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You may have your own reasons ,disagree or agree. Please fell free to speak.
#1. Night Life: There is not much for a single person to do after college...but get married or hang with other undergrads. In D.C. I currently enojy a health single life with my peers . Being 33 it helps to know your parting with grown up.
#2. Economy : The driving force behind B.R.'s economy is the university. this city needs to diversify its economy.( petro-chemical in the middle of the city doesnt count,it pollutes the enviroment.)
I will admit,there are some ambitious folks there who may bring some diversity to the economy.
#3. Public Transportaion : (having a bus sytem is one thing. But having buses that go where you need to is another) I have lived in D.C. for 5 years ,my 2003 Honda only has 30k miles on it..I walk or take public transit most places. Saves me time,gas,parking, and parking tickets.
#4. NO True Neighborhoods: Too many spread out,disconedted subdivisions don't exactly evoke a sense of community. (think open access, cultre,shopping,walking neighborhoods like, Georgetown, Adams Morgan,Captol Hill in D.C.,The Loop, Bucktown in Chicago, Harlem,Brooklyn in NYC.
New Urbanism.
#5. Tollerence :Respect for everyone ,everywhere just doesn't happen here. I'm black and gay.so I know this from 2 perspectives.
#6. No entertainmet scene: This city is missed by every tour every year. Opps I forget Sesame Street Live and Disney on Ice make regular stops here.. The Rivercenter is just too dated to lure major adult entertainment to this city.
#7. Lack of diversity:Baton Rouge views the the world only in black and white, there is not a huge pressence of any other ethnic groups, ( I hear many and see many different cultures daily in D.C.)
#8. Morale : NO ONE and I mean NO ONE, wants to be here when done with school. A University town that looses many of its high educated work force to Houston ,Dallas,Atlanta, and everywhere else.....hmmmmm?
#9. Distance :The Drive to Houston ,Dallas, and Atlanta is too much, when you could just live there.(D.C. day trips to mountains in the winter beaches in summer, 3 amusement parks, NYC is 4 hour drive,Philly 2 hour,B-more is down the street . Plus with 3 airports, and a huge trains station,there's always a seat avaible to anywhere.
#10. The Weather : It's too damn hot and muggy too long, (I currently enjoy a 4 distinct seaons in D.C.)
Man, I'll give you kudos on the post. And I for one love D.C.
But let me take a moment to insert a little of my opinion, right or wrong:
Quote:
Originally Posted by nubianbrotha
You may have your own reasons ,disagree or agree. Please fell free to speak.
#1. Night Life: There is not much for a single person to do after college...but get married or hang with other undergrads. In D.C. I currently enojy a health single life with my peers . Being 33 it helps to know your parting with grown up.
-- You can't beat D.C. nightlife. BTR is making slow progress, but it'll never be a D.C. or NYC. That's just the way it is. But guess what, NOLA is 70 miles down the road. See #9 below.
#2. Economy : The driving force behind B.R.'s economy is the university. this city needs to diversify its economy.( petro-chemical in the middle of the city doesnt count,it pollutes the enviroment.)
I will admit,there are some ambitious folks there who may bring some diversity to the economy.
-- The largest employer in BTR is the state, although I have no idea if that does much for the economy. I do agree, putting Exxon in north BR was a huge mistake, but remember, BTR was a small city when Exxon was built. Noone expected the city to grow like it has recently. That's poor planning.
#3. Public Transportaion : (having a bus sytem is one thing. But having buses that go where you need to is another) I have lived in D.C. for 5 years ,my 2003 Honda only has 30k miles on it..I walk or take public transit most places. Saves me time,gas,parking, and parking tickets.
-- BTR has horrible public transit, agreed. I think BTR has excellent opportunity for light rail and BRT but it's going to take outside financing because the state of Louisiana and the city aren't going to fund it, not anytime soon at least. The D.C. Metro is awesome, but even it does't take you everywhere you may want or need to go. But at least they have buses to back them up and they are talking about Metro expansion to Dulles, finallly.
