MLB ball parks: which are too cute, too over the top?

Baltimore's Camden Yards ushered in a period of stadium building that encourages including elements of baseball's past (retro). With so many new ball parks, each tried to distinguish itself from the other. The age of the cookie cutter (Busch, Riverfront, Veterans, 3 Rivers, Fulton Co) was over. The idea: make your own setting. So Baltimore ended up with a warehouse in the outfield. Texas put New Orleans style suites in center field and recreated Tiger Stadium's right field double deck. Houston sloped in the outfield to a flagpole. SF openned up to the bay. San Diego included a vintage building. Cincy left a notch along 3rd base to open up city vistas. Did any of the new parks get carried away? Did any try to get too cute, tried to put in so many quirks and over-the-top elements that they're just too, too much? Did some get the retro-concept so wrong that they failed to realize that the genuine (unlike the retro) can have the simple lines of Wrigley Field and are quirky for a reason, like the site of Fenway Park required. Basically, are there any new parks that scream out at you: YOU"VE GOT TO BE KIDDING? ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!>

Baltimore, Boston, Philadelphia..& a couple others

I POSTED THIS THREAD A FEW MINUTES AGO, BUT IT DIDN'T SHOW UP, SO I'LL TRY AGAIN.... New York is our nation's largest city and Washington its capital. I'd like to look at the other three major cities in the northeast megalopolis/northeast corridor: Baltimore, Boston, and Philadelphia. I also want to focus on how all five of these cities relate to each other First, I'd like to say that these are three great cities, excellent examples of American urbanism. Next, I'd like to share some observations, totally my own, and ask those on the east coast (and others) who are more knowledgeable about the following than I am whether or not I'm on to something...or am I way off base: 1. Boston and Philadelphia are probably the two richest major cities in their relationship to the colonial era and, in particular, the events that created the Revolutionary War, the war itself, and the new nation era. Boston has, IMHO, cashed in on its history more than Philadelphia. If that is true, I wonder if Philadelphia's larger size is a factor in keeping Boston more historic. Boston, despite similiar metro popuations, has been able to maintain a higher profile than Philadelphia....where an argument could easily be made that both cities should be at the same level. 2. Both Boston and Baltimore have major waterfronts. Both have made these waterfronts inviting. Yet Baltimore has "cashed in" on its waterfront more than Boston, even though Boston is a more major US city. Baltimore seems to have a more aggressive, Avis-style "we try harder" attitude in promoting itself over places like Boston. Actually over Philadelphia, too. Baltimore may be for self-promotion to the northeast what Atlanta is in the southeast. 3. Boston has an advantage over Philadelphia and Baltimore because it is the furthest afield of the 5 major cities and thus has been more able to to establish its own identity. Another advantage is that only Boston of the 5 cities is New England, not Mid-Atlantic, and Boston is the undisputed capital of New England. Philadelphia has been hurt by proximity to NYC and Baltimore by its proximity to DC; Bosotn is less affected by such factors due to its location. 4. The inter-relationship between Boston, New York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington is undoubtdly the most interestng of any such regional groups of cities. It is fascinating to see how these major cities play off each other. 5. Of all cities outside the northeast, I believe that my city of Chicago relates best to the northeast metropolises due to Chicago was the one "western" city that most parraleled the growth of industry, immigration, the development of cultural institutions, the development of true American urbanism, etc. Chicago's strong connection to the northeast by canal/rivers/lakes and later by rail cemented a special relationship between the Windy City and the northeast.>

:S This will make people angry

There's a website being spread around that is definately causing a stirr within American and Muslim communities. I was wondering what you all thought about it? Fear mongering or freedom of speech? If you are easily offended, you may not want to check out the link. http://www.downwithdemocracy.com>

What will be the next Southern city to get their second team in a sport..

We have Los Angeles with the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and the Los Angeles Dodgers....We have New York cith the New york Giants/Jets...Mets/Yankees and the Knicks/Nets(Even though they are New Jersey they are in the New York metropolitan Area)...And Chicago with the White Sox/Cubs...Which southern city or maybe US city will have their second team in a sport... Here are the nominees Atlanta HOuston Dallas Miami Philadelphia Boston Seattle San Francisco Pittsburgh Washington DC Sorry I meant American City but because I had just made a post on the Southern city dominance thread I wrote Southern...>

Which state is more friendly ?

Tell us about your opinion.>

U.S. Urban Issues Thirty Years Old and Older Discussion Thread.

This thread is for the thirty year old farts and older members. If your 29 then ok you can join too, no disrespect to anyone younger but this is something for the old heads. Thirty year olds Please continue Positive Urban Discussions. Mods if this is wrong then please delete. >

Philadelphia Skyline

Do you think the Philadelphia Skyline will look different once the 20 plus skyscrapers underconstruction and in planning stages get completed. Will they make a difference in the skyline or not. ---------------------> ------------------------> Had to show some South Philly Pics >

