How is Columbus a more modern metro than Cleveland or Cincinnati? (Kent: rental car, rental)

[unusualfire]

I just saw a thread in the Atlanta Forum that suggests Columbus is the most modern metro in Ohio. A so called up and coming metro along with Charlotte. How so exactly? What makes a metro modern?

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

I just saw a thread in the Atlanta Forum that suggests Columbus is the most modern metro in Ohio. A so called up and coming metro along with Charlotte. How so exactly? What makes a metro modern?

Sounds a bit meaningless. It doesn't have as much old style architecture as Cleveland or Cincinnati, I guess, but there still are some high profile examples aroun (like Laveque). I feel like a "modern" city would have more technological things going on... maybe huge areas of free wi-fi, quick and efficient transit (also with wi-fi), zip cars or something similar (Cleveland and Cincinnati, even Kent has zip cars, Columbus doesn't), basically a lot of updated infrastructure and an educated population. I really don't think of any of Ohio's C's as exceedingly "modern."

I feel that most of the time when people talk about modern cities, they're talking about places like Tokyo, Seoul, New York, Hong Kong, etc.

[1watertiger]

Originally Posted by unusualfire

I just saw a thread in the Atlanta Forum that suggests Columbus is the most modern metro in Ohio. A so called up and coming metro along with Charlotte. How so exactly? What makes a metro modern?

its not. period.. if anything I would say Columbus is less modern than Cleveland or cincy, just for the fact it lags behind most all cities in regards to public transportation for example... probably all large urban centers are equally modern in most ways (some cities have a higher percentage of newer infrastructure/development) and may appear newer , but not more modern. the small cities/towns/rural in my mind are less modern though.

[wrightflyer]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Sounds a bit meaningless. It doesn't have as much old style architecture as Cleveland or Cincinnati, I guess, but there still are some high profile examples aroun (like Laveque). I feel like a "modern" city would have more technological things going on... maybe huge areas of free wi-fi, quick and efficient transit (also with wi-fi), zip cars or something similar (Cleveland and Cincinnati, even Kent has zip cars, Columbus doesn't), basically a lot of updated infrastructure and an educated population. I really don't think of any of Ohio's C's as exceedingly "modern."

I feel that most of the time when people talk about modern cities, they're talking about places like Tokyo, Seoul, New York, Hong Kong, etc.

Not really. It all depends on who is interpreting modern to mean what they want it to mean. For you, it is meaningless because the word doesn't resonate with you with cities at that level.

The only cities that come close in my mind to the modern you mention include NYC and SF and perhaps DC. And on an international scale, I'd even say no American cities make the list because they are outdated (i.e. older), not growing evenly and/or lag in efficiency. Again, I would hesitate to even put NYC in with Tokyo, Seoul, HK, or even some places like Shanghai. But then I'm extending my interpretation of modern into the mix. Thus, long story short, it is in the eye of the beholder. For me, modern tends to go hand-in-hand with where the money is going. Right now, that is SF and DC in America, along with NYC to an extent (we'll see how long corporations making investments, take DeBlasio and his walk/talk, but that's for a different thread)

If modern to you (aimed at everyone, not just bjimmy) means political progressiveness, then Cleveland wins hands down. If modern means redevelopment, it goes to either Cincy or Cleveland. If you want new development (from the urban core outwards) coupled with a huge international higher academic institution, then Columbus wins by sheer force in numbers.

Oh, and Columbus has hourly rental cars. Just not the ZipCar brand. Think it might be Hertz's or Avis' brand.

[jbcmh81]

Originally Posted by bjimmy24

Sounds a bit meaningless. It doesn't have as much old style architecture as Cleveland or Cincinnati, I guess, but there still are some high profile examples aroun (like Laveque). I feel like a "modern" city would have more technological things going on... maybe huge areas of free wi-fi, quick and efficient transit (also with wi-fi), zip cars or something similar (Cleveland and Cincinnati, even Kent has zip cars, Columbus doesn't), basically a lot of updated infrastructure and an educated population. I really don't think of any of Ohio's C's as exceedingly "modern."

I feel that most of the time when people talk about modern cities, they're talking about places like Tokyo, Seoul, New York, Hong Kong, etc.

For the record, Columbus does have car-sharing services now through a couple national companies. Other than that, not really getting into this thread. I can already see where it's going to go.

[ram2]

Originally Posted by wrightflyer

The only cities that come close in my mind to the modern you mention include NYC and SF and perhaps DC.

Businesses are pulling out of the bay area. The computer chip companies are moving to Austin, Tx.

[Summer_Kelley]

Columbus is up-and-coming because a lot of tech startups are located here or in the suburbs (especially up north near Powell). The local and state tax rates are considerably lower than other tech areas, plus we have one of the nation's largest universities entering the local workforce, investing in the region, starting their own businesses, etc. Columbus just started a Car2Go program and has what I consider to be one of the coolest, funkiest neighborhoods in Ohio (maybe even the nation), the Short North. This is a big draw for the artsy, foodie young person. We don't have a metro system within the city, but we also don't need one; anywhere you want to go, for the most part, has adequate parking linked by a comparatively good network of highways.

The people who are saying that Columbus isn't modern because it isn't "modern" like Tokyo, New York, etc missed the point that Columbus is up-and-coming, while the other cities are already established as hip and modern.

[bjimmy24]

Originally Posted by Summer_Kelley

Columbus is up-and-coming because a lot of tech startups are located here or in the suburbs (especially up north near Powell). The local and state tax rates are considerably lower than other tech areas, plus we have one of the nation's largest universities entering the local workforce, investing in the region, starting their own businesses, etc. Columbus just started a Car2Go program and has what I consider to be one of the coolest, funkiest neighborhoods in Ohio (maybe even the nation), the Short North. This is a big draw for the artsy, foodie young person. We don't have a metro system within the city, but we also don't need one; anywhere you want to go, for the most part, has adequate parking linked by a comparatively good network of highways.

The people who are saying that Columbus isn't modern because it isn't "modern" like Tokyo, New York, etc missed the point that Columbus is up-and-coming, while the other cities are already established as hip and modern.

"modern" and "up and coming" are nowhere close to the same thing though. I didn't miss any point.

I just have a hard time viewing any city that doesn't have efficient public transit as "modern." Just me though. Columbus really doesn't have a good way to get around without a car. Not hating, just observing. This is one area where the city needs to work a bit. I'm not saying Cincinnati and Cleveland transit is necessarily 100x better, because I wouldn't really consider their stuff modern either.

[Natural510]

Originally Posted by ram2

Businesses are pulling out of the bay area. The computer chip companies are moving to Austin, Tx.

And there are new, continually innovative businesses replacing them, continuing the cycle which has been revolving since the 1970s.

[Cleveland_Collector]

I think maybe they mean it's a 'newer' city. Cleveland and Cincy have been major OH cities for well over a century. Columbus' emergence happened later on in the 20th century.

I agree with some of the other posters in that most 'modern' cities have some semblance of a commuter rail service which, of course, Columbus really does not.