Orange County, CA compare with Austin, TX (Spring, Portland: homes, neighborhood)

[Phisch]

Originally Posted by TheHarvester

I think that has a lot to do with two factors:

1. the OC is part of a megalopolis, and the more ginormous a city becomes, the more practical it is to live in a condo. Austin is reaching a point now where most of the downtown development consists of highrise condos. But the outlying areas have no real reason to go to condos because:

2. there is so much land here, why not have your own house and yard? The only places where it makes sense to live in a condo are in places with high population density. Outside of downtown Austin, Cedar Park, Round Rock and the other main cities of the area, there's really no point in building up or clustering housing because we're in the middle of Texas and every direction you drive is wide open land ready to be developed.

So Cal is built up to the point where they have to squeeze people into smaller spaces and there are a lot of environmental and topographical restrictions on expansion. Can't build on the ocean, can't build in steep rugged mountains. We have no mountains nor ocean, so we can just keep expanding with sprawl for many more decades. Unfortunately.

Well, there are a few differences I think. OC is almost completely built out. There are intentionally untouched greenbelt and coastal areas, mostly in planned communities, and what remains isn't much; those areas are already zoned and dished out to developers.

There's no single "downtown" in Orange County, but a few that can pass as such spread out in different parts. It's only been in the last couple of years that they've actually done anything like high-rise condo living. There are a couple of high rises in Irvine that have been built (or one is done, one is under construction). Before the doors opened, the units all sold and mostly to investors. The prices are not cheap, either. I think the main reason the high-rise living didn't happen earlier over there is that there were restrictions placed on how tall a building could be built inside OC (I think approx. 14 stories high was the max). Apparently, that's changed.

Because you have a lot of centers of business over there, condos are all over the place as opposed to here in Austin.

But I got the impression that those who buy into condos would rather not have to worry about the maintenance of property vs. folks who want their own piece of land. But since a lot of condos are being built downtown (and some duplex type places too), I guess it is just a land issue?

[Phisch]

Ok...here's something where Austin rules (waaaay rules) over OC: Zilker Park. We were just there. Can't say enough good about it so I won't even try.

[Trainwreck20]

Zilker, I believe, is the 2nd largest park entirely within a city limits (behind Central Park, of course ).

If you go early on Sat. morning, there is an internet coupon somwhere good for 2 hours for the price of one canoeing if you rent before noon. Also, the Zilker Hillside Productions theater has the longest running outdoor production in the US. It is a load of fun to go watch (if you can catch a dry day).

[Phisch]

Nah. Forget the events, those are icing on the proverbial cake. The hike/bike trail, that is gorgeous. In spite of the many bugs we became acquainted with, we enjoyed walking there immensely.

The river was full and full of rowers, the joggers were out (bikers not so much due to recent rain), people walking their dogs and/or babies, swans and cygnets enjoying a feast, turtles, etc. We saw huge pecan trees and all kids of other really huge old trees. For the first time, my kids got to see fireflies and cardinals.

Orange County plans on building the Great Park and I hope Zilker was on their list of city parks to use as a model (I know Central Park is on that list). However, years and years and years of planning and growth can't be matched right away; any such park would have to wait decades to get as pretty (and get as much rain fall!) Not to mention all they have to work with is a river that is usually dry. Can't help it: it's desert after all.

There, I tried.

[gigi927]

Originally Posted by Trainwreck20

Zilker, I believe, is the 2nd largest park entirely within a city limits (behind Central Park, of course ).

If you go early on Sat. morning, there is an internet coupon somwhere good for 2 hours for the price of one canoeing if you rent before noon. Also, the Zilker Hillside Productions theater has the longest running outdoor production in the US. It is a load of fun to go watch (if you can catch a dry day).

I thought Golden Gate Park in SF had #2 spot, but I could be wrong....

[Trainwreck20]

Looks like GGP is the largest, not second. I don't remember the aricle about the parks (it was a couple of years ago), so maybe there were some caveats that managed to exclude GGP . I forget the exact language, but it was something about contained in the city limits or something...maybe the ocean to one side made it not 'contained'. Those lies, damn lies, and statistics .

Zilker Metropolitan Park is a recreational area in the heart of south Austin (near Barton Springs Pool and Town Lake) that comprises over 350 acres (1.4 km²) of publicly owned land. It is named after its benefactor Andrew Jackson Zilker, who donated the land to the city in 1917. It was developed into the park, despite the Great Depression, in the 1930s. The park serves as a hub for many recreational activities and the hike and bike trail around Town Lake both of which runs next to the park. The park was listed in the National Register of Historic Places on 1997.

Golden Gate Park, located in San Francisco, California, is a large urban park. At 1017 acres (4.1 km², 1.6 mi²), it is in the shape of a long rectangle, similar in shape but 174 acres (0.7 km², 0.27 mi²) larger than Central Park in New York. With 13 million visitors annually, Golden Gate is the third most visited city park in America (after Central Park and Lincoln Park in Chicago).

Central Park is a large public, urban park (843 acres, 3.41 km², 1.32 mi²; a rectangle 2.5 statute miles by 0.5 statute mile, or 4 km × 800 m) in the borough of Manhattan in New York City. With about twenty-five million visitors annually, Central Park is the most visited city park in the United States, and its appearance in many movies and television shows has made it among the most famous city parks in the world. It is run by the Central Park Conservancy, a private, not-for-profit organization that manages the park under a contract with the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation.

[TheHarvester]

I love Zilker Park, but any comparison to the amazingly spectacular Central Park or Golden Gate Park is absurd. No offense to the person who made the comparison, but comparing Zilker to Central is like comparing a 7-11 to Whole Foods. The one-and-only thing about Zilker that stands out in my mind is Barton Springs, which is easily the best urban swimming spot in the USA. Can't even think of a close second.

[Phisch]

Never been to CP, been to itty bitty bit of GGP.

Does CP have water?

[austinese]

Zilker Metropolitan Park is a recreational area in the heart of south Austin (near Barton Springs Pool and Town Lake) that comprises over 350 acres (1.4 km²) of publicly owned land.

I think that Zilker Park is part of what's called Town Lake Metropolitan Park (TLMP) which covers an area of 509 acres. Zilker Park proper is on the south side of Town Lake and east of Lamar. One thing to keep in mind is that one can hike through either the Barton Creek Green Belt (1770 acres) or the Shoal Creek Green Belt (71 acres) and arrive at TLMP.

I agree though that one can't really compare Zilker with Central Park and GGP. Central Park has a zoo and great museums on its periphery. I was there recently and was very impressed. It is a true urban oasis. I've been to GGP but my memories of it are vague. However, I do think that the Town Lake Hike and Bike Trail is exceptional as an urban exercise area. I think this is because of both its length and its degree of ruggedness which is unusual for an urban park setting.

[gigi927]

GGP is awesome. So much to do - the Japanese Tea Garden, the DeYoung Museum, the Conservatory of Flowers - and of course you have to go see the buffalo!

I agree that ZP can't really compare to GGP or CP but it is a tremendous park for a city the size of Austin!