San Francisco Suburb uses Eminent Domain to block Wal Mart

Some info on the town Hercules, California Location-19 miles north of Oakland along 80 on the shores of San Pablo Bay Pop-21,000 Racial Breakdown-23% White,18% Black, 10% Hispanic, 42% Asian Average Home Price-$678,000 Average Family Income-$109,500 --------------------------------- HERCULES Vote goes against Wal-Mart Council OKs using eminent domain to block retailer Patrick Hoge, Chronicle Staff Writer Wednesday, May 24, 2006 A standing-room-only crowd listens as the Hercules City Council debates using eminent domain to thwart Wal-Mart. Chronicle photo by Kim Komenich The Hercules City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to take the unprecedented step of using eminent domain to prevent Wal-Mart from building a big-box store on a 17-acre lot near the city's waterfront. Hercules resident Brenda Smith Johnson(VP of Information Services at JPMorganChase in The City) applauds after the City Council voted to use eminent domain to halt the construction of a planned Wal-Mart store. Chronicle photo by Kim Komenich The vote caused most of the 300 people who had packed Hercules City Hall for the meeting to break out in cheers and applause. "The city of Hercules is very unique. People from the outside have to understand that,'' said Hercules Vice Mayor Ed Balico just before the vote. During a 90-minute public comment period that preceded the vote, nearly everyone who spoke urged the council to fight Wal-Mart. "Throw the bums out," Hercules resident Steve Kirby said at the podium of Wal-Mart. "Wal-Mart will never understand what we want." Front to back: Don Hom, Wilmar Tretasco, Ivan Chavez and Jose Santos, all of Hercules, watch the TV monitor in the Hercules City Hall lobby. Chronicle photo by Kim Komenich Another resident, Anita Roger-Fields, expressed concern for small businesses in the city, saying they could be driven out of business by the discount store. "(Wal-Mart is) the worst thing that could happen to our community. They want to crush the competition." The vote is the latest twist in a battle between the city and the discount-store chain, which wants to build a store near the city's historic waterfront. The city contends Wal-Mart's plan to build a discount store does not fit with its plans to develop the waterfront into a pedestrian-oriented village with high-end shops and homes. "I'm elated. This is the result we wanted. The fact that it was unanimous is wonderful. Our City Council really came through," said Brenda Smith Johnson, an information technology vice president with JP Morgan Chase in San Francisco who moved to Hercules in 1992. "I know this is going to be a hard fight but we're up to it." Some residents were infuriated that Wal-Mart had warned that if the City Council voted for eminent domain, the move would cost the city millions. "I don't like to be threatened and they threatened my community,'' Bob Steiner, a certified public accountant and magician who lives in Hercules, said after the vote. Only about four people spoke in favor of Wal-Mart. "The city has no guarantees that anybody is going to develop the property if they take it away from Wal-Mart," said Hercules resident Andre Wilson. The vote allows the city to begin proceedings to acquire Wal-Mart's property by force to achieve its redevelopment goals. Mary Pridham, a Hercules resident since 1971, protests outside the Hercules City Council chambers. Chronicle photo by Kim Komenich Following the vote, Wal-Mart spokesman Kevin Loscotoff said Wal-Mart will evaluate the situation and decide what to do next. The city was once a company town, home to a dynamite plant that during World War I was the nation's leading producer of TNT, and some turn-of-the-century homes that used to house company officials have been restored. The city plans to continue developing land along the waterfront to fit its vision. "Why should we have to sell ourselves short when we have this great waterfront," Hercules resident Valerie Wilgus said following the vote. Some residents have said they would prefer grocery stores such as Whole Foods, Trader Joe's or Andronico's, and specialty shops like those in Berkeley's swank Fourth Street district. The vote comes after Wal-Mart rejected a city offer to buy its property earlier this year. Wal-Mart attorney Edward Burg walks past Brenda Smith Johnson and Jason Akel after the vote. Chronicle photo by Kim Komenich Officials from the nation's largest retailer have said they are determined to open a store on the company's 17 acres overlooking San Pablo Bay. In a letter to the city on Tuesday, Wal-Mart attorneys argued that eminent domain was unnecessary because the company had tailored its project to meet the community's desires, downsizing the proposed store and garden center from 167,000 square feet to roughly 100,000 square feet and designing the shopping center to have "a very attractive, village-like appearance.'' But critics countered that Wal-Mart's latest plan was still more than 50 percent larger than a store plan approved for the site before the retail giant bought the property. The city was the first in the state to adopt a redevelopment code that prescribes the design of streets, building dimensions and some architectural requirements, such as front porches. A key part of the plan called for a waterfront village with high-density housing and shops, a shoreline park, a train station, bus service and even a ferry stop. E-mail Patrick Hoge at phoge@sfchronicle.com.>

Partially guyed towers in the USA

Are there partially guyed towers, these are constructions consisting of a free-standing basement tower and a guyed mast on its top in the USA? (List of partial guyed towers on http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_towers ) Examples Gerbrandy Tower, Lopik, Netherlands, height: 375 metres ( http://www.structurae.net/structures...fm?ID=s0012623 ) TV Tower Aarhus, Denmark, height: 216.1 metres ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Telecom...on_Tower_Arhus ) TV Tower Jauerling, height: 141 metres ( http://members.aon.at/wabweb/frames/radioaf5.htm ) TV Tower Lindenfels-Krehberg, height: 122 metres ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transmi...wer_Lindenfels )>

