Mid 20s from Northeast hoping to relocate

[budgiegirl]

Originally Posted by brentwoodgirl

Nashville has 21 accredited 4 year colleges and post grad schools. It was also the first Southern city to establish a public school system. That's part of what helped earn the nick name. Nashville has been called the Athens of the South for more than 150 years. It's not like someone on c-d just made it up.

I was not Nashville bashing, and yes I was well aware of the moniker...
And JMT, I never said the moniker upset me as you wrote. It does make me chuckle though.

Getting back to the OP's question, as to whether Nashville has Boston-like traits, I would say, "barely".
That does not mean that Nashville is not great, in it's own right. It is not a mini-Boston, nor should it be.
It is Nashville. There are many things I like better about Nashville than Boston.
Just saying having lived back to back in both cities, I have a pretty decent sense for them.

[nashvols]

Originally Posted by budgiegirl

I was not Nashville bashing, and yes I was well aware of the moniker...
And JMT, I never said the moniker upset me as you wrote. It does make me chuckle though.

Getting back to the OP's question, as to whether Nashville has Boston-like traits, I would say, "barely".
That does not mean that Nashville is not great, in it's own right. It is not a mini-Boston, nor should it be.
It is Nashville. There are many things I like better about Nashville than Boston.
Just saying having lived back to back in both cities, I have a pretty decent sense for them.

I agree with most of what you are saying, but I am curious as to why you chuckle at the moniker.

[psu5036]

Thanks so much for the responses guys. I wouldn't wanna move just purely based on the quality of schools or hospitals. I was looking at a city with above average characteristics in these qualities, and you guys have made it clear Nashville fits that. If amazing universities and hospitals was all I cared about id stay in Boston. I am looking for a change of pace in a couple years. Warmer weather, friendlier people are why I'm looking south. I just want the right southern city

[Sigequinox]

If Nashville was anything like Boston I wouldn't be moving there....

[Greenciti]

As a Nashville native living in Boston, I think I can help you some. Nashville is way different from Boston in so many ways but it sounds like it will hit many of the things that you are looking for. Just do not think you will find Boston or anything New England in Nashville or the South, two different animals. From the wants that you wrote, I would say that the Gulch, West End or East Nashville may fit what you are looking for. Things to know, you will get more house or apartment than you are used to for you money in the South. Parking is usually not an issue for most residences, off street parking is usually a given. You will need a car to get around because the public transportation is not as convenient in the South as it is in the Northeast. Salaries in the South are not always lower because of the cost of living is lower, this will depend on the company you work for. Do not mistake us Southerns for being dumb or slow just because we talk slow or have an accent (I run into this a lot up here). The winters are shorter and less harsh but the summer humidity will take you a while to get used to, if you ever do. In case you did not know TN does not have a state income tax (I so miss this perk). Nashville is not all country music, there are plenty of other venues that cater to other genres. I would say be open to a change and do not go looking for a "Boston" within Nashville if that is what you are doing. If I did that here I would have been running back home to Nashville after my first day here. Hope this helps. Good luck on your move.

[yank283]

Originally Posted by Greenciti

As a Nashville native living in Boston, I think I can help you some. Nashville is way different from Boston in so many ways but it sounds like it will hit many of the things that you are looking for. Just do not think you will find Boston or anything New England in Nashville or the South, two different animals. From the wants that you wrote, I would say that the Gulch, West End or East Nashville may fit what you are looking for. Things to know, you will get more house or apartment than you are used to for you money in the South. Parking is usually not an issue for most residences, off street parking is usually a given. You will need a car to get around because the public transportation is not as convenient in the South as it is in the Northeast. Salaries in the South are not always lower because of the cost of living is lower, this will depend on the company you work for. Do not mistake us Southerns for being dumb or slow just because we talk slow or have an accent (I run into this a lot up here). The winters are shorter and less harsh but the summer humidity will take you a while to get used to, if you ever do. In case you did not know TN does not have a state income tax (I so miss this perk). Nashville is not all country music, there are plenty of other venues that cater to other genres. I would say be open to a change and do not go looking for a "Boston" within Nashville if that is what you are doing. If I did that here I would have been running back home to Nashville after my first day here. Hope this helps. Good luck on your move.

