Changing City

[maddoxj21]

As we approach 2007 what are you most excited about in and around San Antonio???

I know for me I am most excited about the job and population growth of SA. I'm just alittle concerned about the urban sprawl but I hope developers redirect there efforts on the older neighborhoods. Also I think for once we finally have some strong people leading the city who are really getting things done. Also more direct flights than ever before are now leaving SA and it appears many more are on the way. I just wish SA and Austin would get off there high horse and build a major airport in between both cites makes more sense to me.

[imaterry78247]

As we approach 2007 what are you most excited about in and around San Antonio???

I know for me I am most excited about the job and population growth of SA. I'm just alittle concerned about the urban sprawl but I hope developers redirect there efforts on the older neighborhoods. Also I think for once we finally have some strong people leading the city who are really getting things done. Also more direct flights than ever before are now leaving SA and it appears many more are on the way. I just wish SA and Austin would get off there high horse and build a major airport in between both cites makes more sense to me.

I am amazes at the rapid growth of San Antonio over the least few years, especially in housing,retail and the Southside Brook City Base. An airport would be nice between the new city but think about the cab fare.

Austin is really competing against San Antonio to be the No 3 city in Texas so I do not know how that would work. I must agree the two cities are growing closer and closer together

[Harr]

Yeah, its a shame that San Antonio and Austin just give dutiful nods to each other and then go about each others business like they reside in different states. Imagine how powerful a Austin-San Antonio metroplex in theory would be. but oh well.

Anyways, I'm just curious as to what posters here think San Antonio will be in 20 yrs.? San Antonio will in all likelyhood never be exactly on par with Dallas or Houston, but do you think San Antonio will be able to transform itself into a powerhouse economy or aka a large market. San Antonio's healthcare industry is growing every year, Toyota's investment in San Antonio has made the city a desirable location in the manufact. industry; our military presence has expanded and very well could expand even more in the foreseable future, city leaders seem dead serious about setting high academic standards in the city and given recent studies San Antonio may have a reasonable chance to become a Financial Center (especially if the United States and Mexico ever reconcile their shaky relationship). Also, do you think San Antonio will ever take its rightful place as one of America's Great cities, or will San Antonio always be Texas' best kept secret .

[MrJoshua]

My semi-professional opinion?

San Antonio will remain somewhat unique demographically. It is a nice city, land is cheap, weather is warm and taxes are low (being part of Texas, after all). It is also a city bereft of any "magnet" university or community of scholarship, which is a tremendous factor on keeping white-collar workers within the city.

San Antonio will never be Austin, nor vice-versa. The assets San Antonio brings to bear are primarily geographical (nice weather) and an abundance of cheap, semi-skilled labor. Cities like Dallas and Houston reached the critical mass of becoming "world class cities" long ago, and the metro population of Dallas alone (6 million at 2006) is nearly 4 times that of San Antonio. Houston and Dallas are also growing at faster rates. Don't think that they will be "rival" cities - they are closer to rivaling Chicago than San Antonio

I think San Antonio will follow a path similar to Charlotte, NC - an emergence as a city of some corporate importance in the shadow of a far larger regional city. San Antonio is experiencing the development of the "high class" service and retail institutions that are needed to cater to a white-collar elite. New, nice, big houses are going up everywhere (and are DIRT CHEAP - a married couple of teachers in San Antonio could live like a married couple of doctors in most East Coast locations). A non-union, low-educated labor pool provides an excellent resource for mid to low-level service and industrial jobs, which will lead to further growth. Let's make no mistake, though - the future of San Antonio will always be the Northside.

In most parts of the country, car factories are located in blue-collar, gritty locations or poor, rural locales. I am sure the Toyota plant will do much to alleviate the poverty of the South Side (some of the worst in the US), but let us remember it is still a FACTORY job, and factory neighborhoods are not high-growth areas or desirable locations to live. While we can all applaud the creation of thousands of jobs, let us not assume that the South Side of San Antonio will be transformed to Highland Park. It just might make the average house price there peak above $75,000.