Worlds Best Casinos

According to the Washington, D.C.-based American Gaming Association, about 51 million people--a group equivalent to roughly one quarter of the U.S. population over 21--visited a casino in 2002. From 2001 to 2002, the U.S. gaming industry grew by 3%, from $25.7 billion to $26.5 billion. And that's only the number of people who visited casinos domestically--and legally. Worldwide, although no hard figures exist, the number could be estimated to be double that. From the glittering lights of the Las Vegas strip to the illegal pai gow parlors of New York's Chinatown, there is a wide range of casinos from which these potential 100 million people can choose. For most, proximity is the deciding factor, as in the case of places like Atlantic City where shuttle buses crammed with tourists run 24 hours a day. Equally popular are the continuous hovercrafts linking Hong Kong and Macao, and the daily flights to Las Vegas from airports around the globe. http://www.forbes.com/travel/2004/02..._0219feat.html Of course, there is more to casinos than just gambling. Since the early 1960s casinos have operated on the assumption that while black jack or roulette might be their main revenue stream, it is important to offer other incentives as well to keep occasional gamblers coming back to the tables. As a result, floor shows, free drinks, all-you-can-eat buffets and, increasingly, plush accommodations became more common. Today, Las Vegas pushes itself as much as a family destination as a gambling destination. For the person looking for a top-end casino, such concerns as proximity and all-you-can-eat buffets are of less importance. There are basically two kinds of people in this bracket: the well-heeled amateur and the hard-core gambler. For the purposes of this article, however, we will set aside the hard-core gambler because they tend to follow the money and don't necessarily need luxury amenities to attract them. What makes a great casino? Location Number of tables Variety of gambling Reputation Good food Floor show Luxury accommodations Free drinks View Results Reply The well-heeled amateur, on the other hand, is someone who has the cash to play, wants the best, is likely to bring along his or her family and wants them to be entertained while he or she is hitting the tables. At this level, many top casinos offer much the same experience as far as gambling goes: all offer many of the same games, as well as such perks as private rooms. Ironically, what makes one top casino distinctive from another is often not so different from what attracts the average punter, except that what is on offer is usually considerably better. Why settle for a bus when a casino will send a private jet? Why wait in line at the buffet when you can have a gourmet meal sent to your room? In some cases, why even pay for a suite because the casino, expecting you to gamble heavily, will provide you with a complimentary suite? In some cases, the experience of gambling in an exclusive casino, rubbing elbows with royalty, is enough of an attraction. At London's private Clermont Club, there are no fancy boutiques or musical extravaganzas. Members may spend their winnings on vintage Champagne, or another flutter, but little else. Another more "old world" casino is the world-famous Casino de Monte Carlo, which opened in 1863 and also eschews the resort mentality now in vogue. But the entire principality of Monaco is one big playground of the rich, so the well-heeled amateur may amuse himself at baccarat while his family hits the beach at the Société de Bains de Mer. But visitors to Europe shouldn't expect perks like private planes. Because of European gaming laws, casinos are not allowed to directly "entice" clients. In other places, though, some people prefer a little more pampering and a little less wagering. For example, in addition to floor shows, golf and spa services, the Bellagio in Las Vegas offers a branch of New York's swank Le Cirque restaurant as well as Hermès and Chanel boutiques. Whether your gambling tastes run towards London or Las Vegas, you're sure to find a suitable one on our list of the World's Best Casinos. All of the casinos on our list are in glamorous, sophisticated locations--such as Monte Carlo, Antigua and Moscow. The casinos vary in size, from the intimate St. James Club in Antigua to the sprawling Casino Baden-Baden in Germany. Wherever you go, may Lady Luck be on your side. Indicated location of casino. Antigua Bahamas London Germany Macau Manaco Atlantic City Vegas Moscow South Africa ________________________________________________________________ Imagine coming back from holiday with more dosh than when you left? OK, fat chance, but a casino holiday means at least there's the possibility... if Lady Luck's on your side! And many casinos are situated in fantastic hotel complexes so you can always take a break from the roulette wheel. Here's our pick of the best. Bellagio - Las Vegas, Nevada, USA Las Vegas' most famous casino is a lavish Italian-themed resort situated on an eight-acre lake on the Strip, offering sixteen restaurants and cafes, six bars and a host of designer shops. The Bellagio fountains and replicas of the Eiffel Tower, Statue of Liberty and The Pyramids provide the finishing touch to its grandeur. The casino is a hive of activity - it's not uncommon to see jackpot prize cars on the back of slots and plasma screens displaying winners! Traditional table games include roulette, craps and blackjack as well as new favourites, Caribbean Stud, Pai Gow Poker and Big Six. The Bellagio was also the location for casino heist movie Ocean's Eleven, starring George Clooney and Brad Pitt. Casino Atlantis - Paradise Island, Bahamas Fancy chilling in the Caribbean and making a killing on the slots? Atlantis, the Caribbean's largest casino, offers 980 of the latest slot machines while the main casino has 78 table games, including roulette, blackjack and Caribbean Stud Poker. Novice gamblers will also appreciate the daily gaming lessons. A new addition is the Pegasus Race and Sports Book, where you can watch live US racetrack action and bet on sporting events. The casino is part of the City of Atlantis-themed resort, complete with the towers of Atlantis. Aside from gambling, the resort offers deluxe accommodation, watersports, a golf course and enough pools and beaches to satisfy even the fussiest holidaymaker. Bally's - Atlantic City, New Jersey, USA In the American version of Monopoly, Boardwalk is their Mayfair - so Bally's, on Park Place and the Boardwalk, is hot property. Located on eight and a half acres of beachfront, this is one of Atlantic City's most popular gambling joints and the largest casino on the Boardwalk since its merger with Claridge Casino. The Wild Wild West Casino replicates the western frontier town complete with mountains and a running water stream - don't be surprised if you're greeted by a gunslinger! There are 2,170 machines at Bally's so pay a visit to Coyote Kate's Slot Parlor for some Wild West gambling. Table games include blackjack and roulette as well as Mini Baccarat and Pai Gow Poker. Bally's is also home to the renovated 19th-century Dennis Hotel and Claridge Hotel. Sun City - North West Province, South Africa Designed by the same man who created Atlantis in the Bahamas, Sun City is Sol Kerzner's Lost City-themed resort. It's an entertaining place to gamble, its casino offering everything from blackjack to Let it Ride Poker, although craps is currently unavailable. And of course, plenty of slot machines for both budget players and high rollers. Beginners can receive free lessons from the Sun City School of Gaming which explain casino rules and etiquette - did you know that you can't touch your cards during blackjack? The Sun City resort also contains four luxury hotels, and offers watersports, a beach with a wave machine and waterslides, and a Roman amphitheatre. Safari lovers will also enjoy the proximity of the Pilanesberg National Park. Casino Torrequebrada - Málaga, Spain The largest casino in the south of Spain attracts both gamblers and holidaymakers seeking out the Mediterranean sun, offering traditional and video reel machines, video poker, bingo and keno. Its highest payout for slots was 68,000 euros in 2002 - so it could be you! For table games, try your luck at blackjack, Stud Poker, Punto Banco or roulette. Located between Málaga and Marbella in the Costa del Sol, it's just fifteen minutes from the Pablo Ruiz Picasso Airport near Málaga. As well as winning (or losing!) money, the casino-hotel complex has a pool, saunas, gyms and a tennis court. Monte Carlo Casino - Monaco Kings, princes and writers have gambled away their fortunes in the world's most famous casino. Situated in Monaco on the Côte d'Azur, this is where sun, glamour and tax-free income prove too much to resist. Gambler or not, it's worth paying $10 to visit the casino, its beautifully decorated ceilings and walls and the marble-paved atrium adding to the general opulence. The rooms (or salles) offer a range of games including European and English roulette, Trente et Quarante, Punto Banco, blackjack and craps. Slot machines, of which there are 1254 in Monaco, and video poker can be found in the Salle Blanche and the Atrium. If you can afford to stay in Monte Carlo, take your pick from some of the swankiest establishments around such as Hôtel de Paris or Monet-Carlo Beach Hotel. In the meantime, why not visit an online casino such as 32Red and see how you fare? You might pick up a tip or two and then you can knock 'em dead in Vegas! By Meera Dattani http://www.virgin.net/travel/features/casino.html>

