Travel observations and new developments of other cities and countries

[smeagolsfree]

There are a lot of people of German decent there for sure. I have a good friend that is from EVille as they say up there and he talks about all the folks he went to school with and about 50 % have German last names.

There were also a lot of marketing studies done in Evansville as you will see a lot of products sold there even today as it is a test market. If it does well there it will do well other places.

[Mr_Bond]

9 minutes ago, smeagolsfree said:

There were also a lot of marketing studies done in Evansville as you will see a lot of products sold there even today as it is a test market. If it does well there it will do well other places.

When I was a kid visiting some family friends in Evansville, Pringles potato chips were being test-marketed there.  We loved them so much that our friends would buy a box full and mail them to us every month or so.

[archilove]

On 6/17/2019 at 1:30 PM, Mr_Bond said:

Born and raised in Mobile, I visit often to see family.  A port city of any size has a slight cosmopolitan feel.  Lots of water (Mobile is the rainiest city in the U.S. receiving over 66" per year).  Beautiful trees, old homes and buildings.  Fantastic seafood.  Close to New Orleans and the white sand beaches that start at Gulf Shores and go east.   And I've never seen any sight that compares to the azaleas in bloom here.  No wonder it's called the Azalea City.

My favorite city is Venice, Italy. One of my fondest memories is waking up in Venice  to the sound of church bells, then striking out to find a sidewalk cafe that serves breakfast. Stay away from the main tourist areas during the daytime as they are crowded. But in the evening many of the day trippers go back to their hotels on the mainland and that is the time to visit places like St. Mark's Square. The most romantic spot on the planet is sitting at a table there with your wife with a glass of wine while listening to the bands play and watching a full moon rise above St. Mark's Cathedral. I was sitting there once and a young American came up holding a bouquet of roses which he said he had purchased, and since it was Mother's Day he intended to give one to all the mother's on the Piazza. Some ladies rejected them, thinking it was a scam, but it wasn't and my wife enjoyed hers tremendously. 

[CityHeart]

Here are some phone pictures that I took during my vacation in Miami at the end of May.  One great thing about Downtown Miami is the  Metromover ( automated Monorail).  Pretty much runs North and South through the heart of Downtown and it's free !! 

* Downtown Miami * Brickell Financial District * Brickell City Centre

 

Edited June 26, 2019 by CityHeart

[markhollin]

Los Angeles is going through many of the same changes in in its entertainment districts that Nashville is experiencing. This is a story on how the iconic Amoeba Music (one of the largest record stores in the world) is selling its Hollywood property to a developer for an incredibly handsome sum (a 26 story high end condo tower will replace it), and relocating to another locale in the same neighborhood.   So many of the thoughts being expressed in this piece are similar to what we hear regarding some of the changes in Music Row. On another thread I discussed how these sorts of changes are inevitable in a growing, mutating city...'tis just the nature of growth in any dynamic metropolitan area.  I'm not saying it is good or bad...it's just the way things happen around the world every day. 

https://www.latimes.com/entertainment/music/la-et-ms-amoeba-music-move-development-20190625-story.html?fbclid=IwAR1xzJ04YRe-wCRN4SvWTD5sh0MXUHbD4yexcZdPK1cBXx89N98pEF4OO8Q

 

[AsianintheNations]

@CityHeart, thanks for the gorgeous photos of One Thousand Museum. It's definitely my favorite skyscraper design in recent years and I'm still really sad that we won't get to see any more new Zaha Hadid creations ...

On a separate note, I recently took a short trip over to my hometown of Chapel Hill. Nothing exotic like some of the photos preceding in this thread, but I was impressed with some of the changes to downtown, with about 7 new, mid-rise 6-10 story mixed use/condo buildings from the last couple years. It's pretty striking for a town of 57k in the Southeast (albeit buoyed by a huge university of course), especially when you compare to the non-existent downtown of Cary, with 162k population (2nd largest town in the U.S., with its own ring roads despite being essentially a bedroom suburb of Raleigh). Below is a Google Streetview comparison between the old University Square in downtown Chapel Hill, which did house some beloved commercial shops but hid them behind a wall and parking, and the current Carolina Square that has replaced it:

The Urban Target incorporates some appropriately customized decorations:

Back alley separating the buildings:

View looking across Franklin St:

There are also some other large-scale projects like Carraway Village near the intersection of Eubanks Rd, NC 86, and I-40 Exit 266, which is a mixed-use development that incorporates the nearby park-and-ride for a public transit option (buses being free in Chapel Hill) and currently has a large sign that amusingly enough solely advertises apartments and a Chick-Fil-A, which are probably all that some people need to be content. However, I'm not a huge fan of how much pristine forest had to be cleared (55 acres) and I am pessimistic that the proximity to the highway is probably going to mostly encourage car commutes into Durham and Research Triangle Park.

