Expansion Management's Hottest 50 Cities

Expansion Management - 2006 America's 50 Hottest Cities Criteria: "For the past eight years, we have asked 80 prominent site location consultants to choose the 50 best cities in the U.S. for business expansions and relocations." 1. Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, Tenn. MSA 2. Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, Ariz. MSA 3. Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, Ga. MSA 4. Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, Texas MSA 5. San Antonio, Texas MSA 6. Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, N.C.-S.C. 7. Memphis, Tenn.-Miss.-Ark. MSA 8. Jacksonville, Fla. MSA 9. Knoxville, Tenn. MSA 10. Birmingham-Hoover, Ala. MSA 11. Tucson, Ariz. MSA Tulsa, Okla. MSA 13. Denver-Aurora, Colo. MSA Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Fla. MSA 15. Richmond, Va. MSA 16. Raleigh-Cary, N.C. MSA 17. Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, Wash. MSA 18. Austin-Round Rock, Texas MSA 19. Houston-Baytown-Sugar Land, Texas MSA 20. Kansas City, Mo.-Kan. MSA 21. Albuquerque, N.M. MSA 22. Huntsville, Ala. MSA 23. Oklahoma City, Okla. MSA 24. Pittsburgh, Pa. MSA 25. Charleston-North Charleston, S.C. MSA 26. Miami-Fort Lauderdale-Miami Beach, Fla. MSA 27. Indianapolis, Ind. MSA 28. Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, Ill.-Ind.-Wis. MSA 29. Columbus, Ohio MSA 30. Longview, Texas MSA 31. Louisville, Ky.-Ind. MSA 32. Colorado Springs, Colo. MSA 33. Cincinnati-Middletown, Ohio-Ky.-Ind. MSA 34. Winston-Salem, N.C. MSA 35. Rochester, N.Y. MSA 36. Omaha-Council Bluffs, Neb.-Iowa MSA 37. Mobile, Ala. MSA 38. Des Moines, Iowa MSA 39. Reno-Sparks, Nev. MSA 40. Boise City-Nampa, Idaho Orlando, Fla. MSA 42. Jackson, Tenn. MSA 43. Buffalo-Cheektowaga-Tonawanda, N.Y. MSA 44. Syracuse, N.Y. MSA 45. Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, Pa.-N.J.-Del.-Md. MSA 46. Greenville, S.C. MSA 47. Greensboro-High Point, N.C. MSA 48. Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, D.C.-Md.-Va.-W.Va. MSA 49. Portland-Vancouver-Beaverton, Ore.-Wash. MSA Salt Lake City, Utah MSA>

Home Sales Decline in 28 States, D.C.

Is the housing bubble about to burst? Home Sales Decline in 28 States, D.C. Aug 15, 2:13 PM (ET) By MARTIN CRUTSINGER WASHINGTON (AP) - The slowdown in the once-sizzling housing market is spreading, with 28 states and the District of Columbia reporting spring sales declines, led by big drops in former boom areas of Arizona, Florida and California. Nationally, sales were down 7 percent in the April-June quarter this year compared with the same period in 2005, the National Association of Realtors said Tuesday in its latest state-by-state look at housing conditions around the country. The Realtors survey showed that the biggest declines occurred in states that had been enjoying red-hot sales during the five-year housing boom. The five biggest declines this spring compared to the April-June period of 2005 were Arizona, down 26.9 percent; Florida, down 26.7 percent; California, down 25.3 percent; Virginia, down 23.9 percent, and Nevada, down 23.5 percent. The Realtors report depicted a tale of two housing markets, with former boom areas experiencing declines and other areas of moderate sales gains during the boom years experiencing strong growth. In all, 20 states had sales gains in the spring, led by Alaska, which enjoyed a 48.6 percent jump in sales; followed by Arkansas, up 17.9 percent; Texas, up 11.3 percent; North Carolina, up 11 percent, and Vermont, up 9.1 percent compared to the spring of 2005. "States with moderately priced areas that have experienced healthy job creation are seeing sales gains," said David Lereah, chief economist for the Realtors. "The economic backdrop remains favorable for the housing market, which is helping home sales level out." In a separate survey of price changes in 151 metropolitan areas, the Realtors reported that 26 metro areas experienced outright price declines while 37 areas were still enjoying double-digit price increases. The biggest price drops in percentage terms were in Danville, Ill., where home prices fell by 11.2 percent in the spring compared with the spring of 2005, and the Detroit area, where home prices were down 8 percent. At the other end of the scale, prices rose the most in Baton Rouge, La., reflecting a 27.3 percent increase, followed by Ocala, Fla., where prices rose by 25.3 percent, and the Virginia Beach, Va., area, where prices were up 23.6 percent compared with the spring of 2005.>

the crack epidemic in your city

how bad is it? have you ever witnessed it? i'm just wondering because a news channel in my city did a episode about the crack epidemic in louisville. its pretty scary how out in the open it is. http://www.wlky.com/target32/6791694/detail.html>

