What BIG city would you compare Atlanta too.

[Newnan]

Of course, Atlanta is its own city, but what major US or world city would you compare it to?

[ATLman1]

Frankfurt is a great comparison. Many people compare Atlanta and Frankfurt together.

[Student]

What about Chicago?

[Newnan]

how is it like Frankfurt, and while we're at it, how is it like Chicago?

[Student]

)))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))Chicago and Atlanta))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))))

Both are Skyscraper Pioneers (well Atlanta is a regional/national Pioneer). T hey are both

home to world class aquariums, Fortune 500 companies , are shopping destinations , and

have busy airports.

[krazeeboi]

Dallas and Houston are favorites.

[Student]

I would see Atlanta having similar characterstics to both, but having more in common with Dallas.

[ironchapman]

how is it like Frankfurt, and while we're at it, how is it like Chicago?

Frankfurt, although much more powerful than Atlanta is by international and (to their respective nations) national terms, Frankfurt is, for all intents and purposes, capital of Germany that has never been. It is the economic center of Germany and right bejhind the likes of Paris and London in all of Europe. It's skyline is long and thin, much like Atlanta's. It is one of the few Eurpoean cities to actually have a well developed skyilne in the CBD as opposed to having them in some district away from the center of the city.

Even some of the buildings look alike! The Bank of America in Atlanta and the MesseTurm in Frankfurt have been called copies and sisters of each other! The MesseTurm, however, is only roughly one-third of the height of the Bank of America. Compare the MesseTurm's 102m to the Bank of America's 312m (spire and pyramid included).

Frankfurt

MesseTurm

Bank of America Plaza

--And all this in a city that doesn't even have 650,000 (I think)!

So yes, I could see Atlanta becoming the US's Frankfurt.

Inside the US, I'd say we would be most like Chicago or Dallas, who are both former (and still functioning, though not based upon) railroad towns and transportation centers for their region. Did I mention that they are also economic giants?

[ATLman1]

Frankfurt, although much more powerful than Atlanta is by international and (to their respective nations) national terms, Frankfurt is, for all intents and purposes, capital of Germany that has never been. It is the economic center of Germany and right bejhind the likes of Paris and London in all of Europe. It's skyline is long and thin, much like Atlanta's. It is one of the few Eurpoean cities to actually have a well developed skyilne in the CBD as opposed to having them in some district away from the center of the city.

Even some of the buildings look alike! The Bank of America in Atlanta and the MesseTurm in Frankfurt have been called copies and sisters of each other! The MesseTurm, however, is only roughly one-third of the height of the Bank of America. Compare the MesseTurm's 102m to the Bank of America's 312m (spire and pyramid included).

Frankfurt

MesseTurm

Bank of America Plaza

--And all this in a city that doesn't even have 650,000 (I think)!

So yes, I could see Atlanta becoming the US's Frankfurt.

Inside the US, I'd say we would be most like Chicago or Dallas, who are both former (and still functioning, though not based upon) railroad towns and transportation centers for their region. Did I mention that they are also economic giants?

Thats exactly what I would have said, great job!

[Student]

I am still stuck on Chicago.

[UrbanAtl]

Sorry to second-hand report but I've never been to Austin, Texas but my father spent allot of time there and he says Austin today is Atlanta in the late 1960. That is NOT a comment on race relation parallels (white-black/Atlanta & white-Mexican/Austin) but on the overall feel of the two cities. They are both capitol cities with rolling tree-covered neighborhoods. The main differnce in his opinion is the metro population size.

[Student]

I would associate Austin as a whole to Buckhead. Austin's skyline seems to be that of Buckhead & Buckhead and Austin have a large number of singles and clubs.

[Andrea]

That's a very good analysis, IC. I have not been to Frankfurt since we did a sales convention there in the mid-80's but it was a nice place.

[teshadoh]

And no one has mentioned Los Angeles, oh I know why - LA is far too dense to be confused with Atlanta. But still, that would be the closest comparison for Atlanta, the sun belt city grown up.

[Newnan]

I was thinking LA too

[Student]

If Atlanta put all if it's highrise bulding in the same arrangement as LA, Atlanta's version would look much more attractive.

[Andrea]

And no one has mentioned Los Angeles, oh I know why - LA is far too dense to be confused with Atlanta. But still, that would be the closest comparison for Atlanta, the sun belt city grown up.

I agree. There's a lot of similarity in the way cities like LA, Altanta, Houston, Dallas, Miami, etc., grew up after World War II. Obviously they all have their own unique history and influences, and they all had their "bones" laid down in differing ways in the century preceding that. But in their emergence as regional cities, they all share several common characteristics. Some of those are decentralization, racial segregation, massive suburban growth, "edge" nodes in undeveloped areas that until recently had no connection with the city, transportation corridors built around freeways, reliance upon the automobile, etc.

Of course the older cities which grew up prior to the interstate highway system have also experienced many of the same phenomena. There's probably as much sprawl around New York, Boston, Philadelphia and Chicago and the "second tier" old cities such as Cleveland, Detroit and Pittsburgh as there is the Sunbelt megalopolises.

I don't think the current model of urban growth is sustainable for that much longer. At some point the cost and scarcity of fuel and the mindboggling commutes will get the best of people. However, I don't think that necessarily means people will come flocking back to the "close in" areas in massive numbers. For one thing, "close" has been redefined in that jobs aren't all centered on a central core. Another big factor is the unfortunate state of most inner city school systems. Urban Report Card.

In cities like Atlanta and LA, the car culture still basically rules even if you are in one of the traditional intown communities. I've lived in VA-Highland, Druid Hills, Buckhead, Decatur and several other intown neighborhoods, and the number of times I've walked to the grocery store, the hardware store or the dry cleaners is limited. Granted, the drive time may only be 5-10 minutes, but it's still hard to think of even our most urban districts as pedestrian zones. Public transportation is still problematical, too -- although I can walk to a station in about 15-20 minutes, the variety of feasible destinations is not too attractive. I feel lucky these days because I can at least walk to restaurants, bars, bookstores and the movies, but driving is still easier for a lot of stuff. I think that's pretty common in the Sunbelt cities as well as in the northern suburbs.

[Jahi98]

It could also be compared to DC in a few ways. Both are majority black central cities with large, affluent black suburbs to the east of them. (DC has Prince George's County and ATL has DeKalb County.) Both have beltways that are more like destination roads intead of bypasses. (I-495 and I-285 feel very similar, IMO.) Both are capital cities (ATL is a state capital, and it also has a large concentration of federal jobs as well).

ATL has things in common with a lot of big cities.

[ironchapman]

It could also be compared to DC in a few ways. Both are majority black central cities with large, affluent black suburbs to the east of them. (DC has Prince George's County and ATL has DeKalb County.) Both have beltways that are more like destination roads intead of bypasses. (I-495 and I-285 feel very similar, IMO.) Both are capital cities (ATL is a state capital, and it also has a large concentration of federal jobs as well).

ATL has things in common with a lot of big cities.

Also, (though disputable now to some) Atlanta has been called the South's capital much like DC is the national capital.

BTW: Frankfurt is even laid out similar to Atlanta! It is much larger by size than it's fellow major European cities, has a lot of greenspace in the city like Atlanta's urban forest, and the central city was destroyed by WWII much like ATL was destroyed by Sherman. Not very dense either compared to its European counterparts.

I'll put some stats up later when I have time.