Weekly Lists - Largest Metros w/o a Prof. Sport Team

Largest Metropolitan Areas without Major League Sports Teams of their own. 1 Norfolk-Virginia Beach-Newport News, Virginia-North Carolina 2 Las Vegas, Nevada 3 Greensboro-Winston Salem-High Point, North Carolina 4 Austin-San Marcos, Texas 5 Providence-Fall River-Warwick, Rhode Island-Massachusetts 6 Hartford, Connecticut 7 West Palm Beach-Boca Raton, Florida 8 Rochester, New York 9 Grand Rapids-Muskegon-Holland, Michigan 10 Oklahoma City, Oklahoma>

U.S. Casinos

discuss casinos of the united states, from las vegas to atlantic city to indian reservations and beyond. opst pictures as well if you'd like. my pictures of casinos: LAS VEGAS, NEVADA Mirage New York New York Excalibur Tropicana Monte Carlo Bellagio Caesar's Palace Paris Las Vegas Aladdin (now being converted into Planet Hollywood) Stratosphere Sahara NIAGARA FALLS, NEW YORK Seneca Niagara >

Rebuilding New Orleans

I was wondering if there are any plans or renderings? I would like to see a system of canals, like a "Cajun Venice".>

100 Busiest Airports (domestic passengers)

1 Atlanta 77.0 million passengers 2 Chicago (ORD) 64.4 3 Tokyo (HND) 61.5 4 Dallas (DFW) 54.3 5 Los Angeles 44.2 6 Denver 41.2 7 Las Vegas 40.0 8 Phoenix 38.0 9 Minneapolis/St Paul 35.1 10 Charlotte 32.8 11 Detroit 32.3 12 Houston (IAH) 30.1 13 Orlando 29.1 14 Beijing 26.6 15 Seattle 26.4 16 Philadelphia 24.4 17 San Francisco 24.1 18 New York (LGA) 23.1 19 Newark 23.1 20 Boston 21.9 21 Cincinnati 21.1 22 New York (JFK) 20.1 23 Baltimore/Washington 19.4 24 Osaka (ITM) 19.3 25 Fort Lauderdale 19.2 26 Jakarta 19.0 27 Chicago (MDW) 18.6 28 Madrid 18.5 29 Salt Lake City 18.1 30 Washington (IAD) 18.0 31 Honolulu 17.7 32 Guangzhou 17.5 33 Sydney 17.5 34 Sapporo 17.1 35 Tampa 16.9 36 Fukuoka 16.3 37 San Diego 16.2 38 Miami 16.2 39 Melbourne 16.0 40 Washington (DCA) 15.6 41 Shanghai (SHA) 14.9 42 Seoul (GMP) 14.2 43 Shenzen 14.0 44 Oakland 13.8 45 Sao Paulo (CGH)13.6 46 St Louis 13.3 47 Pittsburgh 12.8 48 Paris (ORY) 12.8 49 Portland 12.6 50 Toronto 12.6 51 Rome (FCO) 12.5 52 Naha 12.5 53 Barcelona 11.9 54 Brisbane 11.7 55 Chengdu 11.2 56 Cleveland 11.0 57 San Jose (SJC) 10.8 58 Jeju 10.6 59 Memphis 10.5 60 Bangkok 10.4 61 Kansas City 10.0 62 Brasilia 9.9 63 New Orleans 9.6 64 Sacramento 9.5 65 Santa Ana 9.3 66 Mumbai 9.2 67 Munich 8.8 68 Johannesburg 8.5 69 San Juan 8.4 70 Raleigh-Durham 8.4 71 Houston (HOU) 8.3 72 Shanghai (PVG) 8.2 73 Kuala Lumpur 8.0 74 Vancouver 8.0 75 Indianapolis 7.9 76 Mexico City 7.9 77 New Delhi 7.4 78 Oslo 7.4 79 Frankfurt 7.3 80 Austin 7.1 81 London (LHR) 6.9 82 Ontario 6.8 83 Nashville 6.8 84 Manila 6.7 85 Calgary 6.7 86 Hartford 6.7 87 San Antonio 6.6 88 Fort Myers 6.6 89 Milwaukee 6.6 90 West Palm Beach 6.4 91 Milan (LIN) 6.4 92 Albuquerque 6.3 93 Columbus 6.2 94 Xian 6.1 95 Riyadh 6.1 96 Dallas (DAL) 5.9 97 Berlin (TXL) 5.7 98 Kagoshima 5.7 99 Edinburgh 5.7 100 Moscow (DME) 5.7 Of course, the US is going to dominate with domestic passenger travel. I thought that this was very interesting.>

The American City: serving as a model

What US cities are doing the things (or have done the things) that make them serve as models for all American cities.....and what have they accomplished that makes you think, "I wish my city would do that." **** Strictly for purposes of examples, I'll use my home town of Chicago: Millennium Park has shown how an eye popping, interactive park can serve as a draw for city, suburbanites, and tourists alike....and also cause a high rise housing boom around it to take in the view.>

Does your city have a symphony-orchestra?

