America's 10 Dying Cities--PGH doesn't make the list!

[Aqua Teen Carl]

Originally Posted by alleghenyangel

Why is Detroit #6? It should be #1.

Seriously. After watching the documentary "Requiem for Detroit" I highly doubt there are cities in the United States WORSE than that.

Also, Detroit is a bit of an obsession for foreigners. They're intriqued/amused/perplexed that such a huge city could turn post-apocalyptic in the richest country in the world.

[ferraris]

Originally Posted by Aqua Teen Carl

Seriously. After watching the documentary "Requiem for Detroit" I highly doubt there are cities in the United States WORSE than that.

Also, Detroit is a bit of an obsession for foreigners. They're intriqued/amused/perplexed that such a huge city could turn post-apocalyptic in the richest country in the world.

I think Detroit has the most hope of any of these cities. It's basically turning into a blank canvas for artists and entrepreneuers.

[PreservationPioneer]

Originally Posted by ferrarisnowday

I think Detroit has the most hope of any of these cities. It's basically turning into a blank canvas for artists and entrepreneuers.

Detroit is the largest, but also has the worst crime, the most blighted and dangerous neighborhoods, the most "urban prairie," the highest unemployment, and probably more poverty than anywhere else in the US. Another thing that plagues Detroit is that the suburbs (and exurbs) have won the battle.

[BrianTH]

Detroit is a total wreck right now, but I do think that is part of why it has a lot of potential. It is just going to take a while (like 20-30 years probably).

[mikey jam]

I know that Baltimore has to be in the top 20' in 1960 it was the sixth largest city and the third largest port in the country. Like so many industrialized urban cities population decreased. I attribute this loss on several major factors. The decline all started in the 1960's. First many large manufacturing firms relocated, many soled neighborhoods were split up due to a rush to put expressways thru their neighborhoods, court ordered school desegregation which imposed busing students, ultimantely accelerating "white flight to the suburbs" higher taxe and insurance rates and finally the rise of crime.

[Johnland]

Originally Posted by AaronClark

I see some hope in the future for Allentown, New Orleans and Hartford at least. Allentown and Hartford because they are pretty much part of the Bos-Was megalopolis. New Orleans because there's so much money being poured back into the city. It's too culturally important to be left to die.

I don't get the big deal about New Orleans. Do you actually mean the French Quarter? If so, that is just a tiny part of the city.

[grimacista]

Originally Posted by Johnland

I don't get the big deal about New Orleans. Do you actually mean the French Quarter? If so, that is just a tiny part of the city.

I would also say that Detroit is close to being as culturally relevant as New Orleans.

[szug-bot]

ive never been to Detroit, but have viewed a number of videos about that city on youtube.com. fascinating place - its geographically huge, making infrastructure costly and inefficient to those homes that are isolated from others.

its downtown is not unattractive. it has some beautiful, grand buildings.

buffalo needs some good ideas to seed the city with better neighborhoods. ive never heard of ANYTHING coming from its city halls that would better the city.

[Blackbeauty212]

Part of Buffalo's problem is its in NY - and we all know NYC sucks up all the attention and resources of NYS because NYC is the showpeice of the state and country and demands ALOT...

Pittsburgh and Philadelphia don't have this same hold over PA...if one or the other sucked up attention and resources the way NYC does the other city would left for dead....But even the Burgh and Philly together cannot dominate the states attention away from Rural PA if they could the transportation would be a non-issue let alone a crisis.