New Data Shows Immigrants’ Growth and Reach

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/08/15/us...gewanted=print Thousands of immigrants and their supporters marching for expanded rights on May 1 in Los Angeles. August 15, 2006 New Data Shows ImmigrantsÂ' Growth and Reach By RICK LYMAN The number of immigrants living in American households rose 16 percent over the last five years, fueled largely by recent arrivals from Mexico, according to fresh data released by the Census Bureau. And increasingly, immigrants are bypassing the traditional gateway states like California and New York and settling directly in parts of the country that until recently saw little immigrant activity — regions like the Upper Midwest, New England and the Rocky Mountain States. Coming in the heart of an election season in which illegal immigration has emerged as an issue, the new data from the bureauÂ's 2005 American Community Survey is certain to generate more debate. But more than that, demographers said, it highlights one reason immigration has become such a heated topic. Â"WhatÂ's happening now is that immigrants are showing up in many more communities all across the country than they have ever been in,Â" said Audrey Singer, an immigration fellow at the Brookings Institution. Â"So itÂ's easy for people to look around and not just see them, but feel the impact theyÂ're having in their communities. And a lot of these are communities that are not accustomed to seeing immigrants in their schools, at the workplace, in their hospitals.Â" By far the largest numbers of immigrants continue to live in the six states that have traditionally attracted them: California, New York, Texas, Florida, New Jersey and Illinois. Immigrants also continue to flow into a handful of states in the Southeast, like Georgia and North Carolina, a trend that was discerned in the 2000 census. But it is in the less-expected immigrant destinations that demographers find the most of interest in the new data. Indiana saw a 34 percent increase in the number of immigrants; South Dakota saw a 44 percent rise; Delaware 32 percent; Missouri 31 percent; Colorado 28 percent; and New Hampshire 26 percent. Â"ItÂ's the continuation of a pattern that we first began to see 10 or 15 years ago,Â" said Jeff Passel, senior research associate at the Pew Hispanic Center, who has examined the new census data. Â"But instead of being confined to areas like the Southeast, itÂ's beginning to spill over into some Midwestern states, like Indiana and Ohio. ItÂ's even moving up into New England.Â" Over all, immigrants now make up 12.4 percent of the nationÂ's population, up from 11.2 percent in 2000. That amounts to an estimated 4.9 million additional immigrants for a total of 35.7 million, a number larger than the population of California. Unlike the full census, which measures all population, the American Community Survey covers only what census officials call Â"householdÂ" population — that is, people living in households, rather than in Â"group quartersÂ" like universities, long-term care facilities and prisons. Thus, the 16 percent increase in immigrants since 2000 refers only to the household population. (The nationÂ's household population in 2005 was 288,378,137, up from 273,637,296 in 2000.) From 1990 to 2000, the total population showed a 57 percent increase in the foreign-born population, to 31.1 million, from 19.8 million. Still, the rise in the immigrant household population since 2000 seems to indicate that the blazing pace of immigration seen throughout the 1990Â's has continued into the first half of this decade. And along with the increase in the overall number of immigrants, the survey found an increase in the numbers who are not United States citizens — an estimated 2.4 million more since 2000. The survey did not try to distinguish between noncitizens in the country legally, like students or guest workers, and those in the country illegally. Georgia and North Carolina, states that had already seen significant increases in their immigrant population in the 1990Â's, continue to see rising numbers. In Georgia, for instance, foreign-born residents accounted for 7.2 percent of the stateÂ's population in 2000, and 9 percent in 2005. Â"WeÂ've been getting very diverse down here,Â" said Judy Hadley, statistical research analyst for the Georgia Office of Planning and Budget. Â"You name any country and weÂ've got it.Â" Ms. Singer pointed out that much of the growth in immigrants was in Â"suburban areas and a lot of other places that really have no history of immigration.Â" Immigration was just one area covered by the first release of data from the American Community Survey, which also covered such demographic information as race, age, education and marital status. The survey detected a significant increase in the number of Americans over age 25 who hold a bachelorÂ's degree or higher — 27.2 percent of that population in 2005 compared with 24.4 percent in 2000. This contributes to what has been a half-decade surge in AmericansÂ' educational attainment. In 1940, only 4.6 percent of Americans held a bachelorÂ's degree. The survey found that the percentage of Americans who are 65 or over is shrinking, from 12.6 percent of the population in 1990 to 12.4 percent in 2000 and 12.1 percent in 2005. Partly, this is driven by the huge influx in immigrants, who tend to be of working age or younger. But demographers caution against seeing this as a long-term trend. Â"ItÂ's more like the lull before the storm,Â" said William H. Frey, a demographer at the Brookings Institution. Â"Before long, the baby boomers are going to start getting into that age group in large numbers and the percentage will shoot up.Â" The survey is intended as an annual bolster to the bureauÂ's constitutionally mandated census of the countryÂ's population every 10 years. It began as a test program in 1996 and has gradually expanded to where it can now provide detailed data for nearly 7,000 geographic areas, including all Congressional districts and counties or cities of 65,000 or more. In coming months, more data from the survey will cover income, poverty and housing. Besides getting larger, the survey found shifts in the composition of the nationÂ's immigrant population. Â"Essentially, itÂ's a continuation of the Mexicanization of U.S. immigration,Â" said Steven Camarota, director of research at the Center for Immigration Studies. Â"You would expect Mexicans to be increasing their share in places like Georgia and North Carolina, which already saw some increases, but theyÂ've also increased their share of the population, and quite dramatically, in states like Michigan, Delaware and Montana.Â" More of AmericaÂ's immigrants, legal or not, come from Mexico than any other country, an estimated 11 million in 2005, compared with nearly 1.8 million Chinese and 1.4 million Indians. Conversely, the percentage of immigrants who were born in European countries has dropped sharply — 29.4 percent in the last five years, demographers say, because immigrants who came to the United States in the mid-20th century are now dying. A study of this data by Mr. Passel for the Pew Hispanic Center showed that while 58 percent of the immigrants who arrived in the United States since 2000 settled in 5 of the traditional gateway states, 24 percent settled in 9 second-tier states (including Georgia, Massachusetts and Washington) and 11 percent found homes in 11 third-tier states, many of which have seen little immigration before (stretching from Connecticut to Minnesota to Nevada). And while many of those first- and second-tier states saw the largest numbers of new arrivals from Mexico, Mr. Passel found, it was some of the third-tier states that saw the largest percentage increases: Alabama, South Carolina, Missouri, Kentucky, Ohio and Pennsylvania. Two decades ago, demographers said, some 75 percent to 80 percent of new immigrants settled in one of the half-dozen gateway states and tended to stay there. Then, in the last 10 to 15 years, the pattern shifted and increasing numbers began to stay in the gateways briefly and then move. Now, they say, the pattern is that more immigrants are simply bypassing the gateways altogether. Â"The biggest thing that drives immigration to specific destinations is that the immigrant already knows someone who is living there,Â" Mr. Camarota said. The common pattern, demographers said, is that a handful of immigrants move to a new region from one of the gateway states and put down roots. Then, once settled, they become a pipeline for others in their family or their home village to move directly into the same area. Â"ItÂ's looking like what happens is that a person from a given community, say in Nicaragua, is getting established,Â" said Bob Coats, the governorÂ's census liaison in North Carolina. Â"And then they send word home that they have a good job and other people — neighbors, family members — come to join them and you have these enclaves of people from one country, one region, becoming established in the same area.Â" >

What do you like/love about Portland?

What do you like/love about Portland?>

What are the safest U.S. cities for pedestrians? Efficient & relaible public transit?

In your opinion, what are safest U.S. cities for pedestrians? Which cities have the most reliable, efficient and frequent public transportation systems?>

SUBURBIA in RED AMERICA!!!!!!!!!!!

I took a trip to visit friend's in Denver and spent time in the south suburbs. WHAT A CULTURE SHOCK. It was 100% white and every parking lot was full of giant cars. We took trip to a live band playing near Denver Tech Center and the large crowd of at least 1000 was 100% white. How weird! The suburbs of LA are nothing like it at all (excpet maybe full parking lots but we drive prius and echo as well as SUV and HUMMER). It made me want to......... It makes me realize the difference between blue cities in blue states between cities in red states. SUBURBS ALL WHITE!>

Universities: Preferred names

This may have been discussed here, although I don't believe directly. (forgive me if there is some overlap here from previous disussions) What are the "rules" for the preferred names that universities wish to go by. For example: • Is it appropriate for Ole Miss to be referred to as Mississippi • How commonly is Mississippi State called Miss State • Can LSU also be called Louisiana State • Has anyone ever spoken the name Pennsylvania State for Penn State (and if they did, would anyone know what the hell they were talking about) • Is UCLA the only school that is known strictly by initials (no Cal-LA, no UC Los Angeles, etc.). Or has UNLV approached that level. Aren't most of these schools listed by names such as Illinois-Chicago instead of UIC...even though the university itself would never call itself that name • Are the rules for Alabama/Bama, Missouri/Mizzou, California/Cal not as strict as those for Ole Miss or LSU • Do most initial schools (USC, BYU, TCU, SMU, etc.) always prefer the letters to the words • Which one is Michigan: U-M or U of M (I've heard both, while Minnesota has only been U of M) • Is Cal-Berkeley redundant since Cal is Berkeley • And while we're at it, does the above school have more names than any other in the nation: University of California (athletics only), University of California, Berkeley (offical), Cal, Cal Berkeley, UC Berkeley, UCB, Berkeley (and does UNC/UNCCH/Carolina/North Carolina come up second?) • Has Texas being UT broken some rule in the B12 world of MU, NU, KU, OU, and CU? • Does anyone use Ohio U. for the name of Ohio University instead of Ohio anymore....outside of the Ohio State crowd in Columbus • Do the two Miami's still need the Fla and Ohio distinctions to their names • How safe is it for flagships to drop city names: such as UW-Madison being UW, UT-Austin being UT, UIUC being U of I, UNCCH being UNC, etc. • Are Ohio State, Penn State, and Florida State the only states using "The" before their official names? And if so, why don't other such schools use the "The" to indicate full flagship status. Why isn't there....The Michigan State University • Is Pittsburgh ambiguous about "Pitt"...sometimes they use it; other times not • at Princeton, Auburn, Syracuse, etc., how do folks close by distinguish university from town It would seem to me that universities are far more known by their preferred names than their official ones; and it would be interesting to know what all the schools call themselves (as well as what others call them) This may be trivial, but it is also fun.>

Twin States?

Twin cities...we sure have enough of them. But how about twin states? Do they exist. Lots of states border each other, but I'm thinking about ones with some sort of special relationship that binds them as one. There are, of course, the easy ones, those with the same name: The Virginias: VA, WV The Carolinas: NC, SC The Dakotas: ND, SD But how about some that just seem to "belong" Vermont, New Hampshire: covered bridges and age old mountains and a fall color spectacular Maryland, Delaware: could DE be MD's Adam's rib? Could you make a map of MD and not include all of DE? Alabama, Mississippi: the heart (and soul) of Dixie? Kentucky, Tennessee, there's border country in dem der hills Illinois, Indiana: knock off Chicago and you're in pure corn heaven, flatly speaking Kansas, Nebraska: There's more than an act of Congress keeping these two great plains states together Arizona, New Mexico: those deserts and Hispanic hertiage, the last of the 48 Washington, Oregon: cool, green, rainy, groovey, coastal, and environmentally sensistive Minnesota, Wisconsin: from the land of sky blue waters>

Your state's capitals?

