Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
These are perhaps three of the fastest changing metropolises in all of North America, some for similar reasons and some for different ones.
Which one has changed the most in the last 20 years, which one is poised to change the most in the next 20 years based off of what they have planned to do?
- the area where culture has changed the most in the last 20 years?
- the area where the economy has changed the most in the last 20 years?
- the area where its composition diversity has changed the most in the last 20 years? (meaning the demographics today are way different than they were in 1996)
- the area where infrastructure has expanded the most in the last 20 years?
- the area where research and development institutions have gained prominence more quickly in the last 20 years?
- the area where the housing market has undergone the most changes in the last 20 years with regards to pricing, supply availability, type and style of architecture?
- the area that has increased its global portfolio the most the last 20 years?
Which area has changed the most in the last 20 years and which one do you think will change the most in the next 20 years? Choices are between Greater Toronto Area, the Greater Washington DC area (no Baltimore required), or the Greater Miami/Fort Lauderdale area?
Miami's had the biggest increase in stature and has really taken the mantle in the past twenty years as the Financial Hub of Latin America, a region of 600 million people. It has also gone from a Cuban-dominated city towards a huge diverse Latin American population. Colombians, Venezuelans, Puerto Ricans, Haitians and Brazilians see Miami as a huge magnet city. Couple that with a huge growth in the LGBT population, the Jewish population and even Russians, and Miami has really been transformed into an international city. Miami Beach and Miami are now considered major tourist hubs for international audiences. Miami and Fort Lauderdale International Airports have links to tons of European capitals.
Not only that, but the Nightlife is becoming world class, tons of chefs are opening flagship restaurants in the area, arts museums and galleries are at record highs and the city is definitely transformed. In the next 20 years, I expect it to move quickly up the ranks. The sheer number of projects underway is impressive.
Toronto has grown a ton in the skyline department. Population growth has also been impressive as the metro area continues to gobble up neighboring cities like Hamilton, Niagara Falls, Kitchener, Waterloo etc. It has also matured as the Heart of Canada, and has continued to put space between it and Montreal.
However, Toronto lacks the branding necessary to be a world-class behemoth. Toronto, even in the U.S., would be met with confused looks. People know of Toronto, but they don't know what it offers. Compared to Miami which has done a brilliant job of marketing itself as a city of haute couture, sun, sex, nightlife and arts. Toronto is seen as a city of condos. Bata Shoe is the only major cultural addition in the past 20 years. Maybe Aga Khan will be there too (but so far the reviews are mixed). So Toronto should focus more on building a unique identity. Right now, Toronto's branding is far behind Montreal and Vancouver. The city lacks both a unique identity and a repertoire of attractions to lure in tourists.
Washington is the most powerful city in the world and there's little that Toronto or Miami could ever do to change that. Washington is synonymous with power, monuments, cherry blossoms, The White House, the Capitol Building, Pentagon, memorials galore, etc. When Washington sneezes the world catches a cold. So in some ways, it's the odd one out of these 3. It's already a well-established city. It has been a major political hub for the past century.
So that's why I rank it #3. The CSA has grown by 110k people each year from 2010-2015 (which exceeds Miami and is very close to Toronto), but it's growing from a much higher base. It's already a well-established city. So the changes taking place are less noticeable. But there is a major building boom going on and tons of new cultural establishments including Dupont Underground, The Wharf, The Green Collection and the Museum of the Bible, the new African American National Museum, the new International Spy Museum, etc etc.
I think Washington is the one with the most assured future. Toronto has a huge condo bubble approaching and Miami is very vulnerable to Latin American economic trends. DC, meanwhile, is centered on government, which is very recession proof. I think Washington is a slow-and-steady gainer. I live here in Alexandria, Virginia, and would choose Washington over Miami and Toronto by a mile.
Definitely Toronto, I've never seen a city in my life transform the way it has in the past 10 years and it's only the beginning, it's just so insane. Besides skyscrapers, their downtown is at 250K population, nightlife is expanding and getting better, the art scene, etc... its insane. Don't know much about D.C but I've had many friends from Miami move there. And Miami has transformed but not to the extent of Toronto, besides condos, and wynwood, the city is catering more to high end people thus creating an even bigger divide than its ever had.
Miami's had the biggest increase in stature and has really taken the mantle in the past twenty years as the Financial Hub of Latin America, a region of 600 million people. It has also gone from a Cuban-dominated city towards a huge diverse Latin American population. Colombians, Venezuelans, Puerto Ricans, Haitians and Brazilians see Miami as a huge magnet city. Couple that with a huge growth in the LGBT population, the Jewish population and even Russians, and Miami has really been transformed into an international city. Miami Beach and Miami are now considered major tourist hubs for international audiences. Miami and Fort Lauderdale International Airports have links to tons of European capitals.
Not only that, but the Nightlife is becoming world class, tons of chefs are opening flagship restaurants in the area, arts museums and galleries are at record highs and the city is definitely transformed. In the next 20 years, I expect it to move quickly up the ranks. The sheer number of projects underway is impressive.
Toronto has grown a ton in the skyline department. Population growth has also been impressive as the metro area continues to gobble up neighboring cities like Hamilton, Niagara Falls, Kitchener, Waterloo etc. It has also matured as the Heart of Canada, and has continued to put space between it and Montreal.
