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I believe the slight difference between Mobile and Houston is that Mobile County is actually Gulf coastal and you can see the Gulf from downtown Mobile or the bay way. The southern most part of the city is less than 20 miles from the Gulf.
Doesn't Mobile also have a battleship sitting along the coast near downtown?
All pretty similar. Any city of some historic value is going to have some unique architecture and identity, even there own vernacular style. But brick 1910s/1920s apartment buildings and such can be found in just about any city that grew during that era. I could keep going, similar structures can be found in Louisville, Richmond, New Orleans, and probably a few more southern cities. There will be differences, no two cities are alike and no two buildings are totally alike but the general look can be found in any older city.
Also such buildings are pretty easy to find using google maps. Just go to any 1910s/1920s streetcar suburb neighborhood of a city and look for the boxy buildings from the aerial map. They are quite common in Atlanta, slightly less so in Jacksonville, and less so in Memphis but all still there.
First off, props for actually posting links. Second, since you're late to the party, my initial posts didn't include Memphis, Richmond, New Orleans, and etc. due to location and said requirements. And you're right, 10/20's brick Apartment Buildings can be found in various cities that started significantly developing Pre-WWII, and those with Historic value are going to have some unique architecture and identity. But that was't my point; well I started off with one initial point, but ended up to having a couple more.
The previous point being, that Birmingham was developed as a Rust Belt city, totally different from Southeastern cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, or even the one's you mentioned in Memphis and Jacksonville. That alone influenced the culture, architecture, layout, and housing diversity. That point stemmed from my earlier points stating that due to this, Birmingham has more Urban Cores, had more Mid-Rises/High-Rises outside of the core areas, and developed a more diverse Housing Stock.
See here's the thing, the argument has somehow shifted it's way into just brick housing structures, which in this case I give props throughout, because that's obvious. Getting back to my initial point, which was about Housing Diversity. There's a difference between just having a development, and having a certain type of development to the point where you can actually have options within that distinct neighborhood.
To make it clearer, you'd post a link to to a some of those Housing developments, that's dropped dead in the middle of a neighborhood with other developments that's similar. That's not exactly common on the Southside of Birmingham. As I mentioned earlier, SFH's, Triple Deckers, Townhomes, Courtyard Apartments, etc.
For example, SFH's, Townhomes, Triplex Apartments and Apartment Complex in one confined area.
But like you said though, "there will be differences, no two cities are alike and no two buildings are totally alike but the general look can be found in any older city." As I have been saying for the past few pages, Birmingham's History, Geographical features and Influences makes it significantly different from other Southeastern cities such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, or even Memphis or Jacksonville. Once again though, big ups for those links, they were very informative.
First off, props for actually posting links. Second, since you're late to the party, my initial posts didn't include Memphis, Richmond, New Orleans, and etc. due to location and said requirements. And you're right, 10/20's brick Apartment Buildings can be found in various cities that started significantly developing Pre-WWII, and those with Historic value are going to have some unique architecture and identity. But that was't my point; well I started off with one initial point, but ended up to having a couple more.
The previous point being, that Birmingham was developed as a Rust Belt city, totally different from Southeastern cities like Atlanta, Charlotte, or even the one's you mentioned in Memphis and Jacksonville. That alone influenced the culture, architecture, layout, and housing diversity. That point stemmed from my earlier points stating that due to this, Birmingham has more Urban Cores, had more Mid-Rises/High-Rises outside of the core areas, and developed a more diverse Housing Stock.
See here's the thing, the argument has somehow shifted it's way into just brick housing structures, which in this case I give props throughout, because that's obvious. Getting back to my initial point, which was about Housing Diversity. There's a difference between just having a development, and having a certain type of development to the point where you can actually have options within that distinct neighborhood.
To make it clearer, you'd post a link to to a some of those Housing developments, that's dropped dead in the middle of a neighborhood with other developments that's similar. That's not exactly common on the Southside of Birmingham. As I mentioned earlier, SFH's, Triple Deckers, Townhomes, Courtyard Apartments, etc.
For example, SFH's, Townhomes, Triplex Apartments and Apartment Complex in one confined area.
But like you said though, "there will be differences, no two cities are alike and no two buildings are totally alike but the general look can be found in any older city." As I have been saying for the past few pages, Birmingham's History, Geographical features and Influences makes it significantly different from other Southeastern cities such as Atlanta, Charlotte, Raleigh, or even Memphis or Jacksonville. Once again though, big ups for those links, they were very informative.
The bolded is just not true, even when limiting yourself to your specified cities (Charlotte, Atlanta Raleigh), since Atlanta is definitely a contender. Even with your new point, that to fit your narrative a city has to have all building and house types spread throughout instead of concentrated is bull. All the examples I posted are of various apartment building and such spread throughout a neighborhood with single family homes, duplexes, mid-rises, high-rises, 1920s apartments, modern apartments, etc. all mixed in.