=======================================================

On the drive back, we stopped by Asheville (art, food, beer, mountains, yada yada yada). My wife and I basically walk around the River Arts District until we run out of spending money. I know plenty of forum members have spent time there, but here are some photos anyway. I've been to Asheville several times, but this was my first time actually stopping by downtown - it felt quite thoughtful, with parking deck exits on multiple levels due to the hills, clean public restrooms, lots of public squares, etc.

Below is the nearly-completed Arras Residences renovation of the 18-story BB&T building, which I think was once mentioned on this forum in ... 2015? There are some older constructions shots in the Asheville forum as well. I think it plays well with the surrounding Art Deco/Beaux-Arts buildings while still having all the glass that condos seem to need these days. I think what really works is the gradient in materials and design from top to bottom, with the ground floors (hotel) matching very well in material and window sizes with the surrounding buildings, while the top floors that are mostly out of sight (and are the private residences) are modern glass boxes.

Grove arcade (admittedly nicer than our own Arcade, though I like the use of our second floor better. The spiral staircases were all locked off):

The .. uhh .. building with the pinball museum in it ...

Federal Courthouse:

In contrast to downtown, it felt like most of the outlying parts of town are bizarre attempts at thrusting suburbia onto mountains, creating strings of awkward parking and one-story box stores/plazas that can't conform to the hills. It's still beautiful Smoky Mountain scenery, but in a weird only-in-America kind of way:

Edited June 27, 2019 by AsianintheNations

[GregH]

Early morning Manhattan from last weekend. 

[dmillsphoto]

Lyon, France from July 2nd.

 

[markhollin]

Was in St. Louis last week.  Will post three installments.

These are from Forest Park, which is the largest urban park in the nation at 1,371 acres (over 500 acres larger than Central Park in NYC) .  It was established in 1876, hosted a World's Fair in 1904, and had many changes over its 143 year existence.  Nearly all of the exhibits and installations are free to the public. 

Planetarium:

The Jewel Box arboretum:

The MUNY (Municipal Opera outdoor amphitheater):

Gazebo on island of reflecting pool:

 

Tennis Center:

Missouri Natural History Museum, front:

Missouri Natural History Museum, back:

Art Museum  and reflecting pool:

Art Museum:

New addition to Art Museum:

King Saint Louis statue in front of Art Museum:

 

Looking down the hill from Art Museum to reflecting pool:

Art installation:

[Neigeville2]

9 hours ago, markhollin said:

Was in St. Louis last week.  Will post three installments.

These are from Forest Park, which is the largest urban park in the nation at 1,371 acres (over 500 acres larger than Central Park in NYC) .  It was established in 1876, hosted a World's Fair in 1904, and had many changes over its 143 year existence.  Nearly all of the exhibits and installations are free to the public. 

Planetarium:

The Jewel Box arboretum:

The MUNY (Municipal Opera outdoor amphitheater):

 

 

 

Gazebo on island of reflecting pool:

 

Tennis Center:

Missouri Natural History Museum, front:

Missouri Natural History Museum, back:

Art Museum  and reflecting pool:

Art Museum:

 

New addition to Art Museum:

King Saint Louis statue in front of Art Museum:

 

Looking down the hill from Art Museum to reflecting pool:

Art installation:

 

I remember these places from my childhood in St. Louis, the Planetarium, the Jewel Box, the Muni Opera.  Forest Park.   Nashville needs more of this, the Frist and Centennial Park and Cheekwood are great, but you go to St. Louis and Cleveland and other old Northern cities and there is a huge generational legacy from the robber barons that we don't get from Beamon and whatnot.  I know there are rich people in Nashville, why haven't they invested in this kind of public good?

[donNdonelson2]

Beaman Park? Lest we forget. Frist Art Museum. Martha Ingram has invested MILLIONS in the arts and culture of Nashville! Nashville wasn’t much of a city, much less a wealthy city, one hundred years ago. But there have been some very generous contributions to the community in the last 50 to 60 years from those with great assets.

[jmtunafish]

47 minutes ago, donNdonelson2 said:

Beaman Park? Lest we forget. Frist Art Museum. Martha Ingram has invested MILLIONS in the arts and culture of Nashville! Nashville wasn’t much of a city, much less a wealthy city, one hundred years ago. But there have been some very generous contributions to the community in the last 50 to 60 years from those with great assets.

Exactly.  Also, Martha Ingram saved the Schermerhorn Symphony Center, easily one of the finest in the country.  And isn't John Ingram spending millions to bring the MLS to town?

