what youre think are the future of tokyo ! i say in 50 -70 years !I think Tokyo will have over 50 million inhabitans including chiba and sooo !
Tokyo will build a supertall skyscraper with over 4000 m !
And its the rival city with Shanghai! what you think about it!??
PS: please look at my other thread of th future of LA !>
Wednesday, April 25, 2007
poor and rich districts (your city)
what are the poor and what are the rich disricts in your city ?
in my city (berlin) the rich are ..... parts of zehlendorf, dahlem ,frohnau, karlshorst
the poor are Schönberg- north ,Moabit, wedding north- neukölln,Gropiusstadt ,Kreuzburg,Hohenschönhausen ,marzahn north
,and parts of Hellersdorf and Lichtenberg (esp. the newer parts)
whats is with your city districts please make list in the same style ..>
in my city (berlin) the rich are ..... parts of zehlendorf, dahlem ,frohnau, karlshorst
the poor are Schönberg- north ,Moabit, wedding north- neukölln,Gropiusstadt ,Kreuzburg,Hohenschönhausen ,marzahn north
,and parts of Hellersdorf and Lichtenberg (esp. the newer parts) whats is with your city districts please make list in the same style ..>
Milan's Controversial Downtown Development Plan
This is a bit old but has anything changed since this 2004 article was first published?
Milan's controversial downtown development plan
By Christian Plumb
MILAN, Aug 5, 2004 (Reuters) - For a city whose last skyscraper was completed over 40 years ago and whose most beloved buildings are a gothic cathedral and a 19th century shopping arcade, the plan is nothing short of revolutionary.
A team of star architects led by Daniel Libeskind, backed by some of Italy's top insurers, has won the rights to build three skyscrapers including what would be Milan's tallest building and an exotic, sail-shaped tower, on a 15-block plot near the city centre.
The high-rise offices, to share the site with a new park and apartments for 5,000 people, will pierce a staid skyline long dominated by the early 1960s modernist Pirelli tower which a private plane rammed into seven months after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.
"It's really an unprecedented project," Libeskind, who designed the "Freedom Tower" which will replace the destroyed World Trade Center, told Reuters.
"It's really how to create a spectacular new sort of 21st city, but a city which is connected with the traditions of the great architecture of Milan."
The plan has inflamed passions in a city usually more preoccupied with traffic and the cost of a cup of espresso. A local newspaper's web forum on the development has logged 652 messages, more than double the comments on marijuana in schools and other hot topics.
"Milan shouldn't be afraid of changing or of its future," wrote one excited resident. "Milan has a great chance to stay in the avant-garde from an architectural and urbanistic point of view and can't let it escape!"
Dissenters, including some prominent local architects, are just as adamant that the buildings are monstrosities and that aesthetics are taking a back seat to economics.
"CITIES WITHIN A CITY"
"They are a series of strange objects placed inside the city but with absolutely no effort to integrate with its surroundings or to build a reasonable urban environment," said Milan architect Vittorio Gregotti, who designed a similarly-sized redevelopment of an area occupied by an old Pirelli factory.
Zaha Hadid, the prize-winning Baghdad-born architect who also worked on the project, said the criticism amounted to ill-concealed envy.
"I'm sure there are some Italian architects who would like to be in on it," she said.
The development, to be spread over the next 10 years, would replace two thirds of a sprawling convention centre used during Milan's fashion week. A new larger "Fiera" going up on Milan's outskirts will house the centre from 2005.
The project is one of several which advocates say could put Italy's business capital back on the architectural map.
"Milan is living through an unprecedented urban transformation," said Mayor Gabriele Albertini at the signing ceremony.
"Quality is the common denominator for all the projects underway - more green, more beauty, more functionality, more international prestige."
Other Milanese construction projects which have been approved include a long-delayed "fashion city" designed by U.S.-based Cesar Pelli, and British architect Norman Foster's blueprint for the redevelopment of a former industrial complex between the city centre and its closest airport.
"PUBLICITY VALUE"
In the case of the Fiera redevelopment, sceptics question whether the bold project unveiled last month will really see the light of day.
"The skyscrapers cannot be built the way they are," said Antonio Monestiroli, head of the architecture department at Milan's Politecnico University, adding that the developers focused on the "publicity value" of the unusual shapes.
"They will almost certainly change the project from what they have presented in the models, and that is another negative," said Monestiroli, adding that the architects had "put together a bunch of buildings they designed for other sites".
The consortium backing the development is led by insurers Generali and RAS. They expect to spend about 1.5 billion euros, including 523 million for the land and the rights to develop it.
Particularly remarkable, Libeskind said, is the amount of land devoted to park space - over 70 percent of the area - "a space that would really be a kind of lung for Milan, which is such a dense city with not much green space".>
Milan's controversial downtown development plan
By Christian Plumb
MILAN, Aug 5, 2004 (Reuters) - For a city whose last skyscraper was completed over 40 years ago and whose most beloved buildings are a gothic cathedral and a 19th century shopping arcade, the plan is nothing short of revolutionary.
A team of star architects led by Daniel Libeskind, backed by some of Italy's top insurers, has won the rights to build three skyscrapers including what would be Milan's tallest building and an exotic, sail-shaped tower, on a 15-block plot near the city centre.
The high-rise offices, to share the site with a new park and apartments for 5,000 people, will pierce a staid skyline long dominated by the early 1960s modernist Pirelli tower which a private plane rammed into seven months after the September 11, 2001 attacks on the World Trade Center.
"It's really an unprecedented project," Libeskind, who designed the "Freedom Tower" which will replace the destroyed World Trade Center, told Reuters.
"It's really how to create a spectacular new sort of 21st city, but a city which is connected with the traditions of the great architecture of Milan."
The plan has inflamed passions in a city usually more preoccupied with traffic and the cost of a cup of espresso. A local newspaper's web forum on the development has logged 652 messages, more than double the comments on marijuana in schools and other hot topics.
"Milan shouldn't be afraid of changing or of its future," wrote one excited resident. "Milan has a great chance to stay in the avant-garde from an architectural and urbanistic point of view and can't let it escape!"
Dissenters, including some prominent local architects, are just as adamant that the buildings are monstrosities and that aesthetics are taking a back seat to economics.
"CITIES WITHIN A CITY"
"They are a series of strange objects placed inside the city but with absolutely no effort to integrate with its surroundings or to build a reasonable urban environment," said Milan architect Vittorio Gregotti, who designed a similarly-sized redevelopment of an area occupied by an old Pirelli factory.
Zaha Hadid, the prize-winning Baghdad-born architect who also worked on the project, said the criticism amounted to ill-concealed envy.
"I'm sure there are some Italian architects who would like to be in on it," she said.
The development, to be spread over the next 10 years, would replace two thirds of a sprawling convention centre used during Milan's fashion week. A new larger "Fiera" going up on Milan's outskirts will house the centre from 2005.
The project is one of several which advocates say could put Italy's business capital back on the architectural map.
"Milan is living through an unprecedented urban transformation," said Mayor Gabriele Albertini at the signing ceremony.
"Quality is the common denominator for all the projects underway - more green, more beauty, more functionality, more international prestige."
Other Milanese construction projects which have been approved include a long-delayed "fashion city" designed by U.S.-based Cesar Pelli, and British architect Norman Foster's blueprint for the redevelopment of a former industrial complex between the city centre and its closest airport.
"PUBLICITY VALUE"
In the case of the Fiera redevelopment, sceptics question whether the bold project unveiled last month will really see the light of day.
"The skyscrapers cannot be built the way they are," said Antonio Monestiroli, head of the architecture department at Milan's Politecnico University, adding that the developers focused on the "publicity value" of the unusual shapes.
"They will almost certainly change the project from what they have presented in the models, and that is another negative," said Monestiroli, adding that the architects had "put together a bunch of buildings they designed for other sites".
The consortium backing the development is led by insurers Generali and RAS. They expect to spend about 1.5 billion euros, including 523 million for the land and the rights to develop it.
Particularly remarkable, Libeskind said, is the amount of land devoted to park space - over 70 percent of the area - "a space that would really be a kind of lung for Milan, which is such a dense city with not much green space".>
what will be the future of LA ?!
wat youre thinking f the future of LA , i will say in 50-70 years ! how will LA look at this time !???
I think it merged with LAS vegas and san diego metro and will have around 39 million inhabitans ! Beverly hills and bel air willl no more the richest districts of greater Los Angeles , because there are huge Gated Communities in the Bakersield area ! Santa Monica will have an Subway line to lA 
and there are 6 subways and 10 commuter train lines in and around LA ! 1 commuter line will catch San Diego and one will cach las vegas !
Los Angeles has biuld new Airport in the valley of bakersfield the LA Metro international airport , the old LAX is only for regional flights , and the new is two times bigger then the old , one of the commuter catch them ! thats my vision of lA in 50-70 years !? whats your vision ?>
I think it merged with LAS vegas and san diego metro and will have around 39 million inhabitans
! Beverly hills and bel air willl no more the richest districts of greater Los Angeles , because there are huge Gated Communities in the Bakersield area ! Santa Monica will have an Subway line to lA and there are 6 subways and 10 commuter train lines in and around LA ! 1 commuter line will catch San Diego and one will cach las vegas !Los Angeles has biuld new Airport in the valley of bakersfield the LA Metro international airport , the old LAX is only for regional flights , and the new is two times bigger then the old , one of the commuter catch them ! thats my vision of lA in 50-70 years !? whats your vision ?>
World's most expensive office locations
Hong Kong storms into the world's top three most expensive locations
Published date: 5 January 2006
Hong Kong has soared up the global office occupancy costs league table and entered the top three most expensive office locations in the world, reveals global property adviser DTZ.
DTZÂ's ninth annual Global Office Occupancy Costs survey, published today, is a guide to accommodation costs in major prime office locations covering 117 business districts in 46 countries worldwide. Ranking for the 2006 survey is focused on a per workstation basis to better reflect the costs of accommodation. For comparative purposes all total office occupancy costs are displayed in US dollars.
London (West End) maintained its pole position in the global ranking for the sixth consecutive year with occupancy costs of US$18,740 per workstation pa. Actual office occupancy costs have risen by 5.6% however, due to exchange rate differences between the US dollar and pounds sterling, this report shows a slight drop of 3% year on year 2005/06.
Washington DC climbed two spaces to become the second most expensive location with occupancy costs of US$15,370.
The most notable finding was the emergence of Hong Kong, which posted its largest increase over the past decade, 61% to US$15,000 per workstation pa and climbed an impressive 13 places to become the worldÂ's third most expensive location. This increase has been driven by the positive take-up and business sentiment, especially by investment banks, with a greater willingness to pay for better quality offices. However, the fundamental reason for Hong Kong's surge up the table is due to the lack of available new Grade A office buildings coming onto the market.
Top ten most expensive office locations by occupancy costs in the 2006 survey:
1. London (West End)
2. Washington DC
3. Hong Kong
4. Paris
5. London (City)
6. Frankfurt
7. New York (Midtown)
8. Dublin
9. Tokyo (Central)
10. Luxembourg
India has one of the fastest growing economies in the world and a rapidly expanding real estate market, which is fuelling a surge in office occupancy costs across the country. The continued demand for space from the IT/IT-enabled services and business process outsourcing sectors is the main driver behind the growth in costs. The main beneficiary is Bangalore, which is fast becoming an established destination with large occupiers seeking consolidation and large built-to-suit facilities. However the largest increases in the 2006 survey have been recorded at Mumbai and New Delhi, which saw year on year growth of 27% and 29% respectively and now rank 20th and 43rd in the global league table.
Dubai also saw the second biggest increase in occupancy costs – up 50% to US$7,180 triggering a rise of 38 places to claim the 37th position and surpassing Riyadh to claim the third most expensive region in the Middle East, behind Doha and Kuwait City (included for the first time this year). This is a trend that DTZ Research anticipates to continue throughout 2006 due to undersupply despite the brisk development underway.
In Western Europe, London (West End), Paris and London (City) remained the top three expensive locations in Europe for the second year running, however all three locations experienced a decline in costs. This is a trend mirrored across the most of Western Europe primarily due to the depreciation of the Euro in comparison to the US dollar.
A similar picture can be seen across Central & Eastern Europe, which remained relatively flat in comparison to the findings from the 2005 survey. Marginal increases were only posted in Budapest and Kiev (13% and 15% respectively) as a result of steadily increasing demand combined with the continued deficit of high quality space in each market.
Joe Valente, Head of DTZ Research, comments: "One of the most notable themes arising from this year's survey is the growing evidence of a recovery of the major leasing markets throughout the world. The outlook for global office leasing markets is positive with the recovery gaining momentum in part because of the rise in demand from key sectors as well as the lack of supply of good quality stock. However, it is likely that the current rental cycle will peak in 2008/2009."
source: DTZ Holdings plc
http://www.dtz.com/portal/site/Globa...000e01a8c0RCRD>
Published date: 5 January 2006
Hong Kong has soared up the global office occupancy costs league table and entered the top three most expensive office locations in the world, reveals global property adviser DTZ.
