South's Best Skyline?

[depechecureguyorl]

A better dowtown Orlando pic

[NCB]

I think Dallas' skyline is great, as well as Houston's.

Nashville's skyline is beautiful, the buildings really mix in with each other well.

I also love New Orleans (a bit biased) but for a city of its size, the density is great IMO..

[GaTechGuy]

Those are some great NO pics. If they could build a few more buildings that get away from the boxiness of some of the others the skyline would improve a huge amount and certainly be one of the better ones in the south/country.

[EastSideResider]

Other... Charlotte is my favorite. Between the Hearst Tower and Bank of America Tower it's unique. Atlanta is definitely second for me.

[RiverwoodCLT]

When flying into Houston, it looks like there are about 4 or 5 Atlanta CBD as far as you can see.

!> Houston the Best and largest

2>Miami looks great with all the water around.

I voted for Houston, but Miami is second by a hair.

3>Dallas

4>Atlanta Metro

I like about all the cities on rivers and bays. They just look neat to me.

[RiverwoodCLT]

I see sombody from Charlotte clicked on other. I'll bet they want Charlotte. You got it. Wait just a sec!

edit: How do we change the poll?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I am from Charlotte. I lived near Houston for 10 years. I hope and pray, that Charlotte does not gets like Houston. I like whats going on in Charlotte just fine.

My wife's sisiter lives in West University Place. Her husband is a doctor and works

over in the Medical Center. That put then in side the Beltway I610. They are off U59 Southwest Freeyway that is under construction again. In Houston when they finish a road, then they go back start all over again.

Took a ride on the LRT last year, it was nice and looked like it has a lot of riders.

Went from downtown out to the end of the line and back. The only thing I do not like about it, the LRT Cars has to stop for traffic signals. Parts of it is in the road way. Cars and LRTs do not mix very well.

In Charlotte the LRT will not be in the roadway. It will go over major roads and

orther streets will have crossing signals for the LRT.

[Plasticman]

Houston really is only bested by Chicago and NYC maybe LA, Houston has a lot to be desired in some areas but its skyline is top notch if not the best in NA.  Always heard their lack of zoning laws or great lack of them let developers reach for the sky and be free to experiment.  Turned out well I think . . . lol won't make it pass Atlanta in my mind for the regional hub but will beat A every day as far as beautiful skyline shots in my mind!  Just more, taller, and to me beautiful skyscrapers.

middle sized, ok Im such a homer, but Pittsburgh being as dense as it is and such a variety of styles I would say as middle (although I love to think of us as big its not 1970 anymore, we have been surpassed!)  other middles would be Orlando, very nice, Jax is nice, Nashville is very unique, Detroit (although you could make a case of it being big not middle) is very nice as well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

While I admire Houston I cannot agree that it is ahead of Atlanta, maybe equal but not ahead. While it does have nice sized buildings, Atlanta still has the tallest building (BOA). Now the average height of Houston's top ten buildings are just over 800 feet while Atlanta's average top ten is around 750 feet. So yeah, Houston is marginally taller on average but I beg to differ in overall number. Atlanta's only problem (and blessing) is how spread out their skyline is. Atlanta has enough skyscrapers along the 285 bypass to make most cities proud by themselves. The King and Queen Towers are nearly 600 feet tall and 10 miles out of downtown. It doesn't help density but it is cool in that just when you think you've seen them all, there come some more as you leave town. It allows you to see and appreciate each one and still have density.

For height and number, maybe Houston but for style, Atlanta all the way. I would even venture that Dallas is more equal to Atlanta than Houston.

I agree on midsized cities. But with the re-design of Signature Tower, Nashville will surpass Jax and / or Orlando and will come close to Charlotte. I agree Detroit should be listed as big.

[rusthebuss]

Houston > Atlanta

[Plasticman]

Houston > Atlanta

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

[NcSc74]

I am an NC guy but I am a realist. I love Charlottes skyline but TheQC is just not in these cities league right now. My vote was for Houston. I have been there a few times and it was awsome. I also visited Dallas and it was just as impressive. My list is Houston, Dallas then Atlanta. I realize ATL is the new guy on the block making some noise but it has a little work to doin terms of infill. You have to visit these places to see for your self because pictures don't do any of these places justice.