Has your state had capital cities other than the current one? Have other cities been considered for state capitals? Why was the original capital city chosen? Why was the capital moved? Delaware's original capital was New Castle until 1777. (New Castle was also the capital of "the Three Lower Counties" back when Delaware was a part of Pennsylvania.) The capital was moved in 1777 to Dover because The British had recently landed at Elkton, MD, and were marching to Philadelphia, and Delaware officials were worried that the British would try to take over New Castle on their way northeast. Dover was selected because it was the county seat of Kent County and because it was a more centralized location (and not on any main route to and from major cities).>

Sacramento Skyline?

Does anyone have any photos of Sacramento's skyline from an angle that shows its density?>

Civic Pride TV Commercials in Your City

Post some community pride commercials shown on your local television stations...Here is a set of commercials called, "Spirit of Louisiana," produced by Channel 4 WWL-TV here in New Orleans... (Country style) http://www.wwltv.com/perl/common/vid...wmv&props=noad (Classic Jazz) http://www.wwltv.com/perl/common/vid...wmv&props=noad (Contemporary Gospel) http://www.wwltv.com/perl/common/vid...wmv&props=noad>

U.S. City with the most Green Space

Which U.S. City has the most green space covered with trees and forests?>

U.S. Metros Ranked by Economic Strength

"The economic strength rankings are created so POLICOM can study the characteristics of strong and weak economies. The highest ranked areas have had rapid, consistent growth in both size and quality for an extended period of time. The lowest ranked areas have been in volatile decline for an extended period of time. " Complete ranking and methodology: http://www.policom.com/ Metropolitan Statistical Area - Top 20 out of 341 (total) 1) Charlotte - Gastonia - Concord, NC, SC 2) Nashville - Davidson - Murfreesboro, TN 3) Washington - Arlington - Alexandria, DC 4) Birmingham - Hoover, AL 5) Minneapolis - St.Paul - Bloomington, MN 6) Atlanta - Sandy Springs - Marietta, GA 7) Columbus, OH 8) Phoenix - Mesa - Scottsdale, AZ 9) Indianapolis - Carmel, IN 10) Las Vegas - Paradise, NV 11) Kansas City, MO 12) Memphis, TN - MS - AR 13) Des Moines - West Des Moines, IA 14) Denver - Aurora, CO 15) Boston - Cambridge - Quincy, MA 16) Dallas - Fort Worth - Arlington, TX 17) Reno - Sparks, NV 18) Salt Lake City, UT 19) Sacramento - Arden - Arcade - Roseville, CA 20) Madison, WI Micropolitan Statistical Area - Top 20 out of 577 (total) 1) Concord, NH 2) Lebanon, NH-VT 3) Hilton Head Island - Beaufort, SC 4) Edwards, CO 5) Easton, MD 6) Augusta - Waterville, ME 7) Helena, MT 8) Daphne - Fairhope, AL 9) Hilo, HI 10) Bozeman, MT 11) Baraboo, WI 12) Rutland, UT 13) Wilson, NC 14) Traverse City, MI 15) Statesville - Mooresville, NC 16) Durango, CO 17) Truchee - Grass Valley, CA 18) Claremont, NH 19) East Stroudsburg, PA 20) Torrington, CT>

When will China surpass US in # of skyscrapers?

New Emporis data suggests China, in the midst of the largest constuction boom in the history of the wolrd, is rapidly gaining on the USA. # of "high-rise" buildings*: USA: 19,176 China: 12,142 *Inhabitable structures 12 floors and higher. Only "completed" buildings are listed.>

What automobiles are popular in your area?

I must say, Phoenicians are suckers for their SUVs and trucks. Everywhere on the freeways here I find myself sandwiched between a Ford Expedition and a Chevy Tahoe, with only one person (the driver) occupying. Even in our student parking lot at school everyone has trucks. People here hate cars, and those that do buy cars are usually Import (Honda, Nissan, etc). Back in Michigan, it was all domestic, and a lot of midsize sport-ute (grand cherokee, explorer etc) in the Livonia-Westland area. And in NH and CT, everybody and their grandparents had a Volvo station wagon! It's amazing the way our regional placement and culture translates to different cars, like all these people (soccer moms) here trying to be cowboys with their F-250 supercab Lariat that never touches dirt!! What's popular in your neck of the wood?>

Housing bubble? Trouble ahead for urban developments?

The idea for this thread came to me from the '2006 California home prices' thread, but I hope this thread applies more to cities/regions throughout the country and asks some different questions. As most of you know, home prices in many urban centers (and some rural/suburban areas as well) have rapidly gone up in the past 5 years. Some economists believe that the US housing market is in fact in a "bubble", that is to say that the current high prices are fundamentally unsustainable and have been artificially pushed up by investors and speculators who sought to make quick income out of rising equity (the difference between the money you owe on a house and the current market rate). Obviously many individuals disagree, particularly those in the Real Estate industry. Some worrying trends however are: -Prices for homes have started to go down in many formerly "hot" cities, such as San Diego where in a year to year comparison homes are actually starting to become cheaper this year compared to last, thats bad news for those who were relying on rising market prices -Most new homes are financed on adjustable-rate mortgages, with rising interest rates from the Federal Reserve this means higher payments for most, which could throw some people into financial trouble -Nationwide, home inventories are at an unprecedented rate Most economists agree that this is going to lead to a market correction, the difference is whether this will be a soft correction (that is, prices go down slightly) or a major one. My first question is: what side do you take/believe? Secondly: for those of you who have recently purchased a home or are in the market for a home, have reports about a possible housing bubble effected your decision(s) at all? Some of you may be saying: "this is an urbanism forum, what do we care about homes, we care about CITIES!". Actually, this thread has everything to do with our urban landscapes. One of the home sectors that has the highest amount of inventory coming on market and seems to be most overvalued is the condo market. I know for a fact that many, if not most, of the proposed towers and high-density developments that we value in cities such as Los Angeles, Miami, Dallas, N. Virginia and even other cities such as Chicago consist of residential and condo towers. If there was a major setback in prices or slowdown in sales (especially in the condo sector) then many of these proposals would probably be scrapped as un-economical to the development companies. How does everyone feel about a possible slowdown in urban construction? Do you think urban developments would be effected? How would your city be effected? My final question is to those who don't live in urban environments. Even if only extremely pricey markets had a severe correction, home prices throughout the country would probably take a tumble, would this effect you and how? Also many job markets are dependent on home construction and expansion, meaning if there is a bubble "pop" then many jobs would likely be reduced, are you worried at all? Here are some troubling news items: DALLAS http://www.wfaa.com/sharedcontent/dw...os.f46e94.html Quote:> Originally Posted by WFAA.com > Dallas' high-rise condo boom appears to be peaking. With construction costs soaring and investors pulling out of the housing market, several residential tower deals have been killed and others are in doubt "Construction costs have risen a lot faster than sales prices of condominiums," said Jonas Woods, president of Victory developer Hillwood Capital. "That's why you are seeing some of these projects get canceled." Developers of the 16-story Maple Terrace condominium project last week shut down sales, which hadn't hit targets. [...] "A lot of folks are stepping back and looking at their options because of what is going on in the market." What's going on is that investors – many of them from out of state – are abandoning the housing market. Economists and builders credit the investor pullback with causing most of the nationwide downturn in home sales this year. The declines have been worse in markets such as California, Florida and Las Vegas, where dozens of condominium deals have been canceled because of slumping demand.> >New Jersey http://www.thnt.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ar...607260449/1001 Quote:> Originally Posted by Home News Tribune > The inventory of unsold homes rose to a new record of 3.725 million units, which is a 6.8 months supply at the June sales pace. That is the longest period required to exhaust the overhang of unsold homes in nearly nine years. [...] Bill Hanley, president-elect of the New Jersey Association of Realtors and the manager of Weichert Realtors' Metuchen office, said the ratio of homes available changed from 10 buyers for every house a year ago to 20 houses for every buyer this summer. That has lessened the pressure on buyers to make a decision on a purchase, he said.> >Orlando http://www.orlandosentinel.com/news/...owth-headlines Quote:> Originally Posted by Orlando Sentinel > Braving a cooling real estate market and volatile construction costs, developers of the 24-story Monarch condominium tower in downtown Orlando said Thursday they will launch sales in September with an eye toward starting construction as quickly as possible. [...] During the frenzied real estate market of recent years, 29 condo towers with a combined 7,000 to 8,000 units have been announced for locations in downtown Orlando. Most of the projects have been postponed, however, because of the softening market and because of fast-rising construction costs.> >Washington, DC and misc. http://www.washtimes.com/business/20...2200-9309r.htm Quote:> Originally Posted by Washington Times > The high-flying D.C. and Northern Virginia real estate markets, which led the boom in the Washington area, also are leading the decline with small price losses in the past year, according to local Realtor statistics. Prices continue to rise for single-family homes in Montgomery and Prince George's counties. [...] Job opportunities, which stagnated in the Washington area in the past year, are declining in housing-related areas such as architectural and engineering, according to a Monster Employment Index. [...] Some industry observers fear the fast-declining housing sector, which enjoyed only a weak revival during the traditionally strong spring selling season, is headed for a bust this fall when sales and prices typically decline from high-season levels. "August will begin the buyers' market," said Donna Evers, president of the real estate brokerage Evers & Co. "Buyers should do their homework now and get their finances in order before jumping into a purchase." Robert Dye, analyst with Economy.com, said areas where housing soared the most are the ones most likely to see outright price drops in the months ahead. Among the areas where he sees a "risk of correction" are the Washington area, California, Florida and Arizona.> >Arkansas http://www.nwaonline.net/articles/20...728skyline.txt Quote:> Originally Posted by Morning News > There were 19,326 lots in 255 Northwest Arkansas subdivisions in March through May, or enough lots for 41.9 months, the Skyline Report said. An additional 19,783 residential lots have been approved by citiesÂ' planning commissions. That brings the total lot supply to 39,109, or enough new lots to supply the area for 8.86 years.> >Miami http://www.local10.com/news/4277615/detail.html Quote:> Originally Posted by Miami Local10.com > The skyline of Miami is changing by the day as new condominiums go up, with thousands of new units being added this year. But the question many are asking is: Will this condo-building boom soon be a bust? Real estate experts said many buyers are just looking for short-term profit, not a place to live. They're called "flippers" because they sell their condominium contracts before or right after they've closed for a fat profit. [...] One large bank has just downgraded the stock of WCI, one of Florida's biggest builders, fearing that too many buyers won't be able to close on their units if the real estate bubble bursts. [...] The market is too wild for some -- like Raymond James and Associates. Company representatives said that "as much as 85 percent of all condominium sales in the downtown Miami market are accounted for by investors and speculators."> >http://www.miamibeach411.com/finance...ondo-flipping/ Quote:> Originally Posted by MiamiBeach411 > Experts are saying that if the market declines, Miami may again be at the center of a condo bust. There are more than 64,000 condo units under construction or in the planning stages, according to the cityÂ's monthly development report. There were 11,000 units under construction, 23,000 approved and 30,000 in the preliminary or application phase. Fort Lauderdale has 6,000 new condos planned for its downtown and West Palm Beach will add 6,000 new units to their downtown and along the Flagler corridor. Also, apartment buildings being converted to condominiums will add thousands more units to the South Florida condo market. > >Thoughts? Opinions?>