DTZÂ's ninth annual Global Office Occupancy Costs survey, published today, is a guide to accommodation costs in major prime office locations covering 117 business districts in 46 countries worldwide. Ranking for the 2006 survey is focused on a per workstation basis to better reflect the costs of accommodation. For comparative purposes all total office occupancy costs are displayed in US dollars.
London (West End) maintained its pole position in the global ranking for the sixth consecutive year with occupancy costs of US$18,740 per workstation pa. Actual office occupancy costs have risen by 5.6% however, due to exchange rate differences between the US dollar and pounds sterling, this report shows a slight drop of 3% year on year 2005/06.
Washington DC climbed two spaces to become the second most expensive location with occupancy costs of US$15,370.
The most notable finding was the emergence of Hong Kong, which posted its largest increase over the past decade, 61% to US$15,000 per workstation pa and climbed an impressive 13 places to become the worldÂ's third most expensive location. This increase has been driven by the positive take-up and business sentiment, especially by investment banks, with a greater willingness to pay for better quality offices. However, the fundamental reason for Hong Kong's surge up the table is due to the lack of available new Grade A office buildings coming onto the market.
Top ten most expensive office locations by occupancy costs in the 2006 survey:
1. London (West End)
2. Washington DC
3. Hong Kong
4. Paris
5. London (City)
6. Frankfurt
7. New York (Midtown)
8. Dublin
9. Tokyo (Central)
10. Luxembourg
India has one of the fastest growing economies in the world and a rapidly expanding real estate market, which is fuelling a surge in office occupancy costs across the country. The continued demand for space from the IT/IT-enabled services and business process outsourcing sectors is the main driver behind the growth in costs. The main beneficiary is Bangalore, which is fast becoming an established destination with large occupiers seeking consolidation and large built-to-suit facilities. However the largest increases in the 2006 survey have been recorded at Mumbai and New Delhi, which saw year on year growth of 27% and 29% respectively and now rank 20th and 43rd in the global league table.
Dubai also saw the second biggest increase in occupancy costs – up 50% to US$7,180 triggering a rise of 38 places to claim the 37th position and surpassing Riyadh to claim the third most expensive region in the Middle East, behind Doha and Kuwait City (included for the first time this year). This is a trend that DTZ Research anticipates to continue throughout 2006 due to undersupply despite the brisk development underway.
In Western Europe, London (West End), Paris and London (City) remained the top three expensive locations in Europe for the second year running, however all three locations experienced a decline in costs. This is a trend mirrored across the most of Western Europe primarily due to the depreciation of the Euro in comparison to the US dollar.
A similar picture can be seen across Central & Eastern Europe, which remained relatively flat in comparison to the findings from the 2005 survey. Marginal increases were only posted in Budapest and Kiev (13% and 15% respectively) as a result of steadily increasing demand combined with the continued deficit of high quality space in each market.
Joe Valente, Head of DTZ Research, comments: "One of the most notable themes arising from this year's survey is the growing evidence of a recovery of the major leasing markets throughout the world. The outlook for global office leasing markets is positive with the recovery gaining momentum in part because of the rise in demand from key sectors as well as the lack of supply of good quality stock. However, it is likely that the current rental cycle will peak in 2008/2009."
source: DTZ Holdings plc
http://www.dtz.com/portal/site/Globa...000e01a8c0RCRD>
World's most expensive office locations
Hong Kong storms into the world's top three most expensive locations
Published date: 5 January 2006
Hong Kong has soared up the global office occupancy costs league table and entered the top three most expensive office locations in the world, reveals global property adviser DTZ.
DTZÂ's ninth annual Global Office Occupancy Costs survey, published today, is a guide to accommodation costs in major prime office locations covering 117 business districts in 46 countries worldwide. Ranking for the 2006 survey is focused on a per workstation basis to better reflect the costs of accommodation. For comparative purposes all total office occupancy costs are displayed in US dollars.
London (West End) maintained its pole position in the global ranking for the sixth consecutive year with occupancy costs of US$18,740 per workstation pa. Actual office occupancy costs have risen by 5.6% however, due to exchange rate differences between the US dollar and pounds sterling, this report shows a slight drop of 3% year on year 2005/06.
Washington DC climbed two spaces to become the second most expensive location with occupancy costs of US$15,370.
The most notable finding was the emergence of Hong Kong, which posted its largest increase over the past decade, 61% to US$15,000 per workstation pa and climbed an impressive 13 places to become the worldÂ's third most expensive location. This increase has been driven by the positive take-up and business sentiment, especially by investment banks, with a greater willingness to pay for better quality offices. However, the fundamental reason for Hong Kong's surge up the table is due to the lack of available new Grade A office buildings coming onto the market.
Top ten most expensive office locations by occupancy costs in the 2006 survey:
1. London (West End)
2. Washington DC
3. Hong Kong
4. Paris
5. London (City)
6. Frankfurt
7. New York (Midtown)
8. Dublin
9. Tokyo (Central)
10. Luxembourg
India has one of the fastest growing economies in the world and a rapidly expanding real estate market, which is fuelling a surge in office occupancy costs across the country. The continued demand for space from the IT/IT-enabled services and business process outsourcing sectors is the main driver behind the growth in costs. The main beneficiary is Bangalore, which is fast becoming an established destination with large occupiers seeking consolidation and large built-to-suit facilities. However the largest increases in the 2006 survey have been recorded at Mumbai and New Delhi, which saw year on year growth of 27% and 29% respectively and now rank 20th and 43rd in the global league table.
Dubai also saw the second biggest increase in occupancy costs – up 50% to US$7,180 triggering a rise of 38 places to claim the 37th position and surpassing Riyadh to claim the third most expensive region in the Middle East, behind Doha and Kuwait City (included for the first time this year). This is a trend that DTZ Research anticipates to continue throughout 2006 due to undersupply despite the brisk development underway.
In Western Europe, London (West End), Paris and London (City) remained the top three expensive locations in Europe for the second year running, however all three locations experienced a decline in costs. This is a trend mirrored across the most of Western Europe primarily due to the depreciation of the Euro in comparison to the US dollar.
A similar picture can be seen across Central & Eastern Europe, which remained relatively flat in comparison to the findings from the 2005 survey. Marginal increases were only posted in Budapest and Kiev (13% and 15% respectively) as a result of steadily increasing demand combined with the continued deficit of high quality space in each market.
Joe Valente, Head of DTZ Research, comments: "One of the most notable themes arising from this year's survey is the growing evidence of a recovery of the major leasing markets throughout the world. The outlook for global office leasing markets is positive with the recovery gaining momentum in part because of the rise in demand from key sectors as well as the lack of supply of good quality stock. However, it is likely that the current rental cycle will peak in 2008/2009."
source: DTZ Holdings plc
http://www.dtz.com/portal/site/Globa...000e01a8c0RCRD>
Published date: 5 January 2006
Hong Kong has soared up the global office occupancy costs league table and entered the top three most expensive office locations in the world, reveals global property adviser DTZ.
DTZÂ's ninth annual Global Office Occupancy Costs survey, published today, is a guide to accommodation costs in major prime office locations covering 117 business districts in 46 countries worldwide. Ranking for the 2006 survey is focused on a per workstation basis to better reflect the costs of accommodation. For comparative purposes all total office occupancy costs are displayed in US dollars.
London (West End) maintained its pole position in the global ranking for the sixth consecutive year with occupancy costs of US$18,740 per workstation pa. Actual office occupancy costs have risen by 5.6% however, due to exchange rate differences between the US dollar and pounds sterling, this report shows a slight drop of 3% year on year 2005/06.
Washington DC climbed two spaces to become the second most expensive location with occupancy costs of US$15,370.
The most notable finding was the emergence of Hong Kong, which posted its largest increase over the past decade, 61% to US$15,000 per workstation pa and climbed an impressive 13 places to become the worldÂ's third most expensive location. This increase has been driven by the positive take-up and business sentiment, especially by investment banks, with a greater willingness to pay for better quality offices. However, the fundamental reason for Hong Kong's surge up the table is due to the lack of available new Grade A office buildings coming onto the market.
Top ten most expensive office locations by occupancy costs in the 2006 survey:
1. London (West End)
2. Washington DC
3. Hong Kong
4. Paris
5. London (City)
6. Frankfurt
7. New York (Midtown)
8. Dublin
9. Tokyo (Central)
10. Luxembourg
India has one of the fastest growing economies in the world and a rapidly expanding real estate market, which is fuelling a surge in office occupancy costs across the country. The continued demand for space from the IT/IT-enabled services and business process outsourcing sectors is the main driver behind the growth in costs. The main beneficiary is Bangalore, which is fast becoming an established destination with large occupiers seeking consolidation and large built-to-suit facilities. However the largest increases in the 2006 survey have been recorded at Mumbai and New Delhi, which saw year on year growth of 27% and 29% respectively and now rank 20th and 43rd in the global league table.
Dubai also saw the second biggest increase in occupancy costs – up 50% to US$7,180 triggering a rise of 38 places to claim the 37th position and surpassing Riyadh to claim the third most expensive region in the Middle East, behind Doha and Kuwait City (included for the first time this year). This is a trend that DTZ Research anticipates to continue throughout 2006 due to undersupply despite the brisk development underway.
In Western Europe, London (West End), Paris and London (City) remained the top three expensive locations in Europe for the second year running, however all three locations experienced a decline in costs. This is a trend mirrored across the most of Western Europe primarily due to the depreciation of the Euro in comparison to the US dollar.
A similar picture can be seen across Central & Eastern Europe, which remained relatively flat in comparison to the findings from the 2005 survey. Marginal increases were only posted in Budapest and Kiev (13% and 15% respectively) as a result of steadily increasing demand combined with the continued deficit of high quality space in each market.
Joe Valente, Head of DTZ Research, comments: "One of the most notable themes arising from this year's survey is the growing evidence of a recovery of the major leasing markets throughout the world. The outlook for global office leasing markets is positive with the recovery gaining momentum in part because of the rise in demand from key sectors as well as the lack of supply of good quality stock. However, it is likely that the current rental cycle will peak in 2008/2009."
source: DTZ Holdings plc
http://www.dtz.com/portal/site/Globa...000e01a8c0RCRD>
Hypothetical question about São Paulo...
I was looking at Paulo's Sao Paulo thread, and i couldn't help but wonder what SP's skyline would look like if the height restrictions were dropped. Would it turn into a dubai, building supertalls like crazy? Also, is there a reason like an airport that they have a height restriction, or is it just a quality of life issue?>
Which Australian City is most Asian?
Is Australia part of the Mother Country, part of the Coalition of the Willing, or are you part of "well we'll make up our minds for ourselves?" Well, You Do That.>
Is Santiago a neoliberal miracle?
Personally I think Santiago changed a lot since 1980s... especially after the military regime... look at its skyline, its metro system, its highway system, etc.
I would call that "Neoliberal miracle".>
I would call that "Neoliberal miracle".>
What makes a place urban?
What attributes constitute an area as urban? When is a place no longer suburban but becomes urban?
Do you think some areas lying outside major cities are evolving to the point where it doesn't really make sense to call them suburbs? Is it fair to put them in the same category as tract housing or a large subdivision even though they essentially function like a city and are predominatly business oriented and dense, and car independent?>
Do you think some areas lying outside major cities are evolving to the point where it doesn't really make sense to call them suburbs? Is it fair to put them in the same category as tract housing or a large subdivision even though they essentially function like a city and are predominatly business oriented and dense, and car independent?>
TRENDS: Bay Area Looking to London
This could substantially increase the already strong business ties between Northern California and London. Also, as far as tech trends, this would probably spill over to startups in Seattle, Austin, Boston, DC and North Carolina as well-and that would transform AIM into a major player.
Bay Area firms taking stock on London
AIM's 'new Nasdaq' lures entrepreneurs across the pond
San Francisco Business Times - May 19, 2006by Mark Calvey
The London Stock Exchange's AIM is capturing the interest of Bay Area entrepreneurs and their financial backers as an attractive way for the region's young growth companies to go public.
San Francisco investment bank ThinkEquity Partners even dubs AIM the new Nasdaq.
"The biggest impediment to a robust U.S. IPO market is excessively burdensome regulation," said Michael Moe, chairman and CEO of ThinkEquity. "Sarbanes-Oxley compliance can easily cost $2 million for a small, emerging growth company. That's real money that could be used for more engineers, more salespeople, more research people and more investments in things that actually contribute to creating value."
That's a message echoed in seminars now occurring almost every other day in the Bay Area.
