Calling for Nominations for the AntiBurgh (Pittsburgh, Economy: foreclosed, homes, public schools)
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Yes, it is amazing how much of a disparity in quality of life, at least with respect to homes and neighborhoods, has developed because of "climate." Sure Orlando or San Jose have few frost and snow days than Pittsburgh and the like, but is that so important? Having surfed through many of these city data sites, it seems like peoples' climatic tastes are quite varied, and not everyone wants no snow, no seasons, endless sun, and hot temps. Now, I will grant that not many folks are eager to move to, say North Dakota, but the rest of the country offers many different climates and landscapes, all of which seem to hold appeal for many people.
I guess the main thing about these sunbelt sprawlshacks is that they seem to hold so little regard for the buyer and the future legacy of the neighborhood. Most are built very cheaply, and it shows. But the prevailing notion seems to be that so many people want to live there, that quality does not count. These are "fast food" of architecture. Sure, they fill the void in the short-term, but clog the arteries over time.
I think it is very hard to disentangle the jobs/economic-opportunity effect from the climate effect, in part because people have a tendency to rationalize--or, more charitably, take an optimistic view on things. So if you are forced to go to the Sun Belt to look for work, you might also tell yourself you really wanted to live in that sort of climate anyway.
Yes, perhaps the self-mythologizing is thinly-guised rationalization. Funny, I have never read whether the jobs or immigration started first. Certainly, during the dust bowl jobs were the draw. And perhaps in the dot.com era. Otherwise it seems like much of the migration was by choice? Certainly not from crashing economies like Pittsburgh, but overall.
I really do think this is playing out though. People are leaving California, for instance. Interesting times.....
Funny, I have never read whether the jobs or immigration started first.
Some migration was inevitable because parts of the country got very dense and we needed to create some new cities. Then you had all the complicated factors involving the northern migration of African-Americans and white flight. And finally as home-building became a more and more important sector of the economy, particularly for lower-skilled people, an even stronger than usual feedback loop between migration patterns and economic opportunities arose. So it definitely was a combination of jobs, independent reasons for migration, and the interaction between all those factors.
Now did climate also play a role in all this? Maybe, including through factors like the aging of the population and cheap energy/AC making it easier to build and market cheap houses in warm areas. I just think it gets overweighted a bit in some of the conversations about these issues.
Okay, I would be the first to criticize urban sprawl and cookie-cutter architecture, as I am from Brighton, Michigan (all sprawl type big box development and over-priced real estate). However, for $72k, that little house in Orlando was very cute. Now, could I buy ten times the house for the money in Pittsburgh? Oh, yes. I coud have a nice vintage brick two story in a pretty good neighborhood. However, I doubt you could find a nice little newer home like that in Pittsburgh. It just depends on what you like. I prefer 1878, some prefer 1978!
Okay, I would be the first to criticize urban sprawl and cookie-cutter architecture, as I am from Brighton, Michigan (all sprawl type big box development and over-priced real estate). However, for $72k, that little house in Orlando was very cute. Now, could I buy ten times the house for the money in Pittsburgh? Oh, yes. I coud have a nice vintage brick two story in a pretty good neighborhood. However, I doubt you could find a nice little newer home like that in Pittsburgh. It just depends on what you like. I prefer 1878, some prefer 1978!
A nice little newer home? Maybe from the outside, which I would disagree with. The inside leaves much to be desired though.
Man, I thought the Twin Cities were bad before seeing that sh** from orlando and california. We ain't as good as you guys in Pittsburgh in terms of our housing and coolness of architecture, but I can confidently say that compared to Orlando and Silicon Valley, the Twin Cities look like the pinnacle of urbanity.
You in PGH have no idea how blessed you are in terms of how well built and designed your city and neighborhood is. Would love to live their some day but as of now I see no reason to leave St. Paul. Enjoy the 'Burgh!
Man, I thought the Twin Cities were bad before seeing that sh** from orlando and california. We ain't as good as you guys in Pittsburgh in terms of our housing and coolness of architecture, but I can confidently say that compared to Orlando and Silicon Valley, the Twin Cities look like the pinnacle of urbanity.
You in PGH have no idea how blessed you are in terms of how well built and designed your city and neighborhood is. Would love to live their some day but as of now I see no reason to leave St. Paul. Enjoy the 'Burgh!
I use to live in Minneapolis for a year and a half. MPLS is a very fine built city with so many really cool and nice stock of housing. I remember having nice hardwood floors and it being real good there. I especially love the people of Minnesota. Actually I liked everything about Minneapolis and Minnesota EXCEPT the weather! Ugh!
Well, I believe Oakland,CA has had something of a renaissance over the last few years. Urban pioneers moving into a largely black,blighted, heavy crime city. It also adjoins Berkeley, so some spill over there of progressive, cerebral folks. I know I had a couple friends on the faculty at Berkeley that bought in Oakland. I visited there twice in the mid 1990s. On the first visit, my backpack and camera were stolen. The second visit my mountain bike was stolen out of their garage, and we witnessed an assault outside with a metal fence post over dinner. That was enough to discourage me from visiting a third time, or from going to Berkeley for grad. school. That said, it does have urban and architectural character, which is unusual for California. I think there are good people who are really working to improve the place, but it is one of those areas that are expensive for the degree of crime that exists. I hope the reformers are successful in improving the area, but I think it takes some fortitude to live there.
Oh, yeah -- and as I get older my fortitude is failing. This place sucks and the suckiness is spreading.
Wednesday we woke up to discover someone had taken a poo in our front yard. We know it was human because critters don't use TP. That meant our nice bushy Schefflera plant had to be drastically cut back, so that our front yard, which is the size of a grand piano could be very seeable.
A few months ago I chased a hooker and her client out of our yard after I heard banging on the side of our house. Turns out that's apparently what they were doing. Since I got angry and ran out of my house to confront her (which was really STUPID) she hasn't been back.
Add to that the bang bang way loud rap music, way loud ranchero music, cherry bomb mufflers, squealing tires, horns blaring and the morons across the street that are operating a taquaria out of their back yard.... it's no wonder when I leave I'm going back to the burbs.
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