RSA Tower growth pics

America, check out the growth out this splendid building. give credit to www.skyscraperpage.com. man it's getting high up there. >

Metro Econ Strength

This is another economic ranking, I know the one for '04 came out on SSC before, but I'm not sure the '05 one ever came out. I just thought about this one in light of the other relocation poll, that people wondered if it were indicative of the economy in an area or shows a trend. Metro/'05 rank/'04 rank Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV (MSA) 1 3 Atlanta-Sandy Springs-Marietta, GA (MSA) 2 2 Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord, NC-SC (MSA) 3 1 Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro, TN (MSA) 4 7 Birmingham-Hoover, AL (MSA) 5 6 Salt Lake City, UT (MSA) 6 17 Madison, WI (MSA) 7 13 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI (MSA) 8 8 Denver-Aurora, CO (MSA) 9 4 Kansas City, MO-KS (MSA) 10 10 Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale, AZ (MSA) 11 14 Columbus, OH (MSA) 12 18 Dallas-Fort Worth-Arlington, TX (MSA) 13 12 Indianapolis, IN (MSA) 14 20 Des Moines, IA (MSA) 15 28 Reno-Sparks, NV (MSA) 16 33 Boston-Cambridge-Quincy, MA-NH (MSA) 17 26 Richmond, VA (MSA) 18 19 Raleigh-Cary, NC (MSA) 19 9 Green Bay, WI (MSA) 20 27 San Diego-Carlsbad-San Marcos, CA (MSA) 21 5 Austin-Round Rock, TX (MSA) 22 15 Las Vegas-Paradise, NV (MSA) 23 46 Riverside-San Bernardino-Ontario, CA (MSA) 24 31 Memphis, TN-MS-AR (MSA) 25 23 Orlando-Kissimmee, FL (MSA) 26 21 Chicago-Naperville-Joliet, IL-IN-WI (MSA) 27 39 Louisville, KY-IN (MSA) 28 30 San Antonio, TX (MSA) 29 16 Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA (MSA) 30 35 Manchester-Nashua, NH (MSA) 31 43 Houston-Sugar Land-Baytown, TX (MSA) 32 24 Cincinnati-Middletown, OH-KY-IN (MSA) 33 38 Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue, WA (MSA) 34 11 Sacramento-Arden-Arcade-Roseville, CA (MSA) 35 40 Baltimore-Towson, MD (MSA) 36 44 Grand Rapids-Wyoming, MI (MSA) 37 42 St. Louis, MO-IL (MSA) 38 53 Colorado Springs, CO (MSA) 39 29 Naples-Marco Island, FL (MSA) 40 63 Philadelphia-Camden-Wilmington, PA-NJ-DE-MD (MSA) 41 51 New York-Northern New Jersey-Long Island, NY-NJ-PA (MSA) 42 49 Virginia Beach-Norfolk-Newport News, VA-NC (MSA) 43 59 Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, FL (MSA) 44 32 Fort Collins-Loveland, CO (MSA) 45 37 Olympia, WA (MSA) 46 58 Winchester, VA-WV (MSA) 47 22 Durham, NC (MSA) 48 34 Providence-New Bedford-Fall River, RI-MA (MSA) 49 47 Burlington-South Burlington, VT (MSA) 50 25 http://www.policom.com/rankalph.htm Here you can view the methodology, I personally like that the poll seems to be pretty comprehensive. How much they weigh certain factors if up to you to wonder about I guess. They have a lot more metros listed and micros as well.>

Radio trends and further evidence of the cultural rift between Red and Blue America

Edited by SILVERLAKE so as not to ruffle anyone's feathers.>

US cities: viewed different nationally than globally

Even in a global age, we view our American cities in a national setting. We relate New York to how it is the largest and most powerful city in the nation. We see LA and Chicago as other global players. We are aware that Boston and San Francisco have more "power" than their size would seem to warrant. We recognize that Atlanta has created a power that needs to be reckoned with, that energy and population make Hoston a player, that DC's incredible governmental complex makes it a major city on the world scene. But so much of the sorting and ordering takes place in the good, old USA. Meanwhile, as we all know, the world gets more global. There will come a time when there will be little sorting in our minds about cities like New York, Chicago, Los Angeles in an American sense. Instead, these cities will be looked at in a more global sense. What effect, in any, will it have on US cities when they aren't compared with each other, but are seen as another point in the global network? In other words, what are the implications for a city like Chicago that it is matching up not just with New York or LA, but with, say, Frankfort or Singapore? How do US cities change when their national aspects, tied to American culture, business, and tradition, are not as relevant as they are today?>

