What Is Missing?

[jungletobacco]

We can talk about which is better than the other all day but the true is that the 2nd tier city arent where they should. Why are we so behind? I stay in Augusta so I can speak on Augusta and I believe Augusta has limited interstate access. Most of the growth is along I-20 and creates an imbalance. But if I-3 and I-14 were passed Augusta will lot and lots of growth and take Augusta to another level.

Whats holding Macon back?

Macon has all that interstate access

Whats holding Columbus back?

Columbus has all that corporate business

Whats holding Savannah?

Savannah has all that history and tourism

Whats the problem?

[shanthemanatl]

As a native of Macon, I think a lack of vision and bold leadership has been sorely missing for some time now.

I had lunch in downtown Macon the day after Thanksgiving, and I couldn't help but marvel at the beautiful, classic architecture and wide sidewalks. Macon has such enormous potential to be a charming, small city.

I'm told an urban planner from Europe was called in by the city a few years to make an assessment, and even he marveled at Macon's potential. Personally, I think Macon should create a pedestrian-only boulevard downtown---perhaps Cherry Street from the Terminal Station to Second St? I think Pearl St. in Boulder or Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena would be good examples to emulate.

I think Savannah is doing just fine---what a unique and captivating place!

Don't know much about Columbus or Augusta, though I find their downtown areas certainly less inviting than Savannah or even Macon, for that matter.

[ATLman1]

For Columbus:

1) Lack of major interstate connections. I-185 is good, but it should be

extended down to Florida. However, talks are underway to extend the

interstate down to Florida to take traffic off of I-75.

2) More airlines to service the Columbus Metro Airport. We are just too

close to Atlanta I believe to get more airlines, but the airport is

currently talking to several airlines.

[Pillsbury]

As a native of Macon, I think a lack of vision and bold leadership has been sorely missing for some time now.

I had lunch in downtown Macon the day after Thanksgiving, and I couldn't help but marvel at the beautiful, classic architecture and wide sidewalks. Macon has such enormous potential to be a charming, small city.

I'm told an urban planner from Europe was called in by the city a few years to make an assessment, and even he marveled at Macon's potential. Personally, I think Macon should create a pedestrian-only boulevard downtown---perhaps Cherry Street from the Terminal Station to Second St? I think Pearl St. in Boulder or Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena would be good examples to emulate.

I think Savannah is doing just fine---what a unique and captivating place!

Don't know much about Columbus or Augusta, though I find their downtown areas certainly less inviting than Savannah or even Macon, for that matter.

[jungletobacco]

^ You hit it on the head right there! Our government has set Augusta back at least 15 years with money managment problem and special interest. Our downtown skyline will get better but on the street level there are alot of blight area that need to be deal with. Another thing holding Augusta back is the mentality of getting 'something for nothing'. The city fill with a bunch of old no good buildings that need to torn down and rebuilt because everything that old isnt history. (Old Town!)

Macon has great interstate access, nice downtown and close proximity to Atlanta. Why hasnt it out grown Columbus or Augusta?

[Savboy08]

^ You hit it on the head right there! Our government has set Augusta back at least 15 years with money managment problem and special interest. Our downtown skyline will get better but on the street level there are alot of blight area that need to be deal with. Another thing holding Augusta back is the mentality of getting 'something for nothing'. The city fill with a bunch of old no good buildings that need to torn down and rebuilt because everything that old isnt history. (Old Town!)

Macon has great interstate access, nice downtown and close proximity to Atlanta. Why hasnt it out grown Columbus or Augusta?

[jungletobacco]

^I think Savannah is a cool place to visit, St Patrick's Day is sooo crazy. But the crime is just as crazy and I was there for a year and people cant walk around without getting mugged. That the only thing I can say bad about Savannah GA.

