America's 10 Most Miserable City (we're not one of them!) (Jacksonville: to live, Ivy League)

[SmileDoc]

Please do not turn this into a thread about Katrina... I respect your opinion, but I actually have enjoyed this thread and do not want to see it go down hill w/ this emotional and volatile topic. Respectfully yours.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by travelingfood

Our organized crime problem is peanuts compared to some of those cities. Still a growing problem, but haven't took over our city just yet, hopefully never will.

Good point.

I wasn't here back in the day, but my husband was - did you know the Outlaws (bikers) used to run quite a bit of the nightlife venues in Jax? They had a real stronghold on the strip clubs and some other places until JSO was finally able to break their hold. I think this was in the 80's.

[compelled to reply]

Originally Posted by NuName

Schools? Neither very food honestly

I have never heard schools being described like that before. I guess in parts of the northeast you can eat the schools their so good? LOL!

[Keith-n-Jax]

Not saying that people do this on purpose,but you cant compare Jax to NYC or any other major city with a very large population. To put the two in the same sentence make no sense. All cities have there good and bad to deal with.Yes Jax maybe dead downtown,but the city is not dead theres other places to go just not downtown.Anyway the article mention other things as in taxes,commutes,etc.Thats what the basis was on,and people have there opinions.Even if Jax was on the list I'm like who cares what Forbes think or anybody else for that matter.

[travelingfood]

Originally Posted by riveree

Good point.

I wasn't here back in the day, but my husband was - did you know the Outlaws (bikers) used to run quite a bit of the nightlife venues in Jax? They had a real stronghold on the strip clubs and some other places until JSO was finally able to break their hold. I think this was in the 80's.

never knew!
but we do have a lot of places cater to bikers here, probably the positive outcomes of it? I just never see them roaming around much causing problems. pretty cool people at wing joints.

[apvbguy]

Originally Posted by Keith-n-Jax

Not saying that people do this on purpose,but you cant compare Jax to NYC or any other major city with a very large population. To put the two in the same sentence make no sense. All cities have there good and bad to deal with.Yes Jax maybe dead downtown,but the city is not dead theres other places to go just not downtown.Anyway the article mention other things as in taxes,commutes,etc.Thats what the basis was on,and people have there opinions.Even if Jax was on the list I'm like who cares what Forbes think or anybody else for that matter.

what people seem not to realize that cities like NYC, Chicago, Boston are now the unique ones, most people live in sprawled out suburbs and JAX is really just a collection of those. Yes our downtown core is deadsville but it really isn't too much different than many large cities. Overall JAX is a very normal albeit somewhat boring place to live, but for many people it is just right

[cricketfan]

Originally Posted by apvbguy

what people seem not to realize that cities like NYC, Chicago, Boston are now the unique ones, most people live in sprawled out suburbs and JAX is really just a collection of those. Yes our downtown core is deadsville but it really isn't too much different than many large cities. Overall JAX is a very normal albeit somewhat boring place to live, but for many people it is just right

To me the fact that Jax is one big sprawl is a positive, not a negative.

It is probably a major reason that life in Jax can be relatively stress-free. (The exception ofcourse would be crime-ridden areas). But if you think about it, metro centers with huge concentrations of people and traffic and noise and hubbub are also cities where people are always more stressed out. Also when squalor is closely concentrated in a city like in many on the list it becomes even more depressing. All of this concentration, in my opinion, contributes to the misery factor. So, give me sprawl.

[Jarndyce]

Also when squalor is closely concentrated in a city like in many on the list it becomes even more depressing. All of this concentration, in my opinion, contributes to the misery factor. So, give me sprawl.

TITCR! http://www.freesmileys.org/smileys/happy088.gif (broken link)

Sprawl...when done correctly...is not a bad thing. If it's just the same 'ol fastfood, same ol' convenience stores, same 'ol big box retailers...then it gets old real quick.

When I used to visit Tampa a lot a couple of years ago..(maybe 2) I actually liked the layout of Tampa/St Pete/Clearwater...I thought I could get around without any problem, go into the city and find useful things...I liked the spreadout feel of Tampa.

[vdecapio]

So, then my question is this: "For those who like sprawl, how is the sprawl in Jacksonville? If you could design a sprawled out city, would it look/feel like Jacksonville does today?"

And yes most urban areas in the country have sprawl, just like Jax. The sprawl form NYC extends about 50 miles around the city..at least. But, usually those places have a concentrated downtown where most people work. So, you can get either urban or sprawl whichever you want. That is what I feel would be best for Jax if you had an option. Live in the city for a few years as a young professional and then move out into the suburbs when you save up enough money and the kids need a yard to play in.

[riveree]

Originally Posted by vdecapio

And yes most urban areas in the country have sprawl, just like Jax. The sprawl form NYC extends about 50 miles around the city..at least. But, usually those places have a concentrated downtown where most people work. So, you can get either urban or sprawl whichever you want. That is what I feel would be best for Jax if you had an option.

Me too. I'd like our urban neighborhoods to be really urban and to connect together seamlessly (not so easy with a river across the middle ). From there, the burbs can sprawl out all they want.