Which kentucky city is declining the quickest (Paducah, Murray: environment, credit)

[Davart]

Originally Posted by BLS2753

What's the deal with those "loft" condos they're making out of those old buildings downtown? I saw one the other day with a "starting at $300,000" banner hung on the side. Who in their right mind in this area is going to spend that kind of money for an "apartment" in downtown Paducah. There's not even any grocery stores anywhere close.

Sounds like the locals are trying to immulate the "big cities" a little too much, without really thinking this through very well.

I know the one's you speak of, I wouldn't give you $100K for one better yet $300K ... I went to the open house and I was appalled at the low quality materials used at that price. They used the same cabinets I put in rental houses. Cheap stoves and refrigerators, and over shotty workmen ship, I'd be embarrassed to have my name on it. Frankly $50K is about all they are world and that including the location.

[InLondon]

What is Paducah's problem? I thought it was a very nice town, great downtown area.

[kentuckydad95]

Originally Posted by InLondon

What is Paducah's problem? I thought it was a very nice town, great downtown area.

Nice tourism and shopping area. Period...end of sentence.

Corrupt city government mixed with a mayor who lives in a dream-world and you get a city with a high crime rate and declining population.

[BLS2753]

Originally Posted by kentuckydad95

Oh there are plenty of grocery stores around. Just be sure you are packing a Beretta when you go. The leaders in Paducah think their town is the s--t, when it is one of the fastest declining cities (population-wise) in the Jackson Purchase.

A few months (or a year or so) ago, I could have swore that the Paducah Sun ran an article about some developer wanting to build high-rise condos on the riverfront. I thought it was a great idea if you like going broke. Paducah is in ALOT of trouble, the citizens (that are left) know it, the business owners know it, yet the city council and delusional mayor are clueless. No wonder they are clinging on to the quilt show. It is almost all they have left.

You need population density for most of this stuff, and this area doesn't have it. Not just Paducah, the whole region.

The only way the mall area has been a success, is the fact that no equivalent shopping exist for a 50 mile radius, and the majority of business comes from other counties and states. Same holds true for the 2 hospitals.

[BLS2753]

Regardless of Paducah, I don't think any of the Jackson Purchase is going to become an economic juggernaut anytime soon. Same applies to the adjacent counties in IL,MO, and TN.

Seems there's some animosity towards Paducah from other W. KY towns. We don't really have those feelings in Metropolis, IL. Maybe because we're geographically closer than any of the KY towns.

I think the whole region has much of the same issues and political mindset. The rivalry between towns and states is part of the problem IMHO.

[censusdata]

Ashland's 33% population decline is great compared to Huntington's 45% decline (both sine 1950)

BTW, Ashland's population has nearly stablized according to the last city census estimate (for 2006). It had 21,981 in 2000, compared to 21,570 in 2006.

Ashland, Kentucky - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[jcm1986]

1) Ashland. Period. That city has lost over 1/3 of its population over the last 25 years. As AK steel, Ashland Oil, and other companies have closed or downsized in Ashland, well...the town has downsized. At least the pop. has stabilized more, but the downgrade of Ashland is nothing short of amazing.

2) Covington. Another city that is just becoming a town, it had 60000 folks at its height in 1950-60. It now is barely cracking 40000 and continues to lose people, never mind the massive annexation and new development within the Covington city limits all the way out to Independence. That tells me what the outskirts are gaining, the inner-city is losing and much more. It's a shame, really, since Covington in the valley is a town of deep history and architectural gems. But, the crime there isn't as bad as it was in the 1980s, and two Fortune 500 companies are HQed downtown, so things are maybe beginning to turn around.

3) Newport. Don't let the new Newport Crossing development on I-471 and Grand Ave. fool you. Yes, the city is trying really hard to turn itself around and people are beginning to notice, but the way to truly regain a thriving city again is not to just draw folks from Cincinnati, Clermont Co., and Crestview Hills to shop. It needs to increase in population again, which it's not. The stigma of drugs, prostitution, and projects apparently continues to linger from the 1980s, even though the town only had ONE murder in 2006.

