metrocity

My point was not to disclude anyone, it was just a statement that while urbanites and city planners in Ohio drool over that almighty suburban buck...it's not necessarily like that everywhere. If it's a cool and vibrant place, suburbanites will flock in anyway. The difference in Ohio is suburbanites often sound like they are doing the city a favor if they go there. Cater to me extensively by providing free parking and keeping away the undesireables, and you'll be lucky enough to have me come downtown. However, if something does go wrong I'll be the first to back and bash the city. I get tired of hearing it. If any of you worked in...Times Square or on Michigan Ave for example, you know you'd get sick of tourists and suburbanites and make fun of them. It would be hard not to when they are in your way every day. I think you have to experience it to know what I mean.

Since I see so many posts about suburbanites coming downtown touted as the panacea for all urban woes, I wanted to post an alternative viewpoint. I don't think it is productive or healthy to create a a city that is an occasional playground for suburbanites. And I guess "making fun" isn't the best choice of words. Anyone who lives in big city knows what I mean when you talk about suburbanites and tourists and some of their annoying habits and 'un-city ways. This is what irks urban dwellers...I don't mean making fun just because they live in the suburbs....I mean making fun because they are a huge glaring stereotype of an American suburbanite.

Excellent photos...it's nice to sea some of the buildings from those vantage points

My company's Cleveland office is in the Halle building and is well known throughout our 14 offices to have one of the best views...overlooking the Jake. It's a great office space.

That part looks like a spot that was going to a future department store location...or one that was planned and never built. That mall looked dated from the minute it opened...1976 suburban Randall Park Mall in the middle of 1991 Downtown Columbus.

I totally agree with this, although no city in Ohio is at that point yet and suburban Ohio still holds the most status. Most cities where the city is a status symbol have far flung Estate suburbs and old steetcar suburbs that are status symbols, but the mediocre suburbs in between are not impressive. European cities have always been like that, while quite a few American cities are now going that way as well. Of course it is more fashionable to live in Manhattan, Boston, DC, Chicago and San Fran than in their suburbs...but places like Seattle, Austin and Atlanta are joining that list where it is actually a status symbol to live in the city proper. Columbus probably has the best chance of becoming one of those type of places in Ohio in the near future. I kind of got sick of hearing the "How can we get suburbanites downtown" mantra that is such a common thing to hear in Ohio. The truth is, when you have a vibrant city, suburbanites are not something you aspire to appeal to...they are something that you kind of make fun of. Stereotypes like...fat and slow are common. They can't navigate the public transit, block escalators and walk aimlessly. All stereotypes I know...but it's kinda true. It would be nice to see a city in Ohio get to that point.

What ever happened to being "the Forest City", did the Ratners trademark it and steal it?

Did she have a sex change?

Saw a Simpsons re-run last night where Crusty has a daughter conceived during a performance for the troops in the gulf war. When he starts to bomb, he introduces the Cincinnati Bengals Cheerleaders for a performance who are quickly covered in a pile of sand from a sandstorm.

Not only are most of Akron's hospitals near downtown, but Summa, (that runs City and St Thomas) built their new headquarters downtown at Main and Market a few years ago. Also a boost for downtown along with the hospital's location.

Once again, it seems Akron is "the little city that could". They don't mess around....to even be considered in the running with those other big cities is impressive.

Good for Louisville, architecture in the US needs a kick in the ass. I like that it is really pushing the envelope in a league with a lot of buildings going up all over the world. It's bold and different. Louisville already has one of the best textbook examples of postmodernism with the 1985 Graves designed Humana building...seems like they are determined to put themselves on the design map.

I actually found it on the net and answered my own question: Stranger Than Paradise Year: 1984 - Cinethesia Productions Director: Jim Jarmusch Screenplay: Jim Jarmusch Starring: John Lurie, Eszter Balint, Richard Edson, and Cecillia Stark.

