America's ten dead cities

[jbuck919]

The full story is on 24/7 Wall Street.


* 1) Buffalo
* 2) Flint
* 3) Hartford
* 4) Cleveland
* 5) New Orleans
* 6) Detroit
* 7) Albany
* 8 ) Atlantic City
* 9) Allentown
* 10) Galveston

[Barry]

My in-laws grew up in Cleveland and have lived in Allentown for years. Although they're actually on the outskirts in a very average middle class suburb. I can see why they'd make the list based on some of the things I see while driving through the city. Although they also have some bright spots, including a beautiful minor league stadium that draws extremely well for a minor league team.

[lennygoran]

> * 1) Buffalo<

We were in Buffalo as tourists just a few years ago--incredible architecture but oh so disappointing--the downtown area invested heavily in a cute trolley right through the main street but we we went back at night to eat it was a ghost town--how sad!

> * 3) Hartford<

Yep when we visit gardens in that part of Ct we never bother actually staying in the city itself--always one of the suburbs--we did finally get to the Atheneum--quite nice.

> * 7) Albany<

As you know we were just there and use it for hotels when visiting gardens within an hour of Albany--yep, it's disappointing but that restaurant Creo--you gotta get there!

> * 8 ) Atlantic City<

Well even with all the glittzy hotels when you look west from the boardwalk and see how depressed it really is, well you get depressed

> * 9) Allentown<

Yep, we're within 45 minutes of that town--some great shopping centers outside the town itself but the Main St. is a goner.

> * 10) Galveston<

This surprises me--when we visited Houston we drove down to Galveston and it looked like it was making a comeback--but that was maybe 10 years ago. Regards, Len

[jbuck919]

> * 1) Buffalo<

We were in Buffalo as tourists just a few years ago--incredible architecture but oh so disappointing--the downtown area invested heavily in a cute trolley right through the main street but we we went back at night to eat it was a ghost town--how sad!

> * 3) Hartford<

Yep when we visit gardens in that part of Ct we never bother actually staying in the city itself--always one of the suburbs--we did finally get to the Atheneum--quite nice.

> * 7) Albany<

As you know we were just there and use it for hotels when visiting gardens within an hour of Albany--yep, it's disappointing but that restaurant Creo--you gotta get there!

Provincial old me has only ever been to Albany and Buffalo (Hartford is on my list because of the Atheneum). However, I have to wonder how they culled it down to these ten. The rust belt still rusteth away. And has something happened to revive Newark that I haven't heard about?

[John F]

has something happened to revive Newark that I haven't heard about?

You may have heard about it, but the New Jersey Performing Arts Center is both a sign and a cause of revival, which indeed has been actually happening for several years now.

This 2007 news story announced it:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/co ... 02505.html

And this story from 2 months ago confirms it:

http://in.reuters.com/article/idINIndia-49146320100608

Recently I joined my brother, his wife, and some guests for dinner at Maize, an upscale restaurant in the Robert Treat Hotel, then walked across the street to NJPAC for a concert by a major orchestra. Newark's being maybe 10 miles from New York means that classical and pop performers can easily include a run-out from Carnegie Hall or Lincoln Center to NJPAC in their touring plans, and quite a few of them do:

http://www.njpac.org/all_events.asp?viewcode=3

Certainly not all of Newark is like this, but the fact that any of Newark is like this shows that things are getting better there.

[lennygoran]

>And has something happened to revive Newark that I haven't heard about?<

Well that's the city I worked in for 28 years--it's pretty bad but there is NJPAC and the IronBound section for great Portuguese and Spanish food--that's mostly along Ferry St--definitely worth going to as a tourist. Regards, Len

[karlhenning]

> * 1) Buffalo<

We were in Buffalo as tourists just a few years ago--incredible architecture but oh so disappointing--the downtown area invested heavily in a cute trolley right through the main street but we we went back at night to eat it was a ghost town--how sad!

QFT

> * 3) Hartford<

Yep when we visit gardens in that part of Ct we never bother actually staying in the city itself--always one of the suburbs--we did finally get to the Atheneum--quite nice.

If we ever did actually stop in at Hartford, it was so long ago I don't remember it. Reputation alone (well, and generally, wanting to get either to New York or to Boston in less time) has kept us from stopping. I have heard that the Wadsworth Atheneum has a fine collection . . . but we still haven't been.

Cheers,
~Karl

[karlhenning]

. . . However, I have to wonder how they culled it down to these ten.

New Orleans and Galveston have suffered awfully from hurricanes (relatively) recently.

[Cheers,]
~Karl

[lennygoran]

>QFT<

QFT was new to me!

QUOTED FOR TRUTH Used on internet forums when quoting someone with similar views as yours.

Regards, Len

[piston]

It is rather interesting that people have a tendency to assess the quality of life in a city on the basis of the quality of some of its restaurants.

[Barry]

It is rather interesting that people have a tendency to assess the quality of life in a city on the basis of the quality of some of its restaurants.

I plead guilty to that. And when I travel, the first thing I look into about the places I'm going to is the restaurants in those areas.

[lennygoran]

>I plead guilty to that.<

Me too. Regards, Len

[ch1525]

I disagree with New Orleans being on there. Sure, you might have to don a bullet proof vest to go into some areas, but it certainly isn't dead.

There are large parts of the city that are still relative ghost zones, but we've got tons of stuff going on in others. Within the next 5-10 years, we will have a massive new health complex near downtown. A very large cancer research center is almost completed. The city is overall wealthier because of the outflux of (quite frankly) some less desirable residents. A good bit of our criminal community moved on to other places (Houston, Baton Rouge and Atlanta). As much as I dislike Mary Landrieu, her brother Mitch very possibly might do a good job as the newly elected mayor. He can't be any worse than Ray Nagin!!! We've also got a new police chief who is making big changes.

And, our restaurant scene is better than ever!!!

[Barry]

With the exception of a block or two, I wasn't impressed with Cleveland's downtown, with the exception of having their baseball stadium right there in the center of everything. I'd lover to be able to have that here in Philly. It's an easy subway ride for me, but I'd still prefer it be in the heart of the city rather than in a stadium/arena complex at the southern end of the city and not within walking distance of the downtown hotels and restaurants.

But there are other parts of Cleveland that are lovely. They've got a tremendous number of beautiful, large homes (some bordering on or actually mansions) from I would guess the late 19th and early 20th centuries. It's a nice place to drive around if you like looking at those types of homes. I haven't seen much evidence that it's a great restaurant city, but it has its pockets and a decent Little Italy. It also has one of the top five medical facilities in the country (Cleveland Clinic) and obviously one of the best orchestras. On the other hand, I've driven through some large areas that are fairly unpleasant too.

[Chalkperson]

>QFT<

QFT was new to me!

QUOTED FOR TRUTH Used on internet forums when quoting someone with similar views as yours.

Regards, Len

Quite Fuc**ng True, also...

[lennygoran]

>Quite Fuc**ng True, also...<

Either one--he agrees with me in either case-right! Regards, Len

[Cosima___J]

Chad, did you happen to see the NBC evening news with Brian Williams tonight? They had a nice segment about New Orleans and they sure weren't presenting it as anything like "dead". In fact, the story was all about how resilient New Orleans has been since Katrina.

[John F]

My brother and his wife went to New Orleans for a week recently and enjoyed it immensely. Who wouldn't? It's one of two American cities besides my own that I really like. (Since you asked, San Francisco.) I hope to get back down there sometime.

[lennygoran]

>In fact, the story was all about how resilient New Orleans has been since Katrina.<

We saw that--what food! Regards, Len