2006 - 2026: What are the most surprising changes to happen in major cities?

[duckhunter]

Hyderabad, India

From having ZERO buildings taller than 100m in 2006 to now becoming the city with the second-highest number of skyscrapers under-construction in the world in 2026!
The city has had a massive construction boom since 2017. Large amounts of foreign investment, huge population growth fuelled by foreign companies setting up GCCs in the city.

As of today, Hyderabad has
— 51 completed/topped-out skyscrapers (150m+)
— Around 210 under-construction skyscrapers with actual work ongoing
— Another ~40 that have been approved but construction work is yet to start

By 2032, Hyderabad will be among the Top 8 cities in the world with the most skyscrapers.

Most of these skyscrapers are residential with a few office buildings. The city could certainly do with a few iconic designs to make the skyline more aesthetic. Nevertheless, nobody in 2006 would’ve predicted that this is what Hyderabad would look like.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by Bailey

Looks like you've deleted that post but I read it and as a native Houstonian, I agree. Not sure how this city ever puts itself back together

Bro came in a bit hot ranting about Hispanics but as far as his general assessment about Houston, I agree as well unfortunately. Anyone who's been here long enough has noticed the rot set in which overshadows much of the huge improvements that have been made here; transit, development, density, etc.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by JManc

Bro came in a bit hot ranting about Hispanics but as far as his general assessment about Houston, I agree as well unfortunately. Anyone who's been here long enough has noticed the rot set in which overshadows much of the huge improvements that have been made here; transit, development, density, etc.

Well, now those of us who did not read the deleted thread would like to know the gist of it.

[Bailey]

Originally Posted by JManc

Bro came in a bit hot ranting about Hispanics but as far as his general assessment about Houston, I agree as well unfortunately. Anyone who's been here long enough has noticed the rot set in which overshadows much of the huge improvements that have been made here; transit, development, density, etc.

I wonder why the mods deleted it- some of the same things, in this thread, were mentioned about London yet those posts remain.

Houston just might be going through its 'Ellis Island' phase where Spanish is the modern German/ Italian/ Yiddish but unfortunately, it means the divide between the rich and poor will grow wider.

Really unfortunate, because Houston used to be known for having a huge diverse, multicultural, collaborative middle class but that is gone.

Now, you're either rich or poor which I guess was the design all along

[mousquet]

Originally Posted by New Brisavoine

2006 Paris and 2026 Paris is a bit like comparing San Diego and Tijuana...

Have you ever heard that French saying? On lave son linge sale en famille (you should refrain from airing your dirty laundry in public).
You've been bashing our city before everybody on here. Some people may read your stupidity and say - hell no, I won't visit Paris after all.
Like those far-right morons posting Barbès on Youtube and saying - This is France today! While it's only a couple of blocks within Central Paris that's much larger and diverse (not to mention entire France).

You're really the kind of guy that can't deal with any of their frustration. Do you know that psychiatrists would take it as mental illness?
Frustration is an everyday thing. Everybody has to face it peacefully. So please, get over yourself.
Besides, there is dirtiness in every large city. That is life.

[iheartthed]

Originally Posted by duckhunter

Hyderabad, India

From having ZERO buildings taller than 100m in 2006 to now becoming the city with the second-highest number of skyscrapers under-construction in the world in 2026!
The city has had a massive construction boom since 2017. Large amounts of foreign investment, huge population growth fuelled by foreign companies setting up GCCs in the city.

As of today, Hyderabad has
— 51 completed/topped-out skyscrapers (150m+)
— Around 210 under-construction skyscrapers with actual work ongoing
— Another ~40 that have been approved but construction work is yet to start

By 2032, Hyderabad will be among the Top 8 cities in the world with the most skyscrapers.

Most of these skyscrapers are residential with a few office buildings. The city could certainly do with a few iconic designs to make the skyline more aesthetic. Nevertheless, nobody in 2006 would’ve predicted that this is what Hyderabad would look like.

Hyderabad has apparently almost tripled in population from about 3.6m in 2001 to an estimated 12m today. It must be one of the fastest growing cities of the 21st century.