#4. NO True Neighborhoods: Too many spread out,disconedted subdivisions don't exactly evoke a sense of community. (think open access, cultre,shopping,walking neighborhoods like, Georgetown, Adams Morgan,Captol Hill in D.C.,The Loop, Bucktown in Chicago, Harlem,Brooklyn in NYC.
New Urbanism.
--BTR has plenty of true neighborhoods. They just aren't identified as touristy or have any entertainment/recreational/social value. BTR neighborhoods are just that, neighborhoods.
#5. Tollerence :Respect for everyone ,everywhere just doesn't happen here. I'm black and gay.so I know this from 2 perspectives.
--BTR is much more conservative than northern counterparts. The south as a whole is like that. I know this is more based on opinion and I can understand that. But racists exist everywhere and some people up north are just as open about their racism (ethnicity, gender, sexual preference, etc) as any backwoods uneducated person down here. I imagine and hope you're not pointing the finger at BTR saying that we're all intolerant bigots down here. I do agree, the city could do more to show it's tolerance for all.
#6. No entertainmet scene: This city is missed by every tour every year. Opps I forget Sesame Street Live and Disney on Ice make regular stops here.. The Rivercenter is just too dated to lure major adult entertainment to this city.
-- NOLA is right down the road and has always been the magnet for entertainment in this state. The River Center isn't a bad venue, especially since the expansion, but there is limited affordable hotel capacity downtown near the venue. But people here just aren't as cultured as people in larger cities so unless it's a wrestling event or a country concert, entertainers and performers just don't do very well in BTR.
#7. Lack of diversity:Baton Rouge views the the world only in black and white, there is not a huge pressence of any other ethnic groups, ( I hear many and see many different cultures daily in D.C.)
-- There are other cultures here. I run into them all the time. Diversity isn't as much a problem as maybe the whole tolerance issue, see#5.
#8. Morale : NO ONE and I mean NO ONE, wants to be here when done with school. A University town that looses many of its high educated work force to Houston ,Dallas,Atlanta, and everywhere else.....hmmmmm?
-- This is just as much a state problem as a city. This state is not competitive when it comes to jobs and the economy. The tax base is lower, so we have worse schools and health care, hence the highly educated and determined people leave for greener pastures. And it cycles around. More people leave, less money in the coffers, lower quality of life. We need drastic changes in this state.
#9. Distance :The Drive to Houston ,Dallas, and Atlanta is too much, when you could just live there.(D.C. day trips to mountains in the winter beaches in summer, 3 amusement parks, NYC is 4 hour drive,Philly 2 hour,B-more is down the street . Plus with 3 airports, and a huge trains station,there's always a seat avaible to anywhere.
-- BTR is 70 miles from NOLA. 4 hours to Houston is just as much as the 4 to NYC. 2 hours to Mississippi beaches, 4 hours from Florida's. Are you just bragging that you're closer to NYC? Doesn't matter to me. I'm just saying we're equally close to fun and sun. 12 hours and I'm in Big Bend National Park on the Rio Grande and nice picturesque rocky mountains.
No need to brag. Every place has it's advantages and disadvantages.
#10. The Weather : It's too damn hot and muggy too long, (I currently enjoy a 4 distinct seaons in D.C.)
-- I remember D.C. getting really hot and muggy in the summer. But yes, you get more seasonal effects up there. But I'd much rather be hot than cold (personal preference).
I'm glad you are enjoying D.C. I know I would as well, but I make do with where I am. I try to do my part or what I can to make BTR a better place for everybody. This city has so much potential and I really think you're only going to see BTR improve in so many areas. Before long BTR will really be better.
I read the Advocate online and the Business Report daily.Alot of talk and hype recently about downtown developments.,but being from louisiana I know to not belive till you see it. How Long has it been since there were to break ground on the High-Rise Condo? Remeber "Place Vendome Mall"? LOL, I was in 10th grade when it was proposed. It opened in fall of '97.....and it eventually became the Mall of Louisiana...
