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So here is a question for those who live there or new transplants. Why hasn't the Triad exploded? Did the state legislators just not put too much resources here? As you know the Triangle and Charlotte are booming. Asheville is also doing well, but it is doubtful it will grow because of a willful part of the residents and govt. there to keep it small. (That's what it seems like anyway) I simply am a casual observer and have noticed that the two major metros dominate the headlines for growth. What would it take for the Triad to take off?
How can the Triad be distinct from the other majors and have an amazing QOL? Charlotte has the big corporates with B of A, schools & govt. in Triangle, hippie enclave in Asheville.
What is missing from the secret sauce in the Triad?
LOL! Yes, let's not let the word get out that the Triad already has a great QOL. We don't want or need the congested traffic, the sprawl, the property value pressure, and the stress of a "booming' area to mess up our good thing.
The reason is jobs. Raleigh has boomed as a center for tech, education and government and Charlotte as a financial center and corporate headquarters location. The Triad's economy was traditionally based on textile, furniture and cigarette manufacturing, which declined precipitously during the 1980's, and 1990's.
From what I gather in these forums, you have quite a few residents who don't want to see the Triad area "boom". They would rather it remain the status quo so that they can feel justified in squashing any hopes and dreams of those who do want to see it grow.
An area that has relied on manufacturing and textile mills for so long takes time to change. The Triad area is big enough that it can reinvent itself, but there needs to be a clear direction of where it's going to go in order to be reborn. Is it a college town? Is it going to be a shipping hub? What is it, specifically, that will make the area go....boom?
There are a lot of things going for it right now. There is an airport here that plans to expand. There's a Coliseum that holds a lot of great events each year, there's colleges here, there's corporations here. There's also a lot of money around here. If that wasn't the case, then you wouldn't be seeing all of these new, expensive developments being created up here in the Northern end.
Compared to where I've come from, the Triad area has a lot going for it. I would like to see it boom. Yeah, if property values go up, well, in a booming area, you're probably making more money anyway, so it's all a wash. And if you're not and don't like it, move up to Reidsville, Eden, or even Martinsville. Those areas are probably pretty safe from any type of "boom".
From what I gather in these forums, you have quite a few residents who don't want to see the Triad area "boom". They would rather it remain the status quo so that they can feel justified in squashing any hopes and dreams of those who do want to see it grow.
I don't think that is an accurate assessment. There are simply people who don't wish to deal with the issues that inevitably arise from from the level of growth that Raleigh and Charlotte have seen. (Traffic congestion, overcrowded schools, increased sprawl, etc.) It has nothing to do with "feeling justified" or "squashing hopes and dreams". Thats silly. And its not like G'boro and Winston aren't growing. They are. Just slower than Raleigh and Charlotte. Lots of people think thats a good thing. Others apparently don't.
This is actually true, I wouldn't say the Triad has an identity crisis, but then again it does, so to speak it died when the furniture and textile market was dismantled.
At the most I say these two Triad twin Cities do have a good ammount things going for them.
Winston has the incredibly successful innovation quarter and medical field with Baptist, one of most important hospitals on earth, maybe more so than duke.
Winston is transforming it's self overnight quietly, It looks more like a competitor to Raleigh, but I say Winston has a far better skyline that's more proportional and better looking imo. Downtown Winston feels more like San francisco, even so far as seattle. Winston nearly died after the great Tabaco fire, but as you can see, it bounced back and is becoming a power city, which may overtake greensboro and Durham, W-S is a smart city. Attracting all kinds of talent. Winston IS booming right now, they're really just quiet about it, so those who know, know.
Winston city leaders knew Winston had massive potential, so they got to work on completely transforming the core and feel of the city, when you're in Winston, you feel like you're in the Midwest. At one point, Winston used to be a financial hub, 2nd to Charlotte, wachovia(Wells Fargo now) was headquartered in Downtowns tallest office tower, in the 90's and before the financial crash, Winston was the 2nd most important city in NC.
Right now Winston is completely fine, Great, even.
What saved Winston? The innovation quarter and Baptist medical.
Greensboro is still a logistics hub with several fortune 500 companies and 1 fortune 100, so carrying on the industrial roots, but it's also a college town with a ton of schools, so the population is more "young", the aviation industry also has a very strong presence in greensboro. With many jobs and companies in the aviation sector seeing robust growth, that's where the jobs are right now. Greensboros downtown only has mainly two busy strips, elm(the up north cluster phobic feel) and Greene the open financial feel, there are many beautiful parks downtown which attract crowds of young people, however greensboros skyline is small, with only four "tall" buildings, and 4 10+ story buildings, for a city of nearly 300.000 people, however that will soon change as several new buildings were proposed..almost nearly every week, one being 561 feet. And a news article stating "the skyline will be littered with cranes".
Why greensboro didn't boom?
