Cities with the most potential (Dallas, Austin: apartment, condos, high crime)

[txstate]

Originally Posted by mayhem154

Midway High is bigger than Waco High, by over 100 students according to UIL enrollment figures. They're not overcrowed because they built a nice new high school a few years back. Waco High will continue to lose students to AJ Moore and especially University when they get their new school built out on New Rd an I35.

True when I graduated from WHS we had 1990 students now I think it 1800 or 1700 and dropping, my grad class was 267 out of 4 or 500, crazy, La Vega is what we need to watch because people moving from East and North side to over there and its getting crazy.

[MrMcCoySays]

Originally Posted by Spade

If Killeen starts urbanizing and densifying it's city more, I could see it being a player as it grows ever so closer to Austin. It needs to attract more industry and also continue to grow the industry that it has now. I think numerous cities between 100,000-300,000 has tons of potential.

One city that is not being talked about is Temple. I dislike the town (as well as Central Texas in general), but Temple is receiving TWO distribution centers including an HEB distribution center. Also, if the high speed rail is built in Texas, they will build the station in Temple because it has the largest railyard between Dallas and Austin. If that happens, Temple could take off. In fact taht entire bell county area could take off.

i don't see Killeen urbanizing or densifying. Simply because there's no demand out here for that. I used to live in Killeen and you could say I'm from there. Trust me, folks out here could care less about this city becoming more urban. People for the most part are comfortable enough with everything being centralized along the expressway. as I explained to another poster, Killeen is the mall/movie theater/chain restaurant crowd, and I don't see anything in this city's future but a bigger and better mall and better restaurants. Maybe some new high rise office towers. they've already got a brand new movie theater and a huge new shopping center in Heights with a Lane Bryant!

I'm interested in hearing why you don't like Central Texas though

[MrMcCoySays]

Killeen isn't growing as a city, it's growing as a big suburb. And as far as its relationship with Austin, there's still too much open land along the 195 corridor that will likely remain undeveloped, and I'm sure the residents of Florence will oppose any type of sprawl coming their way.

Killeen should just worry about growing closer to Temple and I-35

[jluke65780]

Originally Posted by txstate

True when I graduated from WHS we had 1990 students now I think it 1800 or 1700 and dropping, my grad class was 267 out of 4 or 500, crazy, La Vega is what we need to watch because people moving from East and North side to over there and its getting crazy.

It got up to 2000 I believe one year. The school had gotten so bad that they had to bring in the swat team about 3-4 years ago.

[jluke65780]

Originally Posted by MrMcCoySays

i don't see Killeen urbanizing or densifying. Simply because there's no demand out here for that. I used to live in Killeen and you could say I'm from there. Trust me, folks out here could care less about this city becoming more urban. People for the most part are comfortable enough with everything being centralized along the expressway. as I explained to another poster, Killeen is the mall/movie theater/chain restaurant crowd, and I don't see anything in this city's future but a bigger and better mall and better restaurants. Maybe some new high rise office towers. they've already got a brand new movie theater and a huge new shopping center in Heights with a Lane Bryant!

I'm interested in hearing why you don't like Central Texas though

I agree. Killeen really isn't even a city where I could see people settling in. Many people are just stationed there and usually move once it's time to go. I'd say Temple has more potential than Killeen.

[Spade]

Originally Posted by MrMcCoySays

I'm interested in hearing why you don't like Central Texas though

Because it's boring to me. I never really cared to grow up there. It's too suburban and too small. It is heavily depended on the car and there's practically nothing there between Austin and Dallas. Basically, you can spend one day in any town of Central Texas and you have done or seen it all. I grew up in Killeen and my mom and brother are still there. But I will most likely never return to live there or anywhere else in Central Texas outside Austin again.

Killeen isn't growing as a city, it's growing as a big suburb. And as far as its relationship with Austin, there's still too much open land along the 195 corridor that will likely remain undeveloped, and I'm sure the residents of Florence will oppose any type of sprawl coming their way.

