Charlotte VS Jacksonville VS Nashville

[ncguy06]

These cities all have many reasons and great qualities for becoming the next big city of the south, what is your stand on this topic?

[Viper]

It goes in the order the poll was made.

Charlotte has already established itself in the 90's. Jacksonville is doing that now. Nashville has been on the map for decades but hasn't done much with it.

Everybody has heard of Nashville and has for a very long time but very few knew about Jacksonville at all until this year.

[bobliocatt]

As, stated earlier, Charlotte has already established itself, as a city for big business. Its metro will also continue to out grow the other two, due to an unlimited supply of cheap land suited for development (unless BOA or Wachovia merge and move their headquarters). I guess that could happen considering they ate our home grown bank (Barnett), about 10 years ago.

However, Jax has a much better chance to establish itself as a diversified city with a "traditional big city atmosphere", over the other two, mainly due to its natural location and history. Jax's urban core is already larger and denser than that of Charlotte's and it appears that it currently has more residential units and towers planned in downtown. With the diverse range of urban neigborhoods, architecture, parks, gritty big city bridges, the port, the river, the beaches and diversified economy, Jax has all the potential in the world to become something special and very unique from any other city in the South. Its ultimately going to come down to having the vision to get things done. Mayor Delaney certainly had vision with his Better Jax Plan. Now its time for Peyton to step up. However, I don't see the area ever experiencing the rapid population growth, Charlotte's overall metro area saw during the late 90's.

[JunktionFET]

In my opinion, Charlotte has the edge on the other two. Jacksonville and Nashville are undoubtedly great cities and if you break it down there are probably things in either that outclass Charlotte. But taken as a whole, I feel that Charlotte has the better package deal.

[monsoon]

As, stated earlier, Charlotte has already established itself, as a city for big business.  Its metro will also continue to out grow the other two, due to an unlimited supply of cheap land suited for development ....

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Actually according to the US Census. 2003 estimate.

Land Area (sq miles)

Davidson - 502

Duval County - 772

Mecklenburg County - 526

Population Density people sq/mile

Davidson - 1135

Duval - 1,007

Mecklenburg - 1321

Growth Rate 2000-2003

Davidson - 0%

Duval - 6.5%

Mecklenburg - 8.2%

Mecklenburg, Charlotte's central county, has less land and is already quite a be more dense than Duval, (Jacksonville's central county) Mecklenburg is growing significantly faster as well.

[Viper]

Jacksonville cannot use half of it's land due to swamps and eco preserves and he said Charlotte was growing faster.

Nice growth rate, Davidson.

[satalac]

Jacksonville cannot use half of it's land due to swamps and eco preserves and he said Charlotte was growing faster.

Nice growth rate, Davidson.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i still find it hard to believe that davidson has a 0% growth rate. if you lived here, you'd see the huge housing boom in south davidson.

[Viper]

I've seen listings from credible sourced that show a negative number for Nashville as of late so I'm not sure what to truly take as absolute.

[bobliocatt]

Actually according to the US Census.  2003 estimate. 

Land Area (sq miles)

Davidson - 502

Duval County - 772

Mecklenburg County - 526

Population Density people sq/mile

Davidson - 1135

Duval - 1,007

Mecklenburg - 1321

Growth Rate 2000-2003

Davidson - 0%

Duval - 6.5% 

Mecklenburg - 8.2% 

Mecklenburg, Charlotte's central county, has less land and is already quite a be more dense than Duval, (Jacksonville's central county)  Mecklenburg is growing significantly faster as well.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Here's the numbers that really count. Urbanized area weeds out rivers, wetlands, unbuildable mountains, etc. and only includes the Urbanized areas. When I visited Charlotte this past summer, it felt small compared to Jax, despite having a bigger metro population. The notable difference makes sense, considering the urbanized area numbers show, that as of 2000, according to the US Census urban Jax had 123,368 more residents, despite being 24 miles smaller in land area, thus the denser population.

Urbanized Area - 2000 Census (if anyone can find new estimates, please post)

Jacksonville - 882,295 - 411 square miles - 2,149 people per mile

Charlotte, NC--SC - 758,927 - 435 square miles - 1,741 people per mile

Nashville-Davidson - 749,935 - 431 square miles - 1,741 people per mile

[monsoon]

Actually the definition of 'urbanized area" does not weed out anything. This is the definition from the US census.

"An area defined by the U.S. Census Bureau that includes 1 or more incorporated cities, villages and towns (central place) and the adjacent densely settled surrounding territory (urban fringe) that together have a minimum of 50,000 persons. The urban fringe generally consists of contiguous territory having a density of at least 1,000 persons per square mile."

If the the area is not included then it means it has not been developed yet. It does not mean the land can't be developed (though that could be the case)

The most dense urbanized area in the USA is Los Angeles, yet everyone knows that in reality it is NYC or Chicago.

