Charleston Off-Topic

[GamecockEngineer]

Excellent Article. Thank you. I stayed in New Orleans back in Sept when Carolina played LSU and had a great time. I have no doubt that things will get better for you.

[NCB]

Glad you guys enjoyed the article! I was pretty suprised to see such an extensive article about Charleston written in the local New Orleans paper, but it was certainly very informative.

[pompusmaximus]

Well many of the historic sites were left in tact. Most of the damage shown on TV was on the barrier islands and McClellenville; although damage was not uncommon elsewhere. Federal and State assistance did help. There were many many volunteers and the evacuation was pretty sound. Local government did a good job cleaning up the area afterwards. The thing different about Charleston was that nobody gave up on it. Nobody said there shouldn't be a city here due to the proximity to sea level. The crime rate for downtown Charleston was bad in the 80s but little national attention was given to that fact, which spared us the bad publicity. Also, everybody returned rather quickly to the area for clean-up. New Orleans on the other hand became a no mans land after the deluge. Charleston also amped up its shipping capacity and has a very competitive port (6th largest in the nation. The greatest thing we have in common with New Orleans is that it boast great tourist activities. I'd say a huge chunk of the money that comes into Charleston is soley related to tourist. Oh and we didn't have CNN report about a spike in murders after the huricane and how our police force deserted the city. It sounds harsh, but sadly that's reality.

[NCB]

Well there were certainly major differences between the aftermaths of Hugo in Charleston and Katrina in New Orleans. The reports of crime in New Orleans really hurt the city's tourism and convention market early on, but tourism in the city has come back strong in the last 7-10 months. NOLA was completely out of the top 25 on the new most dangerous cities list, which may not say much for many cities, but is great news for New Orleans. The city has a major problem with cocaine and heroin trade that results in at least 90% of the murders here, and that is still a major problem, but crime as a whole is slowly being taken under control.

Thanks again for all of your comments, guys!

[Spartan]

That was a great article. There are a lot of relevant comparisons and lessons that New Orleans can learn from. I think that the biggest difference is that New Orleans had many problems before Katrina- namely crime any poverty, where Charleston did not (at least not at relevant scale).

As a city planner, New Orleans is a fascinating place. I'm interested to see how the efforts to revive the city will pan out.

[GamecockEngineer]

Does anyone know why only half of the Cooper River Bridge's lights have been on every night for the past month or so? I figure I'm a little behind, but every night I drive past it and wonder why, so I figured this would be a good place to ask.

[Spartan]

Is it sea turtle season?

[GamecockEngineer]

Is it sea turtle season?

I'm not sure, but I saw that it was fully lite again last night.

[Spartan]

maybe the guy who turns on the other half of the lights was sick.

[ohioaninSC]

The Bridge has a problem w/ the wiring or the computers that control the lights. I read a few weeks ago in the P & C it could take a little while to fix.

Columbus, OH had the same problem w/ lights that were installed in arches in it's Short North Area. They were supposed to arch over the street for a couple miles and be lit up at night, and half of the arches didn't work for like a year b4 they figured out exactly what happened and fixed them.

[Donny James]

I think Charleston is the most beautiful city in America. The neighborhoods, the colors of the houses, the architecture. Everything. I am born and raise downtown so thats all I ever knew. Growing up I didnt realize or appreciate it the way I do now because I didnt know anything different. All I knew was Charleston. Now that Ive been other places. Coming back home just makes me realize how unique the city looks. How tall the houses are. Im just now realizing the fact that a lot of our houses are 3-4 storys tall. Its nothing to see a 3 or 4 story single house lined on one of the streets. All down to the floorboards. Ours are all different sizes, as opposed to modern wooden floors where everything is uniformily cut. Our houses are so old wit the red tin roofs. Charleston looks completely different from anywhere else in the country. I had to go away and come back to truly appreciate how beautiful our city is.

[Mr.Marc]

Did anyone hear that the Ravenel bridge may not hold its title much longer as the longest cable stayed bridge in N. America? From what I saw on the news, a bridge is bring constructed in either Lousiana or Arkansas (I forgot which one) that will span a little longer than Charleston's.

[krazeeboi]

Yeah I saw that, but really, who cares? This bridge will continue to be iconic for Charleston for years and years to come.

[Spartan]

It will still be "one of" the longest cable-stayed bridges in north america. Or, the largest on the East Coast.

[Spartan]

Some good publicity from the Post & Courier

[ohioaninSC]

Some good publicity from the Post & Courier

Nice article there. It's always nice to know when a media source has something nice to say about something you are involved with or in the case of the institutes founders, something they have started.

[Donny James]

I think that the biggest difference is that New Orleans had many problems before Katrina- namely crime any poverty, where Charleston did not (at least not at relevant scale).

Are you serious? You dont really believe this do you?

Do you remember Downtown Charleston before Hugo?

[Spartan]

You will note that I said not at the same scale. Those problems certainly existed in Charleston too.

[Spartan]

Vote Charleston the best city in the nation here:

http://www.travelandleisure.com/afc/2008/survey/index.cfm

Its the only city in the Carolinas to make the list

[krazeeboi]

Mount Pleasant has ranked as one of the nation's worst towns for walking. See the article here.

I think the comments below the article are even more interesting.

[Spartan]

Haha, no surprises there! Have you been down Johnnie Dodds Blvd? Its horrible. Its the worst possible set up for pedestrians. Its a stark contrast to the west of the Cooper River, which is one of the greatest walking cities in America.

[MikesLogic]

Charleston moved up two places on the Travel & Leisure's list of best cities in US & Canada to the 4th position.

Top 10 Cities U.S. and Canada

[MikesLogic]

So only two cities in South Carolina even appeared on any of the lists in CNNMoney's Best Places to Live 2008. Summerville and Goose Creek Number 18 and 19 on the air quality list. lol

[Spartan]

Umm... wow.

[krazeeboi]

Oh yeah, the famed "Best Suburbs to Live In" list.