1. Somewhat true but I know of several places that single professionals can hang out. The problem is that Baton Rouge isn't a massive city so anywhere you go you will run in to an LSU student.
2. Its a mid-size city. I know very few mid-size cities that have a diverse and sprawling economy full of jobs. It kind of goes without saying that Baton Rouge is a college town and a capital city.
3. Again Baton Rouge is a mid-size city. Its impossible to even try to compare a large city like D.C. to Baton Rouge.
4. Again you are comparing Apples to Oranges. Very few places in the country actually have walking neighborhoods. New York City, Chicago, D.C., Boston and San Francisco are the only large cities in the U.S. that have large walkability. Even some of the cities I listed have large portions of the city that aren't walkable.
5. This is a tired argument. Generally speaking the ones who complain the most about tolerance are lacking it themselves.
6. You seem to be forgetting New Orleans is only an hour away from Baton Rouge. A tour generally speaking isnt going to stop in two places so close in geography. So between Baton Rouge and New Orleans where is a tour logically going to stop? Baton Rouge or New Orleans one of the party capitals of the world?
7. Again you are comparing a large city to a mid-size city. That said, however, I know several people from India, the Middle East, and Hispanics. I would say that for a mid-size city Baton Rouge isn't too terrible as far as diversity goes.
8. Most college towns have the same problem. Austin is one of the few college towns that I know that actually retains a lot of its graduates, but even there I would venture to say they lose many of their graduates. This is not a problem exclusive to Baton Rouge, but basically any small to mid-size town.
I'd have to agree with the above poster...I've come to realize that the same persons who say that "Baton Rouge lacks tolerance for gays" are the ones who spout works like "redneck, hick, etc..." Look at New Orleans...a predominantly African American city with alleged racial problems for decades. There are now Hispanics moving into town and you'd think it was the end of the world by the way people are talking.
Those types have little to no tolerance for anyone that isn't just like them...so I think they should feel encouraged to leave town. I'd hate to break it to them, but the city they are looking for doesn't exist. Bias and prejudice is a two way street, and the only way to live through it is to put up with the problem (as adults, we all have to have some level of tolerance) or move to an area full of people just like you.
I read the Advocate online and the Business Report daily.Alot of talk and hype recently about downtown developments.,but being from louisiana I know to not belive till you see it. How Long has it been since there were to break ground on the High-Rise Condo? Remeber "Place Vendome Mall"? LOL, I was in 10th grade when it was proposed. It opened in fall of '97.....and it eventually became the Mall of Louisiana...
Between the River Place Condo tower, entertainment district and the proposed loop, I'll believe it when I see it. I don't expect to ever drive on the loop. The Condo tower has really disappointed me. Austin built their first condo tower and then they just took off, building high rise towers left and right. I hope the same thing happens here (crossing fingers). For the price it would take to keep planning and finally building the loop, we could offer some effective mass transit to the suburbs and really make BTR an interesting city to live in. But it'll take gas topping $9/gal for people to really give up the car.
The mayor has a lot of good ideas here, but without the political will from the metro council or legislators and without private initiative, people here are scared to vote themselves another tax increase just so government can once again show the citizens how good they are at waisting the surplus.
Louisiana is in an oil boom again now. No reason why we can't rake in some extra capital and use it to fund new schools, hospitals, roads and parks/social ventures (or even a wall across the gulf coast if we really wanted to). There's no reason why this state should suffer the way that it makes itself do so. One day it'll turn around, and I think (or hope) that we're nearing that point in our history.
I respect you and your civic pride.
now:
1.Name me one great neighborhood in Baton Rouge(city limits) that isn't gated, and lends charm to B.R.