I really don't think Florence will have a choice in the next few decades. But I wasn't speaking about the two areas merging anytime soon. But Killeen continues to grow to the South and Austin continues to grow to the North through Georgetown. As far as Killeen not urbanizing and densifying. It probably cannot densify at any rapid rate. But I don't think any central Texas town can unless they the city leaders really want to. But this is Texas so... I do think it can urbanize a bit better because Killeen has the urban mindset already more than other Central Texas towns mostly because most of the people living in Killeen are from other areas and other cities and most of those are big cities.

I won't even expect Killeen to be like a Savannah or anything. That's not happening. But I don't think Killeen is interested in growing towards Temple only because it is landlocked to the East by Nolanville and Harker Heights. I believe Killeen has a new development that the city has never seen going up though that will be similar to the new Austin developments. If that's a success, who knows. It is high in density and would be a boom to the city and aestheticaly much better than these mundane developments popping up over the Southern part of the city.

[MrMcCoySays]

Originally Posted by Spade

Because it's boring to me. I never really cared to grow up there. It's too suburban and too small. It is heavily depended on the car and there's practically nothing there between Austin and Dallas. Basically, you can spend one day in any town of Central Texas and you have done or seen it all. I grew up in Killeen and my mom and brother are still there. But I will most likely never return to live there or anywhere else in Central Texas outside Austin again.

Yeah, it can be boring but the beauty and having some of the best weather in Texas more than makes up for it. I'll admit that I left and don't intend to go back while I'm still young but I could easily raise a family there. Especially with the direction the city is heading in.

So I guess I understand where you're coming from. But are you young and single or are you settled down with a family?

[jluke65780]

Originally Posted by Spade

Because it's boring to me. I never really cared to grow up there. It's too suburban and too small. It is heavily depended on the car and there's practically nothing there between Austin and Dallas. Basically, you can spend one day in any town of Central Texas and you have done or seen it all. I grew up in Killeen and my mom and brother are still there. But I will most likely never return to live there or anywhere else in Central Texas outside Austin again.



I really don't think Florence will have a choice in the next few decades. But I wasn't speaking about the two areas merging anytime soon. But Killeen continues to grow to the South and Austin continues to grow to the North through Georgetown. As far as Killeen not urbanizing and densifying. It probably cannot densify at any rapid rate. But I don't think any central Texas town can unless they the city leaders really w
ant to. But this is Texas so... I do think it can urbanize a bit better because Killeen has the urban mindset already more than other Central Texas towns mostly because most of the people living in Killeen are from other areas and other cities and most of those are big cities.

I won't even expect Killeen to be like a Savannah or anything. That's not happening. But I don't think Killeen is interested in growing towards Temple only because it is landlocked to the East by Nolanville and Harker Heights. I believe Killeen has a new development that the city has never seen going up though that will be similar to the new Austin developments. If that's a success, who knows. It is high in density and would be a boom to the city and aestheticaly much better than these mundane developments popping up over the Southern part of the city.

Waco is in central Texas which is nothing like Killeen or Temple. I know your more into the urban scene, but saying it's nothing there is so far from the truth. Also Waco is densifying and making a more urban core.

[MrMcCoySays]

Waco is also greener than Killeen/Copperas Cove/Temple, but is not as hilly. I'll say that the Waco area has more of a city feel and much much more to do, but the Killeen area has the beauty and nicer weather.

Killeen is also gaining on Waco in population.

[jluke65780]

Originally Posted by MrMcCoySays

Waco is also greener than Killeen/Copperas Cove/Temple, but is not as hilly. I'll say that the Waco area has more of a city feel and much much more to do, but the Killeen area has the beauty and nicer weather.

Killeen is also gaining on Waco in population.

Eventually Killeen is going to surpass Waco. They are growing much more faster.