Few people understand or utilize their city's symphony or orchestra. They can range from small, competent orchestras to huge, world-class ensembles. So what is your symphony /orchestra/classical music scene like? How often do you frequent it?>

30/29 & under US urban issues thread

Well, lets see if us youngins can get more to the topic, I think more young people live in cities anyway. 2 young-people factors, Crime and Jobs. Discuss:>

Which US City has done the worst job of preserving its historic architecture?

Which US City has done the worst job of preserving its historic architecture?>

What American City could be the Next NYC?

There are several cities that are increasing with population, structures, and better skylines. My question or to get the opinion of others is what American City can become the next NYC. Skyscraper wise a population wise. Los Angeles has had a massive rise in polulation and I was reading somewhere that it might surpass 8 miliion by 2015-2020. Also Miami is a hotspot. With cranes everywhere, it is starting to look like those Chinese cities. Any suggestions? My picks are: 1) Miami and L.A. itself. Also San Fransico looks like a possible canidate.>

THIS JUST IN: AMERICA"S GREASTEST URBAN CITIES ARE THRIVING

People always complain about how the great urban cities peaked in the 50s and going down since then with suburbs dominating, but there is evidence that shows that is not completely true. EVIDENCE A: NYC is at its all time population high (and I'm not talking about metro, I"M talking about the city). EVIDENCE B: LA is at its all time population high and is still growing like a freight train. LA now has over 4,000,000 and will probably have 4,200,000 by 2010. Evidence C: SF is still about at its all time high. In dropped a little from the 2000 census but that is when the city was full of couchsurfers trying to cash in on tech. The city is still more or less at its all time high. (of course it is hard for it to go up much there because it is filled in, but they will squeeze in more with new projects). So it seems not all cities only have increasing metros and suburbs with the city pop small compared to 1940-1950. THE DEATH OF THE GREAT AMERICAN URBAN CITIES IS GREATLY EXAGGERATED>>

Your cities most striking neighborhood visually (5 PIC MAX!!)

What neighborhood has a character that can only be found in your city, and at the same time is remarkably different from anything else found in the same city? I think people can get the point in five photos also. We don't need someone to take a picture of every single building within the neighborhood. Thank you. For Chicago, I nominate Pilsen, in the Lower West Side. The buildings have an Eastern-European influenced flair to them that extends from the residential streets to the commercial boulevards. Its also unique in Chicago for the fact that it has a relative lack of trees compared to other neighborhoods with lush canopies. >

Boosters...gotta hate them...

I want to bring up a little epidemic that has been plauging the US urban issues forum more and more as I have spent more time on this forum, that has annoyed me and probably other users on this board... ...BOOSTERS...(insert scary music here) But seriously, how come every thread has to be hijacked by one of these users? I am not going to name any names up in here, but this is getting downright ridiculous. Exaggerations aside, most threads end up with "my city has this, and this, and that, it has 15 million and mine is growing faster than your city is". This is just showing insecurity, and that you believe that you have to show other users that your city is great. There is nothing wrong with that, but when you have to bring it up every damn time, even if it has nothing to do with the subject, this shows insecurity. This mindless boosting has degenerated many good topics into bitch fights. And it gets very frustrating for users like me, who want to reply to the topic, but find many pages of arguing instead of more intelligent replys. I'm sure I'm not the only person who noticed this. This boosting is not as much of a problem on other forums on SSC, why here. Bottom line: Boosting is SPAM, and if you have nothing better to do, get a life outside the Internet...if you are going to reply, please do it in a more civil matter. That's my 0.02.. >

What's the most sterile city in America?

What's the most sterile city in the United States? What I mean by sterile is...devoid of life; both human and plant. I don't necessarily mean what cities are ghetto or run-down...but which city in your opinion is the starkest? Which city is so meticulous, so clean that it makes you sick?>

What is your cities most prestigious University?

What is your cities most prestigious Univerisity? Also list Business alumni or attendees ex: University of Pennsylvania Business Walter Annenberg: billionaire publisher, philanthropist, former U.S Ambassador to the United Kingdom, awarded the Medal of Freedom He was given the rank of Knight Commander (the second-highest rank in the Order of the British Empire) by Queen Elizabeth II. Gregory Bentley: CEO of Bentley Systems Nicholas Biddle: President of the Second Bank of the United States Henry Bloch: Co-founder, H&R Block Richard Bloch: Co-founder, H&R Block Len Bosack: Co-founder, Cisco Systems (Internet routers company) Warren Buffett: CEO of Berkshire Hathaway, investor, second richest man in the world (attended but did not graduate) Donny Deutsch: Deustch Inc. Eugene du Pont: the first head of modern day DuPont. Richard Fisher: Fisher Brothers Construction, New York Jay S. Fishman: Chairman and CEO of St. Paul Travelers Joel Greenblatt: hedge fund manager and author Hussam Hamadeh: Founder, Vault.com Charles Heimbold: U.S. Ambassador to Sweden, former CEO of Bristol Myers Squibb Corporation Jon Huntsman, Sr.:Billionaire, founder of the Huntsman Corporation Leonard Lauder: Co-founder of Estée Lauder; billionaire investor Douglas Lenat: Founder of artificial intelligence company Cycorp Gerald Levin (Penn Law): former CEO AOL Time Warner Peter Lynch: Investor, vice-chairman of Fidelity Investments Michael Milken: Trader/financier William S. Paley: Founder, CBS Corporation Bruce Pasternack: President and CEO of the Special Olympics International; formerly Senior Vice President of Booz-Allen & Hamilton Inc. Ronald Perelman: Billionaire investor Michael Tiemann: Co-founder of Cygnus Solutions (a GNU software company), now CTO of Red Hat Laurence Tisch: Former CEO of CBS Donald Trump: Billionaire real estate mogul, investor, and financier Roy Vagelos: Former CEO of Merck Pharmaceuticals Steve Wynn: Chairman and CEO Wynn Resorts, Limited. Former Chairman and CEO Mirage Resorts, Inc.; responsible for the renaissance of Las Vegas Also University Criteria (endowment, etc..) Motto Leges sine moribus vanae (Laws without morals are useless.) Established 1740[2] Type Private Endowment $4.44 billion Staff 4,603 President Amy Gutmann Undergraduates 11,687 Postgraduates 10,103 Location Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA Campus Urban, 269 acres (1.1 km²) Athletics 33 varsity teams Nickname Quakers Website www.upenn.edu Then there's Temple University which has campuses in Tokyo, London, Rome and China. America's Best Colleges http://www.usnews.com/usnews/edu/col...udoc_brief.php>

