Atlanta's size compared to Houston (Kennesaw, Decatur: apartment, house, high schools)

[Spade]

Originally Posted by Saintmarks

Texas has more in common with the rest of the south than Louisiana IMHO. The French Cajun influence there makes it much more different than the rest of the south, but no one would argue that Louisiana isn't southern. It is unique for sure, it is Texas, but it is still solidly the south.

I agree with most of your post except this. East Texas (Tyler, Longview, Marshall) has much in common with Monroe. Also Carthage has much in common with Bastrop. Basically, Northern Louisiana and East Texas are very much alike which in turn makes it similar to Northern Mississippi and even to an extent, Western Tennessee. From the Cajun Triangle down to Houston has more in common with Southwest Louisiana then it does with the majority of the rest of the South. San Antonio doesn't really have that much in common with the majority of the South but it's still a Southern town and we're not going to talk about El Paso.

[bigstick]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

I thought the same thing LOL!

Here's something else: We're all the time hearing about how much "denser" other cities are than Atlanta, yet in both of those photos I see blocks and blocks of nothingness. I can only assume that all those vacant lots SW of downtown Chicago are the result of failed "urban renewal." But what's Houston's excuse? Central Atlanta is far more dense than that!

LOL, Both are disappointments in those pics. Houston looks like a bigger Charlotte. Parts of Chicago are very open.

[Saintmarks]

Originally Posted by Spade

I agree with most of your post except this. East Texas (Tyler, Longview, Marshall) has much in common with Monroe. Also Carthage has much in common with Bastrop. Basically, Northern Louisiana and East Texas are very much alike which in turn makes it similar to Northern Mississippi and even to an extent, Western Tennessee. From the Cajun Triangle down to Houston has more in common with Southwest Louisiana then it does with the majority of the rest of the South. San Antonio doesn't really have that much in common with the majority of the South but it's still a Southern town and we're not going to talk about El Paso.

Yes, you are going to have regional similarities all over the south that cross state lines. I find the piedmont areas of Georgia more similar to the piedmont areas of the Carolinas and even into Virginia than it is to Coastal Georgia. The geography/topography has a lot to do with it. That doesn't line up evenly state to state by any means.

I meant that Texas overall is as much if not more southern than Louisiana is when compared to a generic notion of what the south is. Upper Louisiana is traditional southern, but the French Cajun influnence south of that makes it one of the most unique parts of the country. I use that to counter the notion that Texas' unique spin on the southern ideal does not make it un-southern any more than Louisiana's even more unique twist makes it un-southern.

[Newsboy]

Originally Posted by sedimenjerry

I've found Texan to be basically a division of southern. I definitely agree that there are those who say their Texan for whatever reason (I imagine Texas pride is a huge one). Still haven't been able to tell the difference between Texas country music and Nashville country but people assure me there is one and that Texas is better. Driving through small towns in east Texas you feel like you're anywhere in the south. Really isn't a big difference. More trucks perhaps.

One of the biggest differences I've noticed is that my fellow students from suburbs of the major Texas cities all seem to be much more "Texan/country" than in Atlanta suburbs.

Also the influence of Mexican culture is huge in Texas. Especially for border areas like near Brownsville. Many non-hispanics are familiar with the food and language just from the mix of people. Grocery stores would go out of business if they didn't include Mexican food products.

American > Southern > Texan = totally agree

[Ant131531]

Originally Posted by Newsboy

I thought the same thing LOL!

Here's something else: We're all the time hearing about how much "denser" other cities are than Atlanta, yet in both of those photos I see blocks and blocks of nothingness. I can only assume that all those vacant lots SW of downtown Chicago are the result of failed "urban renewal." But what's Houston's excuse? Central Atlanta is far more dense than that!

It's already been established that the core of Atlanta's is denser than Houston's. Downtown Atlanta has a much better urban fabric to me than Downtown Houston despite more skyscrapers. While Dowtown Atlanta has a ore gradual drop off from it's taller skyscrapers, Downtown Houston almost instantly drops off to very low rise and even SFHs.

[tikigod311]

OH YES! Ant is saying something positive about Atlanta's density! EXXXXXXXCCELLENNT

I know, it still sucks against other, more superior cities. But I love that positivity. One day you may come around to the benefits of single family homes.


If you were in Houston, would your info read - Location: Houston suicidally. ?

[Ant131531]

Originally Posted by tikigod311

OH YES! Ant is saying something positive about Atlanta's density! EXXXXXXXCCELLENNT

I know, it still sucks against other, more superior cities. But I love that positivity. One day you may come around to the benefits of single family homes.


If you were in Houston, would your info read - Location: Houston suicidally. ?

SFHs are fine, but they are not intuitive and efficient so close to the heart of the city. They create deadzones and generally neighborhoods of SFHs are unwalkable. Having them literally on the edge of a downtown is just weird. It quickly ends any walkable, commercial corridors and the energy of that stretch. That's is what is going on with Houston and why I don't like it.

I dislike Houston even more than Atlanta so it would probably say, Houston, miserably.

[Iconographer]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

SFHs are fine, but they are not intuitive and efficient so close to the heart of the city. They create deadzones and generally neighborhoods of SFHs are unwalkable. Having them literally on the edge of a downtown is just weird. It quickly ends any walkable, commercial corridors and the energy of that stretch. That's is what is going on with Houston and why I don't like it.

I dislike Houston even more than Atlanta so it would probably say, Houston, miserably.

So, we should mow down:
Inman Park
Old Fourth Ward
Virginia-Highland
Poncey-Highland
Morningside
Ansley Park
Midtown
Brookwood Hills
Ardmore Park
Collier Hills
Peachtree Hills
Peachtree Heights
Haynes Manor
Tuxedo Park
in favor of high density housing and development.
Brilliant. It contributed so much to the Eastern Bloc.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by Ant131531

If you're so well traveled, then I would think you would know Chicago looks way bigger from the air from Houston does LOL.





It's not even close.

here's us by comparison:



i mean i think we beat houston pretty clearly, but yeah, we've got a LONG way to go before we look like chicago.

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by LovinDecatur

So, we should mow down:
Inman Park
Old Fourth Ward
Virginia-Highland
Poncey-Highland
Morningside
Ansley Park
Midtown
Brookwood Hills
Ardmore Park
Collier Hills
Peachtree Hills
Peachtree Heights
Haynes Manor
Tuxedo Park
in favor of high density housing and development.
Brilliant. It contributed so much to the Eastern Bloc.

i don't think ant is saying we should raze it all (if so i have greatly underestimated his potential for sherman-ism).

it is true that in general single family home dominated neighbourhoods, there is nothing for people to do, whereas denser development can provide mixed uses and more street activity.

now, obviously, there are exceptions to this rule. obviously, the word "apartment" for many conjurs up mixed emotions, seeing as how apartments were built in the 60s through the early 2000s— as single use, project-style apartments that were accessible only by car, meaning only those that were poor would want to live in an apartment. so in that case, denser doesn't equal better street life.

the other exception is found in many atlanta neighbourhoods, such as virginia-highland, old fourth ward, and many neighbourhoods that have not seen restoration yet, such as pittsburgh and english avenue— and that is the omnipresence of retail on street corners, much of it in a very unique atlanta style that is somewhere between art deco and spanish revival:



these retail areas are found at regular frequencies throughout the older single-family neighbourhoods in atlanta, especially those dating from the 1900-1940 period. what makes this unique is that it allows for the existance of single-family homes while maintaining a walkable community and an urban fabric.