Angriest US Cities

Here's the list of the angriest cities in the US, from Mens Health magazine. Not the most formal place to get rankings, but oh well. THE FACTORS 1. Percentage of men with high blood pressure 2. FBI aggravated-assault rates 3. Numbers of violence-related workplace deaths 4. Traffic-congestion data 5. Statewide speeding citations 1. Orlando, FL 2. St. Petersburg, FL 3. Detroit, MI 4. Baltimore, MD 5. Nashville, TN 6. Wilmington, DE 7. Miami, FL 8. Memphis, TN 9. Jacksonville, FL 10. St. Louis, MO 11. Chicago, IL 12. Tampa, FL 13. Jackson, MS 14. Albuquerque, NM 15. Charlotte, NC 16. Dallas, TX 17. Houston, TX 18. Tucson, AZ 19. Indianapolis, IN 20. Wichita, KS 21. Birmingham, AL 22. Providence, RI 23. Durham , NC 24. Altanta, GA 25. Washington, DC 26. Denver, CO 27. Philadelphia, PA 28. Baton Rouge, LA 29. Fort Worth, TX 30. Phoenix, AZ 31. Lubbock, TX 32. Cleveland, OH 33. Greensboro, NC 34. Cincinnati, OH 35. Arlington, TX 36. Los Angeles, CA 37. Buffalo, NY 38. Grand Rapids, MI 39. Boston, MA 40. Columbia, SC 41. Tulsa, OK 42. Aurora, CO 43. Seattle, WA 44. Sacramento, CA 45. San Diego, CA 46. Montgomery, AL 47. Raleigh, NC 48. Yonkers, NY 49. Oakland, CA 50. Fort Wayne, IN 51. Newark, NJ 52. Las Vegas, NV 53. Columbus, OH 54. St. Paul, MN 55. Charleston, WV 56. Kansas City, MO 57. New York, NY 58. Oklahoma, OK 59. Toledo, OH 60. San Antonio, TX 61. Riverside, CA 62. Modesto, CA 63. Louisville, KY 64. Honolulu, HI 65. Richmond, VA 66. San Francisco, CA 67. Bakersfield, CA 68. Spokane, WA 69. Milwaukee, WI 70. Jersey City, NJ 71. Lexington, KY 72. Little Rock, AR 73. Lincoln, NE 74. Billings, MT 75. San Jose, CA 76. Hartford, CT 77. Minneapolis, MN 78. Boise, ID 79. Anaheim, CA 80. Norfolk, VA 81. Austin, TX 82. Fremont, CA 83. Fresno, CA 84. Anchorage, AK 85. Cheyenne, WY 86. Rochester, NY 87. Madison, WI 88. Salt Lake City, UT 89. Omaha, NE 90. Pittsburgh, PA 91. Colorado Springs, CO 92. El Paso, TX 93. Sioux Falls, SD 94. Des Moines, IA 95. Burlington, VT 96. Portland, OR 97. Corpus Christi, TX 98. Fargo, ND 99. Bangor, ME 100. Manchester, NH http://www.menshealth.com/cda/articl...0013281eac____ I'm surprised to see Wilmington so high on the list. Of all of the Northeast cities, including Bos-Wash cities, only Baltimore is higher than us. And ironically, some people in Wilmington are angry that we're ranked higher than cities like Philly, DC, and New York City.>

diagnol downtown streets

What's the reason behind many downtowns having diagnol streets? I've heard it helps traffic flow, but I've never really understood what it is about diagnols that make traffic run smoother.>

The priciest places to park

The priciest places to park Americans are paying more for their space, but the prices vary widely. A spot in Manhattan can cost you almost $900 a month -- and Memphis just $20. By BusinessWeek Rising gas prices aren't the only thing affecting drivers' wallets lately. The cost of parking is also on the rise in cities across America. Nationwide, daily parking rates jumped 10.1% in the past year, to an average of $15.28, according to a new survey released by real estate services firm Colliers International. Average rates for a monthly unreserved parking space rose 4.4% in the same period, to $153.19 per month. Busy downtowns Monthly unreserved rates in the 49 U.S. markets included in the survey ranged from a high of $887.80 in midtown Manhattan to a low of $20 in Memphis. And even though Manhattan's parking prices exceed the average monthly rents for housing in many U.S. cities, parking can cost plenty in many international cities. A spot in London's West End now costs about $898 a month, with a daily rate of $58.80. And in Tokyo, drivers pay about $84.20 per day to park, while a monthly spot costs $702. The good news? Rising costs for both daily and monthly parking are a general reflection of a healthy economy and high consumer confidence. Monthly parking costs reflect the rising demand for downtown office space, while daily parking rates are a function of strong retail sales and tourism. Walk to work Colliers predicts that even an economic slowdown won't slow the rise in parking prices, since demand for parking continues to outpace supply. And building new garages isn't the answer, according to Ross Moore, director of Market & Economic Research for Colliers. "The numbers just don't work," he says. Land values in major cities continue to rise, and the condo craze that's hit downtowns of late has driven up the cost of already expensive land. Also, construction costs have risen sharply over the past few years as international demand for steel and concrete -- particularly in China -- has put pressure on materials suppliers. That makes it harder for parking garage owners to recoup their costs. As parking prices continue to rise, cities are looking at other ways to manage the demand, including encouraging people to leave their cars at home. David Feehan, president of the International Downtown Association, said most cities are expanding public transit while developing partnerships with car-sharing firms and creating programs that encourage commuters to bike or walk to work. (veiw chart properly at http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com....aspx?GT1=8472 ) Median parking rates across the U.S. City Daily Monthly City Daily Monthly City Daily Monthly Atlanta, Ga. $10 $90 Milwaukee, Wis. $22 $100 Austin, Texas 10 100 Minneapolis, Minn. 11 159.5 Bakersfield, Calif. 6.5 40 Nashville, Tenn. 7 130 Baltimore, Md. 12.5 132.5 New York, N.Y. - Downtown 32 500 Boise, Idaho 12 79 New York, N.Y. - Midtown 40 574.12 Boston, Mass. 31 420 Oakland, Calif. 22.5 165 Chicago, Ill. 25 332 Orlando, Fla. 12 77.5 Cincinnati, Ohio 10 85 Philadelphia, Pa. 22 325 Columbia, S.C. 10 65 Phoenix, Ariz. 7 35 Columbus, Ohio 9 95 Pittsburgh, Pa. 14.6 247.1 Dallas, Texas 9 65 Portland, Ore. 12.5 166 Denver, Colo. 12 140 Raleigh, N.C. 17.5 75 Detroit, Mich. 7 155 Reno, Nev. 15 45 Fresno, Calif. 10 55 Sacramento, Calif. 16 200 Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. 16 70 San Diego, Calif. 22 160 Hartford, Conn. 19.25 190.8 San Francisco, Calif. 24 335 Honolulu, Hawaii 30 190.5 San Jose/Silicon Valley, Calif. 18.75 87.5 Houston, Texas 12 145 Seattle, Wash. 24 250 Indianapolis, Ind. 8 105 St. Louis, Mo. 12 105 Jacksonville, Fla. 13 110 Tacoma, Wash. 12.25 118 Kansas City, Mo. 11 100 Tampa, Fla. 12 110 Los Angeles, Calif. 24 190 Walnut Creek, Calif. 15 35 Louisville, Ky. 10 100 Washington, D.C. 14 230 Memphis, Tenn. 6 57 West Palm Beach, Fla. 7.5 65 Miami, Fla. 13 100 Average $15.28 $153.19>

National opinions of these cities/metros

Please give your truthful opinions of these selective cities in a sentence or two. How do you view the city and how do you view the metro area of these cities? Baltimore Boston Detroit Houston Philadelphia San Francisco>

Top 10 most imporant cities in the U.S.

