Is the Twin Cities the most civilized large metro area in America? (Minneapolis: live, title)

[uptown_urbanist]

I agree that that's one of the more uninspiring parts of downtown, but it's still NOTHING like some of the more run-down areas of San Francisco. I've never seen the stuff that I've seen on the streets of SF here in Minneapolis. I think that's probably mostly because SF has far more serious problems with people with severe mental illness or drug use living on the streets.

Aside from the Block E area, there are a lot of other interesting restaurants and destinations that aren't sports-focused, as well as plenty of cultural options: lots of theaters, the MN Orchestra, etc. Granted, I don't get out downtown late at night lately, but when I was recently downtown for the orchestra at night there were lots of people out on Nicollet Mall. Same thing when I was there for a wedding earlier in the year. I think it's really come a long way in recent years, although clearly there is still room for improvement, with some of those blocks on Hennepin chief among them. But places like the Hennepin Theater Trust are really working on that, the Made Here initiative is, I think, helping, and there seems to be some movement to suggest that Hennepin is also moving in a better direction.

[rzzzz]

It's true, but everyone in SF is used to that, whereas I suppose my friends imagined downtown Minneapolis was going to be an urban Lake Woebegone. If you removed the homeless tweakers from Civic Center, it wouldn't be that much different than downtown Minneapolis. Sorta dead, a few good places, a few mediocre places, a few too many lame places, a number of strip clubs and other sex oriented business right up in your face, etc. Some of the same factors are at play: both cities encourage big, uninspired development projects and there are weird shady landlords who own all the buildings.

[chessgeek]

Originally Posted by rzzzz

It's true, but everyone in SF is used to that, whereas I suppose my friends imagined downtown Minneapolis was going to be an urban Lake Woebegone. If you removed the homeless tweakers from Civic Center, it wouldn't be that much different than downtown Minneapolis. Sorta dead, a few good places, a few mediocre places, a few too many lame places, a number of strip clubs and other sex oriented business right up in your face, etc. Some of the same factors are at play: both cities encourage big, uninspired development projects and there are weird shady landlords who own all the buildings.

A person can enjoy Loring Park, the Mpls Sculpture Garden, Walker Art Center, Peavey Plaza, the Mississippi riverfront, MN Orchestra, the Tony Award winning Guthrie Theater, State Theater, Orpheum Theater, Pantages Theater, Triple Espresso Theater, Dudley Riggs Theater specializing in satire since 1958 long before many larger cities, Cowles Center for Dance, Mill City Museum, Gold Medal Park, Nicollet Mall, the Schmidt music wall, several classy restaurants and hotels, the Dakota Jazz Club, W Hotel lounge, and several other nightclubs, music events like Rock the Garden and the Basilica Block Party not to mention numerous concert venues and art fairs, one of the largest and longest running Fringe Theater festivals in the U.S., the skyway system,successful firms of all types, professional sporting events (Twins, Vikings, Lynx, Timberwolves), Whole Foods, and the list goes on. While retail is not what it once was and the same can be said for most downtowns too, Hubert White clothing store is still there and some additional boutiques have opened in the North Loop and there are still some art galleries there.

No one to my knowledge has ever been forced into Sneaky Pete's or Sex World against their will. Seriously, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, and some other cities have similar places, too.

A very classy, civilized experience is there to be had for anyone that chooses. I would easily put Minneapolis in a top 12 list nationally for that just based on the cultural venues alone. It is a city of 400,000 that out classes some cities twice its size.

[Katarina Witt]

Yes, a city that is an ISIS recruiting center certainly is a leading candidate for "the most civilized large metro area in America".

Good Grief! You guys need to read some Robert Burns:
Quote Details: Robert Burns: O would some power... - The Quotations Page
"O would some power the giftie gie us to see ourselves as others see us.
(O would some power the gift to give us to see ourselves as others see us.)"

[wushuliu]

Lol, have to admit even the Minnesota troll threads are more civilized!!!!

[Frostbite82]

Originally Posted by chessgeek

A person can enjoy Loring Park, the Mpls Sculpture Garden, Walker Art Center, Peavey Plaza, the Mississippi riverfront, MN Orchestra, the Tony Award winning Guthrie Theater, State Theater, Orpheum Theater, Pantages Theater, Triple Espresso Theater, Dudley Riggs Theater specializing in satire since 1958 long before many larger cities, Cowles Center for Dance, Mill City Museum, Gold Medal Park, Nicollet Mall, the Schmidt music wall, several classy restaurants and hotels, the Dakota Jazz Club, W Hotel lounge, and several other nightclubs, music events like Rock the Garden and the Basilica Block Party not to mention numerous concert venues and art fairs, one of the largest and longest running Fringe Theater festivals in the U.S., the skyway system,successful firms of all types, professional sporting events (Twins, Vikings, Lynx, Timberwolves), Whole Foods, and the list goes on. While retail is not what it once was and the same can be said for most downtowns too, Hubert White clothing store is still there and some additional boutiques have opened in the North Loop and there are still some art galleries there.

No one to my knowledge has ever been forced into Sneaky Pete's or Sex World against their will. Seriously, San Francisco, New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans, Chicago, Atlanta, Houston, and some other cities have similar places, too.

A very classy, civilized experience is there to be had for anyone that chooses. I would easily put Minneapolis in a top 12 list nationally for that just based on the cultural venues alone. It is a city of 400,000 that out classes some cities twice its size.

I agree. For some reason it seems like Minneapolis is stereotyped as a culture-less place.

[Rubi3]

Originally Posted by Office Politics

I talk to many people in the Twin Cities. They hate snow and cold and the 8 months of bare trees but they love living in Minnesota. Why? Because they say it is the most civilized large metro area in America.

Yes, there are social problems but no as many as most larger metro areas. Generally I find the quality of the people to be better than nearly anyplace else in America. The typical person in the greater TC Metro area are:

Friendly
Hard Working
Educated
Good Neighbors
Good Drivers
Professional at work
Take care of their homes
Committed to working towards good government and schools
Moral, and considerate

There are other places with a high percentage of people who display these good traits but there are more of them as a percentage of the population in the Twin Cities than nearly any other place in America.

Do you agree?

Have you been to nearly any other place in America? Your list is a broad generality and for it to fit the typical person in the greater TC Metro is probably not true. Educated? What does that mean? Are they high school graduates or college grads? The list is more of an ideal than a reality.

[Min-Chi-Cbus]

Originally Posted by Rubi3

Have you been to nearly any other place in America? Your list is a broad generality and for it to fit the typical person in the greater TC Metro is probably not true. Educated? What does that mean? Are they high school graduates or college grads? The list is more of an ideal than a reality.

I'm waiting for the argument for Muskogee, OK now. THAT's the place for civilization!

The list isn't entirely based off of opinion, FWIW. Besides, it's an open-ended question. Your answer can simply be "no", or "no, because......"

[uptown_urbanist]

I think Minneapolis is a great city, but I wouldn't characterize it as a city with good drivers!

[emcee squared]

Originally Posted by uptown_urbanist

I think Minneapolis is a great city, but I wouldn't characterize it as a city with good drivers!

I remember seeing a study about driving where a majority, or near majority, of those surveyed stated that the drivers in their state were the worst. Minnesotans said Minnesotans were horrible, New Yorkers said New Yorkers were horrible, etc. It was enlightening.

I think were okay drivers, but we definitely need to kick it up on an on-ramp. Nobody likes entering 75mph traffic at 40mph.