Cities that are most like St. Louis (St. Charles, Wildwood: countertops, how much)

[rranger]

Hmmm... Obviously, my post touched a raw nerve - big surprise after 60 years of STL's inexorable decline.

Again, my point was not to run down St. Louis, but to counter the seemingly endless negative posts about a superior city, aka Pittsburgh. This, BTW, is not my opinion, just a reflection of the facts. Trust me, if I had no job, and someone offered me tickets to PGH or STL on the prospect of finding one, I know where I'd head. You can continue to rant about STL's supposed superiority - culturally or otherwise - but it won't change simple unalterable facts. Sorry ...

BTW: Lest you group of very angry people lose site of my original post's point, I have absolutely nothing against STL. The only reason I visited your forum was because I happened to come across an article on the latest census data and surfing led me to the STL forum. I just happened to see the endless mudslinging posts about PGH and felt compelled to defend it. I'm sure STL has a very fine symphony, etc. (mea culpa, I guess).

Good lawd, I doubt there are many other city forums that would have had the hissy you folks had - maybe it's time for a little more self-reflection and objectivity (on your part that is). Happy New Year !

[BoomBoxing]

^Pot, I want you to meet my friend kettle.

[stlcitygirl]

^
When you post in a city forum with a condescending tone and lack of knowledge about the area, you will get a reaction. I will say that I have nothing against Pittsburgh, from what I know about the city, it sounds like somewhere I would love. St Louis has gained population for decades now, it's a city of almost 3 million people. Your idea of STL is very dated, and I think you would be pleasantly surprised if you ever had the chance to visit. St Louis is one of the most successful examples of urban renewal in the country. You are right, the city limits lost population for years, but the metropolitan area continued to grow. The city decline in population has been reversed and is gaining year after year. Greater St. Louis is home to 19 Fortune 1000 companies, of which 10 are in the Fortune 500. We have amazing architecture, Top rated Universities, Top Notch Hospitals, Great Museums, thriving art and music scene, I can go on and on.
So yes, you hit a nerve, it's not because we can't see the "truth", it's because STL is constantly being UNFAIRLY beat up on and we feel the need to defend. Especially to someone who doesn't know what they are talking about.
I see you brought up the Built STL website. If you really looked at the website, you would see that many of those areas have been rehabbed and are now thriving neighborhoods. Yes, there are neighborhoods that are poor, run down and not safe, but EVERY city in the country has that area, including Pittsburgh and Boston.
On a final note, a few months ago, my parents had some friends in town from Pittsburgh, and they asked me to show them around. They loved St Louis and were pleasantly surprised! My colleague is from Pittsburgh and has chosen St Louis above Pittsburgh time after time. Again, I'm not trying to diss Pittsburgh, I'm sure I would be happy living there, but I have to speak up.

[BubbyBobble]

Wow, it's been a while.

Definately not like Seattle. But that's city to city. That's a hard comparison. Then again, condos in Seattle run about $15million while some similar (still good, if not better in some cases) here in STL run about $1million tops. I'd invest here if I had too.

Coming for the suburbs of Seattle, I have to say I love the home styles better here. Especially in Chesterfield (not because it's rich, but the style-minus that damn vinyl).

But I think Detroit might be most similar. But I wonder what ways are you talking about. Some parts of Stl kind of look like New Orleans, but not exactly alike.

The Washu area is unique though and I like the style. Sort of french and sort of it's own flare. I kind of wish all of STL looked like it unlike the wannabe Orange County suburbs out there. We need more brick. Less Orange Julius and highway expansion.

[MelroseHighlands]

Wow, just have to jump in. Ranger obviously doesn't understand St. Louis, just ignore him on this subject. But, for the others, trying to prove that St. Louis or Pittsburgh are better are really missing the point. The original question was asking what city is like St. Louis? Not what city is an exact match. In that regard, St. Louis & Pittsburgh have many similarities. And both tremendous cities - I know them both well. Here is my list and not in any particular order and not an exhaustive:

1. Baltimore is the closest match in many ways. Nearly perfect matches.
2. Pittsburgh is similar in many ways and mostly in good ways. With some obvious differences such as topography. (but arguments that one city is better are foolish)
3. Louisville is the little Lou. More southern, smaller, etc. But, could certainly be related based on architecture & river city history.
4. New Orleans - Wide differences, but the old French connections show.
5. Chicago - Much, much bigger, but there are neighborhoods in STL that could be dropped into Chicago and blend.

Must add that KC and STL almost completely opposites. Both good, but in different ways.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by rranger

Hmmm... Obviously, my post touched a raw nerve - big surprise after 60 years of STL's inexorable decline.

Again, my point was not to run down St. Louis, but to counter the seemingly endless negative posts about a superior city, aka Pittsburgh. This, BTW, is not my opinion, just a reflection of the facts. Trust me, if I had no job, and someone offered me tickets to PGH or STL on the prospect of finding one, I know where I'd head. You can continue to rant about STL's supposed superiority - culturally or otherwise - but it won't change simple unalterable facts. Sorry ...