My opinion on the top 10 major cities in terms of importance are, New York City Washington D.C. Los Angeles Chicago San Francisco Boston Atlanta(And no I'm not saying that because I live here, because of all the major companies that function around the world). Houston Philadelphia Dallas This doesn't mean they are definitely the top 10 but those are just my opinion. From what I've seen that the city posesses, I base it on that.>

National opinions of these cities/metros (part 2)

Please give your truthful opinions of these selective cities in a sentence or two. How do you view the city and how do you view the metro area of these cities? Seattle Atlanta Los Angeles Minneapolis San Diego Miami>

SF Mayor Smitten With Chicago

San Francisco Chronicle Winds of change blow from Chicago A resolute Mayor Daley creates an urban model John King, Chronicle Urban Design Writer Saturday, August 12, 2006 A view of new office buildings on South Wacker Drive. Pho... People take photos of each other atop the John Hancock Ce... view chart * Printable Version * Email This Article John King Recent Columns MAYOR OF S.F. LOOKS EASTWARD FOR URBAN INSPIRATION - Winds of ch... 08/12/2006 Here's hoping 1,900 new units don't add up to one big monster 08/08/2006 Rainer F. Baldauf -- managed Trader Vic's, relished California l... 08/01/2006 Archives (08-12) 04:00 PDT Chicago -- San Francisco politicians and civic leaders have found a surprising new source of inspiration: this pragmatic Midwestern city on the shore of Lake Michigan. They're drawn not to the classic symbols of old Chicago, such as Wrigley Field or the Art Institute, but to such vivid new landmarks as Millennium Park, a 24.5-acre gathering place that attracts residents and tourists. They're captivated by the manicured streets and sidewalks that transformed once-gritty stretches of this city into urbane green paths. These changes exist because of a civic culture that puts more value on getting things done than on finding consensus -- the opposite of San Francisco's emphasis on community-based planning. Even so, Mayor Gavin Newsom and others say Chicago in many ways is a model for what San Francisco should be. "When you walk the streets of Chicago, it enlivens the spirit," Newsom said. "The intangibles are evoked. There's a spirit of pride and community." He is describing such sights as the ornate stone railings along the Chicago River, part of the new mile-long Riverwalk Gateway that brings Chicagoans closer to the south bank of the waterway. Or Millennium Park attractions like "Cloud Gate," an enormous, bean-shaped sculpture of polished stainless steel that already is a staple of postcards. This vitality also is leaving marks on the city's fabled skyline. Twenty-one towers taller than 50 stories are in the works, most of them for downtown's growing residential population; within two blocks of Millennium Park, five newcomers will exceed 55 stories. Many of these results can be traced to the hard-driving focus of one man: four-term Mayor Richard M. Daley. If the name is familiar, it's because another Daley also shaped Chicago -- the mayor's father, Richard J. Daley, the controversial boss who ruled the city with near-absolute power from 1955 until his death in 1976 and who is most remembered for the chaotic 1968 Democratic convention. By all accounts, the son's management style is every bit as blunt as the father's. But with the son's authoritarianism comes an update of the father's Chicago-First mentality. The younger Daley has infused a growth-is-good sensibility with a sophisticated environmental confidence that robust big cities can live lightly on the Earth. Mayor with a vision Even Daley's burgeoning interest in contemporary design has an impact: Developers eager for the mayor's blessing are investing more in the exterior quality of their buildings. "He's the Daniel Burnham of the 21st century," said Chicago architect Stanley Tigerman, comparing Daley to the creator of the city's 1909 plan that preserved the lakefront for recreation and made the river a centerpiece of the city. "He has a vision, and he's so far ahead of the curve of any other American mayor in terms of environmental responsibility," Tigerman said. But while Newsom uses government initiatives in Chicago as models for his own programs, his predecessor is skeptical that San Franciscans are ready to change the way things work. "I don't think there's any similarity between the two cities as it relates to how you can govern," said former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown. "San Francisco's about process, totally. In Chicago, the process begins and ends with results." This doesn't mean Chicago is Eden. Far from it. Many neighborhoods still are blighted by empty lots or shuttered factories, lingering reminders of riots in the 1960s and the exodus of manufacturing jobs a decade later. The city's 21 percent poverty rate is twice that of San Francisco, and racial segregation persists. As for Daley, his administration is the target of a federal investigation. Last month, three top aides were convicted on charges that they ran a large patronage operation in which supporters of the mayor were hired for city jobs instead of more-qualified candidates. Daley tours Ferry Building But legal clouds haven't dimmed Newsom's admiration for his Windy City counterpart. When Daley visited San Francisco in July for a speech, the two mayors and their staffs met for an hour at the Ferry Building. Newsom then gave Daley a tour of the restored landmark's wildly popular food emporium. "I've been a longtime fan of Chicago. ... Mayor Daley has accomplished more than what any other mayor and city in America has done," Newsom said afterward. "We in San Francisco could learn an enormous amount from him." Indeed, Newsom already has. The San Francisco mayor admits that many of his initiatives trace back to Chicago. Within Newsom's office, the position of director of city greening is modeled on a post created by Daley. And Newsom has said he wants to emulate Daley's decree that parking lots be wrapped in black, wrought-iron fencing. On the environmental front, Newsom has a directive that all new city buildings must meet benchmarks of sustainable development. He also wants the city to speed its permit-approval process for green buildings so they can be approved more quickly than conventional projects. Daley already has both programs in place. Newsom isn't the only San Franciscan looking to Chicago. Last fall, Planning Director Dean Macris and his senior planners visited Chicago -- at their personal expense -- to walk the city and talk with developers, architects and city officials: "One of my motives was to get our senior people to think about what quality architecture can do for us in San Francisco," Macris said. And in April, members of the San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association, a public policy think tank, went to Chicago in search of ideas. SPUR President Jim Chappell came back a convert. "We really got a lot of inspiration -- you saw that a city can will itself to be the best city in the country," Chappell said. "They have a clear vision of what they want to be, and somebody strong to make it happen." But comparisons between the cities go only so far. For starters, Chicago, with its 2.7 million residents and 228 square miles, is four times the size of San Francisco. It still has a strong industrial base and working-class neighborhoods where families stay for generations. There's a political gulf as well: Chicago lacks the term limits that restrict a mayor's time in office. San Francisco mayors are limited to two four-year terms. In the case of the current Mayor Daley, the creative urbanism for which he is now acclaimed began in 1996, late in his second term and after a trip to Paris. Convinced that Chicago should be as attractive as the City of Light, he had city workers install lushly landscaped medians and planters downtown. Considering the self-image of a city celebrated by poet Carl Sandburg as "proud to be alive and coarse and strong," not everyone was impressed. There also was snickering when Daley confessed to Chicago Tribune architecture critic Blair Kamin that "I enjoy Martha Stewart, all her books and, uh, everything else." But Daley didn't flinch. Now, Chicago has 73 linear miles of medians that stretch like tentacles from the city's high-profile core of the Loop and North Michigan Avenue, leading to such incongruous sights as beds of black-eyed Susans across from auto body shops and the Erotic Warehouse on West Randolph Street. Scorn and grumbles "There was scorn, and you still hear grumbles about the difficulty of making a left turn here or there," said Larry Bennett, a DePaul University professor who writes about Chicago politics in "The New Chicago," a forthcoming book from Temple University Press. "But people in Chicago very much appreciate these physical improvements." Daley's interest in green streets evolved into a broader concern with environmental design and sustainability. His managerial approach hasn't changed: Give something a try and then, if it succeeds, keep moving steadily forward. That's not always the case in San Francisco. Consider the 150-page Sustainability Plan for San Francisco approved in 1997 by the Board of Supervisors. Of the 15 sections, one on "energy, climate change and ozone depletion" was crafted by a 32-member "drafting group" that spells out 62 recommended actions such as "establish neighborhood energy-planning groups" and a vague directive to "create high-visibility demonstration projects." In contrast, Daley in 1999 decided to replace the tar paper atop City Hall with a landscaped roof as a test of whether such systems could make a dent in water run-off and reduce energy costs. Within a year, workers were installing the first of 20,000 plants. Today, there are more than 200 green roofs in Chicago covering 2.5 million square feet -- more than the rest of the country combined. To people familiar with both cities, the philosophical gap between civic cultures is profound. "In San Francisco, the citizenry expects you to be green, it initiates the progressive ideas. Which is great," said Sam Assefa, a former San Francisco planner who is director of policy for Chicago's planning department. "But setting grand goals, in terms of implementation and process, that's what pulls you back. You're trying to make plans to save the world, and it can't be done." 'Doing the small things well' Daley's "innovations don't come as this grandiose plan or vision," Assefa said. "It's about doing the small things well and working up incrementally. He says 'Here's an idea. If it works, we'll set policy and require it citywide.' " Former Mayor Brown respects that emphasis on the here-and-now. "In Chicago, you see considerable collaboration between (elected) authorities, between business leaders, between ethnic groups," Brown said. "They don't let political correctness interfere with good decision making." Realistically, the balance in San Francisco will never tip toward Chicago's make-it-happen norm. Nor should it, Newsom said. "I love the process in this town. It's what makes San Francisco unique," the mayor insisted last month. "People want differentiation between neighborhoods -- wrought iron wouldn't look right in every neighborhood -- and that's where the process is essential. I don't want San Francisco to be a mirror of Chicago." What Chicago demonstrates is the ripple effect of physical change. When promising initiatives take root -- literally, in some cases -- it raises expectations of what streets, parks and buildings should offer in terms of appearance and environmental sensitivity. As for the possibility now being discussed in Chicago -- that Daley himself might be indicted on charges related to political patronage, or that the cloud might cause him not to seek a fifth term -- Newsom hesitated. "I don't have enough information," Newsom said. "I don't have a way to judge except to judge by the results. And anyone who goes to Chicago can see the results." A tale of two cities>