But the rising popularity of AIM is seen as more than just a reaction to Sarbanes-Oxley. The nature of the Nasdaq has changed considerably as small companies fear they'll get lost amid the much larger Nasdaq-listed companies, especially as many investment banks pull back on research coverage.
The rise of AIM also reflects the more competitive markets overseas as stock exchanges become publicly traded entities themselves.
Companies and venture capitalists are fairly tight-lipped on their interest in AIM, citing regulatory "quiet periods."
But the level of interest could have profound implications for U.S. financial markets. And once these companies take a look at AIM, it won't be surprising to see some opt to go directly onto AIM's parent, the London Stock Exchange.
So far, about 1,300 companies are listed on AIM, including 200 overseas companies. The total AIM market has a market value of about $100 billion. That's less than Google's market cap, but AIM's market cap has soared 78 percent in the last 12 months.
A sea change appears to be under way. Calls to bankers six months ago about AIM, formally known as the Alternative Investment Market, sparked a litany of the young exchange's shortcomings. Now bankers are tripping over themselves to tout AIM to the Sand Hill Road crowd.
"We're hearing from entrepreneurs and corporate executives who want to avoid the costly burden of Sarbanes-Oxley," said Amir Raveh, CEO and founder of MG Equity Partners, which is among the firm's pitching AIM in Palo Alto this week. MG also serves as a nominated adviser, or so-called nomad, required for companies listing on the AIM.
U.S. companies listed on AIM also must keep its U.S. shareholder based under 300 to avoid complying with U.S. securities regulations, including Sarbanes-Oxley. Bankers say that this hasn't been a problem so far.
Last month, Foster City-based Entelos Inc. raised $20 million in its initial public offering on AIM.
"We believe that the admission to AIM gives us the international visibility and funding opportunities to expand," said James Karis, CEO of the life science company that's developing predictive computer models of human disease.
Summit Partners portfolio company Burst Media, a Boston-based online advertising network, also went public last month on the 11-year-old AIM.
AIM and the London Stock exchange tout their role in "supporting the growth of U.S. small- and mid-cap companies." The exchanges also pitch their "balanced approach to corporate governance" as well as having the largest pool of capital in the world and serving as a gateway to European consumers and investors.
Admission documents for the AIM are vetted by the company's nominated adviser and not the exchange or regulators, the AIM notes.
Adding to the appeal, big institutional investors, such as Fidelity International, are participating more in AIM as they seek growth opportunities.
One sign that AIM's role in financing growth companies is a long-term play is the Nasdaq's aggressive moves to acquire a 24 percent stake in the London Stock Exchange. San Francisco private equity firm Hellman & Friedman is a significant investor in the Nasdaq. The New York Stock Exchange is also eager to invest in a European exchange in a spirit of if you can't beat them, buy them.
Seth Gersch, chief operating officer at ThinkEquity, believes the interest in AIM will continuing rising as momentum builds.
"It's hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube," he said.>
Bay Area firms taking stock on London
AIM's 'new Nasdaq' lures entrepreneurs across the pond
San Francisco Business Times - May 19, 2006by Mark Calvey
The London Stock Exchange's AIM is capturing the interest of Bay Area entrepreneurs and their financial backers as an attractive way for the region's young growth companies to go public.
San Francisco investment bank ThinkEquity Partners even dubs AIM the new Nasdaq.
"The biggest impediment to a robust U.S. IPO market is excessively burdensome regulation," said Michael Moe, chairman and CEO of ThinkEquity. "Sarbanes-Oxley compliance can easily cost $2 million for a small, emerging growth company. That's real money that could be used for more engineers, more salespeople, more research people and more investments in things that actually contribute to creating value."
That's a message echoed in seminars now occurring almost every other day in the Bay Area.
But the rising popularity of AIM is seen as more than just a reaction to Sarbanes-Oxley. The nature of the Nasdaq has changed considerably as small companies fear they'll get lost amid the much larger Nasdaq-listed companies, especially as many investment banks pull back on research coverage.
The rise of AIM also reflects the more competitive markets overseas as stock exchanges become publicly traded entities themselves.
Companies and venture capitalists are fairly tight-lipped on their interest in AIM, citing regulatory "quiet periods."
But the level of interest could have profound implications for U.S. financial markets. And once these companies take a look at AIM, it won't be surprising to see some opt to go directly onto AIM's parent, the London Stock Exchange.
So far, about 1,300 companies are listed on AIM, including 200 overseas companies. The total AIM market has a market value of about $100 billion. That's less than Google's market cap, but AIM's market cap has soared 78 percent in the last 12 months.
A sea change appears to be under way. Calls to bankers six months ago about AIM, formally known as the Alternative Investment Market, sparked a litany of the young exchange's shortcomings. Now bankers are tripping over themselves to tout AIM to the Sand Hill Road crowd.
"We're hearing from entrepreneurs and corporate executives who want to avoid the costly burden of Sarbanes-Oxley," said Amir Raveh, CEO and founder of MG Equity Partners, which is among the firm's pitching AIM in Palo Alto this week. MG also serves as a nominated adviser, or so-called nomad, required for companies listing on the AIM.
U.S. companies listed on AIM also must keep its U.S. shareholder based under 300 to avoid complying with U.S. securities regulations, including Sarbanes-Oxley. Bankers say that this hasn't been a problem so far.
Last month, Foster City-based Entelos Inc. raised $20 million in its initial public offering on AIM.
"We believe that the admission to AIM gives us the international visibility and funding opportunities to expand," said James Karis, CEO of the life science company that's developing predictive computer models of human disease.
Summit Partners portfolio company Burst Media, a Boston-based online advertising network, also went public last month on the 11-year-old AIM.
AIM and the London Stock exchange tout their role in "supporting the growth of U.S. small- and mid-cap companies." The exchanges also pitch their "balanced approach to corporate governance" as well as having the largest pool of capital in the world and serving as a gateway to European consumers and investors.
Admission documents for the AIM are vetted by the company's nominated adviser and not the exchange or regulators, the AIM notes.
Adding to the appeal, big institutional investors, such as Fidelity International, are participating more in AIM as they seek growth opportunities.
One sign that AIM's role in financing growth companies is a long-term play is the Nasdaq's aggressive moves to acquire a 24 percent stake in the London Stock Exchange. San Francisco private equity firm Hellman & Friedman is a significant investor in the Nasdaq. The New York Stock Exchange is also eager to invest in a European exchange in a spirit of if you can't beat them, buy them.
Seth Gersch, chief operating officer at ThinkEquity, believes the interest in AIM will continuing rising as momentum builds.
"It's hard to put the toothpaste back in the tube," he said.>
wich cities are real "megacities" in your ey?e
We all know , megacities are cities with more than 8 million inhabitans (UN definition) ,there are also alot of megacities ! but for me a megacity is more a.) urbainaty flair (culture ,cinemas , restauranst ,etc..) b.) finance (stock markets , finance jonglours) b.) headquarters ( Daimler benz,Deutsche bank, merril lynch etc... ) d) a good infrastructure (streets, highways , underground and an airport) so for me real megacities are Sao Paulo , NYC ,Tokyo ,London,paris,LA Tokyo,Shanghai Chicago ,Toronto,milano and Osaka>
Third world countries becoming first world or developed ones
Now that there are being big changes in some countries around the world, such as: Mexico, Brazil, etc.
I would like to know if you have some information thatcould tell me which countries are having these changes, and how long would it take them to ba developed.>
I would like to know if you have some information thatcould tell me which countries are having these changes, and how long would it take them to ba developed.>
Bigger Houses, Longer Commutes
http://www.nytimes.com/2006/05/21/realestate/21cov.html
Bigger Houses, Longer Commutes
By ELSA BRENNER
Published: May 21, 2006
Alan Zale for The New York Times
Atul Ramayani heads for the 7:10 express train from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to Grand Central. Door-to-door, the commute takes him two hours.
Susan Stava for the New York Times
Joan A. Pagones, the supervisor of the Town of Fishkill tours the 32 acres Toll Brothers gave to the Wappingers Central School District in exchange for being allowed to build in the town.
Alan Zale for The New York Times
Ronny Byrd leaves Burlington, N.J., for a bus ride of almost two hours to the Bank of New York.
usan Farley for The New York Times
Julie Kroloff leaves her home in Hopewell Junction, N.Y., at about 6 a.m. to begin her two-hour drive to Manhattan.
ON weekdays, Julie Kroloff sets the coffee maker for 5:45 a.m., then speeds through her kitchen in Hopewell Junction, N.Y., and grabs a cup to fortify herself for the long drive ahead. If Ms. Kroloff, a self-employed consultant, is on time, she backs out of the garage just before 6 and makes the trip from Dutchess County to her office in Midtown Manhattan in just under two hours. If traffic is heavy, Ms. Kroloff's 54-mile commute can take two and a half hours or more.
About the same time, in Burlington, N.J., south of Trenton, Ronny Byrd, a vault custodian for the Bank of New York, boards a bus bound for Wall Street. If the New Jersey Turnpike and the Holland Tunnel are not backed up, Mr. Byrd will reach his destination in two hours.
In Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Atul Ramayani, a computer analyst, boards Metro-North's increasingly crowded 7:10 express bound for Grand Central Terminal. In all, Mr. Ramayani's commute takes close to two hours, including the 20-minute drive to the station and a 10-minute walk from Grand Central before he clocks in for the day.
Priced out of an increasingly expensive real estate market in close-in areas like Westchester, Bergen and Nassau Counties, some workers are pushing their commutes up to the two-hour mark, and even beyond.
It is the price they are willing to pay to own the home of their dreams, said Alan E. Pisarski, the author of a series of books titled "Commuting in America" (the third is being published by the National Academy of Sciences' Transportation Research Board).
"In essence, what this group of commuters is doing," Mr. Pisarski explained, "is contributing to their house payment with travel time."
Or as Mr. Byrd, who used to live in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn with his wife, Valerie, and their four children, said, "We never could have afforded a home big enough for all of us that was closer to New York." In September, the couple bought a six-bedroom house in Burlington, 75 miles south of Midtown, for $250,000.
With the cost of residential real estate rising sharply in recent years, the geographical boundaries of the New York metropolitan area are being redrawn. Bulldozers are clearing farmland once considered too far away for a commute to Manhattan, real estate agencies are opening offices in outlying areas, and elected officials in once-rural communities are being pressured to contain the encroaching sprawl.
Meanwhile, public transportation providers like Metro-North are adding service earlier in the morning and in the evening to accommodate their riders' changing needs. And many of those riders are changing their routines, optimizing the increased travel time to and from work by opening their laptops and BlackBerries en route.
"They're charging their batteries from the outlets that were meant for vacuum cleaners and our polishing equipment," said Dan Brucker, a Metro-North spokesman.
Other commuters like Ms. Kroloff who rely on their cars for the long haul to work say that the drive gives them a chance to be alone and to gather their thoughts. "I can be in my own world without anyone bothering me," she said. "Sometimes when I'm driving, I just let my mind wander. Sometimes, I listen to music. I can create my own space in the car, and that helps me prepare for the day ahead."
She and her daughter, Rita, 8, and her son, Steven, 7, moved into a new five-bedroom, five-bath house last fall. It cost around $750,000.
According to the latest statistics from the Census Bureau, the migration outward and the trend toward longer commutes to New York City intensified during the 1990's. In Dutchess County, for example, the number of people who commuted to the city rose 46 percent in that decade, to 5,798 from 3,975.
In New Jersey, the number of people commuting from Warren County, due west of Manhattan at the Pennsylvania border, was up 39 percent, rising from 539 in 1990 to 748 in 2000.
In New Haven County in Connecticut, the increase was 25 percent, from 1,797 to 2,243.
But in Suffolk County, the eastern part of Long Island, the numbers increased by only 2 percent, rising to 80,003 from 78,291 in 1990.
Nassau County to the west and Westchester County to the north are still home to the largest numbers of New York City commuters — 197,864 in Nassau and 117,839 in Westchester — although their numbers dropped, by less than 2 percent, in the decade.
The Census Bureau has not updated its 2000 figures. But real estate offices and rail and bus lines report that the residential real estate market has been in high gear north and west of Westchester, in southern New Jersey and near Philadelphia.
It is a trend that Mark S. Jaffe, the president of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, calls worrisome. "If people have to travel so far, how can they still be alert and productive on the job?" he said. "Very few people want to commute long distances, but the lack of affordable housing closer in forces them to do that."
To the North
Interstate 84, which crosses southern Dutchess County just above the Putnam County line, used to be considered the boundary for most commuters to New York, said William J. Lavery, a regional vice president in Houlihan Lawrence's Dutchess County offices. But that is no longer the case.
"Suddenly, the gates have opened up, and half a dozen new subdivisions are going in," he said.