[Viper]

A simple way to tell if the area is considered legally urban or not is by looking at the type of drainage the road has. If there are curbs, it's urban. If it has shoulders, it's technically rural.

[rocket9561]

Jacksonville cannot use half of it's land due to swamps and eco preserves and he said Charlotte was growing faster.

Nice growth rate, Davidson.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The city government and local news sources have done studies that challenge this "estimate." The census also predicted Davidson to lose population during the 90s when it posted a 12% growth rate for the decade.

Nashville also has land that is difficult to develop...mostly the extremely rocky hills in the Northwest. We're still seeing massive growth rates in the Suburban counties and given the size of Duvall County I would say much of our metro growth isn't occuring much futher (if at all) from the core even if it is in another city/county.

That being said, The Nashville metro has been outpacing Charlotte in job growth (we are 2nd only to Orlando among our peer cities) recently and maintains a very low unemployment rate (3.5 vs 5.2 for Charlotte and 4.2 for Jax) so its future looks incredibly bright economically. Like Charlotte, we are working on a Mass Transit system and emphasizing smart urban growth. We also continute to exapnd our cultural/Entertainment scene and will add attractions like an African American Heritage Museum, World-Class Symphony Hall, and Downtown Minor league Baseball Stadium in the next few years.

So even if we are stagnant in the core county for population growth, the economy is performing better than when we were growing...

[bobliocatt]

Actually the definition of 'urbanized area" does not weed out anything.

[DallasTexan]

You know, out of these, I think I'd choose Jacksonville - it has been really intriguing me lately.

[eastsider]

Each one of these cities have alot of upside. But, Charlotte seems a little seems to have gotten a better head start with the boom of the 90's and the exposure it recieved as a result.

[TopTenn]

HERE WE GO ABOUT WITH THIS NASHVILLE , JAX AND CHARLOTTE DEBATE

I VOTE FOR NASHVILLE BECAUSE CHARLOTTE IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE SOON AND JACKSONVILLE GLORY IS GOIN AFTER THE SUPERBOWL.

GO N A S H V I L L E 10 A C................

Admin's Note: Do not use all caps on this forum. Please read the forum rules

[Charleston native]

Charlotte is already established as a big city of the south. Jacksonville is going to be the next one due to the Super Bowl and building boom that's continuing.

[pines]

HERE WE GO ABOUT WITH THIS NASHVILLE , JAX AND CHARLOTTE DEBATE

I VOTE FOR NASHVILLE BECAUSE CHARLOTTE IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE SOON AND JACKSONVILLE GLORY IS GOIN AFTER THE SUPERBOWL.

GO N A S H V I L L E 10 A C................

Admin's Note: Do not use all caps on this forum.  Please read the forum rules 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Your joking Right !!!

[GaTechGuy]

Charlotte is already established as a big city of the south. Jacksonville is going to be the next one due to the Super Bowl and building boom that's continuing.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I think most of the people in these forums overestimate the impact of the superbowl on Jacksonville, or any city for that matter.

[rockhilljames]

Well, for my two cents worth:

Charlotte.

Wow. What a shock. I live here so I vote for Charlotte. Honestly, I've spent a lot of time in Jacksonville, and although I really like the place, the city just doesn't have the same amount of energy and growth that Charlotte has. Jacksonville's downtown area may be bigger geographically, but it is nowhere near as dense as Charlotte's. Charlotte also has a lot of downtown residential units already built and many more on the way. I'd be willing to bet that Jacksonville doesn't have over 10,000 people living at it's core the way Charlotte does.

Jacksonville has some great downtown residential projects coming online, but until they get built downtown will continue to be kind of dead. I've been down to the landing on Saturday night and have not seen anyone. I know it's a tourist-type place, but their ain't too much else to do downtown. Compare that to North Church street in Charlotte on Saturday night and you'll see what I mean.

In the end this is all pointless. I like Jacksonville for different reasons than I like Charlotte. The Jax beach area is fun, having St. Augustine so close is cool and the river is really beautiful. Charlotte, on the other hand, has beautiful neighborhoods with huge oak trees, a dense core city that is growing at a rapid clip, a fantastic business climate and tons of stuff to do.

Nashville I've never been to, so I don't feel qualified to speak about it.

[bobliocatt]

From my experiences, comparing Jax to Charlotte, is like comparing apples to oranges. Charlotte's Uptown is impressive, indeed. However everything is basically located on one street (Tyron), giving it a small, yet clean & comnpact setting.

Jax on the other hand, is definately a grittier city. At this point, downtown may not be as vibrant as Charlotte's Uptown, but where it exceeds Charlotte is in the large number of unique urban neighborhood category, with architectural styles from different eras (remember Jax was founded in 1822).

To this point, I'm not aware of any neighborhood, in Charlotte, as large as places like Riverside/Avondale, San Marco, Ortega & Springfield which are some of the largest historic districts in the state of Florida. These places are all urban, have stunning architecture, numerous parks, riverfronts and have their own dense, pedestrian friendly commercial districts, each with its own unique atmosphere.

