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Tallahassee Homes Overvalued


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I definitely agree that adding statues and fountains to Tally would give us a better "sense of place." However, they must keep these new fountains up and running. You don't know how many times Iv'e been to the downtown chain of parks or to Kleman and NOT seen them working. What gives with that? I know currently that Kleman is under construction, but this was way before that time. The only thing worse than not having fountains is having them but turned off/broken all the time.

As for palm trees, I'd want way more of them in downtown, after all the Sabal is the state tree and we are the State Capital. P_McLane you reference Savannah, GA as a place we should strive to look like, well have you really looked around their squares? They are full of Sabals and Pindos. The very same can be said for Charleston, SC. To me all palms in landscaping represent tropical areas, but palms under Live Oaks, now that is the sub-tropical South. I've seen palms everywhere in Florida, so I've never associated them w/water. I'm not a fan of making Tally look like Atlanta or Charlotte with only bricks and crappy myrtles, after all our "last name" is FLORIDA, not Georgia or Carolina.

But a full thumbs up to more working and maintained fountains, statues, sculptures and public squares just put a few palms in there for me!

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That was a very fair critique from poonther, re: Savannah and Charleston beneath the canopy. Point well taken. I should have reflected a bit more on my general fondness for that sub-tropical floral mix that poonther described. It is the pastel and palms pastiche of South Florida that I hope we avoid. To wit, I visited Hilton Head, SC for the first time this fall and felt that Tallahassee could learn a lot about landscaping from the very appealing paths and large-scale garden plots that featured a heavy mix of sabal, palmetto, live oak and pine.

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I wish you both had pictures to share with us so we could collect a visual of what you both are speaking of. I'm not familiar with the Pindos that Poonther speaks of, and P. McLane suggest more plazas extending South and West of downtown... any specific paths in particular?

Oh, I think it would be great to have some grand fountains and public plazas downtown. GRAND fountains, something Tallahassee can use as a symbol the way St. Louis uses its arch. I'm holding on to the hope that Cascades Park turns downtown into a grand display of fountains and greenspace. But we'll see. I'm still actively searching for the plans for cascades park, that I'll definately post when I find.

But if you two could, P. McLane and Poonther, could you post examples of the types of plazas and/or plants you think we should have.

Also... how does everyone think some fountains and landscaping would work along each Tallahassee I-10 exit?

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I wish you both had pictures to share with us so we could collect a visual of what you both are speaking of.

But if you two could, P. McLane and Poonther, could you post examples of the types of plazas and/or plants you think we should have.

Savannah, GA - Forsyth Park

vfiles1367.jpg

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savannah_ga.jpg

One of many squares in downtown Savannah. A very typical haunt of the constant pedestrian traffic throughout the city.

That already looks like something you'd see right here in Tallahassee. I wouldn't mind seeing more of that here ALTHOUGH I'd much more prefer the type of greenspace that lets a little more of the sun in. A little more "wide open space" where you can throw a frisby without hitting a tree. Where you can see the sun beating off of the bright green grass.

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I'd vote to let Tallahassee be what Tallahassee is. Tally town is unique in Florida because it is the state capital with the capital complex, governor's mansion and state-paid maintenance that goes with it. Palm trees are very Floridian, but while I would not mind seeing sabal palms incorporated into landscape plans, I would not like to see an attempt to create anything near a south Florida/ sub-tropical look. Let Tally be the genteel southern city that the rest of Florida is not. Palms trees and fountains take a lot of maintenance and when they are not kept up, the good they might have done for a city backfires and makes it look worse than if they were not there to start with. I love the huge live oaks, brick streets, Park Ave. downtown parks, brick buildings, canopied sidewalks and rolling hills that make Tallahassee unique.

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Ah good pics. If you notice closely there are a few bushy palms under the oaks in those Celebration shots.