2030 Population Projections

Projected Population Growth (Percent): 2000 to 2030 1. Nevada = 114.29 2. Arizona = 108.79 3. Florida = 79.48 4. Texas = 59.78 5. Utah = 56.07 6. Idaho = 52.22 7. North Carolina = 51.91 8. Georgia = 46.80 9. Washington = 46.33 10. Oregon = 41.28 11. Virginia = 38.80 12. Alaska = 38.40 13. California = 37.12 14. Colorado = 34.67 15. New Hampshire = 33.23 16. Maryland = 32.58 17. Tennessee = 29.73 18. Delaware = 29.23 USA = 29.20 19. South Carolina = 28.33 20. Minnesota = 28.19 21. Arkansas = 21.20 22. Hawaii = 21.01 23. Vermont = 16.92 24. Montana = 15.82 25. New Jersey = 16.50 26. New Mexico = 15.43 27. Missouri = 14.92 28. Wisconsin = 14.67 29. Oklahoma = 13.41 30. Kentucky = 12.70 31. Indiana = 12.00 32. Maine = 10.68 33. Massachusetts = 10.44 34. Rhode Island = 9.98 35. Alabama = 9.60 36. Kansas = 9.36 37. Mississippi = 8.71 38. Connecticut = 8.31 39. Illinois = 8.16 40. Michigan = 7.60 41. Louisiana = 7.47 42. Nebraska = 6.37 43. South Dakota = 6.04 44. Wyoming = 5.91 45. Pennsylvania = 3.97 46. New York = 2.64 47. Ohio = 1.74 48. Iowa = 0.99 49. West Virginia = (4.89) 50. North Dakota = (5.55) 51. District of Columbia = (24.24) Projected Population: 2030 USA = 363,584,435 1. California = 46,444,861 2. Texas = 33,317,744 3. Florida = 28,685,769 4. New York = 19,477,429 5. Illinois = 13,432,892 6. Pennsylvania = 12,768,184 7. North Carolina = 12,227,739 8. Georgia = 12,017,838 9. Ohio = 11,550,528 10. Arizona = 10,712,397 11. Michigan = 10,694,172 12. Virginia = 9,825,019 13. New Jersey = 9,802,440 14. Washington = 8,624,801 15. Tennessee = 7,380,634 16. Maryland = 7,022,251 17. Massachusetts = 7,012,009 18. Indiana = 6,810,108 19. Missouri = 6,430,173 20. Minnesota = 6,306,130 21. Wisconsin = 6,150,764 22. Colorado = 5,792,357 23. South Carolina = 5,148,569 24. Alabama = 4,874,243 25. Oregon = 4,833,918 26. Louisiana = 4,802,633 27. Kentucky = 4,554,998 28. Nevada = 4,282,102 29. Oklahoma = 3,913,251 30. Connecticut = 3,688,630 31. Utah = 3,485,367 32. Arkansas = 3,240,208 33. Mississippi = 3,092,410 34. Iowa = 2,955,172 35. Kansas = 2,940,084 36. New Mexico = 2,099,708 37. Idaho = 1,969,624 38. Nebraska = 1,820,247 39. West Virginia = 1,719,959 40. New Hampshire = 1,646,471 41. Hawaii = 1,466,046 42. Maine = 1,411,097 43. Rhode Island = 1,152,941 44. Montana = 1,044,898 45. Delaware = 1,012,658 46. Alaska = 867,674 47. South Dakota = 800,462 48. Vermont = 711,867 49. North Dakota = 606,566 50. Wyoming = 522,979 51. District of Columbia = 433,414 Source: Table A1>

Changing concept of cities

How archaic is it that we look at city and metro area as two separate entities? City limits only means that there is a governmental shift of services. Beyond the city limits of virtually every American city is a felt that is call suburban, but isn't. Vast areas of suburbia is anything but suburban, but thoroughly urban. Why don't we recognize that the distinctions we make between city and suburb are far less than we think? On a related subject, as our metro areas continue to fill in between each other and join up, what effect does that have on cities? If you live in a megalopolis, do both city and metro area lose some meaning as the region becomes more and more interconnected and interrelated? Perhaps the answers might be most appropriately found in metros that have traditonally had more than one major city. Are these cities in less control of their destinies because their metro areas have more than one major hub? Personally don't think that would be the case for San Francisco, but believe it would affect the other Bay Area hubs, Oakland and SJ (as well as Mpls, StP, Dallas, FW). Does Baltimore being drawn into a larger metro area with DC hurt Baltimore's profile?>