"Sweetest City" on Valentines

DALLAS, Feb. 7, 2006 (PRIMEZONE) -- If you want to impress your sweetie this Valentine's Day, you might opt for the traditional romantic dinner and flowers, but candy can turn the grumpiest soul into a sweetheart, as girlfriends and boyfriends in New York, Brooklyn and Chicago will tell you. According to a Verizon SuperPages.com survey, New York City has the most candy stores, making it the Sweetest City, with Brooklyn and Chicago also displaying an irresistible sweet tooth. Philadelphia and Pittsburgh -- hailing from the Chocolate State of Pennsylvania -- capture fifth and sixth spots in the Top 20 Sweetest Cities. Top 20 Sweetest Cities: 1. New York City 2. Brooklyn 3. Chicago 4. Los Angeles 5. Philadelphia 6. Pittsburgh 7. Houston 8. Seattle 9. Bronx 10. Cincinnati, OH, and Portland, OR (tie) 11. Honolulu 12. Saint Louis 13. San Diego 14. Salt Lake City 15. New Orleans 16. San Francisco 17. Cleveland 18. Denver 19. Baltimore 20. San Antonio Link>

Welcome the new US mods

Hey everyone, In order to ensure high quality posts, threads and discussions, we've appointed new moderators to cover this US forum and the regional forums within the US. I'd like you to all welcome hydrogen and swivel as your new US moderators, so if you have any issues, please feel free to let them and the rest of the NASF staff know. We also wanna implement some changes to the forums, such as adding new forums possibly (metro), please feel free to post your thoughts, ideas over in this thread as well. Welcome to the new mods.>

2005 US Metros with Worst Traffic Congestion

Worst Cities for Traffic Forbes.com By Robert Malone NEW YORK - The worst traffic in the U.S. is getting even worse. It pollutes as the vehicles idle. It wastes the time of trucks and passenger cars. The annual delay per driver is in excess of 47 hours per year. It creates delayed shipments. It wastes more than 2.3 billion gallons of fuel each year. The cost of U.S. traffic delays is, conservatively, $63.1 billion a year, based on 2003 figures, the Texas Transportation Institute says. And it's not getting any better. "We would think that today the figure might be $2 billion to $3 billion more with the rise in fuel prices,Â" says David Schrank, author of the 2005 Urban Utility Report for the Texas Transportation Institute. He suggests further that despite this escalating problem, the commuting public has not changed its driving habits all that much. People have done some chaining of chores and shared driving to malls and offices. But the driving has continued, and the delays continue to get worse. "In L.A. the traffic delay problem extends from sunup to sundown," says Schrank. "There is really no letup between.Â" By the Texas Transportation Institute's reckoning, the cities having the worst traffic problems are: 1. Los Angeles, Long Beach, Santa Ana, Calif. 2. San Francisco, Oakland, Calif. 3. Washington, D.C. 4. Atlanta 5. Houston 6. Dallas, Fort Worth, Arlington, Tex. 7. Chicago. 8. Detroit 9. Riverside, San Bernardino, Calif. 9. Orlando, Fla. 11. San Jose, Calif. 12. San Diego California has a decided edge in '"winning" the award for the worst traffic, since five of its cities (or city regions) make the top 12 list. Several of the cities mentioned are well known as trucking, rail, air and sometimes sea hubs for logistics. The convergence of services taxes the infrastructure.>

Is DC also the "recession proof" capital of US?

I am in utter awe of our nation's capital, Washington, DC. This is a city that boggles the mind. Once a sleepy southern backwaater, a place JFK once referred to as a city with southern efficency and northern charm (at a time when that was a real insult). Today this city literally exploded on the international scene, an engeritc, fast paced urban complex that is not only the seat of government, but the place where those in power who can get something out of that government congregate. With a national government that can tax the Americn people almost at will, DC is never exposed to the normal ups and downs of the market that affect other cities. In a sense, the city is recession proof. What makes Washington "different". I've been trying to nail that one down and, perhaps with your help, I will. First of all, a couple of disclaimers: New York, LA, and (to a degree) Miami are more reflected of the oppulent life style than is DC. Nexg, no city represnets the over-the-top, money on top ofmoney environment as Las Vegas and its strip. And finally, I'd be rmiss to not mention, the vast areas of oertyin DC. YET WHERE WASHINGTON IS AFFLUENCT....DOWNTOWN, ON BOTH SIDESOF HE MALL, IN GEORETOWN, ETC., the city gives off its own special and unique brand of "there's more than power int hese houses of comerce. And perhaps that it what it's about: no US city has the most opulence and modernity as Wasington's. No city gleams block after block in its core the way that DC does. One does truly get the idea that inside the beltway, life is different...and our money from all 50 of our states, flows in a way that unique in the nation. I'm looking forward to how anyone else sees this issue.>

Sharp Increase in US Crime

US facing wave of murders and gun violence By Jason Szep Sun Aug 20, 10:27 AM ET http://today.reuters.com/news/home.aspx ROXBURY, Massachusetts (Reuters) - Analicia Perry was kneeling to light a candle at a makeshift shrine to her brother when she was shot in the face and killed -- four years to the day after her brother was gunned down on the same spot. The slaying of the 20-year-old mother -- on a narrow street behind a police station in Boston's poor Roxbury district last month -- is one of the shocking examples of a rise in the murder rate across the United States that is raising questions about whether police are fighting terrorism at the expense of crime. In a shift from trends of the past decade, violent crime is on the rise, fueling criticism of Bush administration policies as a wave of murders and shootings hits smaller cities and states with little experience with serious urban violence. From Kansas City, Missouri, to Indianapolis, Indiana, places that rarely attract notice on annual FBI crime surveys are seeing significant increases in murder. Boston, once a model city in America's battle against gun violence, is poised to eclipse last year's homicide tally, which was the worst in a decade. Explanations vary -- from softer gun laws to budget cuts, fewer police on the beat, more people in poverty and simple complacency. But many blame a national preoccupation with potential threats from abroad. "Since September 11, much of the resources that were distributed to crime-fighting efforts in Boston and other major cities were redistributed to fight terrorism," said Jack Levin, director of the Brudnick Center on Violence and Conflict at Northeastern University. "The feds had supported after-school programs. They had supported placing more police officers in crime hot spots in major cities. These federal efforts were reduced," he said. VIOLENT CRIMES INCREASE A 2005 Federal Bureau of Investigation crime report, issued last month, showed violent crime increasing for the first time in four years in 2005, up 2.5 percent from the year before, with medium-size cities and the Midwest leading the way. While New York, Los Angeles and Miami still are enjoying drops in crime, smaller cities with populations of more than 500,000 are raising the alarm, posting an 8.3 percent rise in violent crime in 2005. Nationwide, the murder rate rose 5 percent -- the biggest rise in a single year since 1991. After dramatic declines in murder rates in the 1990s, some cities dropped programs that emphasized prevention and controls on the spread of guns, often citing budget cuts. "The Bush administration has scaled back funding for federal cops program," said Jens Ludwig, a criminal justice expert at Georgetown University. "From 1993 to 2000 we saw an impressive run-up in the number of law enforcement people patrolling against crime. That has really slowed down." Of the 57 murders in Kansas City this year, 45 involved guns. "When things start getting out of control, people start shooting," said police Capt. Richard Lockhart. Police in Indianapolis are clocking overtime after a dozen shootings in less than a week at the start of August that began with a cab driver gunned down. The city has had 71 murders this year, up from 51 a year ago. WASHINGTON'S CRIME EMERGENCY The police chief in Washington, D.C., declared a crime emergency in July following the murder of a British political activist in the exclusive Georgetown neighborhood and a spate of attacks on tourists on the National Mall. Several Midwest cities are on pace for a rise in murders this year, including Cincinnati and Columbus in Ohio and Memphis, Tennessee. "It isn't gang or drug violence, it's just people getting violent," said Mark Williams, an assistant district attorney in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. "A lot of them are minor disagreements and people using guns to settle them." From the expiration of a federal ban on assault rifles to tougher restrictions on databases that identify gun owners, gun laws have weakened in the past five years, said Daniel Vice, an attorney with the Brady Center to Prevent Handgun Violence. "The top five states with the highest gun death rates are five states with incredibly weak gun laws," he said, listing Louisiana, Alabama, Alaska, New Mexico and Wyoming. In Miami, while overall crime is down, the use of semi-automatic weapons is growing. "These things are dirt cheap," Police Chief John Timoney told Reuters, estimating the street price at $250 each. "We have seen these assault weapons being used time and time again by drug gangs." (Additional reporting by Jane Sutton in Miami, Andrew Stern in Chicago and Andy Sullivan in Washington)>

Olympics 2016-where?