2. Playing in NOLA or NYC....lol. I'll take nyc much more to do after you sobber up...lol
3.D.C. metro(subway and buses) are part of the reason why almost 6million people communte around and play ,live and love D.C. When it goes to TYson's corner, Dulles, and possiblelly to BWI,why would you need to drive anywhere.
It's been proven that neightbohoods near a metro station have become town centers within there own right.
I eat sleep live shop and work in d.c. no need to do the subrubs unless i have have too.
4.As for the economy. Government rules the scene here too, but there are large sub sectors of the economy that have changed the dynamics here. The D.C, economy is probablly larger than all of Louisiana. (had to rub it in you face)
5.D.C. looks like the whole world. People come to this area from everywhere... I think its home to the 3rd or 4th largest immigrant popluaiton in the country..and im not just speaking latinos.
6. d.c. like any other community has crime but Baton Rouge has too much for a city its size.
1. Somewhat true but I know of several places that single professionals can hang out. The problem is that Baton Rouge isn't a massive city so anywhere you go you will run in to an LSU student.
2. Its a mid-size city. I know very few mid-size cities that have a diverse and sprawling economy full of jobs. It kind of goes without saying that Baton Rouge is a college town and a capital city.
3. Again Baton Rouge is a mid-size city. Its impossible to even try to compare a large city like D.C. to Baton Rouge.
4. Again you are comparing Apples to Oranges. Very few places in the country actually have walking neighborhoods. New York City, Chicago, D.C., Boston and San Francisco are the only large cities in the U.S. that have large walkability. Even some of the cities I listed have large portions of the city that aren't walkable.
5. This is a tired argument. Generally speaking the ones who complain the most about tolerance are lacking it themselves.
6. You seem to be forgetting New Orleans is only an hour away from Baton Rouge. A tour generally speaking isnt going to stop in two places so close in geography. So between Baton Rouge and New Orleans where is a tour logically going to stop? Baton Rouge or New Orleans one of the party capitals of the world?
7. Again you are comparing a large city to a mid-size city. That said, however, I know several people from India, the Middle East, and Hispanics. I would say that for a mid-size city Baton Rouge isn't too terrible as far as diversity goes.
8. Most college towns have the same problem. Austin is one of the few college towns that I know that actually retains a lot of its graduates, but even there I would venture to say they lose many of their graduates. This is not a problem exclusive to Baton Rouge, but basically any small to mid-size town.
9. I'm not really sure what your point is here.
10. Ok Ill let you have this one.
D.C. is not really a large city
...its dense with a population of just aver 550K, but ther metro area of 6 million adds a cosmo vibe to d.c.
With D.C. i've got the best of almost everything for a Single Black Gay man.
Small town feel of the D.C. proper, Comsmopolitan feel of the entire metro area. A Large population on Gay and lesbian counter parts ( which adds to my sense of community) and the exposure to many other cultrures that i'd never met or seen in Louisiana.
When it comes to MID sized cites i can point to a few, that beat BR in Quality of life (RIchmond , VA. Provodince ,RI. Louisiville,KY. Norfolk, VA. Raleigh, and Durham, NC. i mean i can keep them coming) So it's not just D.C. that trumps B.R. in Quality of life.
Also ,Though the cost of living is exspensive, wages here in the metro area are the best in the country.
And before you argue your points which maybe valid...please do you research.
I'm not exactly sure why this person thinks a city with a metro population of around 700,000 is supposed to compete with a city with a metro population of 5.3 million. That's like comparing a 250lb. star quarterback to a 90lb. chess club geek, so of course Washington is going to end up looking like this big awesome place compared to Baton Rouge. Yes, the city is very dependent on Exxon and the universities, but there are a ton of other cities just like that, so why single out Baton Rouge. I remember when the advocate was running that closing the gap thing about a year ago and they said that things like the Pennington Center were beginning to have more and more of an affect on the city and the state. Simply stated, Baton Rouge is a typical small, southern town that is in the process of becoming a more important, diverse, and cool place to be.
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(personal preference).
dc vs baton rouge.