Clearly, the migration to Dutchess is being fueled by the high cost of housing to the south. In Westchester at the end of 2005, the median price for a single-family house was $640,000, according to the Westchester County Board of Realtors. By comparison, it was $342,500 in Dutchess.
The areas of highest growth in Dutchess, Mr. Lavery said, include Pawling, East Fishkill, Beekman, Uniondale and LaGrange, towns in the southern part of the county.
Orange County, northwest of Westchester on the other side of the Hudson River, has also become an alternative for prospective homeowners, among them police officers and firefighters who have been priced out of markets closer to Manhattan, said Greg Rand, the managing partner in Prudential Rand Realty, which has offices in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Orange Counties. "Seven years ago," Mr. Rand said, "Orange was just a rural upstate county, not a bedroom community for New York City. But then people saw what they could buy in Orange for the money, and they changed their thinking." The median price in Orange at the end of 2005 was $320,000.
Rob Parahus, a group president of Toll Brothers, the construction company active in 21 states, has six new developments in Dutchess County, including Arlington Hunt in Poughkeepsie where Mr. Ramayani has bought a house, and another development in New Paltz in Ulster County. Prices range from the high $300,000's to the mid-$700,000's. "Until fairly recently these locations wouldn't support this kind of development," Mr. Parahus said.
Mr. Parahus said zoning boards were welcoming to builders in rural areas. But Joan A. Pagones, the supervisor of the Town of Fishkill, which covers 32 square miles in southwestern Dutchess, had a somewhat different view. She said elected officials were taking a tough, although not unfriendly, stance on development.
"My first question to a developer is 'How can you make our town better?' " Ms. Pagones said. " 'Will you provide sewer and water, a fire truck, a snowplow?' "
"We're not afraid of growth," she added, "but we have to manage it smartly."
Toll Brothers recently gained approval to build in the town only after it agreed to grant 32 acres to the Wappingers Central School District.
In response to the new developments, Metro-North Railroad expanded its train service in April, adding express runs on its Hudson, Harlem and New Haven Lines. From Poughkeepsie, for example, a train now leaves at 4:15 a.m. and arrives at Grand Central at 5:50. And New Haven now has a train departing at 5:12 a.m., arriving in Manhattan at 6:47. Ridership on the northern part of Metro-North's Hudson Line, from Croton-on-Hudson to Poughkeepsie, increased 85 percent from 1990 to 2005, from 2.4 million a year to 4.5 million annually. On the Harlem Line between Dover Plains and Wassaic in Dutchess County, ridership was up 274 percent from 1990 to 2005, rising from 140,900 to 526,000. On the New Haven Line, the increase was 34 percent, from 9.4 million to 12.7 million.
In order to serve the increasing numbers of commuters from Orange County, which used to be considered "never-never land," Mr. Brucker, the Metro-North spokesman, said, the railroad has contracted with New York Waterways for 10-minute ferry service across the Hudson from Newburgh to Beacon, and back again in the evening. Riders now number 280 a day, up from 200 when service began in January.
Beacon, on the Harlem Line, is one of the fastest-growing stations in the Metro-North system, Mr. Brucker said, in large part reflecting the increasing numbers of people commuting from Orange. Beacon now has 1,330 customers a day, he said, 45 percent from Orange, and ridership to Manhattan is up 50 percent from five years ago. The first ferry leaves Newburgh at 5:40 on weekday mornings; in Beacon, passengers can connect with a southbound train and arrive at Grand Central at 7:17 a.m.
Commuters are not only traveling farther, but they are also getting to work earlier, Mr. Brucker said. "The worldwide economy means that people have to interact with workers in other countries at different times of day," he said.
And instead of reading or sleeping, commuters are often working en route. Mr. Ramayani, for example, said he extends the workday by using his laptop on the train ride from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central and back again at night.
To the South
Reports of the growth in the number of people commuting from the outer reaches of New Jersey and from Philadelphia are mostly anecdotal — there seem to be few statistics to support what real estate agents and builders are calling a trend.
Orleans Homebuilders in Bensalem, Pa., is expanding its reach into New Jersey, in Monmouth, Middlesex, Hunterdon and Burlington Counties, said Gary Schaal, the executive vice president for sales and marketing. In Burlington County alone, he said, the company has six new residential developments. Among them are Covington Manor, where 4,200-square-foot homes with four bedrooms and three-car garages on one-acre lots are selling in the low $700,000's.
Mr. Schaal could not say how many of his buyers were commuting to New York on the buses that run to the Port Authority terminal or by train from Trenton.
Mr. Byrd is typical of some of the buyers from New York City who are acquiring older houses in Burlington, said Anna DeCristofaro, a sales associate at Coldwell Banker Elite. "We're seeing more and more of this," she said. "They buy a place and then fix it up over time as they can afford to."
But transportation companies — among them Greyhound Lines — reported that ridership has not increased enough to justify added service, said Anna Folmnsbee, a spokeswoman.
Glenn Petsch, the manager of Coldwell Banker Elite's Cherry Hill office, described the movement outward as the beginning of a ripple effect. "House prices are causing the move south and west," he said, "but it's not a huge onrush."
Michael Galdi, an agent for Century 21 Advantage Gold in Philadelphia, is feeling some of that ripple. Commuters are buying row houses and multifamily houses in the Northwood and Castor Gardens sections of the city. From there, they can take elevated trains downtown, where they can change to Amtrak trains headed for Manhattan, or they can drive to work.
But Mr. Galdi noted that as the residential real estate market slows, interest in the Philadelphia neighborhoods appears to be diminishing as well, and prices, which reached the mid-$100,000's for attached houses last year, are coming down.>
Bigger Houses, Longer Commutes
By ELSA BRENNER
Published: May 21, 2006
Alan Zale for The New York Times
Atul Ramayani heads for the 7:10 express train from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., to Grand Central. Door-to-door, the commute takes him two hours.
Susan Stava for the New York Times
Joan A. Pagones, the supervisor of the Town of Fishkill tours the 32 acres Toll Brothers gave to the Wappingers Central School District in exchange for being allowed to build in the town.
Alan Zale for The New York Times
Ronny Byrd leaves Burlington, N.J., for a bus ride of almost two hours to the Bank of New York.
usan Farley for The New York Times
Julie Kroloff leaves her home in Hopewell Junction, N.Y., at about 6 a.m. to begin her two-hour drive to Manhattan.
ON weekdays, Julie Kroloff sets the coffee maker for 5:45 a.m., then speeds through her kitchen in Hopewell Junction, N.Y., and grabs a cup to fortify herself for the long drive ahead. If Ms. Kroloff, a self-employed consultant, is on time, she backs out of the garage just before 6 and makes the trip from Dutchess County to her office in Midtown Manhattan in just under two hours. If traffic is heavy, Ms. Kroloff's 54-mile commute can take two and a half hours or more.
About the same time, in Burlington, N.J., south of Trenton, Ronny Byrd, a vault custodian for the Bank of New York, boards a bus bound for Wall Street. If the New Jersey Turnpike and the Holland Tunnel are not backed up, Mr. Byrd will reach his destination in two hours.
In Poughkeepsie, N.Y., Atul Ramayani, a computer analyst, boards Metro-North's increasingly crowded 7:10 express bound for Grand Central Terminal. In all, Mr. Ramayani's commute takes close to two hours, including the 20-minute drive to the station and a 10-minute walk from Grand Central before he clocks in for the day.
Priced out of an increasingly expensive real estate market in close-in areas like Westchester, Bergen and Nassau Counties, some workers are pushing their commutes up to the two-hour mark, and even beyond.
It is the price they are willing to pay to own the home of their dreams, said Alan E. Pisarski, the author of a series of books titled "Commuting in America" (the third is being published by the National Academy of Sciences' Transportation Research Board).
"In essence, what this group of commuters is doing," Mr. Pisarski explained, "is contributing to their house payment with travel time."
Or as Mr. Byrd, who used to live in the Canarsie section of Brooklyn with his wife, Valerie, and their four children, said, "We never could have afforded a home big enough for all of us that was closer to New York." In September, the couple bought a six-bedroom house in Burlington, 75 miles south of Midtown, for $250,000.
With the cost of residential real estate rising sharply in recent years, the geographical boundaries of the New York metropolitan area are being redrawn. Bulldozers are clearing farmland once considered too far away for a commute to Manhattan, real estate agencies are opening offices in outlying areas, and elected officials in once-rural communities are being pressured to contain the encroaching sprawl.
Meanwhile, public transportation providers like Metro-North are adding service earlier in the morning and in the evening to accommodate their riders' changing needs. And many of those riders are changing their routines, optimizing the increased travel time to and from work by opening their laptops and BlackBerries en route.
"They're charging their batteries from the outlets that were meant for vacuum cleaners and our polishing equipment," said Dan Brucker, a Metro-North spokesman.
Other commuters like Ms. Kroloff who rely on their cars for the long haul to work say that the drive gives them a chance to be alone and to gather their thoughts. "I can be in my own world without anyone bothering me," she said. "Sometimes when I'm driving, I just let my mind wander. Sometimes, I listen to music. I can create my own space in the car, and that helps me prepare for the day ahead."
She and her daughter, Rita, 8, and her son, Steven, 7, moved into a new five-bedroom, five-bath house last fall. It cost around $750,000.
According to the latest statistics from the Census Bureau, the migration outward and the trend toward longer commutes to New York City intensified during the 1990's. In Dutchess County, for example, the number of people who commuted to the city rose 46 percent in that decade, to 5,798 from 3,975.
In New Jersey, the number of people commuting from Warren County, due west of Manhattan at the Pennsylvania border, was up 39 percent, rising from 539 in 1990 to 748 in 2000.
In New Haven County in Connecticut, the increase was 25 percent, from 1,797 to 2,243.
But in Suffolk County, the eastern part of Long Island, the numbers increased by only 2 percent, rising to 80,003 from 78,291 in 1990.
Nassau County to the west and Westchester County to the north are still home to the largest numbers of New York City commuters — 197,864 in Nassau and 117,839 in Westchester — although their numbers dropped, by less than 2 percent, in the decade.
The Census Bureau has not updated its 2000 figures. But real estate offices and rail and bus lines report that the residential real estate market has been in high gear north and west of Westchester, in southern New Jersey and near Philadelphia.
It is a trend that Mark S. Jaffe, the president of the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce, calls worrisome. "If people have to travel so far, how can they still be alert and productive on the job?" he said. "Very few people want to commute long distances, but the lack of affordable housing closer in forces them to do that."
To the North
Interstate 84, which crosses southern Dutchess County just above the Putnam County line, used to be considered the boundary for most commuters to New York, said William J. Lavery, a regional vice president in Houlihan Lawrence's Dutchess County offices. But that is no longer the case.
"Suddenly, the gates have opened up, and half a dozen new subdivisions are going in," he said.
Clearly, the migration to Dutchess is being fueled by the high cost of housing to the south. In Westchester at the end of 2005, the median price for a single-family house was $640,000, according to the Westchester County Board of Realtors. By comparison, it was $342,500 in Dutchess.
The areas of highest growth in Dutchess, Mr. Lavery said, include Pawling, East Fishkill, Beekman, Uniondale and LaGrange, towns in the southern part of the county.
Orange County, northwest of Westchester on the other side of the Hudson River, has also become an alternative for prospective homeowners, among them police officers and firefighters who have been priced out of markets closer to Manhattan, said Greg Rand, the managing partner in Prudential Rand Realty, which has offices in Westchester, Putnam, Rockland and Orange Counties. "Seven years ago," Mr. Rand said, "Orange was just a rural upstate county, not a bedroom community for New York City. But then people saw what they could buy in Orange for the money, and they changed their thinking." The median price in Orange at the end of 2005 was $320,000.
Rob Parahus, a group president of Toll Brothers, the construction company active in 21 states, has six new developments in Dutchess County, including Arlington Hunt in Poughkeepsie where Mr. Ramayani has bought a house, and another development in New Paltz in Ulster County. Prices range from the high $300,000's to the mid-$700,000's. "Until fairly recently these locations wouldn't support this kind of development," Mr. Parahus said.
Mr. Parahus said zoning boards were welcoming to builders in rural areas. But Joan A. Pagones, the supervisor of the Town of Fishkill, which covers 32 square miles in southwestern Dutchess, had a somewhat different view. She said elected officials were taking a tough, although not unfriendly, stance on development.
"My first question to a developer is 'How can you make our town better?' " Ms. Pagones said. " 'Will you provide sewer and water, a fire truck, a snowplow?' "
"We're not afraid of growth," she added, "but we have to manage it smartly."
Toll Brothers recently gained approval to build in the town only after it agreed to grant 32 acres to the Wappingers Central School District.
