27 replies to this topic

[lammius]

That's the case with most northeastern cities, though.  Cities in the northeast tend to cover small geographic areas, whereas "newer" cities in the South and West tend to have more fluid, expandable boundaries.  I once saw someone in a UP South thread brag that Winston-Salem NC had something like 200,000 people in "only" 100-something square miles.  I didn't find that very impressive, b/c my entire county is about 120 sq miles and has about 800,000 people.

Edited by lammius, 20 October 2006 - 08:52 AM.

[Recchia]

lammius, on Oct 20 2006, 12:21 AM, said:

I'd rather be in a neighborhood full of working middle-class adults and families (which JC has lots of) than a place where all you hear on the streets at 3 AM is Newark Nickie yelling at people and throwing trash cans in the street b/c some dude at the bar stared at his girl's tits!

Wow I think you just exactly described my brother!

[nowensone]

lammius, on Oct 20 2006, 10:52 AM, said:

That's the case with most northeastern cities, though.  Cities in the northeast tend to cover small geographic areas, whereas "newer" cities in the South and West tend to have more fluid, expandable boundaries.  I once saw someone in a UP South thread brag that Winston-Salem NC had something like 200,000 people in "only" 100-something square miles.  I didn't find that very impressive, b/c my entire county is about 120 sq miles and has about 800,000 people.

That is true, however, that same guy from WS had probably just made fun of someone out west bragging about their 200K city that covered 400 square miles...  

Edited by nowensone, 26 October 2006 - 12:18 PM.

[lammius]

Model of urban future: Jersey City?
Model of Urban Future: Jersey City?

By Rick Hampson, USA TODAY



Exerpts...

Quote

JERSEY CITY — Once, this was a city of browns and grays. Railroads owned a third of the land, and trains rumbled night and day to the cacophonous riverfront. Factories belched fumes and leaked chemicals. "Nobody cared," says Bob Leach, born here in 1937. "Smoke meant jobs."

....

Now Jersey City has come back as its own antithesis: clean, green and growing — an example, urban planners say, of how the nation can accommodate some of the additional 100 million Americans expected by 2040 without paving over every farm, forest and meadow.

....

It's part of a remarkable demographic and economic U-turn. In a region where many cities are shrinking, Jersey City in the last quarter-century has gained about 30,000 residents, 27,000 jobs and 18 million square feet of prime office space — more than all such space in downtown Atlanta, Phoenix or Miami.

The article outlines six elements that make up JC's winning formula...

1. Proximity to New York
2. Redevelopment and infill
3. Politics (reforming from the days of corrupt political machines)
4. Mass transit and infrastructure
5. Immigrants
6. Density (JC is the second most dense major US city, behind NYC)

[krazeeboi]

^You beat me to posting it. I typically think of Newark when I think of NJ suburbs of NY, but what I read about Jersey City really impressed me. If life ever takes me up that way, I'll have to remember Jersey City.

[lammius]

^ Well places like JC and Newark are more like "urburbs" (urban 'burbs) than suburbs.  They are very dynamic, VERY urban places, despite their non-central-city status.   A bit of trivia for you... Did you know that if you took Jersey City's population density and applied it to an area the size of Charlotte, NC, the city of Charlotte's population would top 4.5 million?!

I should also add a shameless plug.  The list of 6 elements was discussed by Dr. James Hughes, Dean of the Bloustein School at Rutgers, of which I'm an alumnus, so I'm always happy to see he and Bloustein faculty contributing to news stories about NJ economic/planning/policy issues.

[krazeeboi]

^Interesting.

And I realize that Jersey City and Newark are suburbs in terms of location, not as much in terms of layout and development (as far as the cities' cores go).

[beltwayboy08]

Looking good New Jersey!! Its time to show what you are made of! Keep up the growth and prosperity! I live in Fairfax County in NoVa, and we have passed Washington DC as the "downtown" of out metro area! Lack to room downtown has made Virginia prime for numero uno government agencies to build thier headquarters. The pentagon, C.I.A., D.E.A. etc. We have more jobs, people, and much more money with the #1 and #2 most affluent counties in the nation. New Jersey has the same potential with its set up to NYC.  Good job and good luck NJ!!!