The ABSOLUTE top 10 skylines in US and why

Post yours...pics are welcome as well! Mine! In order- NY City- HUGE skyline sprawling a combined 4 miles. Could have 8 1000 footers in 10-15 years, God I can't wait for the westside redevelopment and WTC! Not to mention, BOA, NYT, Con EDISON, Gehry, Calatrava, will all have many tower over 800 feet! Chicago- Insanely massive skyline along lake michigan, 2 new 1000 footers down the road! Philadelphia- huge, powerful, tall, will improve greatly in time. Seattle- Wow, can we say dense tall and huge, the sity is amazing looking, and so underrated. San Francisco- Charming, alomost as dense as manhattan, very good porportions. Los Angeles- Bold, Library Tower makes skyline very powerful. Minneapolis- This is one underrated skyline! Nearly as large as Philly and almost as tall! Minneapolis is great. Boston- Dense, Charming New England town, got quite a bit of tall buildings that look real cool. Miami- Miami is so modern, it's like the Dubai of the US, lots of cool plans ahead. Atlanta- Looks nice, not very dense but it still makes the bottom of my list. Ones that didn't quite make it but have a respectable skyline- Portland OR San Diego Charlotte Indianapolis Pittsburgh Dallas Houston Austin Baltimore Share your thoughts!>

California & earthquake & abandoned cities (bbc)

If you have written a book suggesting that San Francisco could soon be levelled by a massive earthquake, you may find Californians a little reluctant to accept your message. Author Simon Winchester's idea that the US of the future could contain a number of ruined and abandoned cities has met a frosty reception. California is one of the most quake-prone regions of the world The first time that I ever saw San Francisco it was dawn, and I was standing on a mountaintop 50km (31 miles) away, and the city was gleaming white in the rays of the rising sun. I was struck, more than anything, by its sheer fragility. It looked so unlike the great cities of the East - New York, Boston, Chicago - which were big and battleship grey and seemingly bolted onto the landscape with iron. San Francisco seemed to cling oh-so-delicately onto its hills. It looked, in a word, vulnerable. As we all know it is. 'Go away' A little less than a century ago it was utterly destroyed in one of the world's most infamous earthquakes and the geologists who today study the San Andreas fault that runs underneath it predict that the time is more than ripe for a replay of that terrible event. Denial seems a powerful component of life in seismically active parts of America A greater than 60% chance, they say, of a big calamity in the Bay Area, sometime in the next quarter century. This is not a message the local residents like to hear. A week ago I was giving a talk in a bookstore on Market Street and saw a long white envelope on the podium, marked for me. I imagined, optimistically, that it was a cheque. It turned out to be anything but: an anonymous letter, urging me to get out of town. "You geologists," it began. "If you can tell us we have three hours' warning, fine. But if you simply want to tell us that we live somewhere dangerous and that a quake might happen, well, we don't want to hear, thanks very much. "Why don't you just go away and let us get on with our lives? We're happy here in California. Life is so darn good." Denial seems a powerful component of life in seismically active parts of America. So I am out on the road these days on a quasi-evangelical mission to try to reverse it. And my pitch, or my sermon, goes like this. In the ruins In mature countries in the old civilisations of Asia, Europe and Africa, the big cities are, by and large, where they ought to be. So London, Paris, Cairo, Beijing, Moscow, all thousands of years old, all in seismically stable places untroubled by terrible weather. But by the same token these ancient countries are littered with the ruins of cities built where they ought not to have been built - Pompeii, Petra, Ayutthaya in Thailand, Heliopolis. As tourists we cluster around these ruins, in awe. Ruins are part of our cultural inheritance, important for the perspective that they bring, reminders of our impermanence. But America is a country without any ruins. Maybe the odd ghost-town in Utah and Nevada, but basically no ruined cities. Eccentric The country is young enough to have set down its cities wherever it pleases, without ever stopping to ask if the world agrees. It is a little eccentric to create a city on a swamp, six metres below sea-level, between a river and a lake And the world does not always agree. Which prompts me to wonder out loud whether - if one can imagine a map of America drawn up, say, two centuries from now - whether there may in fact be a litter of abandoned and ruined cities. New Orleans, for example. It is a little eccentric to create a city on a swamp, six metres below sea-level, between a river and a lake, in a part of the world afflicted by near-constant summer hurricanes. Might this not, one day, be abandoned to the elements? And what of Tucson, Phoenix, Las Vegas, even? There is no water there. And there is no great world tradition of building cities to last in the middle of deserts. So Phoenix may go the way of Petra, though it is a little difficult to imagine its ruins attracting quite so many tourists. Heresy And then what of San Francisco? A heresy, of course, to imagine it ever being abandoned and yet it does lie athwart one of the most dangerous tectonic plate boundaries on the planet. And so all in the American West will in consequence live happily ever after, earthquakes notwithstanding Might it not be possible to suppose that some peoples of the future will wander, amazed, around the stumps of the Golden Gate Bridge, or the shell of the TransAmerica Pyramid and wonder - why did anyone ever choose to live here? This is where the audiences start to become restless, and a faintly hostile muttering can be heard. But I try to still them with a soothing balsam. Why not take a leaf, I ask, from the one country that has learned to live with earthquakes for the past 2,000 years and that, of course, is Japan? And with the sudden realisation that it is, after all, entirely possible to come to terms with earthquakes and survive, everyone in the room begins to nod happily and sagely and promise that yes, they will mug up on how its done in Tokyo and Osaka and Kyoto. And so all in the American West will in consequence live happily ever after, earthquakes notwithstanding. As the man wrote: "Life here is so darn good. We're happy here. And that is what it's all about." "So can I stay?" I asked. "Sure," they said. "Stick around.">

Favorite Building in the US

This will be an interesting thread. My personal fave is the Chrysler Building.>

U.S. Cities with the Highest & Lowest Average Hourly Wages

Vote or name the cities that pay the highest and lowest average hourly wages.>

Art Nouveau

Are there any Art Nouveau buildings in the united states? It was a popular design throught Europe at the turn of the last century, but did its influence reach the shores of America? It was quite often influenced by nature and was higly decorative.>

Architecture Programs

list all of your cities college/universitys that have architecture programs and a quick comment about each one.>

Which country has largest immigrant population of Americans? (besides Canada)

Which country has largest immigrant population of Americans? Canada is a no-brainer, but which other countries hold a large population of American expats?>

What American city has done the best job of regaining downtown population?

