Midtown Atlanta is #4 in Country for New Office Construction (Savannah: how much, hotels)

[AtlantaRising]

What is up with Charlotte's insecurities? I moved to Atlanta about 12 years ago and I've read some random news articles and blog posts from Charlotte inhabitants purporting not wanting to "be like Atlanta". Why worry about something that isn't even a possibility? First, never once in business here has anyone brought up Charlotte in the context of competition. I work with people across this country and not one person has even mentioned Charlotte...at all. Second, when I work with colleagues out of state, comparison of Atlanta is usually in reference to cities like DC, Chicago, Houston or Dallas.

IMO, Charlotte is not anywhere close to competing with Atlanta. Nashville seems more realistic as Charlotte's competitor. Atlanta's CSA is more than three times as large as Charlotte and adding more people every year than Charlotte ever has. I hear Birmingham also has these insecurities, constantly looking outside itself for definition. I've been to Birmingham and Charlotte and I find this ridiculous. And as someone who moved from Los Angeles, Charlotte was not even on my radar when deciding where to open business in a major city.

From 2010 to 2020, Atlanta added 1.2 million. Charlotte added 440k.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comb...atistical_area

As a side note, Atlanta is a city that has its own things going on. It is a cultural powerhouse, even in reference to the largest cities in this country. Whatever is in the water here, it has led to changemakers, artistic inventors and business innovators that are known across the globe. It is more than just a place to live and work. I am sure Charlotte has its own vibe, but I couldn't tell you what that vibe is. Maybe Buckhead vs. Charlotte would be more appropriate?

[JMatl]

Originally Posted by First24

Atlanta has an extremely diversified economic base. It doesn’t rely heavily on a single industry not even state government. If Hartsfield-Jackson closed, that would be devastating. Don’t ever envision that happening though. So, your Detroit analogy is baseless.

Again, a stronger more developed Georgia (outside of Atlanta), Alabama, Tennessee, South Carolina and North Carolina will only benefit Atlanta. It is great news that Huntsville, AL was recently awarded a major FBI expansion and selected as Space Force HQs. It’s great news the automotive manufacturing bases in Alabama and South Carolina are ever growing. It’s fantastic Nashville and Raleigh are gaining major tech expansions. I love that Fort Gordon in Augusta was chosen for US Cyber Security Command. It’s fabulous Robins AFB recently gained another major command. Kia’s West Point factory is prospering and that’s awesome. Atlanta and the entire Southeast region benefits from all of these developments. There shouldn’t be an attitude of jealousy or that somehow your city is missing out.

Glad you brought up the point about keeping Fortune 1000 companies. Dallas HAS to lure business to its area because it has never been a breeding ground for developing homegrown companies aside from TI. There are no highly ranked research universities in the entire Metroplex. UTD is growing nicely but it is light years away from being remotely on the level of Georgia Tech. Academically Emory >>>>>>>>>> SMU. There is no answer for SCAD in Dallas. Definitely, nothing close to Morehouse, Spelman or Clark ATL.

I’ve noticed when major companies announce relocation to DFW its mainly a figurehead (tax & incentive based) relocation as many of the companies have existing large workforces in the area. Seems when companies locate to Atlanta they seek to develop innovation and technology centers to take advantage of the abundant pipeline of college talent from local universities. Which works out benefiting further Midtown development.

Post of the week! I would rep you if I could.

[AtlantaRising]

Originally Posted by JMatl

Post of the week! I would rep you if I could.

I'm a White guy and I can see the implied analogy to Detroit. Whether people admit it or not, some people point to Detroit as an example of Black failure (or Black destiny), as if Black people invented Rust Belt cities or had anything to do with the failure of the U.S. auto industry. Black people doing well intimidates and creates feelings of entitlement and envy for some people. Black people driving nice cars, living in houses bigger than theirs, kids going to better schools, it's all a part of Atlanta's legacy and I happen to think it's one of the best things about the city. In fact, I think it's the perfect answer to all the hate going around so blatantly lately.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by AtlantaRising

I'm a White guy and I can see the implied analogy to Detroit. Whether people admit it or not, some people point to Detroit as an example of Black failure (or Black destiny), as if Black people invented Rust Belt cities or had anything to do with the failure of the U.S. auto industry. Black people doing well intimidates and creates feelings of entitlement and envy for some people. Black people driving nice cars, living in houses bigger than theirs, kids going to better schools, it's all a part of Atlanta's legacy and I happen to think it's one of the best things about the city. In fact, I think it's the perfect answer to all the hate going around so blatantly lately.