4) Paducah. Grimy. Dirty. Depressing. No job market. An urban area of 45,000 that is sprawled for 12-15 miles speaks bad volumes of urban sprawl and people leaving such a small town w/ a high crime rate and urban decay. The city was a gem into the 1960s; it's sad to see what it has become, and it will take more than Saturday Night on the River (or whatever it's called) and the Artist Relocation Program to stabilize the population and make the inner neighborhoods appealing to live in again.

[BLS2753]

I keep reading here about the crime rate in Paducah. Given the "if it bleeds, it leads" philosophy of modern news reporting, the local TV station and newspaper must be overlooking alot.

Generally, when one thinks of high crime rates, they think of being in danger when you walk down the street. I don't see that level of crime in Paducah.

Lots of domestic violence, and conflict resolution thru fist fights.

Low level non-violent drug dealing in public housing.

Murder rate isn't that high.

Nobody is getting getting mugged downtown.

Certain neighborhoods, I wouldn't park a nice car overnight.

Police to population ratio is too high to really get away with much.

Paducah's more of a town, than a city. But I guess that depends on perception, and one's experiences in a true urban environment.

[The Village Idiot]

Ashland. Period. That city has lost over 1/3 of its population over the last 25 years.

I think you mean over the last 50 years.
Ashland's population (1980) = 27,064
Ashland's population (2006 est.) = 21,570
Population change from 1980-2006 = 20%
20% < 33%
Of course, a 20% population decrease in 26 years is nothing to brag about!

AK Steel went through some major downsizing in the 1980s (when it was known as Armco) and the 1990s. However, the company has been doing much better lately, since the lockout at the Middletown, Ohio plant ended last year. I think after that labor dispute ended, they cut 1,000 jobs up there, but it didn't affect Ashland's plant. As I stated earlier, the company saw record revenues and shipments in 2007, and I've heard that they are going to be adding jobs in the near future. Back in October 2003, their stock was trading at $2 a share. Now it's up around $67. Dang, I wish I'd bought some of their stock way back when!

Ashland Oil has also lost some jobs over the years. They ended up relocating many of their managerial and executive jobs to Ohio back in the 1990s. I think this had something to do with their merger with Marathon. Ashland Oil used to have some offices in one of the buildings in downtown. I'm not sure how many employees were there, but there must have been a couple hundred at least. When they moved out of that building, it hurt downtown because many of the other downtown businesses were dependent on all those employees. For a while after that, quite a few downtown properties were vacant as the businesses closed. At the worst point, maybe about 1/3 of the properties in the downtown business district were vacant, but now this number has decreased to no more than 10%. There are still a couple of large buildings that are empty, however.

Commercially, I think Ashland has already started turning the corner. Of course, this could all change if the nation's economy really tanks over the next few years, but as for now things aren't as bad as they were back in the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Getting Ashland's population to grow, however, is a different question entirely. Obviously, the town can no longer support a population of over 30,000 like it had back in the 1950s. I'd say a population of 22,000-23,000 would be sustainable right now, and this number could go higher if AK Steel does add some jobs. More than likely, the population decrease will stop by 2010 at somewhere between 20,000 and 21,000. Then there may be a period of slow growth which will still be below the state average (probably no more than 1% per year).

The big problem is that, as I said earlier, there's not a great deal of incentive for people to live within the city limits as opposed to rural Boyd County or one of the neighboring counties. The only thing that might motivate people to move back into the city is a continued rise in gas prices. Even though land is really cheap out in the country, people might think twice about living that far away from their work with gas at $4 per gallon or more.

As an Ashland area native and newly returned resident, I think I can see light at the end of the tunnel...but it might just be an oncoming train!

[Sundance]

Paducah isn't anything - hate to say it though; I give the poor things credit for trying to do something. The Lowertown/Artist Relocaton business is a joke.

I wouldn't call Paducah a city, by any stretch of the imagination! Town, yes; but I'd much rather be where I'm at (teensy little town), than there.

Blech......