Again, Atlanta. https://goo.gl/maps/vHVXEv3zMRR2 1920s high-rise, next to a 1920s courtyard apartment building, across the street from single family homes. https://goo.gl/maps/5SiarRcZQuM2 1920s courtyard apartment building, duplexes, single family home, 1950s apartment building, and 1920s four-plex apartment building all on same block. https://goo.gl/maps/cj67yzPq4Tk Aerial showing housing diversity very well.
Sorry but you are just grasping for straws for anyway to differentiate Birmingham from other southeastern cities. Yes Birmingham has a distinct history and it has a larger historic core than most Southern cities but you are taking it to another level. Similar buildings, building diversity, and the intermixing can be found in Atlanta (a city with a much larger historic core than most of its neighbors), not surprisingly since Atlanta and Birmingham are both older cities with similar geographic settings that boomed in the early 20th century. Birmingham's architecture, urban layout, and urban core size is not that unique, it has its quirks, as does any older Southern city, but it is not out of place, especially when compared to its next door neighbor, Atlanta.
If your point is just to say that Birmingham has a larger historic core with more housing diversity than your typical southern city, say that, don't take it to the extreme. But to try and back peddle to exclude every other historic southern city and then totally disregard Atlanta, that's all a bit much.
The bolded is just not true, even when limiting yourself to your specified cities (Charlotte, Atlanta Raleigh), since Atlanta is definitely a contender. Even with your new point, that to fit your narrative a city has to have all building and house types spread throughout instead of concentrated is bull. All the examples I posted are of various apartment building and such spread throughout a neighborhood with single family homes, duplexes, mid-rises, high-rises, 1920s apartments, modern apartments, etc. all mixed in.
Again, Atlanta. https://goo.gl/maps/vHVXEv3zMRR2 1920s high-rise, next to a 1920s courtyard apartment building, across the street from single family homes. https://goo.gl/maps/5SiarRcZQuM2 1920s courtyard apartment building, duplexes, single family home, 1950s apartment building, and 1920s four-plex apartment building all on same block. https://goo.gl/maps/cj67yzPq4Tk Aerial showing housing diversity very well.
Sorry but you are just grasping for straws for anyway to differentiate Birmingham from other southeastern cities. Yes Birmingham has a distinct history and it has a larger historic core than most Southern cities but you are taking it to another level. Similar buildings, building diversity, and the intermixing can be found in Atlanta (a city with a much larger historic core than most of its neighbors), not surprisingly since Atlanta and Birmingham are both older cities with similar geographic settings that boomed in the early 20th century. Birmingham's architecture, urban layout, and urban core size is not that unique, it has its quirks, as does any older Southern city, but it is not out of place, especially when compared to its next door neighbor, Atlanta.
If your point is just to say that Birmingham has a larger historic core with more housing diversity than your typical southern city, say that, don't take it to the extreme. But to try and back peddle to exclude every other historic southern city and then totally disregard Atlanta, that's all a bit much.
Well first off, I gave my personal opinions on what I thought was the prototypical cities were across the US, and for the Southeast I put Atlanta because of the broad influences and similarities it has among Southeastern cities (Charlotte, Nashville, Raleigh, Huntsville, etc.).
Birmingham doesn't fit that mold, and nor does it fit the mold with other Southeastern cities either, and that's fact. Even when bringing up geographic features, in comparison to Atlanta and other Southeastern cities, Birmingham's is far more intense and more influential of Birmingham's growth patterns (Streets, Housing, Density).
The Hillside communities were developed to add density to the Southside on Red Mountain, especially during the 70's/80's. Another reason while you'll find neighborhoods with SFH's, 70's/80's Apartments, and Dingbat developments. Within the Southeast this is distinctively unique to Birmingham.
The Urban Layout, I mean seriously, I don't know why you'd bring that up. Compared to Atlanta's, it's obvious Birmingham's layout works better in this regard as well. Not saying it's ALL, but most Southeastern cities, including Atlanta are known for it's unorthodox layouts.
Birmingham's architecture, as before is also unique in comparison with Atlanta and the rest of the Southeast. I explained this earlier in the thread.
As you stated, "Birmingham's architecture, urban layout, and urban core size is not that unique, it has its quirks, as does any older Southern city, but it is not out of place, especially when compared to its next door neighbor, Atlanta." I don't know about you, but your typical Southeastern city does not look similar to those attributes and links above, not even Atlanta. Honestly, I think this is less about Birmingham, and more about Atlanta feeling left out. The only real similarities that can be linked is it's African American population and it's location, everything else either is a wash or can be debated.
Honestly, I think this is less about Birmingham, and more about Atlanta feeling left out.
No.
This has been about you refusing to accept the fact that the ONLY thing 'Rust Belt' about Birmingham is its industrial past. Period.
There is absolutely nothing unique about its housing stock. You have been provided photographic proof by kind people with much more patience than me, yet all you do is back-pedal and then repeat your delusional views all over again.
Next time you jump on on I-20 to head over to Atlanta, you need to actually get off on one of the many handy exits provided.
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