In response to the new developments, Metro-North Railroad expanded its train service in April, adding express runs on its Hudson, Harlem and New Haven Lines. From Poughkeepsie, for example, a train now leaves at 4:15 a.m. and arrives at Grand Central at 5:50. And New Haven now has a train departing at 5:12 a.m., arriving in Manhattan at 6:47. Ridership on the northern part of Metro-North's Hudson Line, from Croton-on-Hudson to Poughkeepsie, increased 85 percent from 1990 to 2005, from 2.4 million a year to 4.5 million annually. On the Harlem Line between Dover Plains and Wassaic in Dutchess County, ridership was up 274 percent from 1990 to 2005, rising from 140,900 to 526,000. On the New Haven Line, the increase was 34 percent, from 9.4 million to 12.7 million.
In order to serve the increasing numbers of commuters from Orange County, which used to be considered "never-never land," Mr. Brucker, the Metro-North spokesman, said, the railroad has contracted with New York Waterways for 10-minute ferry service across the Hudson from Newburgh to Beacon, and back again in the evening. Riders now number 280 a day, up from 200 when service began in January.
Beacon, on the Harlem Line, is one of the fastest-growing stations in the Metro-North system, Mr. Brucker said, in large part reflecting the increasing numbers of people commuting from Orange. Beacon now has 1,330 customers a day, he said, 45 percent from Orange, and ridership to Manhattan is up 50 percent from five years ago. The first ferry leaves Newburgh at 5:40 on weekday mornings; in Beacon, passengers can connect with a southbound train and arrive at Grand Central at 7:17 a.m.
Commuters are not only traveling farther, but they are also getting to work earlier, Mr. Brucker said. "The worldwide economy means that people have to interact with workers in other countries at different times of day," he said.
And instead of reading or sleeping, commuters are often working en route. Mr. Ramayani, for example, said he extends the workday by using his laptop on the train ride from Poughkeepsie to Grand Central and back again at night.
To the South
Reports of the growth in the number of people commuting from the outer reaches of New Jersey and from Philadelphia are mostly anecdotal — there seem to be few statistics to support what real estate agents and builders are calling a trend.
Orleans Homebuilders in Bensalem, Pa., is expanding its reach into New Jersey, in Monmouth, Middlesex, Hunterdon and Burlington Counties, said Gary Schaal, the executive vice president for sales and marketing. In Burlington County alone, he said, the company has six new residential developments. Among them are Covington Manor, where 4,200-square-foot homes with four bedrooms and three-car garages on one-acre lots are selling in the low $700,000's.
Mr. Schaal could not say how many of his buyers were commuting to New York on the buses that run to the Port Authority terminal or by train from Trenton.
Mr. Byrd is typical of some of the buyers from New York City who are acquiring older houses in Burlington, said Anna DeCristofaro, a sales associate at Coldwell Banker Elite. "We're seeing more and more of this," she said. "They buy a place and then fix it up over time as they can afford to."
But transportation companies — among them Greyhound Lines — reported that ridership has not increased enough to justify added service, said Anna Folmnsbee, a spokeswoman.
Glenn Petsch, the manager of Coldwell Banker Elite's Cherry Hill office, described the movement outward as the beginning of a ripple effect. "House prices are causing the move south and west," he said, "but it's not a huge onrush."
Michael Galdi, an agent for Century 21 Advantage Gold in Philadelphia, is feeling some of that ripple. Commuters are buying row houses and multifamily houses in the Northwood and Castor Gardens sections of the city. From there, they can take elevated trains downtown, where they can change to Amtrak trains headed for Manhattan, or they can drive to work.
But Mr. Galdi noted that as the residential real estate market slows, interest in the Philadelphia neighborhoods appears to be diminishing as well, and prices, which reached the mid-$100,000's for attached houses last year, are coming down.>
Which big American city is the most European?
Everybody knows that here in America we have "The American Way of Life", and that our culture and traditions are in many ways different to European culture and traditions. But from this list of cities, Wich is the most European style in every sense of the word??>
The best city to live in your old age?
Which city is the best to live in your old age/golden age?And why?
In your country and/or outside your country.I'll tell mine later..
>
In your country and/or outside your country.I'll tell mine later..
>
Singapore...lightens up for tourists
From: http://www.iht.com/articles/2006/05/...ess/casino.php
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| Singapore lightens up for tourists By Wayne Arnold The New York Times TUESDAY, MAY 23, 2006 SINGAPORE When Lee Chin Koon was a member in the 1930s, the Chinese Swimming Club here offered more than just laps in the pool. There was mah- jongg and blackjack, too. "We Chinese are gamblers," he told club historians before his death in 1997. "If two lizards scale up a wall, someone would bet on them." But what Lee's son, Lee Kuan Yew, remembered was how, after a losing night, his father would come home in a violent rage demanding his wife give him jewelry to pawn. When Lee Kuan Yew became the first prime minister of independent Singapore in 1965, he set about transforming this once-squalid seaport into a tidy industrial park by targeting vice. Cigarettes and alcohol were heavily taxed. Drugs traffickers were told they would be hanged. Casinos, naturally, were banned. Times are changing once again. Lee Kuan Yew's son, Lee Hsien Loong, is now prime minister, and he is striving to shake Singapore's reputation as Asia's nanny state. With the country's basic manufacturing jobs shifting to China, Lee wants to stimulate tourism and other service industries by molding a more tolerant, fun-loving Singapore. And one of his signature projects - the world's most expensive casino complex - harks back more to his grandfather's Chinese Swimming Club than to his father's profit-perfect industrial landscape. Last year, the government lifted its ban on casinos. Next month it is due to choose who will build the first of two planned resorts, a $3 billion extravaganza that will include a casino, an entertainment complex, a convention center and hotels. The list of bidders includes some of the biggest names in Las Vegas - Harrah's Entertainment, Las Vegas Sands and MGM Mirage. Strait-laced Singapore and freewheeling Vegas make strange partners. But Singapore is betting that, in return for letting casino operators tap the Chinese penchant for gambling, it can create a world-class tourist attraction without sacrificing the low crime rate and clean image that make it so popular with multinational corporations. A question among many casino operators is whether Singapore's vision of a sanitized casino culture risks bleaching out the components that attract gamblers and drive profitability. But four of the biggest casino companies are betting that it won't. Las Vegas Sands is pitching a $3.6 billion project that would include a partnership with the Guggenheim Foundation. The Malaysian company Genting has promised an association with Universal Studios. Harrah's, which has teamed up with a government-owned company, has enlisted James Cameron, director of the movie "Titanic," to design an indoor theme park. And MGM Mirage, which has also teamed up with a state-owned company, is including Cirque du Soleil as part of its bid. "It's more money than we have ever proposed for any other hotel-casino integrated resort," said J. Terrence Lanni, chief executive of MGM Mirage. If Singapore is trying to loosen up, the casino industry is seeking to shed its somewhat unsavory reputation and win acceptance as mainstream entertainment. And after a series of industry mergers - Harrah's with Caesar's, MGM with Mandalay - the casino giants see Asia, with its turbocharged economic growth and fervor for gambling, as the next great frontier. Analysts estimate that casino revenue in the region will grow 20 percent this year to $13 billion. And that does not include the estimated $4 billion or more that Asians spend each year on illegal gambling or cruise-ship casinos. Perhaps no one takes gambling more seriously than the Chinese. In China, casinos are illegal, so package vacations often include a visit to gambling centers like Macao, the former Portuguese enclave near Hong Kong. Since ending a monopoly on gambling two years ago, the once-seedy Macao has attracted billions of dollars in investments. MGM is spending more than $1 billion to build a casino there. Sands is building its second casino after its first pulled in more than $900 million within three months of opening. Other Asian governments are taking notice. "The success that Macao has seen is putting pressure on other Asian economies to look at gaming as a source of income," said Joseph Greff, a gambling industry analyst at Bear Stearns in New York. South Korea, the Philippines and Vietnam are expanding their casinos, and Japan, Taiwan and Thailand are considering legalizing them. Singapore does not want to lose out. Tourism accounts for just 5 percent of Singapore's economy, and the authorities, despite a lack of natural tourist attractions here, hope to double annual arrivals to 17 million and triple the amount tourists spend to 30 billion Singapore dollars, or $19 billion, by 2015. Officials here have rejected several casino proposals, most recently in 2002, when a committee assembled by Lee Hsien Loong, then finance minister, included a plan for one in an overall strategy aimed at helping Singapore improve its competitiveness at a time the global economy was still sluggish. But signs have been mounting that Singapore is loosening up. In 2003, it lifted a ban on bar-top dancing and signaled an end to a crackdown on gay bars. The next year, it lifted a 20-year ban on Cosmopolitan magazine. Last year, a government minister presided at the opening of a Singapore branch of the Parisian topless revue Crazy Horse. In March 2004, a government minister told Parliament the government was considering a casino on a small island theme park just off the main island of Singapore. The government then announced plans to place a second entertainment complex, designed as a showcase, directly across the harbor from the city center on land that city planners have designated for Singapore's new business district. "This is the face of Singapore," said Cheng Hsing Yao, head of planning for the area at the Urban Redevelopment Authority. "We don't want kitsch." To ensure that gambling does not dominate the scene, the casino will be allowed to occupy no more than 5.5 percent of the resort's area. The operator must build an equally large attraction of a different type - a museum, gallery or theater - as well. |
Your favorite Country in The World.
which is your favorite country in the world... try not to vote your country and list reasons y. and this isnt a thread for puting down other places but to highlight them.>
History of Sprawl
I have an interesting question, What has the Federal Government done to facilitate sprwal from WW2 to present? I know they used heavy subsidation to acheive todays conditions, but I'd like more information on what they did and when. Why did this kill so many urban cores throught the rust belt? Anyone's input is greatly appreciated. Feel free to post any info you have inyour head or links to papers on this subject. Thanks Guys!>
Does Europe have any fast growing cities?
We all know that the US, Japan, Canada and Australia have many fast growing cities(over 20% a decade). I have searched online for fast growing cities in Europe, but haven't found any. So my question to Europeans on this board is, are there any fast growing cities in Europe? Since the European population is set to decline sharply in the coming decades are there any growing cities at all or are most of the cities there just stagnant/declining in population? Or maybe there are some areas of Europe where cities are still growing fast?>
How long would it take you to walk through your downtown?
How long would it take you to walk through your cities Central Business District. Not the entire City but the CBDdowntown core? Also how many miles and sq milies is it?>
Has aliens invaded your city?
Illegal aliens that is 
Anyway, it's one of those problems that affect every city especially well developed one such as London, New York or even Dubai.
Every major city will have it's problem of large populations of illegal immigrants or undocumented aliens and the numbers are rising. The main purpose for them coming to well developed cities is work and higher salaries. In fact there are some companies that hire these workers especially construction companies.
Such problem is in HK where there is a significant population of illegal aliens mostly from The Mainland, Philippines or South Asia. That's why HK residents are required to carry their HK ID cards wherever they go or passport if you're a tourist. The HK police do random check if they find someone suspicious and if they think he/she's illegal.
Anyway, is illegal immigration a problem in your city?>
Anyway, it's one of those problems that affect every city especially well developed one such as London, New York or even Dubai.Every major city will have it's problem of large populations of illegal immigrants or undocumented aliens and the numbers are rising. The main purpose for them coming to well developed cities is work and higher salaries. In fact there are some companies that hire these workers especially construction companies.
Such problem is in HK where there is a significant population of illegal aliens mostly from The Mainland, Philippines or South Asia. That's why HK residents are required to carry their HK ID cards wherever they go or passport if you're a tourist. The HK police do random check if they find someone suspicious and if they think he/she's illegal.
Anyway, is illegal immigration a problem in your city?>
what are some global brands/companies
i don't know if this belongs here but what are some brands that are all over the world? or spreading and growing
some i can think are
Zara
Armani Exchange
Virgin Mobile
starbucks
KFC
McDonalds
Burger King
Nescafe>
some i can think are
Zara
Armani Exchange
Virgin Mobile
starbucks
KFC
McDonalds
Burger King
Nescafe>
$900,000 Pre-Tax Income Needed for Reasonable Life In NYC!
GETTING BY ON 500G
By BRADEN KEIL
WHAT IT COSTS TO LIVE WELL: Half-mill after taxes needed to live 'well' here.
June 22, 2005 -- It costs plenty to live in New York City — but how much does it cost to live well?
The breadwinner of a Manhattan family of four looking to achieve an affluent lifestyle — not private jets and chauffeured limos, but no public school, either — will have to earn nearly a half-million dollars a year after taxes, according to a survey by forbes.com.
The online survey looked into the expenses of several cities in the Northeast and factored in costs that included housing, education, cars, entertainment and health care to come up with their ballpark figures.
After-tax salary totals ranged from $215,000 in Portland, Maine, to $483,000 in the Big Apple.
This well-living fictional family of four has a four-bedroom residence, a vacation home, a Lexus and BMW, one child in a private college, another in a private high school, a liberal expense account and three vacations per year, including a trip abroad.
