Most urban southeast city

[BrandonTO416]

What cities in the southeast are the most urban? I know two of my choices, and New Orleans tops them all.

New Orleans:

Memphis:

[Brickell]

Based on my experiences

In terms of actual city limits:

Miami Beach

Maybe Charleston or Savannah, but I haven't seen them in person.

In terms of Metro:

New Orleans and Miami

[BrandonTO416]

Miami is in a league of its own, really. I've heard the activity in a place like South Beach is very much like what you find in New York.

Charleston and Savannah are small - I have no doubts they are very urban though after seeing photos.

I was thinking more or less in terms of 1+ million metros in the region from Louisiana to Virginia, below the Ohio and north of Orlando. There are many places you simply don't hear from very much - Norfolk and VA Beach has a metro area nearing 2 million, for example. Due to the location, I'd assume the area has some old time urban form. It was an original port into the US.

[monsoon]

[bobliocatt]

lesser known +1 million southern metros

1. New Orleans

2. Baltimore

3. Richmond

4. Memphis

5. Louisville

[BrandonTO416]

Anyone have Richmond pics, its been a while since I've seen any.

[bobliocatt]

here are some pics from www.Richmondcitywatch.com

IMO, Richmond is a vastly underrated and overlooked dense city, with a rich history.

[monsoon]

[sunshine]

I have never been to New Orleans, based on all the cities I had been to, South Beach is the only place that make me felt like I am in a huge city like NYC.

[sunshine]

Miami Beach

[BrandonTO416]

Great pictures, I've never been to Richmond so its hard to understand how everything is placed.

[Guest donaltopablo]

Well, DC would probably get it... if I considered it a southern city.

Probably Memphis. Miami Beach should definitely get an honorable mention, but Memphis and DC both cover a relatively large area to be as dense as they are. It's always a feat to find a larger southern city that is dense IMHO.

[urbanguy]

I'll have to go with New Orleans the city is definately very urban and dense! Memphis, Richmond, & Louisville seem pretty urban too!

[BrandonTO416]

sunshine, what is the photo in your signature?

[F-L-A]

It's Orlando.

[sunshine]

[Wendell FOX]

I love that first photo of Memphis. Besides being a good skyline photo the capture of colour and greenery - the lush residential zone set against the park - gives it quite a bit of appeal.

BTW I also second that the DC Metro system is great - but beyond being extensive, I find (or maybe I'm mistaken as there's plenty of transit systems that I don't know about) that it's pretty unique as a metro system extending out to the suburbs. You can easily sleep in a cheap motel at the edges of Alexandria and do a park-n-ride for free, not something you'd often find in other cities.

I've noticed nobody has mentioned Atlanta yet - certainly not a city to be overlooked.

[Guest donaltopablo]

I've noticed nobody has mentioned Atlanta yet - certainly not a city to be overlooked.

In terms of it CBD, it's very dense, and getting denser. However, the city as a whole has a ways to go before I would consider it even one of the denser southern cities. Recent development has been great, but it's still far from where it needs to be. 10 years ago Midtown was littered with surface parking lots.

[wolfdawg54]

You are right. Atlanta should definitely be up there with New orleans and miami Beach.

[teshadoh]

You are right. Atlanta should definately be up there with New orleans and miami Beach.

It should but Atlanta doesn't have as large of an urban core as those cities does. Besides Midtown & Downtown & along Peachtree St in lower Buckhead - Atlanta's intown neighborhoods are largely single family. Fine with me.

[BrandonTO416]

You guys know how I'd reply. Atlanta is dense upon Peachtree and a few inner streets downtown, but beyond that there isn't much urbanity. Given that, I personally don't hold it as being urban on the same level of New Orleans.

[wolfdawg54]

I think Atlanta does not have as large as an urban core becasue of how large the city has to be. But I feel that there is no reason why it should be ignored as a major urban core.

[Richhamleigh, DC]

I would add Charlotte to the mix of up-and-coming urbane cities.

Louisville, Richmond, and New Orleans are among the "Grande Dames" of the Southeast. Among the cities I'm most familiar with, I'd add Charleston (SC), Asheville, Wilmington (NC), Savannah (GA), and Birmingham (AL) to the list of historically dense cities.

[Richhamleigh, DC]

I think Atlanta does not have as large as an urban core becasue of how large the city has to be. But I feel that there is no reason why it should be ignored as a major urban core.

I humbly disagree. A city as large as Atlanta SHOULD have a more dense core. No city, no matter how large, can say that it's core isn't "large" because of "how large the city has to be".

On the other hand, I don't think anyone would argue that Atlanta does NOT have a vibrant urban core and that the Atlanta regions cores aren't becoming more dense (they are). Atlantans have much to be proud of and their city, like all newer Southeast cities, are evolving for the better.

[Richhamleigh, DC]

You guys know how I'd reply. Atlanta is dense upon Peachtree and a few inner streets downtown, but beyond that there isn't much urbanity. Given that, I personally don't hold it as being urban on the same level of New Orleans.

I agree Heckles, but let's give ATL its due...it's come a long way since the 1980's.