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It's part of the Chicago metro, has commuter rail service to the loop, and is less than 40 miles from downtown Milwaukee.
The area has grown by 1/3 since 1980, when things were really falling apart. The Kenosha area has never lost population, and today is mostly white-collar.
I think he has Kenosha confused with Racine, which I hear is a whole different world.
I'd say the Allentown/Lehigh Valley area has some potential. It's a fast-growing area (relatively speaking). It has become a hub for warehousing and distribution activity for freight coming out of the Port of NY/NJ. Millions upon millions of square feet of distribution centers have been developed out there in recent years.
But, I don't know what types of economic development many of the other cities on the list may be experiencing. So, I'll withhold my vote (and maybe vote later if people post some good info about some of these places).
I voted Albany because I hear that area be mentioned from time to time - people are moving up there. I also read Troy is doing better too. I love Albany's central location between the Adirondacks, Catskills, the Greens and the Berkshires. And halfway between New York and Montreal!
My second choice would have been the Lehigh Valley area. Excellent strategic location near New York, Northern NJ and Philadelphia. I heard it was getting train service to NYC? Gotta love a cheerful name like Lehigh Valley!
Rochester, Scranton and especially Syracuse are also mentioned as improving.
Seriously people, are any of them really "up and coming"? Some are improving, but up and coming suggest a renaissance of some level when in fact they just show mild improvement??
Seriously people, are any of them really "up and coming"? Some are improving, but up and coming suggest a renaissance of some level when in fact they just show mild improvement??
Correct me if I'm wrong.
Scranton is not up and coming. I say it's "down and done". Maybe the debt that our mayor has piled on the city is "up and coming", that's about it.
I voted for Syracuse as up and comiing. I've lived mainly in Syracuse my whole life and I see some signs of rejuvenation despite some additional hard layoffs impacting the area, primarily in the manufacturig sector with Syracuse China and New Process Gear.
Where I see some potential for life is at least there is a lot more talk between the higher education facilities, SU, SUNY ESF, LeMoyne,OCC, in regards to green technology and retraining of displaced workeres. This awareness may help the area in the long term, but like most areas of the country, we are all in for some tough times in the near future.
I don't think I would classify the Albany area as rust belt. Albany itself never really had much manufacturing, Albany's main industry is State Govt, and I don't see that going away in the near future (althoiugh sometimes I wish it would!!) The NYS Legislature is the most dysfunctional in the entire US.
Troy lost is manufacturing base probably close to a 100 years ago, it never really had the post WWII boom that over areas experienced. You probably could make a slight case for Schnectady, but Schnectady was pretty much a one industry town--GE. I believe that there was some manufacturing there post WWII, but primarily was research and development.
Last edited by Easybreezy; 02-07-2009 at 09:19 AM..
Reason: spelling is our friend
East St. Louis is still East St. Louis unfortunately. Not much on the up and coming side to talk about. It has potential based on location, but clearly doesn't belong any list of "up and comers". On the other hand, I know that Peoria and Green Bay have both made strides in terms of urban renewal and drawing more cultural and sports venues. I would not hesitate to live in either of these cities but I would not live in ESL.
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