The New York numbers are based on a family living on the Upper East Side in the 10021 ZIP code with a primary home cost of $3.9 million and annual mortgage payments of $215,000 a year.
The "family" has a "modest" Hamptons vacation home valued at $1.9 million (not the $90 million beachfront model) with yearly expenses of $105,000.
Other annual bills include $30,300 for college, $26,000 for private school, $18,000 for cars, $12,480 for dining out, $22,000 for vacations, and $22,000 for incidental expenses.
"I think $500,000 will give you a comfortable lifestyle, not an affluent one," said Dolly Lenz, a top real-estate broker with Prudential Douglas Elliman. "To live affluently, not extravagantly, you'd have to make at least $2.5 million a year."
John Herman, a single Wall Street banker, agrees with Lenz.
"I don't believe that I could possibly have a wife and two children and have any kind of privileged lifestyle," he said.
According to study author Sara Clemence, it doesn't take into account different habits in different places. The imaginary family dines out once a week.
"How many affluent New Yorkers only eat out once a week?" she asked. "And if you live in Manhattan, you're probably going to spend far more on clothes and things than if you live in Baltimore."
"It may allow them to keep up with the Joneses today, but it doesn't give them much wiggle room if they hit any financial bumps in the road," said Corcoran Group CEO Pamela Leibman.
Back to: Lifestyle | Home>
By BRADEN KEIL
WHAT IT COSTS TO LIVE WELL: Half-mill after taxes needed to live 'well' here.
June 22, 2005 -- It costs plenty to live in New York City — but how much does it cost to live well?
The breadwinner of a Manhattan family of four looking to achieve an affluent lifestyle — not private jets and chauffeured limos, but no public school, either — will have to earn nearly a half-million dollars a year after taxes, according to a survey by forbes.com.
The online survey looked into the expenses of several cities in the Northeast and factored in costs that included housing, education, cars, entertainment and health care to come up with their ballpark figures.
After-tax salary totals ranged from $215,000 in Portland, Maine, to $483,000 in the Big Apple.
This well-living fictional family of four has a four-bedroom residence, a vacation home, a Lexus and BMW, one child in a private college, another in a private high school, a liberal expense account and three vacations per year, including a trip abroad.
The New York numbers are based on a family living on the Upper East Side in the 10021 ZIP code with a primary home cost of $3.9 million and annual mortgage payments of $215,000 a year.
The "family" has a "modest" Hamptons vacation home valued at $1.9 million (not the $90 million beachfront model) with yearly expenses of $105,000.
Other annual bills include $30,300 for college, $26,000 for private school, $18,000 for cars, $12,480 for dining out, $22,000 for vacations, and $22,000 for incidental expenses.
"I think $500,000 will give you a comfortable lifestyle, not an affluent one," said Dolly Lenz, a top real-estate broker with Prudential Douglas Elliman. "To live affluently, not extravagantly, you'd have to make at least $2.5 million a year."
John Herman, a single Wall Street banker, agrees with Lenz.
"I don't believe that I could possibly have a wife and two children and have any kind of privileged lifestyle," he said.
According to study author Sara Clemence, it doesn't take into account different habits in different places. The imaginary family dines out once a week.
"How many affluent New Yorkers only eat out once a week?" she asked. "And if you live in Manhattan, you're probably going to spend far more on clothes and things than if you live in Baltimore."
"It may allow them to keep up with the Joneses today, but it doesn't give them much wiggle room if they hit any financial bumps in the road," said Corcoran Group CEO Pamela Leibman.
Back to: Lifestyle | Home>
Your Cities BEST nightclubs/bars
What are your cities best nightclubs?
Atlanta has Compound, which was voted best New Club of the Year in the recent Club World Awards...
How about Chicago? LA? New Orleans? Denver? Miami?
Post pics if you have them>
Atlanta has Compound, which was voted best New Club of the Year in the recent Club World Awards...
How about Chicago? LA? New Orleans? Denver? Miami?
Post pics if you have them>
Cities Losing People After '90s Influx, Census Bureau Finds
Cities Losing People After '90s Influx, Census Bureau Finds
Jobs, Cheaper Housing in Suburbs Attracting Immigrants
By D'Vera Cohn
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 30, 2005; Page A03
After shedding residents for decades, many U.S. cities revived in the 1990s, with immigrants streaming in and gentrification resurrecting downtowns with lofts, coffee bars and trendy restaurants.
But new Census Bureau estimates to be released today show many cities slipping again. More than two dozen large cities that had been growing a decade ago are shrinking. Fast-growing suburbs with service-sector jobs and more affordable housing are attracting thousands of foreign-born residents who in the past would have started out in the city.
The San Francisco area suffered after the high-tech economy's collapse. (By Paul Sakuma -- Associated Press)
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The list of former gainers that have lost population since 2000 include Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis and San Francisco.
"The broad swing of things is that people move out. For a lot of people, the city is simply a way station, and it's not clear how long these rosy times of the late '90s would continue," said William H. Frey, a Brookings Institution demographer. "We're clearly going in a somewhat different direction than we were in the late '90s."
Among the nation's 251 cities with at least 100,000 people, 68 lost population between 2000 and 2004, according to the new figures. In the 1990s, 36 did.
Regionally, the biggest change was in the Midwest, where a third of cities lost population in the 1990s but more than 60 percent did this decade, according to Frey's calculations. The South and West also have more losing cities this decade, including San Francisco and nearby Oakland, where demographers blamed high housing prices and the collapse of the high-tech economy. Frey's analysis also found that expansion slowed in some formerly fast-growing cities.
The only region that has fewer shrinking cities this decade is the Northeast, where some older places such as Newark, N.J., and New Haven, Conn., have rebounded after decades of loss. The estimates found that New York City has kept growing since 2000, and that longtime population-losing older cities such as Cleveland and Philadelphia continued to shrink.
Census Bureau figures released earlier said the District and Baltimore have continued to lose population, as they have every decade since the 1950s. City officials in Washington and Baltimore -- as in Boston, Chicago and some other cities -- dispute the figures, saying they undercount immigrants and new housing units. Census Bureau demographer Greg Harper said the agency has improved its count of both since the 1990s.
But urban experts say they are convinced that the general trend of city population loss this decade is real. In retrospect, the gains that made the 1990s the best decade for big cities since World War II may have been a temporary exception to the long-term pattern. Except for those who can afford high-priced city housing, the lure of the suburbs is too strong, they say.
In Chicago -- "the toast of the '90s metro revival," in Frey's words -- the population dropped by nearly 34,000 this decade, the largest loss among former gainers. The city grew in the 1990s for the first time in half a century, mainly because thousands of Hispanic immigrants and births offset departures of other residents to the suburbs.
Kenneth Johnson, a demographer at Loyola University Chicago, said Hispanic families have begun leaving the city in larger numbers for suburban safety and better schools, while some young, single immigrants head directly for outer suburbs that have a growing pool of jobs in construction, cleaning and other fields.
"What's probably happening is there's still a reasonably large influx of unattached Hispanics into the city -- though not the volume as in the '90s," he said. "But I think the city is losing Hispanic families for the same reasons it is losing white families and black families," he said.
he main Hispanic neighborhoods in the heart of Chicago, including Pilsen, Little Village and Back of the Yards, have almost no green space. Luis Gutierrez, executive director of the organization Latinos Progresando in the Pilsen neighborhood, said once a family moves to the suburbs, it starts a chain reaction by which relatives and friends arriving from Mexico join them there, bypassing the city.
"My sister moved out to Elgin to be closer to her job," he said. "Then, when her mother-in-law and brother-in-law came, they stayed in Elgin out there with her, not in Chicago. Because of that, places like Elgin are doubling in size."
The San Francisco area suffered after the high-tech economy's collapse. (By Paul Sakuma -- Associated Press)
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In Boston, economist Paul Harrington of Northeastern University's Center for Labor Market Studies said the city was hurt by the collapse of the high-tech economy that also damaged San Francisco and other highflying urban centers of the 1990s. Boston's job base shrank 7 percent from late 2001 to late 2004, he said.
"The job creation in the city and state has just been poor," he said. "To see this slowdown and population decline is not surprising in the context of that job performance."
But demographers emphasize that population growth is not the only measure of a city's success. In Washington, which has been losing population for years, "its housing market is stronger and its fiscal markets are stronger than it was 100,000 people ago," said Robert Lang, director of the Metropolitan Center at Virginia Tech.
Like other cities whose reputations but not populaces are growing, he said, "if you promote yourself to singles, childless couples, gays, the creative class, that's not going to grow your population, but it's going to grow your municipal budget."
Staff writer Kari Lydersen in Chicago contributed to this report.
< Back** 1 ** 2
Print This ArticleE-Mail This ArticleRSS Feed Permission to Republish>
Jobs, Cheaper Housing in Suburbs Attracting Immigrants
By D'Vera Cohn
Washington Post Staff Writer
Thursday, June 30, 2005; Page A03
After shedding residents for decades, many U.S. cities revived in the 1990s, with immigrants streaming in and gentrification resurrecting downtowns with lofts, coffee bars and trendy restaurants.
But new Census Bureau estimates to be released today show many cities slipping again. More than two dozen large cities that had been growing a decade ago are shrinking. Fast-growing suburbs with service-sector jobs and more affordable housing are attracting thousands of foreign-born residents who in the past would have started out in the city.
The San Francisco area suffered after the high-tech economy's collapse. (By Paul Sakuma -- Associated Press)
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See a Sample* | *Sign Up Now
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The list of former gainers that have lost population since 2000 include Boston, Chicago, Minneapolis and San Francisco.
"The broad swing of things is that people move out. For a lot of people, the city is simply a way station, and it's not clear how long these rosy times of the late '90s would continue," said William H. Frey, a Brookings Institution demographer. "We're clearly going in a somewhat different direction than we were in the late '90s."
Among the nation's 251 cities with at least 100,000 people, 68 lost population between 2000 and 2004, according to the new figures. In the 1990s, 36 did.
Regionally, the biggest change was in the Midwest, where a third of cities lost population in the 1990s but more than 60 percent did this decade, according to Frey's calculations. The South and West also have more losing cities this decade, including San Francisco and nearby Oakland, where demographers blamed high housing prices and the collapse of the high-tech economy. Frey's analysis also found that expansion slowed in some formerly fast-growing cities.
The only region that has fewer shrinking cities this decade is the Northeast, where some older places such as Newark, N.J., and New Haven, Conn., have rebounded after decades of loss. The estimates found that New York City has kept growing since 2000, and that longtime population-losing older cities such as Cleveland and Philadelphia continued to shrink.
Census Bureau figures released earlier said the District and Baltimore have continued to lose population, as they have every decade since the 1950s. City officials in Washington and Baltimore -- as in Boston, Chicago and some other cities -- dispute the figures, saying they undercount immigrants and new housing units. Census Bureau demographer Greg Harper said the agency has improved its count of both since the 1990s.
But urban experts say they are convinced that the general trend of city population loss this decade is real. In retrospect, the gains that made the 1990s the best decade for big cities since World War II may have been a temporary exception to the long-term pattern. Except for those who can afford high-priced city housing, the lure of the suburbs is too strong, they say.
In Chicago -- "the toast of the '90s metro revival," in Frey's words -- the population dropped by nearly 34,000 this decade, the largest loss among former gainers. The city grew in the 1990s for the first time in half a century, mainly because thousands of Hispanic immigrants and births offset departures of other residents to the suburbs.
Kenneth Johnson, a demographer at Loyola University Chicago, said Hispanic families have begun leaving the city in larger numbers for suburban safety and better schools, while some young, single immigrants head directly for outer suburbs that have a growing pool of jobs in construction, cleaning and other fields.
"What's probably happening is there's still a reasonably large influx of unattached Hispanics into the city -- though not the volume as in the '90s," he said. "But I think the city is losing Hispanic families for the same reasons it is losing white families and black families," he said.
he main Hispanic neighborhoods in the heart of Chicago, including Pilsen, Little Village and Back of the Yards, have almost no green space. Luis Gutierrez, executive director of the organization Latinos Progresando in the Pilsen neighborhood, said once a family moves to the suburbs, it starts a chain reaction by which relatives and friends arriving from Mexico join them there, bypassing the city.
"My sister moved out to Elgin to be closer to her job," he said. "Then, when her mother-in-law and brother-in-law came, they stayed in Elgin out there with her, not in Chicago. Because of that, places like Elgin are doubling in size."
The San Francisco area suffered after the high-tech economy's collapse. (By Paul Sakuma -- Associated Press)
Free E-mail Newsletters
Today's Headlines & Columnists
See a Sample* | *Sign Up Now
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In Boston, economist Paul Harrington of Northeastern University's Center for Labor Market Studies said the city was hurt by the collapse of the high-tech economy that also damaged San Francisco and other highflying urban centers of the 1990s. Boston's job base shrank 7 percent from late 2001 to late 2004, he said.