P_McLane I think you and I could come up w/a nice compromise on the landscaping of our parks here in Tally....Southern w/just a dash of palms. :)

I think many of you in this palm discussion are thinking I am suggesting that I want us to plow down the trees and plant only palms in their places. That is not what I am saying. Leave all the big Live Oaks and even plant more. Plant some Magnolias and a few more trees along w/a few palms is all that I am saying. I lived in South Florida and do not want to recreate that here either. Besides most of the palms you see south of Ocala will not grow here due to our winters. I'm just tired of all these crappy myrtles everywhere in town. Next time you are driving in town on a landscaped median road, see how far you can go w/out seeing a crappy myrtle. They are even uglier this time of year. Now I'd be all for the native wax myrtles.

Pindos TJ are also called Jelly Palms. They are all over town. They really aren't my favorites, but they'll do. Here is a link to Esposito's site. They have taken shots of North Florida type palms. All of the shots are from around here. And as for those of you that want Tally to plant natural trees, Sabals, Saw Palms and Needles are native and grow wild here. I 've got a Sabal in my yard that 6 years ago we use to run over with the lawn mower all the time. Now it's over 10 feet tall. I never planted that one, it just grew naturally as do many around town.

North Florida Palms

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^You're welcome. The one pictured on the link is one of two in front of the First Baptist Church on College. There are also some good looking Canaries at the Westcott bldg. at FSU. Some of them near the gates are very old.

I have all of those palms pictured in my yard but the Canaries, can't find room for one until I cut down a tree and the Senegal. I want one of those but I can't find one locally. In all I have 9 different species of palms in my yard and two citrus trees, not the sour bitter satsumas, but one sweet ruby red grapefruit and one sweet navel orange tree that are currently loaded w/ bright orange/pink ripe citrus.

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Hey sounds like us 6 years ago as we made the very same move from Lauderdale to Tally. Our car insurance was cut in half and our property taxes and homeowners insurance were also. We also got about twice as much house up here for less than what we sold our smaller home down there.

I sure miss the winter weather down there, but I do not miss the people. Meanest folks you'll ever meet inhabit the land down there. I knew it was bad when I lived in Lauderdale and I visited Manhattan and Los Angeles and thought "man these people are friendly." :lol:

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Hey sounds like us 6 years ago as we made the very same move from Lauderdale to Tally. Our car insurance was cut in half and our property taxes and homeowners insurance were also. We also got about twice as much house up here for less than what we sold our smaller home down there.

I sure miss the winter weather down there, but I do not miss the people. Meanest folks you'll ever meet inhabit the land down there. I knew it was bad when I lived in Lauderdale and I visited Manhattan and Los Angeles and thought "man these people are friendly."

AMEN! I am not going back to South Florida when I leave FSU. I hate the place. The denizens that inhabit that place drive me to drinking.

Dade County has been the pits for years, and now sadly, Broward is too. When I was a little child, Broward was a nice place to live. Not anymore. You have Dade trash moving there in droves. :(

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How might Tallahassee (CoT, EDC, Chamber of Commerce) proceed with a light information campaign directed at people like those featured in the Sun Sentinel article? I don't think that enough potential new Tallahasseeans know the real differences (in cost, and quality of life) between us and South Florida. While we wouldn't want to start a civil war between the cities in Florida, it does make sense for Tallahassee to advertise itself as a great alternative to the insane hustle and bustle of the East Coast, Orlando, Tampa, etc.

Plus, as we discussed in some earlier posts, businesses do move locations within the state, and Tallahassee must look attractive in matters of taxes, insurance, labor costs, and real estate availability. So how does Tally get the word out?

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Good thoughts P_McLane. First they could start by adopting my sig. line....ha just kidding. I think this campaign should be handled aggressively by the visitor and tourist bureau and by the chamber of commerce.

I've seen this type of thing done when I have been visiting California cities by places in the interior of CA and cities in NV and AZ. They used billboards, ads in newspapers and banners on webpages.

I think this is a great idea and we should suggest it along w/attaching the Sun-Sentinel article.

TJ do you know what would be the best office to contact and what the proper procedure would be?

Not asking you to do it, just how it should be done.

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