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Location: New Albany, Indiana (Greater Louisville)
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I think part of it is German frugality - White Midwesterns are mostly of German Catholic stock. They're not into interstate interchanges filled with flowers or Crape Myrtle trees in medians. "If it's not practical it's not worth it" is the mentality. On Street View the most similar thing I've found to Midwestern cities is in Japan, which is also affluent but frugal.
Part of it is also that the Midwest had larger cities longer ago so there's more old infrastructure than in Southern boom cities where the population has doubled since 1970.
I think part of it is German frugality - White Midwesterns are mostly of German Catholic stock. They're not into interstate interchanges filled with flowers or Crape Myrtle trees in medians. "If it's not practical it's not worth it" is the mentality. On Street View the most similar thing I've found to Midwestern cities is in Japan, which is also affluent but frugal.
Part of it is also that the Midwest had larger cities longer ago so there's more old infrastructure than in Southern boom cities where the population has doubled since 1970.
WTF, dude? Seriously? Don't make assumptions based on Google Street View. Visit the Midwest.
Dude, Chicago was built by Irish, Poles, and Black Americans from the South. Same with Detroit. Same with Milwaukee. Same with Cleveland. Minneapolis is Scandinavian.
Indianapolis is German-heavy and the city is decorated with ornate monument everywhere. In terms of monuments, Indianapolis is second only to DC.
The Over-the-Rhine district of Cincinnati, which was obviously built by Germans is full of rowhouses built with character, charm, and attention to detail. It's hardly plain.
Likewise, Germantown in Louisville (while just kinda sorta the Midwest) is busting at the seams with detail and character. You should know. You live there.
What about the art deco skyline of Cleveland? What about grade boulevards of St. Louis and Detroit? The Victorian mansions of St. Paul and Old Louisville? The architectural wonders of Chicago?
New York City has much less than most Midwestern cities. Though gritty looking. Decay to the abandonment is not that common in New England.
30 years ago this wasn't true, and places like NYC were the epitome of blight and decay. So I think the Midwest is just a couple of real estate cycles behind for the most part, and the land prices aren't high enough for rapid transformation.
Certain cities in the northeast are known for their blight and slums - Newark, NJ; Philadelphia, PA; Baltimore, MA;
Certain cities in the south had blight until recently - Miami, Memphis, New Orleans, Atlanta
In addition, it seems that in the Midwest a lot of the freeways go through bad areas. If you get off the freeways, and drive around, you will see beautiful and unique neighborhoods like the University District and East Boston-Arden Park District in DETROIT.
WTF, dude? Seriously? Don't make assumptions based on Google Street View. Visit the Midwest.
Dude, Chicago was built by Irish, Poles, and Black Americans from the South. Same with Detroit. Same with Milwaukee. Same with Cleveland. Minneapolis is Scandinavian.
Indianapolis is German-heavy and the city is decorated with ornate monument everywhere. In terms of monuments, Indianapolis is second only to DC.
The Over-the-Rhine district of Cincinnati, which was obviously built by Germans is full of rowhouses built with character, charm, and attention to detail. It's hardly plain.
Likewise, Germantown in Louisville (while just kinda sorta the Midwest) is busting at the seams with detail and character. You should know. You live there.
What about the art deco skyline of Cleveland? What about grade boulevards of St. Louis and Detroit? The Victorian mansions of St. Paul and Old Louisville? The architectural wonders of Chicago?
What about the Midwest is "affluent but frugal?"
Louisville is the South, although it does show signs of some Rust Belt effects.
I used to live in the Midwest, and I agree- I would notice more blight there than in other parts of the country. The worst for me was Kansas City- large swaths of it are really run down looking, taking I-29 into the city pretty much from north of downtown all the way through the city, as well as I-70 from the Kansas border to the east side are bad. There are nice areas for sure outside of these areas, but what most people see- on these freeways- is bad.
Exactly. North Minneapolis is nicer than most neighborhoods in Syracuse. Yeah, Detroit, Flint, East St. Louis, Gary, parts of Cleveland, and parts of Cincinnati are rough, but as a whole the Midwest isn't any worse than the Mississippi Delta or the Northeast.
Dang, MOST neighborhoods in Syracuse.....I bet the crime is still on par in North Minneapolis as it is on Syracuse's South Side and while there is some blight, there are still quite a few solid-very nice neighborhoods there. So, it isn't much different than similar cities.
Like others said, deindustrialization and affordable housing in other areas nearby in such areas play a part in this. Weatherization is another factor as well.
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