[markhollin]

What many folks don't realize is that St. Louis was once considered one of the top 6 cities in America (population, influence, wealth, etc.). It even had TWO major league baseball teams.  Indeed, as Neigeville2 stated, there were some quite rich industrialists that gave back in a big way (just like in Cleveland, Detroit, and Pittsburgh for instance). But the city leadership also put a premium on developing parks for the masses to use, including the museums, galleries, zoos, etc. at little or no charge. Now, however, it is becoming impossible for the dwindling populations of these cities to cover the upkeep on these fantastic attractions, and there are significant shortfalls in their budgets. 

In St. Louis, for instance, there is a raging battle for the surrounding suburbs to pony-up in helping cover all these costs (since many of those citizens come into the primary city to enjoy the parks, the sports teams, etc.).  They are desperately trying to create a Metro County government like Nashville has to more equitably fund all of these things, but there is a lot of resistance from those around the edges being asked to contribute their fair share. 

[smeagolsfree]

Mark hit on a great point. The larger older northern cities were very rich and affluent in the early part of the 20th century and also a lot more populated especially when you consider the population of the USA. Cities that were much more wealthy were St Louis , Cleveland, Buffalo and a few others.

Forest Park can be considered on the same level with some of the other great parks in the country, Central Park (NYC), Audubon Park (NOLA), Forest Park (Portland), Grant Park (Chicago), or even Zilker Park in Austin. If we had a park that combines Centennial Park, Riverfront Park, and one of the Warner Parks with all of the amenities that these other parks have then we could compete. Unfortunately the best we have is Centennial Park, which is not bad, but would need to be much larger than the 132 acres it is and offer much more than it does now. As for our civic cultural activities and museums, remember the Frist does not have a permanent collection, and the Cumberland Science Center is mediocre at its very best. We are fortunate to be the State Capital as we have a great State Museum.

Nashville needs to start pulling in a lot more of the corporate citizens moving here to get them more involved with the culture and arts in the city. As was mentioned above we have had a few good citizens step in but not enough.

 

[markhollin]

Downtown St. Louis. Not a lot of new construction, except around Busch Stadium, where there is a buzz of activity. Very clean center city.  Lots of wide streets, parks, civic areas.  Nice blend of old 8-12 story masonry structures from early 1900s, massive government buildings, and some newer skyscrapers of past few decades.  Many 100+ year old brick structures in the Garment District being converted into condos and loft apartments.

In the Garment District there are bricks in middle of street that run for blocks to mimic zippers: 

A large 180' tall ferris wheel is being built on the west side of downtown next to the Railroad Shed Mall:

Lots of new activity going on around Busch Stadium:

[e-dub]

St Louis is a fun town, lots of great memories.

[smeagolsfree]

Lots of stadium for so few people.

[markhollin]

58 minutes ago, smeagolsfree said:

Lots of stadium for so few people.

That was 45 minutes before the first pitch.  Attendance was 42,000+ that night.  

[donNdonelson2]

Apparently Fuel City Dallas, on the edge of downtown, is quite a destination for tacos and Mexican corn, and breakfast tacos in the morning. Maybe our downtown truck stop could be made more city friendly with this type of food that would be appreciated by urban folks! (The tacos for lunch today WERE fantastic.)

https://fuelcity.com/dallas/

[markhollin]

St. Louis has many terrific older areas, including Compton Heights, which is just a couple miles SW of downtown.  Hundreds of classic homes built between 1895 and 1910 for wealthy folks of that era. Most are  4-6,000 (and more) square feet.  Many with servants' quarters on the top floor, and carriage houses in the back.  Here are some samples of the hundreds of homes in this particular neighborhood:

Every street entering into Compton Heights has a tower or archway notating its identity:

[fishsticks176]

St Louis has always been one of my favorite cities specifically because of the historic architecture. A large fire around the same time of the Great Chicago Fire resulted in a citywide all-brick building code and it’s visually stunning with so many Second Empire homes and Gothic Revival churches. It’s a shame that so many parts of the city are in disrepair but there does seem to be a homegrown revival of several neighborhoods going on. I’ve always felt like there’s so much unrealized potential in that city. 

Edited July 24, 2019 by fishsticks176

[smeagolsfree]

Those are a lot like the homes in Old Louisville. Mostly Victorian style homes. I think E. Nashville lost a lot of those in the fire back in the day. It would have been something if we could have kept those. Very envious.

[Mr_Bond]

Wow.  Just wow.  @markhollin, I had no idea those houses were there.  Can one get a tour of the neighborhood?  My wife and I would love that.

[markhollin]

1 hour ago, Mr_Bond said:

Wow.  Just wow.  @markhollin, I had no idea those houses were there.  Can one get a tour of the neighborhood?  My wife and I would love that.

The friends I stay with who live in Compton Heights could give you a tour...they love showing folks around.  They know a fair amount of history about a lot of the homes. 

[Neigeville2]

I really wish we could bring that red and black terracotta ornamentation back.  I like it a lot more than the glazed white terracotta you see in Chicago.  We have a little in Nashville but it seems no one has built that since.