Beautiful post. And spot on.

Thank you.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by walker1962

I didn't say anything directly about Atlanta. I spoke questioned DFW ws overreported and thought austin was under reported. If this was reported on another thread I would have posted the same. Looking at some of the other posters, they DIRECTLY commented they thought the development would not change the skyline much. YOU're obsessed with your metro's ability to compete with the new boys like Charlotte nd Nashville

If you don't want to "say anything directly about Atlanta" but talk about a bunch of other cities instead, then a thread about Midtown Atlanta office construction in the Atlanta, GA subforum is not the place for that. You've all but admitted to trolling and derailing the thread.

[Mutiny77]

Originally Posted by AtlantaRising

What is up with Charlotte's insecurities? I moved to Atlanta about 12 years ago and I've read some random news articles and blog posts from Charlotte inhabitants purporting not wanting to "be like Atlanta". Why worry about something that isn't even a possibility? First, never once in business here has anyone brought up Charlotte in the context of competition. I work with people across this country and not one person has even mentioned Charlotte...at all. Second, when I work with colleagues out of state, comparison of Atlanta is usually in reference to cities like DC, Chicago, Houston or Dallas.

IMO, Charlotte is not anywhere close to competing with Atlanta. Nashville seems more realistic as Charlotte's competitor. Atlanta's CSA is more than three times as large as Charlotte and adding more people every year than Charlotte ever has. I hear Birmingham also has these insecurities, constantly looking outside itself for definition. I've been to Birmingham and Charlotte and I find this ridiculous. And as someone who moved from Los Angeles, Charlotte was not even on my radar when deciding where to open business in a major city.

From 2010 to 2020, Atlanta added 1.2 million. Charlotte added 440k.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comb...atistical_area

As a side note, Atlanta is a city that has its own things going on. It is a cultural powerhouse, even in reference to the largest cities in this country. Whatever is in the water here, it has led to changemakers, artistic inventors and business innovators that are known across the globe. It is more than just a place to live and work. I am sure Charlotte has its own vibe, but I couldn't tell you what that vibe is. Maybe Buckhead vs. Charlotte would be more appropriate?

No no no no...this thread has nothing to do with Charlotte and nobody from Charlotte came to this thread looking to pick a fight. Walker1962 isn't from Charlotte or Nashville but brought them up just to crap on Atlanta even more than he always does with the Texas cities. That's his thing and don't fall into the trap of thinking that this has anything to do with other cities he has no affiliation with at all.

But to address one particular point you made, Charlotte and Atlanta aren't peer cities overall, but they are indeed economic competitors. That's something knowledgeable Atlantans who are objective have no problem saying.

[First24]

Originally Posted by Mutiny77

No no no no...this thread has nothing to do with Charlotte and nobody from Charlotte came to this thread looking to pick a fight. Walker1962 isn't from Charlotte or Nashville but brought them up just to crap on Atlanta even more than he always does with the Texas cities. That's his thing and don't fall into the trap of thinking that this has anything to do with other cities he has no affiliation with at all.

But to address one particular point you made, Charlotte and Atlanta aren't peer cities overall, but they are indeed economic competitors. That's something knowledgeable Atlantans who are objective have no problem saying.

Seems Walker Texas Ranger fails to recognize the potential benefits of economic regionalism within the Southeast. Which is odd because regionalism works so well amongst cities within the Texas triangle where he claims to live.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by First24

Seems Walker Texas Ranger fails to recognize the potential benefits of economic regionalism within the Southeast. Which is odd because regionalism works so well amongst cities within the Texas triangle where he claims to live.

The Southern Crescent (or The Southern Appalachian Crescent):


Atlanta

Nashville—Birmingham—Charlotte—Raleigh

Huntsville—Greenville—Winston-Salem

[ShenardL]

Atlanta is kind of like NYC in the southeast, Charlotte like Philly, and Nashville like Boston. Both Philly and Boston are important but they're not NYC.

[aries4118]

Originally Posted by ShenardL

Atlanta is kind of like NYC in the southeast, Charlotte like Philly, and Nashville like Boston. Both Philly and Boston are important but they're not NYC.

Yep.