The US will probably be bidding on the 2016 Olympic Summer Games. We all know Chicago is interested but lacks a definitive venue for opening and closing ceremonies and track and field events. What cities in the USA do you think would make the best candidates for hosting the 2016 Olympics? LA could do it but it has had two games already. NYC lacks a central stadium as well and would have to hold much of the games in New Jersey. Philly?, Miami? Seattle? SF? Denver is out because the Olympic committee will never forgive the fiasco of cancelling the winter games in the 70's. What cities should be considered?>

Ever been in a BALLOON above a city?

Sovereign Bank is sponsoring balloon rides above Boston Common this summer, and luckily for the rest of us, bowesst took his camera and skills about 300 feet above our beautiful city. Enjoy! $15 for 15 minutes is a bit pricey, but the views . . . . . . are totally worth it! Looking down the Commonwealth Ave Mall. Beacon Hill and the 24-carat gold State House dome. Beacon Hill with Mass General in the background. More Beacon Hill closeups. If you look close enough, you can see the location of this weekend's new Boston Massacre . . . sigh. Trinity Church at Copley Square. Olsted's love of weeping willows makes the Garden one of America's most graceful public parks. Upper Tremont Street. I love the roof gardens Beacon Hill brownstones have. A nice shot of the Gardens and the Mall. We might not have the best skyscrapers out there, but Boston has some amazing midrises. The Longfellow Bridge connects Boston with Cambridge. I love 111 Huntington! The Tobin Bridge connects East Boston with Chelsea. The ever-expanding Longwood Medical area in the background. Above the Common. The Back Bay skyline. Partial shot of the Financial District. And for the grand finale, a pano.>

Suburban DC condo high rises: unique?

As the person who started the recession proof-DC thread, I might have included this one there, but felt it really deserved its own thread: I recently got back from a vacation in which I was in Washington. Our nation's capital is different from other US cities in so many ways, due to the presence of the US government. On signfificant diference: height restrictions that keeps the skyline exceedly low (almost to the point of elemination). Clearly the government buildings dominate the cityscape as they should, and no structure comes close to the height of the Washington Monument. My sense is (from this trip and other trips to DC) that the DC height restrictions create almost unique suburban high rise settings, different in intensity when compared to other US cities. For example: • Alington, VA: the vast commercial complex west of the river, clearly visible from nearby DC itself, pays testimony to the need to create a dense core shortly outside the city limits to meet needs that would have been dealt with within city limits of most US cities. • More remarkable to me were the exgtensive stirngs of high rises that dominate the close in DC suburbs (along with their massive downtowns). For example, taking Wisconsin Ave. out of Georgetown ends you up in places like Bethesda and Rockville. These town host huge condo projects that not only have height, but mind blowing width. I have never seen such a concentration of high rise condos that DC possesses. My own massive city of Chicago (where high rise living dominates the downtown core and so much of the north side lakefront) has nothing comparable. To be honest, I have not been in suburban NY recently (either LI or Westcheser) so I don't know what the suburban high rise scene is like there). Meanwhile, in LA, while downtown is loaded with residential condos, the city stilll has a massive section of them. But these are in-city limits, lining the Wilshire corridor, and hardly suburbanin nature. So going back to my original observation: is DC suburbia truly unique in being the sububs of a powerhouse city THAT CANNOT BUILDHIGH ITSELF, thus transferring the high rise growth to the suburbs? Is Washington really "different" in this high rise world of suburbia?>

Top 15 States and Metros Americans would move to..

The Harris Poll® #63, August 11, 2005 California and New York City Most Popular Places People Would Choose to Live, According to Harris Poll on States and Cities in the U.S. Maybe it is the sandy beaches or perhaps the warm weather, but California, Florida and Hawaii are respectively the #1, #2, and #3 states that U.S. adults would choose to live in if they could live in any state in the country. And when it comes to AmericansÂ' choices for cities, while the West may again be overrepresented, the Â'Big AppleÂ', New York City, comes in #1 for the sixth consecutive time as the U.S. city people would choose to live in or near. These are some of the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 2,339 U.S. adults conducted online by Harris Interactive® between July 12 and 18, 2005. The next most popular states in which people would like to live are Colorado (#4), New York (#5), Arizona (#6), Oregon (#7), Texas (#8), North Carolina (#9), and Tennessee (#10). Since Harris Interactive last asked this question in 2003, there has been surprisingly little change in the top 15 states. Oregon moves from #11 to #7, Virginia drops from #9 to #12 and Tennessee re-enters the top 15 after falling out of the top tier in 2003. One interesting thing to note is that eight of the 15 states are in the West and six of them are in the South. New York is the anomaly, representing the mid-Atlantic region, and there are no states from the Midwest or Northeast in the top 15. Favorite U.S. cities to live in Following New York CityÂ's lead as a top U.S. city people would choose to live in or near, the next four cities are all in the West – San Diego (#2), Las Vegas (#3), San Francisco (#4) and Seattle (#5). The Midwest makes the list with Chicago at #6 and rounding out the top 10 are Denver (#7), Honolulu (#8), Atlanta (#9) and Portland, Oregon (#10). Returning to the list of the 15 top cities this year are San Antonio at #14 and Nashville at #15. Nashville has not been in the top 15 since 2000. Interestingly, since Harris Interactive last asked the question in 2003, the cities from Florida that were on the top 15 list (Orlando, Tampa and Miami) have all dropped off, perhaps related to the 2004 devastation that occurred in Florida as a result of hurricane Ivan. TABLE 1 STATES WHERE MOST PEOPLE WOULD LIKE TO LIVE - APART FROM THEIR OWN STATE Question: "If you could live in any state in the country, except the state you live in now, what state would you choose to live in?" 1. California 2. Florida 3. Hawaii 4. Colorado 5. New York 6. Arizona 7. Oregon 8. Texas 9. North Carolina 10. Tennessee 11. Washington 12. Virginia 13. Georgia 14. Alaska 15. Montana Dropped Out of Top 15 This Year, Nevada (was #12) TABLE 2 U.S. CITIES PEOPLE WOULD MOST LIKE TO LIVE IN OR NEAR TO Question:"If you could live in or near any city in the country except the one you live in or nearest to now, which city would you choose?" 1. New York, NY 2. San Diego, CA 3. Las Vegas, NV 4. San Francisco, CA 5. Seattle, WA 6. Chicago, IL 7. Denver, CO 8. Honolulu, HI 9. Atlanta, GA 10. Portland, OR 11. Boston, MA 12. Los Angeles, CA 13. Phoenix, AZ 14. San Antonio, TX 15. Nashville, TN Cities which dropped out of the list this year, Orlando (was #12), Tampa & Miami (were tied at #15)>

obSCENERY: cities that cheat

It's obscene. The scenery that some US cities can offer. It's almost like they're cheaters: they have been handed a natural setting so great, that they couldn't have screwed it up even if they wanted to. Theirs might not necessary have been the best spot for acity, but it clearly was the most beautiful and magnificent one to mix man and nature. So what are these cities that were so blessed by nature to make them poster children for the concept of "city beautiful". How have they mixed topography and water? And what is it in their natural environment that they mixed with the work of man to end up with something so incredibly special???>