[Spades]

So yeah, Houston is marginally taller on average but I beg to differ in overall number.  Atlanta's only problem (and blessing) is how spread out their skyline is.  Atlanta has enough skyscrapers along the 285 bypass to make most cities proud by themselves.  The King and Queen Towers are nearly 600 feet tall and 10 miles out of downtown.  It doesn't help density but it is cool in that just when you think you've seen them all, there come some more as you leave town.  It allows you to see and appreciate each one and still have density.

For height and number, maybe Houston but for style,  Atlanta all the way.  I would even venture that Dallas is more equal to Atlanta than Houston.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

You could say the same for Houston. There are many different skylines around the city of Houston including the uptown-galleria area with the tallest building outside a CBD in Williams Tower and the TMC. There are many more. If you put all those buildings in an already pretty dense downtown already. It would no doubt be a top 5 skyline in the country and one of the best in the world. Houston has more buildings than both Dallas and Atlanta and it has the tallest overall out of the three.

Imagine if all those buildings was in just one spot in downtown.

[Plasticman]

Wow! It looks almost identical to Atlanta when coming in on I-20 from Alabama with two very distinct skylines. Atlanta has a large number of skyscrapers on the 285 loop.

As stated, the average height of Houston's top ten buildings is around 800' while Atlanta's is close at 750' with Atlanta having a miniscule edge with our tallest building being 1,028 while Houstons is over 1,000 but a few feet shorter. They are so much alike it is almost weird.

I guess, overall, we'll have to agree to disagree.

[NOrefugee]

LINK: Charlotte's Skyline

Okay, I cheated... Charlotte's skyline plus the Sears Tower of Chicago and Bank of America tower of Atlanta

It does look pretty good though!!

[bobliocatt]

But with the re-design of Signature Tower, Nashville will surpass Jax and / or Orlando and will come close to Charlotte.  I agree Detroit should be listed as big.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Not to rain on the parade, but both Jax and Orlando have far more high-rise projects under development in their CBDs than Nashville. Imo, it will take a lot more than the Signature Tower proposal to surpass both cities, in the future.

Downtown Orlando Project & Construction List

Downtown Jacksonville Project & Construction List

[Plasticman]

Not to rain on the parade, but both Jax and Orlando have far more high-rise projects under development in their CBDs than Nashville.  Imo, it will take a lot more than the Signature Tower proposal to surpass both cities, in the future.

Downtown Orlando Project & Construction List

Downtown Jacksonville Project & Construction List

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If they all get built, you are probably correct but I highly doubt Nashville is going to stagnate. In other words, while other cities continue to add projects, so too will Nashville.

[Viper]

^Even that being the case, how do you expect it to surpass Jax if Jax keeps adding new projects as well (such as the 3 30 story towers proposed last week)?

Taken from another thread:

According to Emporis...

Nashville:

3 U/C

1 approved

10 proposed

Jacksonville:

6 U/C

5 Proposed

25 Not yet listed (3 30 story towers proposed this week).

[bobliocatt]

I agree on midsized cities.

[Mackcaddy]

My vote goes to....

[NCB]

WOW!

That is a great shot of the entire skyline.

Houstons skyline is one of my favorites in the country, I think it is nicer than L.A.'s

Atlanta and Dallas are very nice as well, but Houstons is just bigger and better IMO.

[Martinman]

Not to rain on the parade, but both Jax and Orlando have far more high-rise projects under development in their CBDs than Nashville. Imo, it will take a lot more than the Signature Tower proposal to surpass both cities, in the future.

Downtown Orlando Project & Construction List

Downtown Jacksonville Project & Construction List

I don't think Nashville needs to surpass Jacksonville and Orlando since its already ahead.

Completed Highrises from Emporis

Nashville - 96

Jacksonville - 52

Orlando - 52

[Lexy]

^ OUCH! LOL!!!

[RiversideGator]

Where are all of Nashville's skyscrapers? Are they in Franklin because they arent downtown based on the photos I have seen and trips I have made there.