BTW: Lest you group of very angry people lose site of my original post's point, I have absolutely nothing against STL. The only reason I visited your forum was because I happened to come across an article on the latest census data and surfing led me to the STL forum. I just happened to see the endless mudslinging posts about PGH and felt compelled to defend it. I'm sure STL has a very fine symphony, etc. (mea culpa, I guess).

Good lawd, I doubt there are many other city forums that would have had the hissy you folks had - maybe it's time for a little more self-reflection and objectivity (on your part that is). Happy New Year !

Dude, get a real hobby, we all know you are full of crap.....the only one you are fooling is yourself......
So where are the links to back up your babble?
Besides the BS links of course....

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by stlcitygirl

^
When you post in a city forum with a condescending tone and lack of knowledge about the area, you will get a reaction. I will say that I have nothing against Pittsburgh, from what I know about the city, it sounds like somewhere I would love. St Louis has gained population for decades now, it's a city of almost 3 million people. Your idea of STL is very dated, and I think you would be pleasantly surprised if you ever had the chance to visit. St Louis is one of the most successful examples of urban renewal in the country. You are right, the city limits lost population for years, but the metropolitan area continued to grow. The city decline in population has been reversed and is gaining year after year. Greater St. Louis is home to 19 Fortune 1000 companies, of which 10 are in the Fortune 500. We have amazing architecture, Top rated Universities, Top Notch Hospitals, Great Museums, thriving art and music scene, I can go on and on.
So yes, you hit a nerve, it's not because we can't see the "truth", it's because STL is constantly being UNFAIRLY beat up on and we feel the need to defend. Especially to someone who doesn't know what they are talking about.
I see you brought up the Built STL website. If you really looked at the website, you would see that many of those areas have been rehabbed and are now thriving neighborhoods. Yes, there are neighborhoods that are poor, run down and not safe, but EVERY city in the country has that area, including Pittsburgh and Boston.
On a final note, a few months ago, my parents had some friends in town from Pittsburgh, and they asked me to show them around. They loved St Louis and were pleasantly surprised! My colleague is from Pittsburgh and has chosen St Louis above Pittsburgh time after time. Again, I'm not trying to diss Pittsburgh, I'm sure I would be happy living there, but I have to speak up.

The whole point of the Built STL site is to show what is going on in STL as far as successes and failures....if that delusional poster that brought up the site in the first place would have read what the site is all about in the first place, and would have bothered to read that, he MIGHT have deduced that.

[kshe95girl]

Originally Posted by rranger

Hmmm... Obviously, my post touched a raw nerve - big surprise after 60 years of STL's inexorable decline.

Most ridiculous thing I have read in quite awhile.
rranger, lest you worry any more about my health... let me say this.
Please put your $ where your mouth is......you should know how we Missouri folks are....show us your links to prove the facts!

[aragx6]

Using Built St. Louis to show how sad and crappy St. Louis is is hilarious to me! Did you spend any time on the site? If anything it shows how many great people care about and are working on rehabilitation.

I love all rust belt cities -- I wouldn't live in the sun belt if you paid me. The rust belt cities all have their problems, but they have a historical significance and architectural integrity that will always draw me to them.

[Smtchll]

Originally Posted by BubbyBobble

Wow, it's been a while.

Definately not like Seattle. But that's city to city. That's a hard comparison. Then again, condos in Seattle run about $15million while some similar (still good, if not better in some cases) here in STL run about $1million tops. I'd invest here if I had too.

Coming for the suburbs of Seattle, I have to say I love the home styles better here. Especially in Chesterfield (not because it's rich, but the style-minus that damn vinyl).

But I think Detroit might be most similar. But I wonder what ways are you talking about. Some parts of Stl kind of look like New Orleans, but not exactly alike.

The Washu area is unique though and I like the style. Sort of french and sort of it's own flare. I kind of wish all of STL looked like it unlike the wannabe Orange County suburbs out there. We need more brick. Less Orange Julius and highway expansion.

Really? I love the inner-ring suburbs, but I hate the vinyl box-houses in the outer-ring suburbs. I know outer-ring burbs are supposed to be bland and cookie-cutter, but St. Louis takes it to another level.

To compare, I tried to think of the most bland, cookie-cutter suburb we have in Memphis. Here it is. This kind of neighborhood is considered very cookie-cutter. It's not even in a particularly wealthy area...
Arlington, Tn

But the housing looks a lot better than the vinyl boxes I see in many St. Louis suburbs, like this one...
O'Fallon, Mo

I wish they would stop building those. You would think that since St. Louis has such awesome inner-ring suburbs that its outer-ring suburbs would be at least above average. Not the case. And you'd think with all the brick in St. Louis they could put some more brick on those houses instead of covering them with vinyl. Not saying that all the outer-ring suburbs look like this (the very upscale neighborhoods are usually nice), but it's fairly common from what I've seen. I can honestly say that I very very rarely see a vinyl-box house in the suburbs here