However, Toronto lacks the branding necessary to be a world-class behemoth. Toronto, even in the U.S., would be met with confused looks. People know of Toronto, but they don't know what it offers. Compared to Miami which has done a brilliant job of marketing itself as a city of haute couture, sun, sex, nightlife and arts. Toronto is seen as a city of condos. Bata Shoe is the only major cultural addition in the past 20 years. Maybe Aga Khan will be there too (but so far the reviews are mixed). So Toronto should focus more on building a unique identity. Right now, Toronto's branding is far behind Montreal and Vancouver. The city lacks both a unique identity and a repertoire of attractions to lure in tourists.
Washington is the most powerful city in the world and there's little that Toronto or Miami could ever do to change that. Washington is synonymous with power, monuments, cherry blossoms, The White House, the Capitol Building, Pentagon, memorials galore, etc. When Washington sneezes the world catches a cold. So in some ways, it's the odd one out of these 3. It's already a well-established city. It has been a major political hub for the past century.
So that's why I rank it #3. The CSA has grown by 110k people each year from 2010-2015 (which exceeds Miami and is very close to Toronto), but it's growing from a much higher base. It's already a well-established city. So the changes taking place are less noticeable. But there is a major building boom going on and tons of new cultural establishments including Dupont Underground, The Wharf, The Green Collection and the Museum of the Bible, the new African American National Museum, the new International Spy Museum, etc etc.
I think Washington is the one with the most assured future. Toronto has a huge condo bubble approaching and Miami is very vulnerable to Latin American economic trends. DC, meanwhile, is centered on government, which is very recession proof. I think Washington is a slow-and-steady gainer. I live here in Alexandria, Virginia, and would choose Washington over Miami and Toronto by a mile.
With Brazil economy struggling so badly doesn't how strong is Latin Anerica financially?
With Brazil economy struggling so badly doesn't how strong is Latin Anerica financially?
Brazil's economic world of hurt has hit Miami's high-end luxury apartments sector pretty badly. But Miami has also done a good job of diversifying to European and, especially, Russian audiences. Americans don't really recognize how strong Miami's brand is within Europe. It has risen tremendously in recent decades.
Outside of Brazil, the rest of Latin America is on a slow upward trend. Argentina is trending positive. As is Mexico and most of the Caribbean realm outside Venezuela. It's not rising as fast as 2000-2009, for sure, but it's growing. And remember that Miami's economy is geared towards high rollers in Latin America. So it's only harmed when the Latin American elite are harmed to a large extent. Unfortunately, due to high income inequality, Latin American elite tend to do better than their average countryman when the economy enters a recession.
1. Grand Theft Auto
2. Missing-in-Action
3. Department of Motor Vehicles
Kidding.
These metropolises more or less grew up together in the same time period. They were all founded much earlier and in some cases already had established institutions or firms or economic drivers in place but prior to the 1960s, none of these were particularly large metropolises. They were all significantly smaller. Toronto was smaller than Montreal at the time and less important. Washington DC was most definitely not a Top 5 American city in terms of power, influence, or overall size (CSA). It was somewhere between 6-10 at the time. Miami and the surrounding Southeast Florida in general was not even in the Top 10 at the time.
So from a population point of view, all of them have increased rapidly, especially in the last 20 years even more so. Their demographics have changed several folds, all of them are now either at or close to peak immigration annually. All of them are at peak foreign born population percentage.
In that time period has come the construction of a multitude of housing units and homes, both urban and suburban. In that time has come several transit and infrastructure expansion projects, increase in ridership, increase in number of stations, increase in efficiency.
Each city has raised its global portfolio in this time period as well. Like I mentioned earlier, its hard to find three North American metropolises of this sizeor larger that have changed as much as these three. I can only think of one in Northern California, two in Texas, and one in Georgia that would even have room to discuss.
Its tough to pinpoint which of these three will have the fastest changing future ahead of it but if I had to guess, I would say its between either Miami or Toronto there.
1. Grand Theft Auto
2. Missing-in-Action
3. Department of Motor Vehicles
Kidding.
These metropolises more or less grew up together in the same time period. They were all founded much earlier and in some cases already had established institutions or firms or economic drivers in place but prior to the 1960s, none of these were particularly large metropolises. They were all significantly smaller. Toronto was smaller than Montreal at the time and less important. Washington DC was most definitely not a Top 5 American city in terms of power, influence, or overall size (CSA). It was somewhere between 6-10 at the time. Miami and the surrounding Southeast Florida in general was not even in the Top 10 at the time.
So from a population point of view, all of them have increased rapidly, especially in the last 20 years even more so. Their demographics have changed several folds, all of them are now either at or close to peak immigration annually. All of them are at peak foreign born population percentage.
In that time period has come the construction of a multitude of housing units and homes, both urban and suburban. In that time has come several transit and infrastructure expansion projects, increase in ridership, increase in number of stations, increase in efficiency.
Each city has raised its global portfolio in this time period as well. Like I mentioned earlier, its hard to find three North American metropolises of this sizeor larger that have changed as much as these three. I can only think of one in Northern California, two in Texas, and one in Georgia that would even have room to discuss.
Its tough to pinpoint which of these three will have the fastest changing future ahead of it but if I had to guess, I would say its between either Miami or Toronto there.
Other cities/metropolitan areas that have changed A LOT, from my experience(bold) and from what I've heard in my business circles: Toronto, D.C, Atlanta, Philly, Montreal , Dallas, Miami
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