I will also say that San Antonio has an inept city government, somewhat hostile to business and growth. Unfortunately, almost everything and everyone in the San Antonio area is within the San Antonio city limits, which puts development projects at the mercy of interests and representatives in downright socialist city districts. Most cities have pliable suburbs that one can build in (think Round Rock, Irving, Katy etc.) - San Antonio does not. Everything that might come to pass must be scrutinized by self-pitying citizen's groups like COPS. It is hard to set up shop amongst a group of Guevarra-esque bomb throwers and community college intellectuals who have the ear of their councilmen.

I think the future looks great for San Antonio, but it will not have the explosive growth or affluence of Austin, and will be nowhere near the status of Dallas or Houston - and that is not a bad thing. For those of us who have lived in truly world class cities, the feeling of something smaller and friendlier is often quite desirable. If you truly desire corporate wealth or name-in-the-news, move to Houston. If you want a nice place to live that will have all the trappings of a large city, stay in San Antonio the next 20 years......... provided you don't kill anymore resort plans.

[txstate25]

My semi-professional opinion?

San Antonio will remain somewhat unique demographically. It is a nice city, land is cheap, weather is warm and taxes are low (being part of Texas, after all). It is also a city bereft of any "magnet" university or community of scholarship, which is a tremendous factor on keeping white-collar workers within the city.

San Antonio will never be Austin, nor vice-versa. The assets San Antonio brings to bear are primarily geographical (nice weather) and an abundance of cheap, semi-skilled labor. Cities like Dallas and Houston reached the critical mass of becoming "world class cities" long ago, and the metro population of Dallas alone (6 million at 2006) is nearly 4 times that of San Antonio. Houston and Dallas are also growing at faster rates. Don't think that they will be "rival" cities - they are closer to rivaling Chicago than San Antonio

I think San Antonio will follow a path similar to Charlotte, NC - an emergence as a city of some corporate importance in the shadow of a far larger regional city. San Antonio is experiencing the development of the "high class" service and retail institutions that are needed to cater to a white-collar elite. New, nice, big houses are going up everywhere (and are DIRT CHEAP - a married couple of teachers in San Antonio could live like a married couple of doctors in most East Coast locations). A non-union, low-educated labor pool provides an excellent resource for mid to low-level service and industrial jobs, which will lead to further growth. Let's make no mistake, though - the future of San Antonio will always be the Northside.

In most parts of the country, car factories are located in blue-collar, gritty locations or poor, rural locales. I am sure the Toyota plant will do much to alleviate the poverty of the South Side (some of the worst in the US), but let us remember it is still a FACTORY job, and factory neighborhoods are not high-growth areas or desirable locations to live. While we can all applaud the creation of thousands of jobs, let us not assume that the South Side of San Antonio will be transformed to Highland Park. It just might make the average house price there peak above $75,000.

I will also say that San Antonio has an inept city government, somewhat hostile to business and growth. Unfortunately, almost everything and everyone in the San Antonio area is within the San Antonio city limits, which puts development projects at the mercy of interests and representatives in downright socialist city districts. Most cities have pliable suburbs that one can build in (think Round Rock, Irving, Katy etc.) - San Antonio does not. Everything that might come to pass must be scrutinized by self-pitying citizen's groups like COPS. It is hard to set up shop amongst a group of Guevarra-esque bomb throwers and community college intellectuals who have the ear of their councilmen.

I think the future looks great for San Antonio, but it will not have the explosive growth or affluence of Austin, and will be nowhere near the status of Dallas or Houston - and that is not a bad thing. For those of us who have lived in truly world class cities, the feeling of something smaller and friendlier is often quite desirable. If you truly desire corporate wealth or name-in-the-news, move to Houston. If you want a nice place to live that will have all the trappings of a large city, stay in San Antonio the next 20 years......... provided you don't kill anymore resort plans.

[MrJoshua]

First of all let me just say that you are entitled to your opinion all you want.

Second of all I happen to be a professional who was born and raised on San Antonio's South Side and YES we do EXIST. Is San Antonio really meant to be compared with Dallas, Houston or Austin?

Dallas and Houston would never come close to rivaling Chicago, and well New York would just blow Dallas and Houston out of the park. How's that for comparison. Wonder what "Great" city your from?

[txstate25]

Thanks for the remarks, Mr. txstate. People have boasted and debated what makes a city "great" since Athens made snide remarks about her Peloponnesian neighbors. So it continues today. This forum specifically asked if "San Antonio will ever take its rightful place as one of America's Great cities". I'm glad I have the permission of a genuine "professional" to try and discuss the question in an open forum. Thank you.