I used to work a lot with people based in Hyderabad. It's like the Texas of India. Nobody was actually from there. Everybody moved there for work in the 2010s.

[DCReid]

Originally Posted by Bailey

I wonder why the mods deleted it- some of the same things, in this thread, were mentioned about London yet those posts remain.

Houston just might be going through its 'Ellis Island' phase where Spanish is the modern German/ Italian/ Yiddish but unfortunately, it means the divide between the rich and poor will grow wider.

Really unfortunate, because Houston used to be known for having a huge diverse, multicultural, collaborative middle class but that is gone.

Now, you're either rich or poor which I guess was the design all along

Is this because the middle class has migrated to the suburbs and far edges of Harris County? From looking at raw numbers, I would guess that Houston is now experiencing what Dallas has been going through for much longer, with vast majority of the growth in middle class and businesses now in the suburbs, with new exurbs spring up yearly. But at least it seems that Houston is still getting extensive infill, especially with high rise towers and the downtown seems to be doing okay. I don't see as much in Dallas, although I read that the uptown area is doing very well. But it seems like the vast majority of DFW growth has been in suburbs further and further out.

[Bailey]

Originally Posted by DCReid

Is this because the middle class has migrated to the suburbs and far edges of Harris County? From looking at raw numbers, I would guess that Houston is now experiencing what Dallas has been going through for much longer, with vast majority of the growth in middle class and businesses now in the suburbs, with new exurbs spring up yearly. But at least it seems that Houston is still getting extensive infill, especially with high rise towers and the downtown seems to be doing okay. I don't see as much in Dallas, although I read that the uptown area is doing very well. But it seems like the vast majority of DFW growth has been in suburbs further and further out.

No, it's the complete metro area.

The mall curfew orders that were posted are in the Suburban malls of Memorial City and Willowbrook.

I'm sure it's better in the exurbs of places like the Woodlands and Katy but even many of those have pockets that have deteriorated. Anyone live out there?

[JManc]

Originally Posted by craigs

Well, now those of us who did not read the deleted thread would like to know the gist of it.

His post was critique of Houston and why it's gotten so bad and insinuated that it's because of Spanish speaking immigrants. Not sure I would delete the post but Steely runs a pretty tight ship here though.

Houston has gotten pretty bad all across the board except in wealthier areas and far flung upper middle class areas (such as mine) but it's due to incompetence at the local and state levels. I'm just glad I got to enjoy Houston when I was in my 20's in the 90's and 2000's.

[Steely Dan]

^ casual racism is always gonna get deleted.

And when that's some useless asswipe's very first post here, that's an automatic insta-ban.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by JManc

His post was critique of Houston and why it's gotten so bad and insinuated that it's because of Spanish speaking immigrants. Not sure I would delete the post but Steely runs a pretty tight ship here though.

Houston has gotten pretty bad all across the board except in wealthier areas and far flung upper middle class areas (such as mine) but it's due to incompetence at the local and state levels. I'm just glad I got to enjoy Houston when I was in my 20's in the 90's and 2000's.

I haven't been back to Houston since 1998, when it was certainly a lot of fun and, at least to me, seemed safe enough. What really happened?

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ casual racism is always gonna get deleted.

And when that's some useless asswipe's very first post here, that's an automatic insta-ban.

Agreed.

[MonkeyRonin]

Originally Posted by niwell

I agree with the rest of your list but there's actually been a bit of a resurgence in small venues as of late. The difference is that despite the internet it paradoxically seems harder to find out when/where things are happening. Back in 2006 you grabbed a NOW magazine (weekly alt paper) and had all the listings.

Indeed. Just got back from a week in Toronto, and attended a few events for the Departure festival & just from looking at concert listings I was surprised at how many new venues & clubs of all sizes there are, and it sounds like there are a bunch of new ones opening. And certain areas (like Queen & Bathurst) that felt dead at night a few years ago were once again hopping with life. Not all necessarily my scene, but it's good to see that the much-touted death of nightlife may have been premature.

