What's the most urban Southern city?

[Jerseyman4]

Other - Cairo, IL - its still very urban for being a basically dead town in most regards. Yes its in Illinois, but its the furthest point south in the state, historically significant (for good and bad reasons), and has alot of southern traits.

I met someone from Cairo that had a southern accent so i believe it.

Missouri and Illinois are states i want to drive from one end to the other to experience the cultural shock differences someday.

Ive only done US 15 in Virginia to see that .

[Lexy]

Large:

Miami

Medium:

Jacksonville/Memphis - From urban population charts, this should be very close right now.

Small:

?

I'm sorry, but I don't think Jacksonville is in the same league as Memphis from an urban standpoint. Present and historicaly speaking. Perhaps in the future though.

As far as Nashville is concerned. I believe due to the old structures throughout the city and the number of multi-family units in Nashville it rates above Charlotte quite easily. But this is my opinon. Nashville is a city that has been killed by urban renewal in the 60's so what we have is all that is left from that era. The new additions are quite impressive though. Ass far as pedestrian friendly enviroments are concerned, it is steps above many cities in the US its siz, but far from perfect.

[urbanesq]

Charlotte's disappointing on that list. For the 20th something largest city it has the 43rd largest MSA.

Raleigh's is deceptively large for its size (57th largest city, only a couple places behind Charlotte on that list), because it's a two-core metro. A lot of its suburbs are actually suburbs of Durham, and Durham itself gets to boost the population.

Durham doesn't have any suburbs.

And its population SHOULD boost the numbers-- the region functions as a single economic entity.

[teshadoh]

^ I'm curious about that comment, Durham has no suburbs? If it is an employment center, which I would believe it is - Duke - & is in the US, I'm sure it has suburbs. They are likely not 'completely' suburbs of Durham, with Raleigh & the Research Triangle being nearby, but suburbs exist for even small towns.

As for medium sized cities - I too would consider Nashville, Jacksonville, Richmond & Birmingham before I considered Charlotte. Though 'urbanity' is a relative concept, based on my view - skyline alone doesn't qualify. Population density & built infrastructure are my requisites - based on that Charlotte is alarmingly less urban than similar sized cities.

[sunshine]

Most urban... South Beach & New Orleans only. Truly urban area. Other downtown are pretty much dead.

[teshadoh]

^ But then what is 'truly urban'? I think central Richmond is truly urban. I also think parts of central Atlanta to be truly urban. I certainly think - comparably - Charleston is truly urban. Also - when disregarding their metro or urban area size - most southern downtowns are of interest. The only problem is that too often - southern downtowns are comparable to only a city of half it's size in the northeast / midwest. If Atlanta was only 1.5 million it would be respectable, if Charlotte was only 250k it would be great.

But considering the question again - it's really those urban areas, whose urban core is comparable to cities larger than itself. I think Miami is what any city should be, but New Orleans has surpassed what most urban areas of 1 million are.

[Noneck_08]

Small- Alexandria,VA

Medium- Richmond,VA

Large- Memphis or New Orleans

[Newnan]

Believe it or not, there are areas of Downtown Atlanta that remind me of the Manhattan. If you look of the Atlanta Photo of the Day thread and go to page 27 you'll find a link to a thread where you can see pictures of Downtown, Fairlie Poplar, and other areas. Check it out.

[teshadoh]

You mean maybe Soho? Possibly parts of Castleberry Hill or Fairlie Poplar might look a bit similar - 1900 era commercial / warehouse district.

[Newnan]

Yeah, the more residential areas of Manhattan. But Int'l boulevard sort of reminds me of downtown or midtown manhattan.

[NcSc74]

I don't know about all of the numbers being thrown around but just off of feel here is my list.

Large-DC

medium-Norfolk

small-Winston

[Martinman]

^ But then what is 'truly urban'? I think central Richmond is truly urban. I also think parts of central Atlanta to be truly urban. I certainly think - comparably - Charleston is truly urban. Also - when disregarding their metro or urban area size - most southern downtowns are of interest. The only problem is that too often - southern downtowns are comparable to only a city of half it's size in the northeast / midwest. If Atlanta was only 1.5 million it would be respectable, if Charlotte was only 250k it would be great.

But considering the question again - it's really those urban areas, whose urban core is comparable to cities larger than itself. I think Miami is what any city should be, but New Orleans has surpassed what most urban areas of 1 million are.

I like your description of urbanity but teshadoh I'm curious what you mean by this statement.

[teshadoh]

...hmmmm, it's always hard for me to remember what my beliefs are on any given day. Perhaps I meant that Miami - for a southern city - is closer to that indescribable point of urbanity that a city of it's size should be, which Atlanta, Houston & Dallas are not. I admit my view of Miami has more to do with it's substantial high dense population core, & not as much as it's infrastructure.

I can see why you're questioning me - Miami is still not as urban as a great number of cities smaller than it, but maybe I was giving Miami a concillation prize for being in the south?

[Martinman]

...hmmmm, it's always hard for me to remember what my beliefs are on any given day. Perhaps I meant that Miami - for a southern city - is closer to that indescribable point of urbanity that a city of it's size should be, which Atlanta, Houston & Dallas are not. I admit my view of Miami has more to do with it's substantial high dense population core, & not as much as it's infrastructure.

I can see why you're questioning me - Miami is still not as urban as a great number of cities smaller than it, but maybe I was giving Miami a concillation prize for being in the south?

No I wasn't really questioning you, I just wanted to know what you meant by it. I can understand your point. Miami does have enviable density.

[Spartan]

Large: Washington

Med: formerly New Orleans, but presently Norfolk or Memphis.

Small: Charleston

I think that when it comes to New Orleans we must face the fact that Katrina ripped a hole in its urban fabric that will take many decades to recover. So until such time it will have to move down the list.

[simms3]

Because I haven't been around every southern city, between Atlanta, Jacksonville, Orlando, Miami, Greenville-Spartanburg, Columbia, Nashville, Louisville, D.C., Huntsville, Raleigh, Tampa, etc., the most urban has to be D.C. by a long shot, followed by Miami, then Atlanta.

I have just recently been driving around some inner hoods of my town, and discovered some urban settings that I never knew existed. For anyone from Jacksonville or going there, just take a spin through the inner northside and areas of springfield besides Main street/Pear/Laura. There is some real grittiness there (and density).

[MR-2]

Durham doesn't have any suburbs.

And its population SHOULD boost the numbers-- the region functions as a single economic entity.

Hillsboro, Carrboro, and Chapel Hill are part of Durham's MSA, of which Durham has the CBD. As such they are technically suburbs of Durham, even if they aren't really that suburban. Also, Durham and Orange County, outside the municipalities, have lots of suburban stretches that function as suburbs to Durham.

I realize I never voted:

Large: Washington

Medium: New Orleans, historically anyway

Small: Asheville

I would go by metro populations instead of city size for this. I'm more interested in how many people there are than how big a slice of the pie the center city has.

[monsoon]

Hillsboro, Carrboro, and Chapel Hill are part of Durham's MSA, of which Durham has the CBD. As such they are technically suburbs of Durham, even if they aren't really that suburban. Also, Durham and Orange County, outside the municipalities, have lots of suburban stretches that function as suburbs to Durham.

Congratulations on making the 300,000th post at UrbanPlanet.

[cheeriokid61]

Awww, I was so close. You lucky duck.

[MR-2]

Wow, didn't even notice.