Speaking of Indie films, there was one on IFC or Sundance where two dog track betting guys decide to travel to Florida in a car(from NYC), and they stop in Cleveland on the way and pick up a female cousin. The cousin lives in this desolate factory neighborhood with a polish(i believe) speaking grandmother. They go see the lake and it looks like a barren permafrost scene from Alaska. The movie is in black and white...but I can't remember the name! Anybody know what I am talking about??... because it was a good movie and I'd like to see it again. Weren't the "Banana Splits" from Kings Island too?

^Exactly

The reporter responds implying that his comments were meant to be sympathetic to the disadvantaged riders. Response from the reporter: Thanks for your comments. But in Stark County, according to the ridership survey, most people don't use the bus because of traffic, to read a book or to avoid polluting the air. Fifty-two percent of riders don't have vehicles, and most riders use SARTA to get to work. When I go on the bus system, most of the riders I interview don't have vehicles or their vehicle broke down. I do believe a lot of people do use SARTA to avoid paying higher gas prices. Also, 80 percent of riders earn less than $10 an hour. The bulk of SARTA riders are not high-income earners. But my article was not meant to convey that SARTA riders are people that society should look down upon, but that the tax does pay for thousands of people to get to work, who probably wouldn't have another mode of transportation. Chicago is different from Stark County. I lived in New York for six years, where nearly everyone used public transit. I probably could afford getting a car (or at least a used car), but it would been almost impossible to find cheap parking for it or to get through Manhattan traffic more quickly than the subway. But here, most SARTA riders take SARTA because they have to - not merely because it makes life easier.

At first I was shocked to see a Kaufmann's store...but then I realized it only had one 'n' so it must be local. Cool pics and architecture!

I replied to the paper and encouraged others to do so. That comment is completely ignorant. Not only is it a bitch slap to PT, but it's offensive to everyone that uses that system....the handicapped, the elderly, work commuters...etc. It implies 'welfare', 'poor', 'handout', 'loser', 'jobless'. SARTA seems like a well run agency, and is getting positive ridership to prove it. It is a system that Stark County residents should be proud of. That kind of biased reporting needs to be stopped, it is clearly that reporters personal opinion glaringly coming through. Where are the editors? Then again, the Canton Supository is a pretty crappy paper.

^ How high of crime? It's a 1500 sq ft 3 bed 2 bath house in a major metropolitan area for $9,900! That blows my mind! You could buy it with a credit card.

Man it is hard to believe that you can actually buy a house for $18,000 or $9,900. Do you guys think they are in really horrible shape, and need $50,000 + dumped into them? They can't be habitable at that price. They both look like nice little homes in the pics.

Interesting thread....I just did single family homes since they are rare in my zip and came up with these: 805 W JUNIOR TER Chicago, IL 60613 MLS ID#: 1131298 $2,100,000 5 Bed, 3.5 Bath 1641 W IRVING CHICAGO, IL 60613 MLS ID#: 06027641 $525,000 3 Bed, 2.5 Bath The cheapest of any style was this 200 sq foot studio in a high rise 720 W Gordon TER Unit: 7G Chicago-, IL 60613 MLS ID#: 1123305 $107,000 1 Bath

Honestly, Gay ghettos in large cities are becoming a thing of the past anyway as far as being mostly gay, and are more like Clifton/Edgewater. Chelsea, Dupont Circle, Boystown, Castro....even though most gay bars tend to be concentrated in those areas, the residents are much more mixed than in the past, and in many cases gays are the minority. They are all desirable neighborhods, and nobody cares anymore whether they are gay or not. There is no stigma for a 'straight' to live in those hoods, and gays are free to live in most other parts of those cities without being harrassed. The neccessity for gays to live in an enclave together is pretty much a thing of the past.

A much bigger raise for some would be your job moving downtown and being able to get rid of your car and take PT. Too bad they don't mention both sides of the equasion.

On a positive note for Tampa, there is a trolley that takes you from Downtown to Ybor. On a negative note, I think they continually are the top city for Ped/cyclist/car fatalities.

His approach is definitely refreshing