Things may not be what they were like 10-20 years ago (not that there's any way of proving it either way really), but aside from the many very real challenges facing the nightlife industry I think there may also just be some confirmation bias happening here: we're all getting older, and a bunch of aging Millennial & Gen X dudes on the internet probably aren't the best authority on what's going on after we're in bed. The stuff that we like may be on the wane, but the youngsters have got their own stuff going on.

[craigs]

Originally Posted by MonkeyRonin

Things may not be what they were like 10-20 years ago (not that there's any way of proving it either way really)

Sure, there is. I can't speak to the situation in Vancouver or Toronto, but here in Los Angeles, many diners, most supermarkets, and all of the hardware stores that used to stay open 24-7 now close overnight.

but aside from the many very real challenges facing the nightlife industry I think there may also just be some confirmation bias happening here: we're all getting older, and a bunch of aging Millennial & Gen X dudes on the internet probably aren't the best authority on what's going on after we're in bed. The stuff that we like may be on the wane, but the youngsters have got their own stuff going on.

Clubs and bars are merely one aspect of nightlife.

[JManc]

Originally Posted by craigs

I haven't been back to Houston since 1998, when it was certainly a lot of fun and, at least to me, seemed safe enough. What really happened?

It's either gotten much richer or much poorer; very little middle ground gained unless you're in the suburbs so what was kinda sketchy but relatively safe 30 years ago is genuinely pretty sketchy now. I've heard people complain about this when I lived in the Bay Area so hardly a phenomenon unique to Houston.

Originally Posted by Steely Dan

^ casual racism is always gonna get deleted.

And when that's some useless asswipe's very first post here, that's an automatic insta-ban.

That's why you're the best mod for this section.

[Crawford]

Houston is weird. It's super gritty/ghetto and you basically can't hide from it, but at the same time booming, huge wealth, and growth everywhere. Also doesn't feel like TX.

[Bailey]

Originally Posted by Crawford

Houston is weird. It's super gritty/ghetto and you basically can't hide from it, but at the same time booming, huge wealth, and growth everywhere. Also doesn't feel like TX.

So, exactly like New York City at the turn of the Century?

[Crawford]

I don't think there are obvious historic comparisons. Houston is weird in that it's clearly booming Sunbelt, but Sunbelt cities are characterized by order, cleanliness, quiet, and Houston is more like if Charlotte and NOLA had a baby on a meth rager.

Even in River Oaks, you can't escape the backfiring engines, the weird billboards, the odd lack of basic infrastructure, etc. But it works, somehow.

[JManc]

There are two Houstons. The booming one with a lot of wealth and development and one that is a borderline third world city with rampant poverty, chickens in the road and barely functioning infrastructure but they aren't geographically isolated. I'm in a pretty nice upper middle class suburb but barely a mile north of us and it's straight out of Deliverance.

[chris08876]

Houston is rezoning and development but if a manic meth head was driving the development bus. There is growth... but no order! Urban planning funny house.

I'd like to see Atlanta boom more. Low key underrated city. I loved it when I visited.

[DCReid]

Originally Posted by JManc

There are two Houstons. The booming one with a lot of wealth and development and one that is a borderline third world city with rampant poverty, chickens in the road and barely functioning infrastructure but they aren't geographically isolated. I'm in a pretty nice upper middle class suburb but barely a mile north of us and it's straight out of Deliverance.

Seems like that has always been Houston, but I've never lived there and haven't visited in over 25 years. There were complaints about Houston in the 80 oil boom years about tacky billboards, unorganized growth, oppressive weather, terrible traffic, and all kinds of bugs. Then it collapsed and they showed whole neighborhoods with empty houses. The general thought was that perhaps it had grown up too fast and lacked basic infrastructure needs of a city that had managed its growth over decades. It's surprising to hear about Houston being just as bad, if not worse, after all of these years. I would have thought it would have gotten its act together....I am not sure any of the big metros (top 10) have really improved in livability over the last 20 or so years. It seems like the smaller ones that have grown steadily, like the KC and Indy, have done better.