Which city has done the best job at regaining downtown population?>

Freedom Tower plans scrapped.

On Extra a few days ago, Donald Trump announced that plans for the Freedom Tower will be scrapped. He has fired the architect who came up with the concept. Trump now wants the towers rebuilt in their original form. What do you guys think about this?>

If California were two states.....

California is easily a nation-size state and could easily be split into two and you'd still have two huge states. I'm not advocating dividing California in half, but I am curious: what would it be like if you did. So what would happen if we had two states, rather than one: Northern California and Southern California? For the sake of argument, I'll put the stateline right through the pools at Hearst Castle in San Simeon, putting Big Sur in both states. If this happened.... 1. Would Northern California have more in common with Washington and Oregon than with Southern California? 2. Southern California would have an enormous net gain in population through immigration and a net loss in domestic immigration. What would these statistics look like in Northern California? 3. Would quality of life issues improve in NoCal if SoCal was a separate state? 4. What would happen to water rights in the newly divided two states? 5. Would a divide accenuate Asian political power in the north and Hispanic political power in the south? 6. How alike and how different would the two new states be?>

US Metros running out of land?

Are there any metros running out of land to build new single family houses? Just wondering>

Will we see other US cities differently when we're more global?

If our posts on how we see US cities were read at midcentury, 2050, would they seem for more "national" (even provencial) than they read today as we write them? That might take a bit of explanation. Despite all our involvement in the larger world, we still often see things through domestic eyes. We still see New York as the city that dominated US history and culture as our greatest. We still see LA as a growing balance in the west. We look at our coasts and see fly-over country between them. We question how much validity to give newer, growing cities in south and west. We debate whether real "Rust Belt" cities can truly come back. But what happens if when we become truly global? What happens when we look towards London as much as New York or Tokyo as much as LA? What happens when we don't filter our thoughts to such an American degree as we do now? Doesn't "flyover country" disappear when we see the globe as a whole? Don't our coasts matter less when great cities around the globe are not necessarily on the coast? What happens when to how we see our cities when we, the US, become just a part of a greater whole?>

Tampa Lands 2009 Super Bowl

Tampa Lands 2009 Super Bowl By IRA KAUFMAN ikaufman@tampatrib.com Tampa Tribune Published: May 25, 2005 WASHINGTON - NFL owners awarded the 2009 Super Bowl to Raymond James Stadium today as Tampa Bay overcame stiff competition from Atlanta and Houston to land the nation's most prestigious sports event for the fourth time. The Bay area delegation sweetened its enhancement package in recent days and the group stressed balmy February weather, an array of outdoor activities and Tampa's solid reputation as a Super Bowl site in making its 15-minute pitch to land the game - tentatively scheduled for Feb. 1, 2009. ''The Tampa community is so excited and so happy to be awarded a Super Bowl,'' Bucs owner Malcolm Glazer said after the announcement. ''We know what a beautiful community tampa is and they're wonderful people, and we love them all.'' Bucs executive vice president Bryan Glazer, who worked closely with the group to present a unified message, directly addressed NFL owners following the formal presentation by Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio, Hillsborough County Commissioner Jim Norman and Super Bowl Task Force Chairman Dick Beard. ''We just want to say how absolutely ecstactic we are in Tampa to have the Super Bowl in Tampa in 2009,'' Iorio said. ''We've successfully hosted it three other times and we expect the one in 2009 to be the very best ever. ''We couldn't have done it without the Glazers, and we want to thank them for everything they've done to make it happen for Tampa. Thank you Glazers, because you're just great owners and you made it happen and we look forward to a wonderful year in 2009.'' ``We are, of course, delighted and somewhat surprised,'' said longtime Tampa activist Leonard Levy, a former head of the task force. ``We were confident we had a very good proposal, but when you are at the mercy of 32 very different individuals, you never know. ``A lot of credit goes to Dick Beard, who rallied many that could network with NFL insiders, Paul Catoe and his staff that prepared a tremendous bid and obviously the Bucs and the Sports Authority, whose contributions were big.'' On the fourth ballot, the Bay area was selected to serve as Super Bowl host for the first time since 2001, frustrating Falcons owner Arthur Blank and Bob McNair, owner of the Texans. ''I think it is the fact that the Glazers are tremendous team players within the league,'' NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue said when asked why Tampa was chosen. ''Since they took ownership of the team, they have made it into a model franchise. They won the Super Bowl. They have been part of the community partnership presenting the last, great Super Bowl in Tampa. I think the community's investment in a world-class stadium. ''But the friendship and the hospitality and the track record of the three prior Super Bowls in Tampa, coupled with this partnership here between the team and the community, obviously that is what did it. Those are the critical components.'' Blank had hoped a 2009 Super Bowl designation would trigger $150 million in improvements to the state- owned Georgia Dome and help the Falcons secure favorable lease alterations. Houston's bid focused on state-of-the-art Reliant Stadium, which impressed owners during the 2004 Super Bowl. ''There's so many people to thank and we have to really thank the Tampa Bay community,'' Iorio said. ''What a wonderful effort they put out. We have a city that is just crazy about sports. We love sports in Tampa, and they're behind it. And the corporate community is behind it all the way. ''Our convention/visitors association, headed by [Catoe], put together such a package of enhancements and amenities that I think really set the bar. It's a wonderful partnership we've had with the NFL since 1984 when we hosted the first Super Bowl [in Tampa].'' The game will be televised by NBC, and locally on WFLA, Channel 8.>

US views on...

Curious of general US perspectives, on the following countries. 1.Australia. 2.France. 3.Canada. 4. New Zealand 5.UK>