"The job creation in the city and state has just been poor," he said. "To see this slowdown and population decline is not surprising in the context of that job performance."
But demographers emphasize that population growth is not the only measure of a city's success. In Washington, which has been losing population for years, "its housing market is stronger and its fiscal markets are stronger than it was 100,000 people ago," said Robert Lang, director of the Metropolitan Center at Virginia Tech.
Like other cities whose reputations but not populaces are growing, he said, "if you promote yourself to singles, childless couples, gays, the creative class, that's not going to grow your population, but it's going to grow your municipal budget."
Staff writer Kari Lydersen in Chicago contributed to this report.
< Back** 1 ** 2
Print This ArticleE-Mail This ArticleRSS Feed Permission to Republish>
What product is most associated with your US city?
Coca-Cola is headquartered in Atlanta and is arguably Atlanta's most associated product. What product is your city most associated with?>
Tallest Intersection!
The tallest block is currently being argued but it is somewhat subjective. So, lets figure out what the tallest intersection is:
-4 buildings max
-Combined height of the 4 buildings
-Must all be located in a square, across the street from one another>
-4 buildings max
-Combined height of the 4 buildings
-Must all be located in a square, across the street from one another>
Two great maps!!!
This is the Gawc study in a map, sorted by sectors, showing the next Global Cities also:
>
>
Shanghai & Hong Kong Conference on “Urban Renewal and Heritage Conservation”
Shanghai & Hong Kong Conference on Â"Urban Renewal and Heritage ConservationÂ"
INTRODUCTION
The Shanghai and Hong Kong Conference on Â"Urban Renewal and Heritage Conservation 2005Â" is one of the initiatives of HKIA to heighten the awareness and deepen the debate on urban renewal and heritage conservation. Through the exchange between Shanghai and Hong Kong, the government officials, professionals, developers, academics and other stakeholders can share the experience and seek actions that will benefit the society at large from the perspective of sustainability.
The HKIA reckons that Hong Kong has longed for an effective governmental policy on heritage conservation. Such a policy should not only address individual heritage sites and building, but also closely relate to urban renewal. The HKIA takes this opportunity to urge the HKSAR Government to establish the concerned policy without further delay.
HERITAGE CONSERVATION & URBAN RENEWAL: SIX PRINCIPLES
With respect to both urban renewal and heritage conservation, the HKIA believes in the following general principles and looks forward that the HKSAR Government will take up solid actions accordingly.
1. Integrative Planning
To fully integrate heritage conservation into urban renewal and town planning policy in order to provide an effective and responsive urban renewal and planning mechanism.
2. Holistic Approach
To advocate a holistic approach for heritage conservation and urban renewal with a view to enhancing Hong KongÂ's identity, cultural diversity, historic assets, and social cohesion.
3. Cultural Significance
To evaluate heritage conservation and urban renewal with respect to all aspects of cultural significance including historic, architectural, social, scientific and natural values, not simply the age of building.
4. Collective Memory
To take into account the intangible cultural heritage elements such as customs, cultural and social events, festival activities and cultural landscape that closely relate to the built heritage and form part of our community's collective memory.
5. Community Participation
To involve the local community in deriving a shared criterion for reaching a consensus on the values of heritage asset, which is particularly essential for a district-based conservation for retaining the unique character and setting of heritage places.
6. Collaborative Attitude
To promote collaboration and co-production among architects, other building professionals, and the community interest groups.
URBAN RENEWAL: FIVE DIRECTIONS
In line with the vision to promote design excellence, the HKIA reiterates the support to the initiative of the Chief Executive Policy Address 2005, particularly the following directions in relation to urban renewal:
1. Action
To expedite implementation of urban renewal projects;
2. Creativity
To collaborate with creative industry;
3. Urban Design
To increase the urban design elements;
4. District Identity
To identify and maintain the district characteristics; and
5. Communication
To enhance communication with the local stakeholders.
URBAN RENEWAL: THREE SUGGESTIONS
The HKIA further reckons that there are obstacles facing us in the process of urban renewal in Hong Kong. On one hand, in view of the current approval procedure in government, the private-sector development proponents are often constrained by the given development period as well as other barriers, thereby discouraging them to negotiate with various government departments in pursuing better and innovative designs. On the other hand, the current mechanisms of building, planning and lands control do not provide incentives for the development proponents to explore design excellence and innovation. As such, in addition to supporting the 5 directions mentioned above, the HKIA has the following further suggestions:
1. Design Competition for Excellence & Creativity in Urban Renewal Projects
For urban renewal projects with prominence and significant heritage / environmental implications, the HKIA suggests holding design competition to promote excellence and innovation in both urban and architectural designs.
2. Higher Weighting in Urban Renewal Tender towards Design Quality
To significantly increase the weighting with respect to the provision of good urban and architectural designs in the tender assessment mechanism, the message has to be loud and clear. All potential developers should be well informed of such weighting criterion based on a fair and transparent system.
3. Urban Renewal Mechanism Conducive to Social & Environmental Responsibility
The HKIA opines that a shift in the whole mechanism would be necessary for fostering the developers to take up a more socially and environmentally responsible role in delivering urban renewal projects.
WAY FORWARD
The HKIA looks forward to having a better, more sustainable built environment in Hong Kong. Urban renewal and heritage conservation will be two of the pivotal societal elements for attention by all of us.
In conclusion, the HKIA earnestly looks forward to seeing concrete actions by the HKSAR Government -- in leading the establishment of policy on heritage conservation as well as the implementation of urban renewal designs in a more innovative, socially and environmentally responsive way.
Hong Kong Institute of Architects>
INTRODUCTION
The Shanghai and Hong Kong Conference on Â"Urban Renewal and Heritage Conservation 2005Â" is one of the initiatives of HKIA to heighten the awareness and deepen the debate on urban renewal and heritage conservation. Through the exchange between Shanghai and Hong Kong, the government officials, professionals, developers, academics and other stakeholders can share the experience and seek actions that will benefit the society at large from the perspective of sustainability.
The HKIA reckons that Hong Kong has longed for an effective governmental policy on heritage conservation. Such a policy should not only address individual heritage sites and building, but also closely relate to urban renewal. The HKIA takes this opportunity to urge the HKSAR Government to establish the concerned policy without further delay.
HERITAGE CONSERVATION & URBAN RENEWAL: SIX PRINCIPLES
With respect to both urban renewal and heritage conservation, the HKIA believes in the following general principles and looks forward that the HKSAR Government will take up solid actions accordingly.
1. Integrative Planning
To fully integrate heritage conservation into urban renewal and town planning policy in order to provide an effective and responsive urban renewal and planning mechanism.
2. Holistic Approach
To advocate a holistic approach for heritage conservation and urban renewal with a view to enhancing Hong KongÂ's identity, cultural diversity, historic assets, and social cohesion.
3. Cultural Significance
To evaluate heritage conservation and urban renewal with respect to all aspects of cultural significance including historic, architectural, social, scientific and natural values, not simply the age of building.
4. Collective Memory
To take into account the intangible cultural heritage elements such as customs, cultural and social events, festival activities and cultural landscape that closely relate to the built heritage and form part of our community's collective memory.
5. Community Participation
To involve the local community in deriving a shared criterion for reaching a consensus on the values of heritage asset, which is particularly essential for a district-based conservation for retaining the unique character and setting of heritage places.
6. Collaborative Attitude
To promote collaboration and co-production among architects, other building professionals, and the community interest groups.
URBAN RENEWAL: FIVE DIRECTIONS
In line with the vision to promote design excellence, the HKIA reiterates the support to the initiative of the Chief Executive Policy Address 2005, particularly the following directions in relation to urban renewal:
1. Action
To expedite implementation of urban renewal projects;
2. Creativity
To collaborate with creative industry;
3. Urban Design
To increase the urban design elements;
4. District Identity
To identify and maintain the district characteristics; and
5. Communication
To enhance communication with the local stakeholders.
URBAN RENEWAL: THREE SUGGESTIONS
The HKIA further reckons that there are obstacles facing us in the process of urban renewal in Hong Kong. On one hand, in view of the current approval procedure in government, the private-sector development proponents are often constrained by the given development period as well as other barriers, thereby discouraging them to negotiate with various government departments in pursuing better and innovative designs. On the other hand, the current mechanisms of building, planning and lands control do not provide incentives for the development proponents to explore design excellence and innovation. As such, in addition to supporting the 5 directions mentioned above, the HKIA has the following further suggestions:
1. Design Competition for Excellence & Creativity in Urban Renewal Projects
For urban renewal projects with prominence and significant heritage / environmental implications, the HKIA suggests holding design competition to promote excellence and innovation in both urban and architectural designs.
2. Higher Weighting in Urban Renewal Tender towards Design Quality
To significantly increase the weighting with respect to the provision of good urban and architectural designs in the tender assessment mechanism, the message has to be loud and clear. All potential developers should be well informed of such weighting criterion based on a fair and transparent system.
3. Urban Renewal Mechanism Conducive to Social & Environmental Responsibility
The HKIA opines that a shift in the whole mechanism would be necessary for fostering the developers to take up a more socially and environmentally responsible role in delivering urban renewal projects.
WAY FORWARD
The HKIA looks forward to having a better, more sustainable built environment in Hong Kong. Urban renewal and heritage conservation will be two of the pivotal societal elements for attention by all of us.
In conclusion, the HKIA earnestly looks forward to seeing concrete actions by the HKSAR Government -- in leading the establishment of policy on heritage conservation as well as the implementation of urban renewal designs in a more innovative, socially and environmentally responsive way.
Hong Kong Institute of Architects>
Jakarta : City Planning Facelift to Improve Kota
City planning facelift to improve Kota image
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
July 6, 2005
The Jakarta administration revealed on Monday that it was finalizing a draft blueprint for development in Kota, West Jakarta, as part of efforts to revive the historic downtown area as a commercial area and a tourism destination.
"We are preparing the urban design guidelines, especially on traffic management since we have learned that heavy traffic there is the main impediment to the revival of the area into a commercial district," Jakarta Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo told The Jakarta Post.
Fauzi said a survey last year showed there were on average 2,400 vehicles an hour crisscrossing Kota's narrow road network, resulting in chronic congestion.
He said the blueprint was now being discussed by a team at the City Spatial Agency.
Without any fundamental improvements in traffic management, Fauzi said, any attempt to revitalize Kota would falter.
He added that the managements of commercial premises, including Mangga Dua and Pinangsia electronics centers, would be required to help finance the project.
"The administration alone will not be able to finance the whole cost of improvements to the area," he said.
The improving traffic in Kota would also include relocating Kota railway station.
"Kota Station will be relocated to another place so that the traffic burden in the area will be relieved, while the old station would be used for other purposes, including an exclusive tourist shopping center," he said.
City Spatial Agency head Nurfakih Wirawan said the administration planned to widen roads encircling the area, steering through traffic away from the narrow central streets.
"We have no choice but to preserve existing roads where most heritage buildings are located. Instead, we can widen alternative roads, while preventing motorists who just want to drive through the area from taking other roads," he told the Post.
"Hopefully, we can finish the master plan by the end of this year," he added.
The implementation of the blueprint, he said, would be in the hands of the West Jakarta municipality.
In another effort to solve the traffic problem, the West Jakarta administration is negotiating with more than 1,500 street vendors in Glodok about a plan to relocate them to nearby traditional markets.
West Jakarta Mayor Fajar A Panjaitan said the relocation was necessary since street vendors had taken over road shoulders and pavements, partially blocking roads and causing more jams.
The municipality was cooperating with city market operator PD Pasar Jaya to prepare space for the vendors in nearby markets, including Perniagaan and Glodok, Fajar said.
Under Dutch colonial rule, Kota was the city center for business, commerce and cultural activities.
The area is now in disrepair, notorious as a red-light district, with many poorly maintained heritage buildings, traffic jams and urban slums on heavily polluted rivers.>
Damar Harsanto, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta
July 6, 2005
The Jakarta administration revealed on Monday that it was finalizing a draft blueprint for development in Kota, West Jakarta, as part of efforts to revive the historic downtown area as a commercial area and a tourism destination.
"We are preparing the urban design guidelines, especially on traffic management since we have learned that heavy traffic there is the main impediment to the revival of the area into a commercial district," Jakarta Deputy Governor Fauzi Bowo told The Jakarta Post.
Fauzi said a survey last year showed there were on average 2,400 vehicles an hour crisscrossing Kota's narrow road network, resulting in chronic congestion.
He said the blueprint was now being discussed by a team at the City Spatial Agency.
Without any fundamental improvements in traffic management, Fauzi said, any attempt to revitalize Kota would falter.
He added that the managements of commercial premises, including Mangga Dua and Pinangsia electronics centers, would be required to help finance the project.
