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I didn't know Birmingham was getting a BRT line but that's awesome to hear. I'm rooting for the city to pull off a really successful World Games that results in a lot of exposure, propelling the city into a new phase of substantial growth, development, and investment.
yep. it will be called Birmingham Xpress (BX), running approximately 10 miles from Woodlawn to Five Points West. no service (yet) to the airport unfortunately.
Boot Raleigh off the list as it's growth potentail is currently being realized. I think it's Richmond but I'm not sure the city really wants to grow at the pace of other high growth sunbelt cities...it just seems content to be Richmond and has this Greensboro kind of mindset versus an all out boosterism blitz like other metros.
Yes, Raleigh is definitely well-above the rest. After Raleigh—there’s a big gap—then Jacksonville and then Birmingham.
Yes, Raleigh is definitely well-above the rest. After Raleigh—there’s a big gap—then Jacksonville and then Birmingham.
No way Jax and Bham are above Louisville. It's not even close honestly based on recent visits to both. Louisville bests them in every category and Louisville's urban core, bookended by dense, walkable, developing neighborhoods across the river in Indiana, bests raleigh's too. The Highlands of Louisville alone simply is much bigger and better housing stock and more eclectic than anything in raleigh.
Louisville already has BRT and is adding two more lines soon, including a major redevelopment of Broadway.
No way Jax and Bham are above Louisville. It's not even close honestly based on recent visits to both. Louisville bests them in every category and Louisville's urban core, bookended by dense, walkable, developing neighborhoods across the river in Indiana, bests raleigh's too. The Highlands of Louisville alone simply is much bigger and better housing stock and more eclectic than anything in raleigh.
Louisville already has BRT and is adding two more lines soon, including a major redevelopment of Broadway.
Birmingham is definitely above Louisville in growth potiential, made an entire post earlier in another thread explaining how Birmingham (and soon the smaller Alabama city, Mobile) are beating out Louisville in the housing market and the long term 10 year housing market trends for the cities and Birmingham beats Louisville out. Also if I remember correctly Birmingham is beating out Louisville in the GDP growth
No way Jax and Bham are above Louisville. It's not even close honestly based on recent visits to both. Louisville bests them in every category and Louisville's urban core, bookended by dense, walkable, developing neighborhoods across the river in Indiana, bests raleigh's too. The Highlands of Louisville alone simply is much bigger and better housing stock and more eclectic than anything in raleigh.
Louisville already has BRT and is adding two more lines soon, including a major redevelopment of Broadway.
Curious though how folks think Raleigh is doing in terms of cultural offerings, public transportation, preservation of green space, and building its downtown core?
Raleigh actually has a really good collection of cultural offerings that range from excellent state museums of Art, History, and Sciences, to specialized museums for children & contemporary art, etc. It has signficant venues for concerts, sports, performing arts, etc. Those offerings are robust.
While city rail service does not currently exist, the city recently completed a new Union Station for Amtrak service and connection to future high speed rail up the NE corridor through Richmond. A BRT system is under development, and the city is about to launch a new bus transportation center adjacent to Union Station. As for intercity rail service, I suspect that the best path forward is actually a commuter rail along existing lines to connect Raleigh to Durham through Cary and RTP.
Someone already mentioned what's happening with Dix Park on over 300 acres just southwest of downtown, but Raleigh's been a parks sort of town for decades now, and has one of the most robust greenway systems in the nation.
Having been the smallest city on this poll decades ago, Raleigh's core reflected that for many decades, but that was then and this is now. Raleigh's rapidly adding housing and strengthening its emerging 18 hour neighborhoods with substantial projects that are adding thousands of new residents to the core. The demand is quite high and recently completed projects like Smoky Hollow are quickly filling up, well in advance of its projections to do so. More and more housing is to come, as are commercial and retail options. in the last few years, Raleigh added two grocers downtown, 2 food halls, thousands of housing units, etc.
I think older cities on this list like New Orleans, Richmond, Birmingham, Louisville and Memphis have a much better dense housing stock, as well as a better core downtown, than newer cities like Raleigh and Jacksonville.
This was definitely true, but Raleigh's adding housing downtown at a breakneck pace at the moment and there's no indication that it's slowing down, or going to slow down. As a planned city to be the state capital, the city's core is tight, walkable, and largely formally laid out. It doesn't have as much older building stock as some others, but it's still attractive and has its historic charms.
All of these cities favor sprawl (especially Raleigh & Jacksonville), but I think downtown preservation, density and development are keys to balance for good growth.
Raleigh's doing just fine. It's going to be messy with growth for a good bit, but its investments in downtown are already paying off. Historic neighborhoods that are both adjacent and walkable to downtown are prized, preserved, and highly desirable.
Raleigh is the best city on this list for attracting jobs and creating a stronger economy than the rest. On this criteria, it leads the pack.
I think that is objectively true and easy to measure.
On the rest of the criteria though, I'm not sure if Raleigh leads, as much as it is perceived to...
I think that you might be surprised if you really looked at what's happening in the city. Maybe it's just me, but I love watching a city grow and change. I like watching it "become".
Birmingham is definitely above Louisville in growth potiential, made an entire post earlier in another thread explaining how Birmingham (and soon the smaller Alabama city, Mobile) are beating out Louisville in the housing market and the long term 10 year housing market trends for the cities and Birmingham beats Louisville out. Also if I remember correctly Birmingham is beating out Louisville in the GDP growth
Birmingham has had the most improved urban center. The recent infrastructure upgrades, downtown investment, beginning revitalization of older areas, ability to attract strong student growth and major sporting events us evidence the city is on an upward trajectory. I believe if Birmingham can attract more tech jobs, the city may be the one to watch this decade.
I'd have to say Jacksonville, because: Florida. Louisville and Birmingham have capitalized off of and improved upon their urban bones, and def have a lead on Jacksonville on this front. However, Florida's population explosion just aides Jacksonville by default.
I'd say Richmond is a close second. Virginia's economy is booming, as is it's population. Richmond is an established, cultured, big city that has always seen growth in it's region. The migration back to the city, along with being more and more connected to the NE megalopolis will only augment this city in the future. They also have some of the most beautiful neighborhoods in the South. Kings Dominion isn't far away either.
Greater Raleigh actually has a population of 2 Million due to it's sister cities Durham and Chapel Hill, and mega burb Cary. This is all one region centered on the Research Triangle Park, regardless of MSA definitions. It doesn't really fit here.
Memphis and New Orleans need hyper-progressive leadership to redefine themselves. Luckily, they have the cultural branding and economic strength needed to do this. They just need to take it to the next level (i.e. Nashville was always music city, now it's also bachelorette party city. Louisville was always known for it's horse racing. Now it's also Bourbon paradise).
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