Great post! Wish I could rep you twice.

[CountryGirl2b=]

Yank, I reped on your behalf!

[southernsmoke]

Originally Posted by budgiegirl

Second, a move to Nashville proper will be less jarring than a move to Franklin, which is culturally much more conservative compared to anywhere in the North East. I never knew what conservative meant until I moved to Franklin... i used to think conservative just meant crusty old white guys who smoked pipes and wore bow ties... but i learned. Anyways, Nashville is much more diverse in terms of the geo-political spectrum. In Boston I was considered a left leaning independent - which in Franklin translates as a radical liberal.

Related: Whatever you do, please don't come to Nashville and then try to make it more like Boston. Thanks in advance.

[groovamos]

Originally Posted by Hey_Hey

I think the misconception is that people equate Nashville as being a healthcare capital because of the hospitals. That's not true. The number of hospitals in any metropolitan area will be roughly equal. Boston will have roughly the same number as Nashville will on a per capita basis.

This is not particularly accurate. Austin has always been very weak in this area, and they are really trying to correct this, more later on that. When I left there in '89 they had one small and two medium/small sized operations, Brackenridge (city), St David's and Seton. Even now after their expansion over the years I would say Nashville probably has easily 4x the medical footprint of Austin, or more. The city just received its first Level 1 adult trauma designation at Brackenridge this year: Level I Trauma Center

But if in Austin, you are still going out of town for any kind of transplant. Look at the size of the facility in the photo. Seton is managing the city hospital.

So the reason it is called Seton/Brackenridge/University is that UT Austin has established a medical school and their first class is starting in 2016. Brackenridge will be the teaching unit, miniscule as it is, because it is owned by the city and is a few blocks from campus. This is coming together after years of city leaders up there pushing for a med school as the only way to do the expansion in the metro of their medical footprint, and the city is helping fund the school. Here is a web site, you will recognize the naming rights to the school as a hint where the huge wad of cash gushed forth: Dell Medical School | The University of Texas at Austin.

And the name being well known in the Nashville business scene. I would guess that Nashville with Vanderbilt is their (including Michael's) model, the cities/metros being almost identical in size, and Nashville being a big stop on Michael's itinerary. Thank God for capitalists.

UT Austin launches construction of Dell Medical School | KXAN.com

Now for contrast check the situation in Houston, we are 3.2x the population of Nashville, 3x of Austin but I would guess we have at least 20x the patient care/research space of Nashville and patients coming from worldwide.

Here is a photo of the Texas Medical Center: Houston s Texas Medical Center Map - Houston Life Science

The cranes on the right are the expansion of M.D. Anderson. The high rise condo immediately north marks the southern boundary of the museum district. The tile roofs and campus to the left are Rice University. U. of Houston is 90 degrees to the right. and got their buts kicked by VU the first time they ever met, last season in Birmingham. Between the museum district and downtown is probably the only district of any major city, having the moniker 'Midtown' characterized as strictly low/mid rise, proud to say. Montrose, the Silver Lake of Houston, is immediately to the left of Midtown.

To make up for a low rise midtown, the West Loop (Galleria) district has 2-1/2 times the square footage of downtown Pittsburgh, and the city has an equal amount is in 5 other districts combined. The West Loop and Greenway Plaza districts would be visible to the left if the field were opened about 45 degrees.

This is probably a 5 year old photo. There are now about a dozen cranes visible downtown.

[groovamos]

Originally Posted by budgiegirl

It does make me chuckle though.

Chuckle away, with a smidgen of smugness if you so desire. Nashville has more classical and neo-classical buildings by far than Houston, Dallas or San Antonio. Maybe more than all three put together. Excepting the state capitol dome and maybe private homes, Austin has zilch, not sure about Ft. Worth, maybe the same as Austin. I would be more careful, in comparing a medium sized city to a large one with 100 years more history, and with the haughty wording.


I looked around, seems Charlotte has a city hall, a church, campus library plus private homes in classical style:

Classical Orders of Architecture


Looks like Jacksonville pretty well outfitted maybe :

https://www.google.com/search?q=clas...2F%3B600%3B450


Atlanta, capitol bldg, synagogue a few others including early skyscrapers:

https://www.google.com/search?q=clas...tm%3B250%3B162