Quote:
Originally Posted by urbanpln
Before this discussion gets too far off point here's my little perspective. It's not easy to create an image for a city without a real focus on what you want to become, especially if it has not been created historically or made over several decades using your existing assets. We can use New Orleans and Atlanta as two examples that fit my perspective. New Orleans has been shaped historically and Atlanta's new image has been created more recently or over the past 30 years.
New Orlean's unique culture was shaped over several centuries due to its location and colonial history. Atlanta, which also had a rich history has recreated itself as a slick metropolis and views itself as a black mecca/Hollywood. Atlanta has taken advantage of the attraction to their historically black universities (HBCUs) and turned it into gold. It's now a mecca for black gays and is the current center of the universe of the R&B and Hip Hop industry. This has led to many entertainers moving there. Elton John was one of the first megastars to reside there.
Atlanta leaders worked hard to shake their southern racist past to become one of the most tolerant cities in the nation. The city continues to attract and grow at a rapid rate due to this new image. The city still has major problems but it has benefited greatly from its new image.
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I think with the OPC, increased development in Bronzeville/Woodlawn, Bronzeville possibly getting National Register of Historical Places designation, black owned businesses like Bronzeville Winery and Turner Haus Brewery, etc. popping up, the South Lakefront would be a great place to focus on changing the city's image.