly depends on how the OP defines renaissance because there are several cities not far removed from one.
I'd argue Philly, DC, Cincinnati have actually emerged from their decline rather than starting to hit bottom. Both Detriot and Cleveland probably have about 5 or 6 sq miles that are doing wel and hip but I Detriot has still lost 40,000 residents since 2010, and Cleveland has lost 11,000. That's not a marginal amount, (especially considering the population growth in the core) that's still neighborhoods being depopulated.
I'd argue Philly, DC, Cincinnati have actually emerged from their decline rather than starting to hit bottom. Both Detriot and Cleveland probably have about 5 or 6 sq miles that are doing wel and hip but I Detriot has still lost 40,000 residents since 2010, and Cleveland has lost 11,000. That's not a marginal amount, (especially considering the population growth in the core) that's still neighborhoods being depopulated.
The difference is Metro Detroit is now experiencing population gain. Greater Cleveland and Cleveland city are both losing still...
.............
Richmond is in a renaissance, certainly. I'd have to put some thought into whether or not its amongst the biggest rebirths, but RVA's rebirth has occurred/is accelerating for much of the same reasons DC's is; they have s very similar journey and climb...
I live in Norfolk, the only renaissance here would be Downtown, and even there I don't think I'd use "renaissance". It has built up more and is rising in popularity but is in competition with the other Southside downtown in Virginia Beach. Otherwise, where as Richmond has seen a reinvigoration in neighborhoods citywide, the same mundane or dangerous Norfolk neighborhoods are still the same downtrodden neighborhoods. Richmond qualifies, Norfolk doesn't...
I'd argue Philly, DC, Cincinnati have actually emerged from their decline rather than starting to hit bottom.
DC definitely, as it's gaining in the neighborhood of 800 new residents a month with a total population around 700K...which is up 100K residents since 2010 or 14%. Cincinnati while showing signs of life downtown has only picked up about 6K residents since 2010 (+1%) to go past 300K for the first time since 2009, when it lost over 30K residents during the recession. Philadelphia picked up 6100 residents from 2016 to 2017 (+.003% or 3/1000th) but more people moved out than those who moved in, with birth rates of existing residents driving the growth over death rates. One could also probably make the argument the birth rates are not in areas of the city driving economic vitality either.
Agreed. Any city that emerged from decentralization by or before 1990 does not qualify for currently experiencing a renaissance. Every city that had any sort of notable population declined in the 60s and 70s. I would argue that Detroit and Cleveland actually do count given the levels of compounding investment they are seeing. If/when they start gaining residents again would put them in a different category IMO. I specifically am not mentioning cities like Grand Rapids, because I feel like it's current momentum brings it beyond a renaissance. Though I suppose it truly depends on how the OP defines renaissance because there are several cities not far removed from one.
Buffalo has experienced its first population gains in the city and metro in decades. Transition and conversion of industrial to mixed use is ongoing in several areas of the city with 180 degree neighborhood and area conversions such as Canalside, Medical/Fruit Belt, Hydraulics (Larkinville), First Ward/Buffalo River, Niagara corridor, Black Rock, Lower Main Street - huge neighborhood improvements in North Buffalo (Hertel), West Side, Main Street corridor - and turnarounds accelerating along East Side areas like Broadway/Fillmore (Polonia) due to recent immigration, Ferry/Jefferson and South Buffalo (Seneca) with ongoing major private investment, and Northland/Belt Line area due to major public and private investment.
One very small example is that there is ongoing work converting a former downtown department store, vacant for decades, into a Wyndham Hotel catering to Chinese tourists. It wasn't long ago that you had to drive to Canada just to get Chinese food! There is also a recent proposal to convert another long vacant building in Niagara Falls (which is in the Buffalo Metro area) by the same company.
There are fewer and fewer areas of the city that are not experiencing major changes. Area home sales, for example just set new records for highest median sales price, shortest time on the market, and lowest inventory of unsold homes. (Sale prices are still low relative to most other cities)
Even the Times of London just recently posted a travel article about Buffalo, telling its readers to fly into Toronto (direct flight) and drive down and stay in Buffalo (not just Niagara Falls).
Crazy changes, unimaginable in my lifetime.
Last edited by RocketSci; 08-10-2018 at 07:30 AM..
I would call those a deathbed resuscitation, not a renaissance.
Semantics; renaissance means a rebirth.
Quote:
"ones that are making a complete 180 turn regarding a revival of their cityscapes, particularly with downtown development, urbanity, and vibrancy"
DC, Seattle and New York are the ones that best fit this description. They were all in the pits 40 years ago.
Practically all American urban centers were in the pits 40 years ago.
Maybe I'm reading the OP wrong, but I don't think he's looking for cities that have been revitalizing for several years now and have long turned a corner. To me he's looking for places whose renaissance is still in the beginning stages of sorts.
Practically all American urban centers were in the pits 40 years ago.
Maybe I'm reading the OP wrong, but I don't think he's looking for cities that have been revitalizing for several years now and have long turned a corner. To me he's looking for places whose renaissance is still in the beginning stages of sorts.
Detroit is on the long upswing with good things ahead.
Smaller cities like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Buffalo, and Toledo are in the early stages of a turnaround. The improvement is noticeable and people are moving back into the city cores (I know Pittsburgh is still losing in the city proper but I believe this will change shortly). Development is occurring all over and the cities are catering to a younger generation. They're all trying to shed the negative stereotypes of decaying rustbelt cities.
Detroit is on the long upswing with good things ahead.
Smaller cities like Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, Buffalo, and Toledo are in the early stages of a turnaround. The improvement is noticeable and people are moving back into the city cores (I know Pittsburgh is still losing in the city proper but I believe this will change shortly). Development is occurring all over and the cities are catering to a younger generation. They're all trying to shed the negative stereotypes of decaying rustbelt cities.
I think Pittsburgh is farther along than all of those cities in its renaissance but the population trends just haven't quite caught up yet.
I think Pittsburgh is farther along than all of those cities in its renaissance but the population trends just haven't quite caught up yet.
Good point and I think the population trend is the thing that might still keep some away in some of the cities mentioned, even if the signs of development are apparent.
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