[yerocal]

This is a very interesting topic, what is really holding back georgia's 2nd tier cities. I can sort of speak a little about all the 2nd tier cities, they all have so much great potential, why has they not all sored as other state's 2nd tier cities, and I believe that has a lot to do with local government and citzens.... I notice that anytime there are new proposals announced there are local citzens always bicering against growth but alway complaining about a bad economy in these areas, how are you going to expect the job market and economy in these cities to improve when you always building wall to block growth. The cities' leaders need to become more modernize and up to speed. Not saying it not important to preserve history or the southern charm but don't preserve so much to where it's hendering positive modernization and growth potenitals. These cities need to find away to preserve the cities' charm, history and etc. and also keep up the time and have more to offer as others state cities and maybe so of this growth falling into metro Atlanta will start looking at Augusta, Macon, Columbus and Savannah for some of Commerical, Corporate growth aswell. Atlanta may not have as much history or charm but it has built a name for its self to the point they really don't have to recuit businesses, it just that businesses find atlanta is just the hippest place to be right now and that what the 2nd tier cites needs to be, al ittle more hipper and up with style, instead of being old fashion and turning their nose up at growth just because it may speed their city up a little, growth is not alway negative....and that I why I think people seem to always oppose it...

[jungletobacco]

Yes there are people who are scared of growth and our elected officials have to represent those people. Classic example, Augusta was trying to get a state of the art dragstrip built in south Augusta. South Augusta has the most available land for development in Augusta so, the location was perfect. The dragstrip promised one national event (IHRA or NHRA) that will bring in millions and make Augusta regional destination for racing. Some local had a problem with it, didnt want the noise, didnt want the traffic and though it was a waste of taxpayers money. The commissioner of that area of south Augusta was against the dragstrip and convinced the other commissioners that the project was flawed. That why I hope the 2 proposed interstate be built in Augusta because the growth will come.......like it or not.

Atlanta is not the enemy....we are our own enemy.

[Savboy08]

This is a very interesting topic, what is really holding back georgia's 2nd tier cities. I can sort of speak a little about all the 2nd tier cities, they all have so much great potential, why has they not all sored as other state's 2nd tier cities, and I believe that has a lot to do with local government and citzens.... I notice that anytime there are new proposals announced there are local citzens always bicering against growth but alway complaining about a bad economy in these areas, how are you going to expect the job market and economy in these cities to improve when you always building wall to block growth. The cities' leaders need to become more modernize and up to speed. Not saying it not important to preserve history or the southern charm but don't preserve so much to where it's hendering positive modernization and growth potenitals. These cities need to find away to preserve the cities' charm, history and etc. and also keep up the time and have more to offer as others state cities and maybe so of this growth falling into metro Atlanta will start looking at Augusta, Macon, Columbus and Savannah for some of Commerical, Corporate growth aswell. Atlanta may not have as much history or charm but it has built a name for its self to the point they really don't have to recuit businesses, it just that businesses find atlanta is just the hippest place to be right now and that what the 2nd tier cites needs to be, al ittle more hipper and up with style, instead of being old fashion and turning their nose up at growth just because it may speed their city up a little, growth is not alway negative....and that I why I think people seem to always oppose it...

[yerocal]

Yes there are people who are scared of growth and our elected officials have to represent those people. Classic example, Augusta was trying to get a state of the art dragstrip built in south Augusta. South Augusta has the most available land for development in Augusta so, the location was perfect. The dragstrip promised one national event (IHRA or NHRA) that will bring in millions and make Augusta regional destination for racing. Some local had a problem with it, didnt want the noise, didnt want the traffic and though it was a waste of taxpayers money. The commissioner of that area of south Augusta was against the dragstrip and convinced the other commissioners that the project was flawed. That why I hope the 2 proposed interstate be built in Augusta because the growth will come.......like it or not.

Atlanta is not the enemy....we are our own enemy.

[andremurra]

Statesboro: Maybe not a 2nd Tier city.