"The administration alone will not be able to finance the whole cost of improvements to the area," he said.
The improving traffic in Kota would also include relocating Kota railway station.
"Kota Station will be relocated to another place so that the traffic burden in the area will be relieved, while the old station would be used for other purposes, including an exclusive tourist shopping center," he said.
City Spatial Agency head Nurfakih Wirawan said the administration planned to widen roads encircling the area, steering through traffic away from the narrow central streets.
"We have no choice but to preserve existing roads where most heritage buildings are located. Instead, we can widen alternative roads, while preventing motorists who just want to drive through the area from taking other roads," he told the Post.
"Hopefully, we can finish the master plan by the end of this year," he added.
The implementation of the blueprint, he said, would be in the hands of the West Jakarta municipality.
In another effort to solve the traffic problem, the West Jakarta administration is negotiating with more than 1,500 street vendors in Glodok about a plan to relocate them to nearby traditional markets.
West Jakarta Mayor Fajar A Panjaitan said the relocation was necessary since street vendors had taken over road shoulders and pavements, partially blocking roads and causing more jams.
The municipality was cooperating with city market operator PD Pasar Jaya to prepare space for the vendors in nearby markets, including Perniagaan and Glodok, Fajar said.
Under Dutch colonial rule, Kota was the city center for business, commerce and cultural activities.
The area is now in disrepair, notorious as a red-light district, with many poorly maintained heritage buildings, traffic jams and urban slums on heavily polluted rivers.>
From Singapore: Preparations for 117th IOC decision (6th July)
All eyes on S'pore this week ahead of 2012 Olympics host city vote
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE: Singapore takes centre stage this week as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meets to vote for the host city of the 2012 Summer Games.
IOC members will choose between London, Paris, Madrid, Moscow and New York to host the world's biggest sporting event during the 117th session from July 3-9.
The result will be announced by IOC president Jacques Rogge at about 1130 GMT on July 6.
The session officially starts on Tuesday with a big opening ceremony at the Esplanade.
However its Executive Board got down to business on Sunday at the Raffles City Convention Centre.
Led by Rogge, the 15-member Executive Board met to discuss various issues from marketing, TV rights and even the contract for the winning city for the 2012 Games.
Of keen interest will be an update on the Olympic programme which includes a review of the 28 sports for the 2012 Games.
The Sports Federations have requested that IOC not reveal details of the vote to be made on 8 July.
Giselle Davies, IOC Communications Director, said: "The Federations asked that the details of the vote not be given in order to avoid any ranking between the different sports, so the info will simply be 'yes' or 'no', whether a sport is on the programme for 2012."
Away from the meeting, the 5 cities have been busy making their last-minute preparations.
All have been given a chance to rehearse at the actual venue - the Raffles Ballroom - but behind closed doors.
Sports celebrities too have been busy giving their support, among them Australian swimming sensation, Ian Thorpe.
Nicknamed "Torpedo", the multiple Olympic gold medallist is putting his weight behind New York as he was a September 11 survivor.
He said: "I am also playing the role of speaking to IOC delegates while I'm here and try to encourage support of this bid. I have been involved in this bid for a long time."
13-year-old Griselda Khng may not be a celebrity yet, but will have the whole world's attention on 6 July.
She has been chosen to present to the IOC President, the envelope containing the name of the city chosen to host the 2012 Olympics.
A national sailor, Griselda admitted she is looking forward to catch a glimpse of - you guessed it - English footballer David Beckham. - CNA>
By Patwant Singh, Channel NewsAsia
SINGAPORE: Singapore takes centre stage this week as the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meets to vote for the host city of the 2012 Summer Games.
IOC members will choose between London, Paris, Madrid, Moscow and New York to host the world's biggest sporting event during the 117th session from July 3-9.
The result will be announced by IOC president Jacques Rogge at about 1130 GMT on July 6.
The session officially starts on Tuesday with a big opening ceremony at the Esplanade.
However its Executive Board got down to business on Sunday at the Raffles City Convention Centre.
Led by Rogge, the 15-member Executive Board met to discuss various issues from marketing, TV rights and even the contract for the winning city for the 2012 Games.
Of keen interest will be an update on the Olympic programme which includes a review of the 28 sports for the 2012 Games.
The Sports Federations have requested that IOC not reveal details of the vote to be made on 8 July.
Giselle Davies, IOC Communications Director, said: "The Federations asked that the details of the vote not be given in order to avoid any ranking between the different sports, so the info will simply be 'yes' or 'no', whether a sport is on the programme for 2012."
Away from the meeting, the 5 cities have been busy making their last-minute preparations.
All have been given a chance to rehearse at the actual venue - the Raffles Ballroom - but behind closed doors.
Sports celebrities too have been busy giving their support, among them Australian swimming sensation, Ian Thorpe.
Nicknamed "Torpedo", the multiple Olympic gold medallist is putting his weight behind New York as he was a September 11 survivor.
He said: "I am also playing the role of speaking to IOC delegates while I'm here and try to encourage support of this bid. I have been involved in this bid for a long time."
13-year-old Griselda Khng may not be a celebrity yet, but will have the whole world's attention on 6 July.
She has been chosen to present to the IOC President, the envelope containing the name of the city chosen to host the 2012 Olympics.
A national sailor, Griselda admitted she is looking forward to catch a glimpse of - you guessed it - English footballer David Beckham. - CNA>
400 Million Rural Peasants to Flood Coastal Chinese Cities by 2020
Human tide expected to flood affluent coastal cities
Shi Jiangtao
26 May 2005
South China Morning Post
Mainland cities are expected to see an influx of 400 million people from rural areas by 2020, with nearly half flowing into affluent coastal areas, according to a National Development and Reform Commission economist.
Wang Yiming , a vice-president of the commission's macroeconomic research institute, told a forum on Beijing's city planning that three coastal regions - the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta and the Bohai Rim - had gained more from economic reforms than other areas.
"The three key economic regions, which make up 3 per cent of the country's land area and about 12 per cent of the country's total population, accounted for 40 per cent of the nation's gross domestic product last year," Mr Wang said.
Of the US$60 billion in foreign investment attracted to the mainland, the Yangtze River Delta area earned 42 per cent. As the mainland's two key export bases, the Pearl River Delta and the Yangtze River Delta, accounted for nearly 70 per cent of exports last year.
As a result of the growing disparity between coastal areas and other areas, more migrant workers would flock to Shanghai, Guangdong and Beijing, Mr Wang said.
Chen Huai , director of the Ministry of Construction's Policy Study Centre, told the forum mainland achievements during the past two decades should be partly attributed to the success of its urban planning.
"However, it is also fair to say that almost all the difficulties China faces in its strategic development are closely related to flaws in urban planning, such as real estate, traffic and eviction problems."
He said Beijing municipal authorities had made the correct decision in opting for a multi-centre strategy for its future development.
James Jao, an architect and former New York city planning commissioner, said urban planners needed to pay more attention to sustainable development.>
Shi Jiangtao
26 May 2005
South China Morning Post
Mainland cities are expected to see an influx of 400 million people from rural areas by 2020, with nearly half flowing into affluent coastal areas, according to a National Development and Reform Commission economist.
Wang Yiming , a vice-president of the commission's macroeconomic research institute, told a forum on Beijing's city planning that three coastal regions - the Pearl River Delta, Yangtze River Delta and the Bohai Rim - had gained more from economic reforms than other areas.
"The three key economic regions, which make up 3 per cent of the country's land area and about 12 per cent of the country's total population, accounted for 40 per cent of the nation's gross domestic product last year," Mr Wang said.
Of the US$60 billion in foreign investment attracted to the mainland, the Yangtze River Delta area earned 42 per cent. As the mainland's two key export bases, the Pearl River Delta and the Yangtze River Delta, accounted for nearly 70 per cent of exports last year.
As a result of the growing disparity between coastal areas and other areas, more migrant workers would flock to Shanghai, Guangdong and Beijing, Mr Wang said.
Chen Huai , director of the Ministry of Construction's Policy Study Centre, told the forum mainland achievements during the past two decades should be partly attributed to the success of its urban planning.
"However, it is also fair to say that almost all the difficulties China faces in its strategic development are closely related to flaws in urban planning, such as real estate, traffic and eviction problems."
He said Beijing municipal authorities had made the correct decision in opting for a multi-centre strategy for its future development.
James Jao, an architect and former New York city planning commissioner, said urban planners needed to pay more attention to sustainable development.>
Water vs. Water
No question about it: water highlights a skyline like no other feature. But what type of water does it best?
• the city across the river (Manhattan would be the top of the list, but other cities such as Philadelphia, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Detroit, etc. have a similiar type of approach). This one is based on the view straight in front of you, the bridge and the looming skyline
• city on a bay (SF, of course, is the top of this list)...some elements are th same as above, but this one tugs at your peripheral vision as well in its ability to encompass not only the skyline across the water, but vast numbers of other area sights.
• city by the lake (Chicago is as obvious here as SF is above, but Milw and Cleve qualify, too): open water is the difference here and this includes the unparalleled views from the lake itself and views of the city coming in with the lakefront at your side
• a river runs through it (principly Chicago, although elements may exist in other places). Here the showcase is a river that is lined with towers on both sides, a man-made Grand Canyon, if you will. The river runs through the downtown area, not adjacent to it and the views are up close and personal.
• sound thinking: a Seattle like view across Puget Sound, somewhat river like, but wider.....SD across SD Bay in Coronado is similiar>
• the city across the river (Manhattan would be the top of the list, but other cities such as Philadelphia, Cincinnati, St. Louis, Pittsburgh, Detroit, etc. have a similiar type of approach). This one is based on the view straight in front of you, the bridge and the looming skyline
• city on a bay (SF, of course, is the top of this list)...some elements are th same as above, but this one tugs at your peripheral vision as well in its ability to encompass not only the skyline across the water, but vast numbers of other area sights.
• city by the lake (Chicago is as obvious here as SF is above, but Milw and Cleve qualify, too): open water is the difference here and this includes the unparalleled views from the lake itself and views of the city coming in with the lakefront at your side
• a river runs through it (principly Chicago, although elements may exist in other places). Here the showcase is a river that is lined with towers on both sides, a man-made Grand Canyon, if you will. The river runs through the downtown area, not adjacent to it and the views are up close and personal.
• sound thinking: a Seattle like view across Puget Sound, somewhat river like, but wider.....SD across SD Bay in Coronado is similiar>
Shanghai Strains Amid Heat Wave
Shanghai strains amid heat wave
AFP
July 5, 2005
Hundreds of people have been hospitalized in Shanghai as a record-shattering heat wave showed little signs of letting up, straining already stretched power resources.
The thermometer hit 39 degrees Celsius Sunday, making it a record ninth straight day above 35 degrees and the hottest July 3 in the city since 1873.
The sweltering heat has strained power supplies as air-conditioners were turned up to maximum, but hundreds, mostly elderly, were hospitalized with heat stroke and breathing difficulties.
Over 600 ambulances have been despatched each day, the Shanghai Daily reported. No deaths, however, have been reported.
With air-conditioners accounting for much of the power usage, authorities have instructed government buildings, malls, offices, hotels and entertainment venues to set their air-conditioning dials no lower than 26 degrees Celsius.
Residents of the city of 17 million will have to endure the hot, humid temperatures at least until tomorrow when meterologists have forecast rainstorms.>
AFP
July 5, 2005
Hundreds of people have been hospitalized in Shanghai as a record-shattering heat wave showed little signs of letting up, straining already stretched power resources.
The thermometer hit 39 degrees Celsius Sunday, making it a record ninth straight day above 35 degrees and the hottest July 3 in the city since 1873.
The sweltering heat has strained power supplies as air-conditioners were turned up to maximum, but hundreds, mostly elderly, were hospitalized with heat stroke and breathing difficulties.
Over 600 ambulances have been despatched each day, the Shanghai Daily reported. No deaths, however, have been reported.
With air-conditioners accounting for much of the power usage, authorities have instructed government buildings, malls, offices, hotels and entertainment venues to set their air-conditioning dials no lower than 26 degrees Celsius.
Residents of the city of 17 million will have to endure the hot, humid temperatures at least until tomorrow when meterologists have forecast rainstorms.>
+ The Official: Your Top 10 Favorite Skylines of the World +
It's been a while since I've seen one of these. After the first 3 mine change occasionally....but this is the most up to date!
1. Hong Kong
2. Chicago
3. New York
4. Shanghai (Pudong)
5. Singapore
6. Seattle
7. Sydney
8. Toronto
9. Calgary
10. Frankfurt>
1. Hong Kong
2. Chicago
3. New York
4. Shanghai (Pudong)
5. Singapore
6. Seattle
7. Sydney
8. Toronto
9. Calgary
10. Frankfurt>
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