So, if you stick to comparing downtown's Uptown, definately has a hand up on Downtown Jax, but on the other hand, Jax definately has a had up on Charlotte, when it comes down to urban neighborhoods.

From this point, its to each is on. If you're focused only on downtown's, then Charlotte's your type of place. If you're focused on a city, as a whole, then you'll probably go Jax's way. Downtown Jax will never have that modern clean look that Charlotte enjoys because its laid out differently, filled with 100 year buildings and too gritty. However, on the other hand, Charlotte will never have neighborhoods on the level and scale of Riverside or Avondale, for example.

[JunktionFET]

HERE WE GO ABOUT WITH THIS NASHVILLE , JAX AND CHARLOTTE DEBATE

I VOTE FOR NASHVILLE BECAUSE CHARLOTTE IS NOT GOING ANYWHERE SOON AND JACKSONVILLE GLORY IS GOIN AFTER THE SUPERBOWL.

GO N A S H V I L L E 10 A C................

Admin's Note: Do not use all caps on this forum.  Please read the forum rules 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So... Charlotte and Jacksonville have to be "broken" in order for Nashville to come out on top?

[bobliocatt]

I've been down to the landing on Saturday night and have not seen anyone.  I know it's a tourist-type place, but their ain't too much else to do downtown. Compare that to North Church street in Charlotte on Saturday night and you'll see what I mean.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

The Landing is a shopping center with a couple of restaurants on the waterfront. Its definately not the place to go after typical mall hours. If your in town on a Saturday night and looking for something to get into, the places to be are Five Points (Riverside), San Marco Square (San Marco), St. Johns Avneue (Avondale), Town Center (Atlantic Beach) or Jacksonville Beach. St. Augustine, about 20 miles to the South, is a nice place to hang out as well, although its tourist oriented.

[rockhilljames]

The Landing is a shopping center with a couple of restaurants on the waterfront.  Its definately not the place to go after typical mall hours.  If your in town on a Saturday night and looking for something to get into, the places to be are Five Points (Riverside), San Marco Square (San Marco), St. Johns Avneue (Avondale), Town Center (Atlantic Beach) or Jacksonville Beach.  St. Augustine, about 20 miles to the South, is a nice place to hang out as well, although its tourist oriented.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

That wasn't my point. I've been to San Marco at night and had a good time. My point was, it isn't downtown. Downtown Jax is dead at nights. As for neighborhoods, I've been through the neighborhoods you've mentioned. In Charlotte, Myer's Park, Dilworth, Elizabeth, Plaza/Midwood and Wilmore all compare. As with most cities, it's knowing where to go and what to see. I'm lucky in the fact that I've got friends in Jacksonville, so they show me around all the places I wouldn't have found out about otherwise (San Marco especially).

I still feel that we are comparing Apples to Oranges, and that's why I'm not a huge fan of the city vs city type thread. I do remember sitting beside the river in Jacksonville one night, looking over the city and thinking to myself, "this place has more untapped potential than any city in the country." Seriously, if Jacksonville catches fire, the place could be a gem. It could very easily be a Southern version of Baltimore.

Since it seemed to me that the thread was focusing on the "big city" potential of the three mentioned I chose Charlotte. From what I can tell, Charlotte is doing more and positioning itself better to become a 24 hour city than either Jacksonville or Nashville, although I have to admit my experience with Nashville is limited.

[rocket9561]

That wasn't my point. I've been to San Marco at night and had a good time. My point was, it isn't downtown. Downtown Jax is dead at nights. As for neighborhoods, I've been through the neighborhoods you've mentioned. In Charlotte, Myer's Park, Dilworth, Elizabeth, Plaza/Midwood and Wilmore all compare. As with most cities, it's knowing where to go and what to see. I'm lucky in the fact that I've got friends in Jacksonville, so they show me around all the places I wouldn't have found out about otherwise (San Marco especially).

I still feel that we are comparing Apples to Oranges, and that's why I'm not a huge fan of the city vs city type thread. I do remember sitting beside the river in Jacksonville one night, looking over the city and thinking to myself, "this place has more untapped potential than any city in the country." Seriously, if Jacksonville catches fire, the place could be a gem. It could very easily be a Southern version of Baltimore.

Since it seemed to me that the thread was focusing on the "big city" potential of the three mentioned I chose Charlotte. From what I can tell, Charlotte is doing more and positioning itself better to become a 24 hour city than either Jacksonville or Nashville, although I have to admit my experience with Nashville is limited.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

On the weekends Nashville is already a 24hr city with The District alone offering a much more active club and bar scene than what I've seen in Charlotte. Of course that comes with being an entertainment and tourist based city like Nashville. Aside from that we are working on many downtown residential projects that will keep downtown more active during the week. (aside from summer when it is filled with tourists 24/7)