Metro Jacksonville

Urban Thinking => Analysis => Topic started by: Metro Jacksonville on March 17, 2009, 05:00:00 AM

Title: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: Metro Jacksonville on March 17, 2009, 05:00:00 AM
Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV

(http://photos.metrojacksonville.com/photos/484860659_BUKh5-M.jpg)

Metro Jacksonville takes a look at the downtown core of West Virginia's Capitol city: Charleston.

Full Article
http://www.metrojacksonville.com/content/view/1030
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: Jason on March 17, 2009, 09:08:21 AM
No photo of the capitol building?  :)

One on the most beautiful capitol buildings in the country, IMO.

(http://www.wvculture.org/images/070506capitol_006.jpg)

More info: http://www.wvculture.org/agency/capitol.html
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: JaguarReign on March 17, 2009, 11:03:12 AM
In a way it kinda looks like a small version of our downtown in Jacksonville.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: Deuce on March 17, 2009, 11:07:58 AM
They've got a Macy's and we don't!  ???
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: ralpho37 on March 17, 2009, 12:36:02 PM
Yes they do have a Macy's.  As a matter of fact, the Huntington Mall (which is down I-64 in Barboursville) also has a Macy's.  Just goes to show how Jacksonville continues to be neglected by many of the nations high-end retail and restaurant corporations.

Downtown Charleston is a very nice place to visit.  I have family in the area and I know firsthand that the Charleston Town Center is a regional attraction as far as retail goes.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: urbanlibertarian on March 17, 2009, 12:59:15 PM
I'm here in Charleston now.  Been staying downtown on business for the past 12 days.  Weather's been kinda crappy but they have very few homeless.  Good reuse of old buildings.  Having a thriving mall downtown seems WEIRD after growing up in Jax.  Downtown is fairly busy after 5pm considering there don't appear to be many people living downtown.  I guess this town just didn't spread out into suburbs like most of America did.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: Jason on March 17, 2009, 01:07:26 PM
They really don't have much easily developable land to spread too.  They're much more "landlocked" than the flat prairie of Florida.

Also, the elevated highway that looks down into Charelston is amazing.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: Ocklawaha on March 17, 2009, 01:18:38 PM
What a novel idea... A town center in a town center! Who would have thunk it? Oh the humanity!

OCKLAWAHA
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: thelakelander on March 17, 2009, 02:21:56 PM
Yeah, Charleston is boxed in by mountains.  However, there is a good amount of sprawl heading west towards Hurricane, WV.

Jason, I realized I forgot to take a picture of the Capitol, when I downloaded the images on my computer.  I'm going to have to explore that area again during my next roadtrip to Detroit this summer.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: heights unknown on March 17, 2009, 08:41:33 PM
Beautiful City, nice and clean looking, but where are the people?  This must have been taken on a Sunday?  Wouldn't mind visiting such a pristine looking place; looks like it's out of an imaginary storybook.

Heights Unknown
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: thelakelander on March 17, 2009, 09:31:46 PM
The images were taken on a Saturday around 1pm.  When I take I-77 to Detroit, I typically spend the night in Charlotte and stop in Charleston for lunch and gas.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: Jason on March 18, 2009, 12:33:52 PM
I-77 is the elevated highway that looks down into the city right?
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: thelakelander on March 18, 2009, 01:03:20 PM
Yes, that's I-77/64.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: Ocklawaha on March 19, 2009, 11:22:57 PM
WHAT? No train station photo? Darn...

OCKLAWAHA
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: ProjectMaximus on March 20, 2009, 01:33:28 AM
Add George Crumb (Putlitzer prize and Grammy award winning composer) to the list of Charleston natives...my friend just did a presentation in class and mentioned this fact.
Title: Re: Elements of Urbanism: Charleston, WV
Post by: cayohueso on March 22, 2009, 11:37:42 PM
I do business up the road in Clarksburg quite a bit. People would be surprised at just how nice WV really is.