Jax vs. San Francisco: Same Size, Polar Opposites

[Metro Jacksonville]

Jax vs. San Francisco: Same Size, Polar Opposites



Both Jacksonville and San Francisco have slightly over 850,000 residents within their city limits. In fact, according to the most recent census estimates, only 913 residents separate the two.

Read More: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2015-jul-jax-vs-san-francisco-same-size-polar-opposites

[NaldoAveKnight]

I have the feeling that if Jax transformed itself overnight to be like SF the author of this article would write something like, "Jax vs LA"...why can't we have more roads, walking sucks.

Try buying a house in San Francisco for under $800k...Pull up Zillow, $795k gets you a 2 bedroom / 1 bath apartment. 

[thelakelander]

I have the feeling that if Jax transformed itself overnight to be like SF the author of this article would write something like, "Jax vs LA"...why can't we have more roads, walking sucks.

Why? The article explicitly states it's not about debating one way or another. It's simply a photo tour of 800k in a walkable and vibrant setting.

Btw, we have covered LA before. Here's a link: http://www.metrojacksonville.com/article/2011-sep-elements-of-urbanism-los-angeles


Downtown LA

[simms3]

Welp, LA is certainly far more popular with forumers!  I rather like living in a place that has almost zero connection to Jacksonville, or really even the South in general.  Adds a bit of mystery and allows me to live my life in peace   good piece, next time you plan a trip let me know and I'll take you to a couple good food spots...check out the Mission too

[thelakelander]

Will do.  I've also been called out by a few Bay area Vanguards for not contacting them during my brief 2 day visit. I'll definitely be back and set aside more time to explore SF, Oakland and even San Jose.

[finehoe]

Major San Francisco Quake Expected 'Any Day Now'

http://news.sky.com/story/1523331/major-san-francisco-quake-expected-any-day-now

[simms3]

We just had a quake...no big deal.  Apparently according to the NYT Seattle is going to fall into the sea in their big quake that's supposed to hot anyday, but they have a different tectonic system that can produce a much larger quake than the slip fault system we have in CA.  I think we top out at 7ish while they can exceed a 9.

[fsujax]

We have quakes all the time here in Alaska. In the past two weeks we have had 5.3 and 4.6.....last October we had a 6.2....and of course the largest one ever recorded in North America a 9.2 occurred here in 1964. Most Alaskans don't even bat an eye at anything under a 6. Building codes are quite good here for a reason the ground is constantly moving....haha

[AngryChicken]

You all just wax on about the greatness of compact high density cities and public transportation without thinking for even a single second that the majority of people that live here might actually like this lifestyle better.  We want big houses, big yards and we enjoy driving our big cars. And that living in a hyper dense city on top of each other, with no elbow room and sharing space with the rest of humanity would make us miserable.

This is a city that is built on a huge landmass. There is a zero percent chance that this city will transform into a highly dense primarily pedestrian and public transit city that appeals to the tiny minority urban hipster demographic. 

[thelakelander]

Hi AngryChicken, welcome to the forum. I don't think anyone expects a small city like Jax to become some sort of first tier urban mecca. However, there is more than enough space for all of us in our city's 757 square miles. A vibrant 30 square mile historic core in the heart of a 757 square mile city isn't going to eliminate your options to live in a big house with a big yard. It's also not an attempt to stop you from driving your SUV. Why the hostility? Do you prefer what the core of our city looks like today over it being vibrant and generating many times as much tax revenue as it does currently?

[AngryChicken]

My disagreeableness is part of my enduring charm.

What annoys me about most of the articles on this website is that they are written in a voice that assumes that high density urban living is the preferred choice of all and the defacto standard for high quality living with a dusting of "well they just don't get it do they?"

No we get it. Some of us have lived in "first tier" urban meccas, elbow to elbow on the train multiple times a day, shlepping our groceries from the tiny, shitty urban grocery stores on foot. And we decided that type of environment was no way to live.  I feel like most of the people that post on this forum in support of that lifestyle have never had to commute on the subway for years touching hundreds of strangers, catching more colds and flus than you can count, enduring the hot Summer stench underground at the platform. Spending multiple thousands of dollars a month for 650sq/ft apartment with people living on every side of you - up down, left, right, below.

To move to this city - a drive my clean, quiet, air-conditioned car that doesn't smell like rodent feces and garbage to the most beautiful sight I've ever seen - a suburban Publix grocery store.

Some of us love and appreciate this lifestyle because we've lived high-density urban for years and it sucked.

