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lol, this is a historically protected area in the middle of downtown Charlotte that is very very tiny. This does not represent the overall city of Charlotte whatsoever. You can find areas like this in any direction in Richmond. lol.
I again have to agree with this.
Tiny strips of Charlotte versus the entire city of Richmond…The attached photos are the peak densities of the two cities. That’s not including even other areas ringing downtown Charlotte that are far less dense and not even getting into average Charlotte. It’s just such a tiny pinpoint to look at just SouthEnd.
Richmond’s density is characteristic over a huge portion of its city. Not a strip that represents like <2%(SouthEnd population vs Charlottes overall population) of its population.
Urbanism is more function than form.
Just because it looks older doesn't mean it functions more city like.
Urban doesn't mean living like your great grandpa did. Urban means functioning like a city.
Like I said before, Richmond looks and feels like a collection of small towns. Charlotte looks and feels like a major city. I like the uniqueness and charm of Richmond's neighborhoods a ton more than Charlotte's but it doesn't feel more city-like than Charlotte to me.
You’re correct. Urbanism doesn’t mean old. But Charlotte & North Carolina has laws on the books that make urbanity illegal in most of the city including the inner-city. Plenty of cities are building new urbanity throughout their cities both in the US and the world. From sustainability, density, parking minimums, etc, that’s not happening in Charlotte outside of a strip in SouthEnd (and typically built for a single demographic and 1/2 the structure is a parking deck) and some scattered throughout the city.
It’s auto-centric sprawl. It is what it is. It doesn’t have to be old to be urban. The laws have to change. People have to live tighter. People have to live in smaller spaces. There needs to be mass transit to take thousands of people in some of these inner-city neighborhoods. There’s no reason you can’t start building a ton of Multifamily housing units throughout Cherry, Belmont, etc other than the fact that it’s pretty much impossible to do of even legal. And quite frankly, people don’t want to give up their 2 story giant home, fenced in yard for $600,000 and instead live in say a much smaller duplex with maybe a private bit of tiny strip of backyard.
Urbanism is more function than form.
Just because it looks older doesn't mean it functions more city like.
Urban doesn't mean living like your great grandpa did. Urban means functioning like a city.
Like I said before, Richmond looks and feels like a collection of small towns. Charlotte looks and feels like a major city. I like the uniqueness and charm of Richmond's neighborhoods a ton more than Charlotte's but it doesn't feel more city-like than Charlotte to me.
And THIS is really what this debate comes down to. These types of threads are always full of people arguing that their definition of the word Urban is the gospel truth while in total denial of the fact that urban means a lot more to a broader audience. By their definition, Richmond is indeed more "urban", but if we applied their definition to Morgantown, West Virginia vs Houston; Morgantown would be more urban. This fact alone should tell these people that there is a serious flaw to their ideology of what "urban" is, but we're not ever going to have THAT conversation.
And THIS is really what this debate comes down to. These types of threads are always full of people arguing that their definition of the word Urban is the gospel truth while in total denial of the fact that urban means a lot more to a broader audience. By their definition, Richmond is indeed more "urban", but if we applied their definition to Morgantown, West Virginia vs Houston; Morgantown would be more urban. This fact alone should tell these people that there is a serious flaw to their ideology of what "urban" is, but we're not ever going to have THAT conversation.
I mean Harrisburg, PA is OBVIOUSLY more urban than Richmond right? Twice the population density and way older buildings!
I think today's architects can compete BUT it's just not happening at a very high rate or even at a mid-size rate in American cities. Exception might be Arlington, VA or Jersey City, NJ. Granted it's some older buildings mixed in with some newer sleek looking buildings in Jersey City to be specific. I think the problem is some of the younger sunbelt cities had been car centric so long that when newer developers started to develop projects geared towards walkability and pedestrian friendly infrastructure it simply too much to fill in because of decades of building for the automobile. That and the fact we live in a very commercialized society now compared to pre-WW2 so it's less emphasize on uniqueness and more so on productivity. That's why a lot of newer lifestyle centers, apartments complexes and SFH communities all start looking the same all throughout America.
And even Arlington outside of Rosslyn-Ballston corridor and the Pentagon City/Crystal City area is not THAT urban...(in fact it's 100% 1950s inner suburb feel). Jersey City, though, is another story.