City officials, the city would let massive projects slip away, the older generation of residents would fight projects, they even fought the ball park, which is one of the main reasons downtown is seeing so much growth. They were old and stuck in their ways and wanted to keep greensboro a "traditional" small southern city, as I kid you not, they didn't want to become a Charlotte or raleigh competitor and beileve there city was just fine the way it was. They didn't accept growth they fought it. A complete night and day difference to how city leaders think today "think out side of the box, think big and dream even bigger"
What saved Greensboro?
Roy Carroll, the ball park, new city leaders thinking outside the box and aviation and logistics industry.
How greensboro can get to the next step?
An auto manufacturing plant or a new aviation plant. Industrial is greensboros strength, either of these are possible and fit in with the current economy, and with the mazda/Toyota deal looming, The city better buckle down.
So to end, the Triad is definitely growing, and it's very decent grow, however the triangle is on another level with the monster that is RTP.
But give it time, the Triad is showing a ton of promise.
I don't think that is an accurate assessment. There are simply people who don't wish to deal with the issues that inevitably arise from from the level of growth that Raleigh and Charlotte have seen. (Traffic congestion, overcrowded schools, increased sprawl, etc.) It has nothing to do with "feeling justified" or "squashing hopes and dreams". Thats silly. And its not like G'boro and Winston aren't growing. They are. Just slower than Raleigh and Charlotte. Lots of people think thats a good thing. Others apparently don't.
I think it's quite an accurate statement. Maybe not just to gloat whenever the area doesn't get a big project invested here, but most certainly, they are afraid of a massive growth like you have just confirmed, so they'd rather the area grow at a snail's pace so that they're not having to deal with the side affects of a booming metropolis. The attitude reflected toward those who do have a dream for the area is just as off putting, IMO. The Triad area doesn't have to be New York City, Chicago, or San Francisco. Heck, it doesn't even need to be Charlotte or Raleigh. Those areas have their own thing going for them, and I'm not expecting the triad area to be a clone to the triangle. Let the Triad area be something different.
Admittedly, I haven't spent as much time in Winston-Salem, and would like to see what GSOCitizen is talking about. I have spent time at the hospital (fortunately or not), and I've interviewed for jobs in the past in downtown W-S, and it does look similar to the bigger cities mentioned. I think Winston has a lot going for it. I do see growth and development in GSO, and I think once all of the road construction has been completed, we will start to see development. Now that the airport will have acres of land within easy access to develop, that might be the key that opens the door to a massive explosion for the G'boro side of the triad.
All in all, I've seen a lot more growth here and in the state of NC than I have in VA. Virginia is basically two states in one now. All of the attention is focused in Northern VA, while the rest of Virginia, south of Roanoke anyway, is largely ignored. Growth and expansion in the triad area, and some prayer of hope for I-73 to actually expand and be developed through Southside VA, would bring massive recovery to areas just across the boarder, as well as northern areas of NC. As more transplants come here and a younger population takes hold of positions within the area that controls its economic development, I think those who are widely against an economic boom will be forced to move somewhere else to retire.
I think it's quite an accurate statement. Maybe not just to gloat whenever the area doesn't get a big project invested here, but most certainly, they are afraid of a massive growth like you have just confirmed, so they'd rather the area grow at a snail's pace so that they're not having to deal with the side affects of a booming metropolis. The attitude reflected toward those who do have a dream for the area is just as off putting, IMO. The Triad area doesn't have to be New York City, Chicago, or San Francisco. Heck, it doesn't even need to be Charlotte or Raleigh. Those areas have their own thing going for them, and I'm not expecting the triad area to be a clone to the triangle. Let the Triad area be something different.
Admittedly, I haven't spent as much time in Winston-Salem, and would like to see what GSOCitizen is talking about. I have spent time at the hospital (fortunately or not), and I've interviewed for jobs in the past in downtown W-S, and it does look similar to the bigger cities mentioned. I think Winston has a lot going for it. I do see growth and development in GSO, and I think once all of the road construction has been completed, we will start to see development. Now that the airport will have acres of land within easy access to develop, that might be the key that opens the door to a massive explosion for the G'boro side of the triad.
All in all, I've seen a lot more growth here and in the state of NC than I have in VA. Virginia is basically two states in one now. All of the attention is focused in Northern VA, while the rest of Virginia, south of Roanoke anyway, is largely ignored. Growth and expansion in the triad area, and some prayer of hope for I-73 to actually expand and be developed through Southside VA, would bring massive recovery to areas just across the boarder, as well as northern areas of NC. As more transplants come here and a younger population takes hold of positions within the area that controls its economic development, I think those who are widely against an economic boom will be forced to move somewhere else to retire.
So you want to live in a city with gridlocked roads, overcrowded schools and an endless sea of suburban sprawl? Maybe the answer is for you to move to Raleigh or Charlotte.
The Triad is hardly growing at a "snail's pace." In fact, Guilford County is growing faster than the national average. And downtown G'boro IS booming. Have you looked at it lately?
Why is it that you are so determined for the area to "boom"? Whats the attraction to that? If thats what you want, why did you move here? Why didn't you move to a boom town? I don't get it.
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