If you must know, I live in San Diego, California (Del Mar to be exact). I was born and largely raised in Washington DC, went to Law School in Chicago and worked in New York for 7 years .... so I know a bit about the "big cities". But I digress. I have family in San Antonio and like the city very much. I sincerely apologize if I offended your civic pride or touch a raw demographic nerve. Were we talking in person, I would happily buy you a puffy taco and cheap, watery Lone Star beer to make your hurt feelings go away.

I spent last year working and living in what may be called a rival city - Jacksonville, Florida. I also have done work in another similar city, Tucson. Of all the "up and coming" cities I have been to, I really have a very bullish outlook for San Antonio. It has a great quality of life, and I think is on the path to significant and sustainable economic growth. It is simply a nice place to live, and an affordable one to boot. For once, the growth is fueled by factors other than civil service or the hospitality business. It is difficult to become "one of America's Great cities" on the backs of hotel workers and government clerks.

Don't get your feelings tied up with how many "tall buildings" your downtown has. Or how many sports teams you might have. If you do, you will always be disappointed with where you live. Take solace instead that San Antonio is a unique and nice place to live - a relatively large city with a small town feel. If you have not lived elsewhere (and I am guessing you have not), you don't realize how good you have it. Believe me, it is far better to be a "well kept secret" than a sprawled-out community with no soul or center. No monorail, or NFL hurricane sale, or anschluss with Austin will add to what makes San Antonio good. If you really want to improve your city, do something to reign in the idiotic advocacy groups that block the developers who could employ even more existential South Side professionals. Play some golf on the North Side. Encourage a relative or neighbor to finish school. And stop the mind-numbing comparisons to other Texas cities. Revel in what you have.

[Schertz1]

MrJoshua,

It sounds as if you haven't been to San Antonio in about ten years. Thanks for the vote of confidence on our chance of one day rivaling Dallas or Houston. One, Dallas Metro is nowhere near 6 million, DFW Metro is. Two, San Antonio Metro is about 2 million and certainly not in competition with Jacksonville or Tucson. Since you have lived in Chicago, I find it unbelievable you can say Dallas and Houston more closely rival Chicago than San Antonio. Chicago makes Dallas and Houston both look like Mayberry and I live in Houston.

[TexasTea]

Chicago makes Dallas and Houston both look like Mayberry and I live in Houston.

[Justiceham]

Watch out, in a short time Houston population will eventually pass Chicago

[Urbane]

One of the charms of San Antonio (and I lived and worked there in 2004 and 2005) is that it is not like other cities. An oft-made comparison is to San Diego, where we live now. SeaWorld, missions, tourists ... I get it. But they are not alike, and that's OK. San Antonio is at its best when it doesn't compete but charts its own course. No, it doesn't have a flagship-level university, nor a pro sports team besides the Spurs, nor a substantial professional base. What it has is a warmth of people (and summer), a world-class Riverwalk and an opportunity for families to raise children where schools matter and where it doesn't empty the wallet to buy a house.

[Kheldane]

Wonder what "Great" city your from?

[dgreco]

how do you think the final four is going to help the city economically?

[txstate25]

It's always sad to see someone who claims to be "professional" resort to personal attacks. Sad, and interesting to see the emotional reaction to an argument they have no capability to challenge intellectually.

[Kheldane]

Your obviously not from San Antonio. We have pride here. Professional or Not.

[txstate25]

LOL! Based on your puerile responses, you have "pride", and nothing else. Get with the program...

[dgreco]

I'm sorry that you feel that way Mr. Kheldane, you couldn't be more wrong. However, if ALL you're going to do is make comments about people's responses in this forum and you don't really have anything intelligent to say about the issues concerning San Antonio, then maybe you should stick with the Tennessee forum. Otherwise, how do you think the final four is going to help the city economically?

[imaterry78247]

I do...I'm a teacher, and on the south side too! I will touch the future of San Antonio Mr.Joshua so that maybe one day it will be referred to as a Great American City in a forum such as this one.

Those days are just around the corner!

[dallasbrink]

San Antonio will be a changed city after that water in the muddy river walk is clear. It smells to