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Of course not -- though Savannah has very fine medical facilities for a metro area of its modest size. But since when would a metro of 375,000 like Savannah have a Mayo Clinic, or anything even approaching what Jacksonville, a metro of 1.4 MILLION, might have?
Regarding this thread, it's just laughable to compare two cities of such different sizes, profiles, and vibes as Savannah and Jacksonville. I will say one thing about them: Savannah is the most beautiful city in Georgia, while Jacksonville has to be the UGLIEST city in Florida (if not in the entire South). JAX is devoid of any charm -- it has none whatsoever -- but I do love its beaches.
while Jacksonville has to be the UGLIEST city in Florida (if not in the entire South). JAX is devoid of any charm -- it has none whatsoever -- but I do love its beaches.
Not really. Jax has the oldest neighborhoods in FL with plenty of character and charm. And if we're talking about the metro then I think St Augustine outdoes Savannah (on a smaller scale though)
Not really. Jax has the oldest neighborhoods in FL with plenty of character and charm. And if we're talking about the metro then I think St Augustine outdoes Savannah (on a smaller scale though)
Nah. Jacksonville and "charm" is an oxymoron. I do love St. Augustine (still remember thinking how pretty it was when I first saw it at age seven). But it's just a village, really. Savannah is at least a large town with much more going on, students living downtown, a larger historic area, and there's lots to do. Augustine does have that Spanish influence and those tropical trees/flowers -- a tad more exotic than Savannah's English architecture and subtropical trees and shrubs -- but Savannah wins. You really have to be plugging Florida to the hilt to think Augustine outdoes Savannah.
Sorry I didnt state my post clearly. I meant that imo St Aug outdoes Savannah on the historic charm, but yes it is indeed much smaller. You're wrong, again, that Jax has no charm. In addition to St Aug (which clearly shows you don't believe your own statement) the historic districts in Jax are far larger than Savannah's, which I think is only 2 or 3 square miles total.
If you ever come back, make sure you visit Riverside, Avondale and San Marco. Lots of gorgeous, historic architecture. Even downtown has a ton of historic buildings though it's certainly only a tiny fraction of what was here at one point. Fire of 1904 and incredibly shortsighted governing took care of 80% of the history there.
Even the less heralded and less popular neighborhoods still have lots of history and charm. Murray Hill, Springfield, Durkeeville and Eastside have the bones but are not gentrified.
Here's an article I happen to be looking at today. I don't feel like searching for photo tours of the other neighborhoods, but APA awarded Riverside and Avondale with a "Great Neighborhoods" designation in 2010 so it's certainly been recognized nationally.
My quip about Jacksonville being "the ugliest city in the South" was just that. There's far too much competition for that august prize (JAX being just one contender). I grew up in the South and am appalled by how most southern cities, including JAX, have developed since the 1960s: bland cookie-cutter downtowns; ugly, unregulated and non-zoned suburban sprawl; spaghetti bowls of highways even in small metros of 200,000 people. Ugly as sin (my mother's expression comes back to me).
Last edited by masonbauknight; 09-07-2015 at 06:10 PM..
My replies are primarily to correct any misconceptions that visitors to this thread might have. Not necessarily to change your mind. FYI Jax had over 92k people in its urban core in 1920. It had very good bones for a southern city. Sprawl post WWII definitely changed its look overall but don't go thinking that it didnt have a lot of great neighborhoods. Had one of the largest streetcar systems in the country in the early 20th century, and the complementary development to boot.
As for considering St Aug separate from Jax, thats fine. I often do too. My statement had the qualifier if we are comparing metros...cause St Aug is definitely part of the Jax metro.
I grew up in the South and am appalled by how most southern cities, including JAX, have developed since the 1960s: bland cookie-cutter downtowns; ugly, unregulated and non-zoned suburban sprawl; spaghetti bowls of highways even in small metros of 200,000 people. Ugly as sin (my mother's expression comes back to me).
That's how the entire nation has developed since the 60's; the issue is that most of the Southern cities weren't as large and didn't have as much to work with as Northern cities did to begin with, so those things you mention had more visible negative impacts in the South (and parts of the West).
They are both wonderful cities but what clinched Jacksonville for us was the superior healthcare, better shopping, airport with more destinations, not having to worry about getting inundated in a hurricane, proximity to Orlando and Disney, no state income tax and last but not least we have friends and family in Jacksonville and we don't know a soul in Savannah. We will certainly visit Savannah as often as possible.
They are both wonderful cities but what clinched Jacksonville for us was the superior healthcare, better shopping, airport with more destinations, not having to worry about getting inundated in a hurricane, proximity to Orlando and Disney, no state income tax and last but not least we have friends and family in Jacksonville and we don't know a soul in Savannah. We will certainly visit Savannah as often as possible.
Jacksonville and Savannah are practically equally as likely to get hit by a hurricane. Both cities are located a little inland and along the bend in the coastline of north FL/GA that shields them a bit from hurricanes.
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