Hi AngryChicken, welcome to the forum. I don't think anyone expects a small city like Jax to become some sort of first tier urban mecca. However, there is more than enough space for all of us in our city's 757 square miles. A vibrant 30 square mile historic core in the heart of a 757 square mile city isn't going to eliminate your options to live in a big house with a big yard. It's also not an attempt to stop you from driving your SUV. Why the hostility? Do you prefer what the core of our city looks like today over it being vibrant and generating many times as much tax revenue as it does currently?

[ProjectMaximus]

You all just wax on about the greatness of compact high density cities and public transportation without thinking for even a single second that the majority of people that live here might actually like this lifestyle better.  We want big houses, big yards and we enjoy driving our big cars. And that living in a hyper dense city on top of each other, with no elbow room and sharing space with the rest of humanity would make us miserable.

This is a city that is built on a huge landmass. There is a zero percent chance that this city will transform into a highly dense primarily pedestrian and public transit city that appeals to the tiny minority urban hipster demographic.

Your chosen lifestyle is in danger. If Jax doesn't fix its lack of urbanity in the core, then you will no longer be able to live your suburban, big house, big yard, big cars lifestyle in a decade or two. It's quite simple. I'd think that if you really do care about it as you say, you would push to have a more sustainable metro area that can actually generate the taxes necessary to support all kinds of living.

fyi, there are plenty of non-hipsters who prefer urban living. And another fyi, it's not just about urban living...sustainable suburban living would be great too.

[ProjectMaximus]

My disagreeableness is part of my enduring charm.

What annoys me about most of the articles on this website is that they are written in a voice that assumes that high density urban living is the preferred choice of all and the defacto standard for high quality living with a dusting of "well they just don't get it do they?"

No we get it. Some of us have lived in "first tier" urban meccas, elbow to elbow on the train multiple times a day, shlepping our groceries from the tiny, shitty urban grocery stores on foot. And we decided that type of environment was no way to live.  I feel like most of the people that post on this forum in support of that lifestyle have never had to commute on the subway for years touching hundreds of strangers, catching more colds and flus than you can count, enduring the hot Summer stench underground at the platform. Spending multiple thousands of dollars a month for 650sq/ft apartment with people living on every side of you - up down, left, right, below.

To move to this city - a drive my clean, quiet, air-conditioned car that doesn't smell like rodent feces and garbage to the most beautiful sight I've ever seen - a suburban Publix grocery store.

Some of us love and appreciate this lifestyle because we've lived high-density urban for years and it sucked.

You disregarded Lake's point...which is one he makes very often so he really has remained consistent throughout. That is, no one is trying to remove your lifestyle, but rather create more options for everyone. Kinda like saying there's no good Italian food in Jax so let's try to focus on that. You don't need to get alarmed like we're concurrently attempting to ban all Sushi restaurants.

[fsujax]

I think one of the perks of Jacksonville, is you can have the best of both worlds and chose to live urban or suburban, if only the downtown offered a real urban living experience. I think that is what most people are trying to get at here....our suburbs are fine, but we need to build up the downtown.

[Ocklawaha]

A Floridian like salute to the Left Coast from 1969.

https://youtu.be/j2ZXco32IRU
Song

http://www.lyricsmode.com/lyrics/s/shango/day_after_day_its_slippin_away.html
Lyrics

Song by Shango:

Day after day, more people come to L... A...
Don't you tell anybody, the whole place's slipping away
Where can we go, when there's no San Francisco?
Better get ready to tie up the boat in Idaho

Do you know the swim, you better learn quick Jim
Those who don't know the swim, better sing the hymn

Tuna at the bowl
Find fillet of much sole!
Ooooo what can you do
With a bushel of wet gold?

Day after day, more people come to L... A.
Don't you tell anybody, the whole place's shaking away
Where can we go, when there's no San Francisco?
Better get ready to tie up the boat in Idaho

Where can we go, when there's no San Diego
Better get ready to tie up the boat in Idaho
Do you know the swim, you better learn quick Jim
Those who don't know the swim, better sing the hymn

Tuna at the bowl
Find fillet of much sole!
Ooooo what can you do
With a bushel of wet gold?

Day after day, more people come to L. A.
Don't you tell anybody, the whole place's shaking away
Where can we go, when there's no San Francisco?
Better get ready to tie up the boat in Idaho

Better get ready to tie up the boat in Idaho
Better get ready to tie up the boat in Idaho
Better get ready to tie up the boat in Idaho
Better get ready to tie up the boat in Idaho
Better get ready to tie up the boat in Idaho