1. Students with no household income living off campus and counted in the city's household income formulas

2. Ridiculous Alcohol Ordinances, in addition to overly-conservative leadership

3. Georgia Department of Transportation delaying our vitally necessary road construction projects

4. No interstate connection

5. Shaky relationship between City and University

6. 35' Height Restrictions

[gah]

Regarding Columbus

I totally agree that a lack of transportation (both interstate and air connections) is the BIGGEST factor holding Columbus back. There MUST be interstate connections north to Rome/Chattanooga, South to Albany/Tallahassee. West to Montgomery/Birmingham and east to Macon/Savannah/Augusta. As military readiness is one of the bases for the interstate system, the lack of Ft benning's connectedness is inexplicable. Likewise there must be dependable air carrier to Atlanta and at least one or two other hubs (Charlotte or Washington)

Also education -- the public schools are terrible (but probably no worse than in comparable cities). Suffered from a serious "brain drain" when it was the biggest city in America without any college (public or private) until CSU created in late 50's. Now CSU (and Columbus Tech) are bright spots. But, unlike Macon (Mercer, Weslyan) Columbus has only one generation of locally-educated college graduates

Suffers from the mill-military blue collar image, which was certainly accurate until the 80's when the economy first started to diversify. Until 20 years ago, most bright kids went away to college and stayed away and the less educated moved in to work at teh mills. Now the last of the mills are on the way out. Economy has struggled just to stay in place as new jobs simply replaced old mill jobs lost, consequently status quo rather than growth. Need to develop new ihigh tech, white collar image based on TSYS, etc. (think Huntsville)

DT still very much a work in progress. Much less desirable/attractive than Macon or Augusta. Trains still move thru DT and traffic! However, CSU is helping with development as are new condos and proposed white water course will be a major attraction leading to hotel/restaurant/bar influx.

[jungletobacco]

^Lack of transportation (in every sense of the word) and bad Board of Education........sound like Augusta to me! lol

[Spartan]

Wow, I had no idea that Columbus was like that. The lack of transportation is an obvious problem that anyone with a map could figure out. But that lack of schools thing I had never heard before.

I think that the Fall Line interstate concept is one that would benefit all of Georgia's second tier cities.

[gah]

Wow, I had no idea that Columbus was like that. The lack of transportation is an obvious problem that anyone with a map could figure out. But that lack of schools thing I had never heard before.

I think that the Fall Line interstate concept is one that would benefit all of Georgia's second tier cities.

[suburban george3]

People in Augusta lack pride. Most people who live in the suburbs are very critical of the city and choose to identify with their own little towns (though not as bad as Atlanta). It leads to a lot of "Man, this town sucks" or "I hate this place" remarks, but when you ask them further, they usually love their little suburban area which is usually just a few minutes from town. We need to end that in Augusta. People need to be unified, though it is hard with our government, which may be the most corrupt in Georgia (outside of the Bill Campbell administration).

[GAOnMyMind]

People in Augusta lack pride. Most people who live in the suburbs are very critical of the city and choose to identify with their own little towns (though not as bad as Atlanta). It leads to a lot of "Man, this town sucks" or "I hate this place" remarks, but when you ask them further, they usually love their little suburban area which is usually just a few minutes from town. We need to end that in Augusta. People need to be unified, though it is hard with our government, which may be the most corrupt in Georgia (outside of the Bill Campbell administration).

[Pillsbury]

^ Haha!! Most people don't know that about Austin!!! You know, he did his radio show for the longest time up there in like Cobb County or something. I couldn't believe it when I heard it. But he's back now--seems he had alittle domestic problem up there.....

Of course, the Southside Mafia is still on the southside, but they've broken up. The race for Judge proved that. They couldn't even get their guy through (who was much more experienced and deserved the job). Instead, a Columbia County Republican is on the bench now---a rarity in Augusta politics until recently.

Pillsbury, you're right.. it has amazed me when I'm in Augusta how bad locals put down the area. There is much potential there but as long as everyone carries a negative attitude towards the main city and gov't holds it back it will flounder.

[GAOnMyMind]

But he's back now--seems he had alittle domestic problem up there.....

[Pillsbury]

Maybe I'm thinking of the same one he got in Columbia County??? I can't remember. Whatever it was, I remember people calling in asking him questions about it and he got mad a few times. People were also asking him how the traffic was in Atlanta and what the weather was like. That really seemed to upset him. You could indeed make a reality show out of his life.

I'm currently enjoying his feud with Ryan B. Now that's funny.....