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Jacksonville
Birmingham
Richmond
Louisville
New Orleans
Memphis
You can at least argue that Jacksonville outstrips Richmond in terms of growth but I can't think of any category that Birmingham is outperforming Richmond in.
You can at least argue that Jacksonville outstrips Richmond in terms of growth but I can't think of any category that Birmingham is outperforming Richmond in.
Wasn’t this thread about growth potential? Am I missing something? That’s what my list is based on.
Wasn’t this thread about growth potential? Am I missing something? That’s what my list is based on.
There are criteria in the first post of the thread based on current performance in various categories (which is why there is near unanimous agreement about Raleigh's position as #1) but I suppose you didn't use that to compile your list.
In what ways do you believe Birmingham to have greater growth potential than Richmond? I'm genuinely curious.
There are criteria in the first post of the thread based on current performance in various categories (which is why there is near unanimous agreement about Raleigh's position as #1) but I suppose you didn't use that to compile your list.
In what ways do you believe Birmingham to have greater growth potential than Richmond? I'm genuinely curious.
Precisely....which means, to some extent, its past/current performance factored into your decision to rank it #1 for future potential.
I was just curious as to why you believe Birmingham has more growth potential than Richmond; that's all.
All things considered, my ranking isn't much different than yours though. We have the same cities in the bottom three albeit in a slightly different order. New Orleans brings up the rear for me due to its geography and being in the horribly-run state of Louisiana.
Precisely....which means, to some extent, its past/current performance factored into your decision to rank it #1 for future potential.
I was just curious as to why you believe Birmingham has more growth potential than Richmond; that's all.
All things considered, my ranking isn't much different than yours though. We have the same cities in the bottom three albeit in a slightly different order. New Orleans brings up the rear for me due to its geography and being in the horribly-run state of Louisiana.
Richmond is good, and Birmingham is good.
Yet, Birmingham is in the Piedmont Atlantic Megaregion and is an emerging engine in the megaregion - while Richmond is at the dangling end of the Northeast Megaregion.
Birmingham is one of the four supporting pillars of this dynamic megaregion (along with Nashville, Charlotte, and Raleigh-Durham) with Atlanta as its grand heart. Winston-Salem, Greenville, and Huntsville are the three secondary pillars.
{I actually think the Piedmont Atlantic megaregion should be renamed the Southern Crescent...}
Richmond could just as easily be classified as "Piedmont Atlantic" -- it's in the Piedmont of Virginia and right off I-85. Is also the closest to the Atlantic ocean of any of those cities.
But you're right, it's not at the moment due to the influence of D.C., which is actually more of a liability than a strength. Richmond does not have the growth potential of even Birmingham. Though Huntsville has the most.
New Orleans can't even grow geographically except on it's north shore, which is too far removed. It is last on this list for having growth potential but is arguably the realest city here.
Richmond could just as easily be classified as "Piedmont Atlantic" -- it's in the Piedmont of Virginia and right off I-85. Is also the closest to the Atlantic ocean of any of those cities.
But you're right, it's not at the moment due to the influence of D.C., which is actually more of a liability than a strength. Richmond does not have the growth potential of even Birmingham. Though Huntsville has the most.
New Orleans can't even grow geographically except on it's north shore, which is too far removed. It is last on this list for having growth potential but is arguably the realest city here.
Would have to disagree. Richmond may straddle Virginia's Piedmont, but it is decidedly not a Piedmont Atlantic metro area. If you subscribe to Richard Florida's and Virginia Tech's Metropolitan Institute's notion of the 11 modern mega regions, Richmond's fate is definitely linked to the Northeast "mega region." While I think your perspective is often colored by politics, the fact is the Commonwealth is already spending billions on transportation and infrastructure, improving and making those links more robust.
The biggest opportunity for Richmond, which it has slowly been taking more advantage of, is that dramatic cost gradient between it and NOVA/DC. With its less intense lifestyle and substantial amenities it's attractive, which is why so many people and companies seem to relocate here from DC. In fact, it looks like DC-based CoStar is likely working on Richmond's next tallest. On the flip side, you also have those new subsea fiber optic cables like the Dunnant cable that were completed and terminate in Henrico, of all places, via Virginia Beach. Hence the activity with Facebook, Google, etc. I think Richmond is swimming in a soup of opportunity, but as someone else mentioned, the city is mostly content with its growth and doesn't really embrace change for change's sake.
Would have to disagree. Richmond may straddle Virginia's Piedmont, but it is decidedly not a Piedmont Atlantic metro area. If you subscribe to Richard Florida's and Virginia Tech's Metropolitan Institute's notion of the 11 modern mega regions, Richmond's fate is definitely linked to the Northeast "mega region." While I think your perspective is often colored by politics, the fact is the Commonwealth is already spending billions on transportation and infrastructure, improving and making those links more robust.
The biggest opportunity for Richmond, which it has slowly been taking more advantage of, is that dramatic cost gradient between it and NOVA/DC. With its less intense lifestyle and substantial amenities it's attractive, which is why so many people and companies seem to relocate here from DC. In fact, it looks like DC-based CoStar is likely working on Richmond's next tallest. On the flip side, you also have those new subsea fiber optic cables like the Dunnant cable that were completed and terminate in Henrico, of all places, via Virginia Beach. Hence the activity with Facebook, Google, etc. I think Richmond is swimming in a soup of opportunity, but as someone else mentioned, the city is mostly content with its growth and doesn't really embrace change for change's sake.
Thanks for your input.
I find the concept of "mega region" to be dubious though, Richmond hangs off the D.C. area as a dingleberry at best, but what connection does it have to the rest of the Northeast? It is not even in the geographic Northeast of the country.
I agree it is not "Piedmont Atlantic" either, though I'm saying it could be if it wanted to.
To be honest, Richmond and Hampton Roads comprise a region all to their own. They are siloes. Neither here nor there but content with the way things are.
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Huntsville has the most growth potential and should be on this list instead of Birmingham or Memphis (but it might not hit the size limit).
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