Quote:
Originally Posted by UnfreeUSA4life
Lol, I find that be to true as well. Richmond can go from being a true major urban city feel to a Podunk country rural area real quick. What’s weird, I’ve heard both northern and southern accents every time I visit. There isn’t a large suburban presence in the Richmond metro at all really. Just the city and country folks!
Short Pump...Midlothian...Rockwood...you're telling me those are not 100% suburbia? (Especially Short Pump).
Now, if you drive along I-95, yes, you gets to podunk country in no time.
And THIS is really what this debate comes down to. These types of threads are always full of people arguing that their definition of the word Urban is the gospel truth while in total denial of the fact that urban means a lot more to a broader audience. By their definition, Richmond is indeed more "urban", but if we applied their definition to Morgantown, West Virginia vs Houston; Morgantown would be more urban. This fact alone should tell these people that there is a serious flaw to their ideology of what "urban" is, but we're not ever going to have THAT conversation.
But Richmond isn’t a Morgantown, WV.
The size discrepancy is so large, there would be room for “Houston is a sprawling city, but its pockets of urbanity are overwhelmingly larger than any urbanity of Morgantown so you would get a more urban experience in Houston.”
But we are talking Richmond vs. Charlotte. Charlotte isn’t anywhere near that much overwhelmingly larger than Richmond as is the case with Houston & Morgantown, WV. A better comparison would be Houston vs. Philadelphia. Which one is more urban? And I don’t think it would be biased to say Philadelphia is more urban in nature than Houston.
I don’t think people are changing the definitions of urbanity so much as people are ignoring the definition of “urban sprawl”. And it - and Houston - are designed to be that way. Lower cost of living, less taxes, less government, business friendly, lower regulation, lower red tape. It’s by design.
Last edited by Charlotte485; 12-16-2022 at 12:24 PM..
There is literally nothing "urban" about Charlotte. Nothing. It's a big suburb. That's all. I am not saying it's a bad place, just that it's not urban. I've visited Charlotte quite frequently. What I noticed were gated communities of hulking McMansions on slivers of property, lots of transplants - I literally did not hear a southern accent more than once - and she was a transplant from Alabama who I met at the pool. She came over to introduce herself, which was sweet, and we ended up enjoying the day together. The friend I made called her friends to meet me at the pool. One brought a spiked punch and the other cookies. NO one was from Charlotte - besides Alabama, they were from Florida, NY, Tennessee, Kentucky and Ohio. What I learned was that Charlotte does not allow older buildings. I thought that was unusual. Restaurants tended to be chains, but good ones. There are a plethora of Mega churches in Charlotte and the people are very generous and friendly. But, "urban" they are not. Nor is anything that would attract anyone to a real "City".
Richmond wins in every way possible, if you are looking for a place that is urban. It has history that precedes the Civil War and of course, includes it. It has several colleges and universities of some merit, has a walkable area. Or a few. Upscale and local dining - not only chains. A variety of housing options. It felt like a city. It is a city.
The size discrepancy is so large, there would be room for “Houston is a sprawling city, but its pockets of urbanity are overwhelmingly larger than any urbanity of Morgantown so you would get a more urban experience in Houston.”
But we are talking Richmond vs. Charlotte. Charlotte isn’t anywhere near that much overwhelmingly larger than Richmond as is the case with Houston & Morgantown, WV. A better comparison would be Houston vs. Philadelphia. Which one is more urban? And I don’t think it would be biased to say Philadelphia is more urban in nature than Houston.
I don’t think people are changing the definitions of urbanity so much as people are ignoring the definition of “urban sprawl”. And it - and Houston - are designed to be that way. Lower cost of living, less taxes, less government, business friendly, lower regulation, lower red tape. It’s by design.
A better comparison would be Houston vs Pittsburgh; which is more urban, but I get your point.
This picture depicts an urban area, that looks much like NYC's West Village, and parts of Brooklyn. Plus one for Richmond.
Charlotte is nice if you are looking for a large, sprawling suburb. What they like and covet are subdivisions such as Ballentyne - enormous, gaudy houses, on tiny plots of land. These are not "urban" by any definition.
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