[A2]

I don't think Nashville needs to surpass Jacksonville and Orlando since its already ahead.

Completed Highrises from Emporis

Nashville - 96

Jacksonville - 52

Orlando - 52

The problem with Emporis is that they define a high-rise as anything over 12 stories. That is why many cities look like they are booming with buildings and others raise an eye-brow. (ie Charlotte, Nashville, Tampa, Memphis, the list goes on and on).

For example:

Saint Louis has almost 220 high rises listed. More than Jacksonville, Nashville, and Orlando combined ! But you do not see people speak about them having an impressive skyline, outside of their trademark arch.

It because a lot of older cities that did not go through an Urban Renewal still have a ton of older structures that are not overly impressive or tall, but they still satisfy the definition for the sake of the Emporis site.

Many cities that are Boomtowns now demolished many older structures (I wish they would not have) that are eliminated from being counted. BTW, empty buildings count too.

In Charlotte's case there are less than 100 buildings listed, but the reality is that more than likely all of those buildings are not vacant. The same can be said for Cities like Memphis, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, etc etc....

As an interesting side note Charlotte tops the list again for the best vacancy rates in the US.

Bottom line Building counts rarely mean squat. Unless it is NYC, Chicago, or Hong Kong.

[Plasticman]

The problem with Emporis is that they define a high-rise as anything over 12 stories. That is why many cities look like they are booming with buildings and others raise an eye-brow. (ie Charlotte, Nashville, Tampa, Memphis, the list goes on and on).

For example:

Saint Louis has almost 220 high rises listed. More than Jacksonville, Nashville, and Orlando combined ! But you do not see people speak about them having an impressive skyline, outside of their trademark arch.

It because a lot of older cities that did not go through an Urban Renewal still have a ton of older structures that are not overly impressive or tall, but they still satisfy the definition for the sake of the Emporis site.

Many cities that are Boomtowns now demolished many older structures (I wish they would not have) that are eliminated from being counted. BTW, empty buildings count too.

In Charlotte's case there are less than 100 buildings listed, but the reality is that more than likely all of those buildings are not vacant. The same can be said for Cities like Memphis, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, etc etc....

As an interesting side note Charlotte tops the list again for the best vacancy rates in the US.

Bottom line Building counts rarely mean squat. Unless it is NYC, Chicago, or Hong Kong.

Very good points made and taken.

[Martinman]

Where are all of Nashville's skyscrapers? Are they in Franklin because they arent downtown based on the photos I have seen and trips I have made there.

I could ask the same thing about Jacksonville because Nashville's skyline looks a lot more dense to me.

The problem with Emporis is that they define a high-rise as anything over 12 stories. That is why many cities look like they are booming with buildings and others raise an eye-brow. (ie Charlotte, Nashville, Tampa, Memphis, the list goes on and on).

For example:

Saint Louis has almost 220 high rises listed. More than Jacksonville, Nashville, and Orlando combined ! But you do not see people speak about them having an impressive skyline, outside of their trademark arch.

It because a lot of older cities that did not go through an Urban Renewal still have a ton of older structures that are not overly impressive or tall, but they still satisfy the definition for the sake of the Emporis site.

Many cities that are Boomtowns now demolished many older structures (I wish they would not have) that are eliminated from being counted. BTW, empty buildings count too.

In Charlotte's case there are less than 100 buildings listed, but the reality is that more than likely all of those buildings are not vacant. The same can be said for Cities like Memphis, Orlando, Tampa, Jacksonville, etc etc....

As an interesting side note Charlotte tops the list again for the best vacancy rates in the US.

Bottom line Building counts rarely mean squat. Unless it is NYC, Chicago, or Hong Kong.

I'm not sure what vacancy rate has to do with anything. The 12 story standard is that same for EVERY city old or new and whether they demolished buildings or not. It even applies to new 12 story buildings. Those older structures not only add to the character of a city but creates more density as well. And for many people, height is not the holy grail when judging a skyline but thats just a personal preference thing...similar to asking what is the best skyline.