Will San Antonio Take Place Over Dallas For Good.

[Dominax]

WILL SAN ANTONIO TAKE PLACE OF BEING THE SECOND LARGEST CITY IN TEXAS

Well Dallas is still actually second today with now over 1,200,000 people but San Antonio still has over 1,140,000 people in their town. Dallas has a much larger metro area with Fort Worth and sized like Houston. San Antonio is sized like the cities of Austin, Kansas City, St Louis, Pittsburgh, and Jacksonville but not like others with urban population over million citizens.

[rantanamo]

for city proper, probably. Dallas doesn't have near the amount of open land to keep up in its city proper. Dallas is growing well in the inner city, but that never could keep up with suburban type growth. Its mostly a pride thing, but isn't that big of a deal. I'd rather see Dallas on its current path of becoming a Boston or Toronto type city than annexing a ton of land and growing that way. We still don't know the affect a possible inland port, or the exponential discovery of south Dallas might have. I'd bet on San Antonio as there's nothing really to stop its city proper for a while.

[brijonmang]

unless something radical happens...i dont think i can find myself considering SA a bigger more urban city than dallas...i guess its just the location and little recognition that SA has (minus bball)

[RedScare]

As of 2003, SA had passed Dallas 1,214,725 to 1,208,343. But San Antonio is also larger, 408 sq. miles to 343. Dallas is hemmed in everywhere but the southeast...and there appears to be no push to expand that direction. The growth of the inner city areas pales in comparison to suburban growth and annexation, something both SA and Ft. Worth are doing a lot of.

That being said, I don't think San Antonio wants to be like Dallas, or any other city. Many southern inland cities look eerily similar (no offense to any of them), while San Antonio is wonderfully distinct with its Spanish/Mexican influences in both architecture and social fabric.

And, since neither city exists by itself, one must consider Ft Worth and the midcities when talking about Dallas, and Austin when talking about SA. While both metros will continue to grow, I don't see SA/Austin taking over DFW for awhile, if ever.

[RedScare]

"What I like about San Antonio is that, generally speaking, there's more respect for the past than there is here. Hell, if the Alamo had been here instead of there, it probably would have been torn down a long time ago to make way for a parking garage."

Funny....sad, but probably true.

[Gary]

In retrospect, the above post seems kind of unfair... if not necessarily untrue.

The thing is, I lived in San Antonio for a number of years.  And one thing I discovered early on is that most San Antonians seems to have an inborn hatred of Houston.

When I first moved there, I had many conversations like this...

San Antonian: Where'd you move here from?

Me: The Houston area.

San Antonian [with thinly concealed disgust]: Aren't you glad you moved?!?

And, a few years later, when I decided to move back to Houston...

San Antonian: Where are you moving to?

Me: Houston.

San Antonian: Hyewwwww-ston?!?!?!?!?  Why?!?!?

I mean, I guess it's great that they've got pride in their city.  But that pride should come from the city's own merits, not the fact that it is the anti-Houston.  (Which, in fact, it is not.  SA has sprawl, strip malls, tract subdivisions, traffic problems, crime, AND humidity.)

What I like about San Antonio is that, generally speaking, there's more respect for the past than there is here.  Hell, if the Alamo had been here instead of there, it probably would have been torn down a long time ago to make way for a parking garage.

And I'm not just talking about the missions.  I always liked the fact that Joske's built around that old church downtown instead of demolishing it.  More recently, there's the Quarry Market: its developers kept much of the old Alamo Cement plant (something of a landmark) and developed it into... well, a strip center.  Still...

I also think McAllister freeway (281 North) between downtown and, say, Basse Road is one of the prettiest stretches of road I've ever had the pleasure of driving.

So, San Antonio, it took me a long time to admit it, but you're alright.  Just ease up on the Houston-hating.  It's not very becoming of you.

Go Spurs!

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Houston hating is not just in San Antonio, it's everywhere. It's a learned thing that is really strange. What's funny is that once people spend time here it's almost always the comment "wow, I didn't know Houston was like this".

San Antonio is a great town (although I prefer Austin), and it's got great natural escapes right outside it's door. That being said it's nowhere near Dallas in urbanity or big city feel.

[tamtagon]

I think San Antonio is unique, and the only city in Texas maintaining it's historic character despite overwhelming growth of suburban homogenization. San Antonio is also the home of The Pride of Texas: The San Antonio Spurs.

[KimberlySayWhat]

I think it's better to be an underrated city than an overrated one. Being underrated, there's so much room for surprise. Screw anyone who hates us. They've probably never spent time here, or like some of you brought us, maybe they are jealous. Or perhaps they're just ignorant; buying into that tired, age old impression of the city and solely forming their opinions on that. I knew a lot of Dallasites feel that way about Houston, but I didn't know San Antonians did, as well.

I hope Detroit wins the NBA Championship.

[MidtownCoog]

Dallas on its current path of becoming a Boston or Toronto type city

Now THAT is some funny stuff.

Dallas, it thinks it's Toronto, but in reality, it's Indianapolis.

[The Great Hizzy!]

That San Antonio/Austin/Dallas masked insecurity (not all but those who get all nose in the air about their stature relative to Houston) isn't unique to Texas. San Franciscans and Diegans act that way towards Los Angeles, Illinoisans act that ways towards Chicago, upstaters to New York, Jacksonvillians to Miami and so forth.

It would take an utter fool to not be able to realize that pretty much all of the so called "fallabilities" found in Houston are well apparent in the "oasis" of the remainder of the triangle.

In general, you should continue to laugh at 'em. They deserve it.

[MidtownCoog]

You sure won't ever see Houston trying to be some Yankee or Canuck city. Houston is Houston, and that's what I love about it.

Print It

[KimberlySayWhat]

That San Antonio/Austin/Dallas masked insecurity (not all but those who get all nose in the air about their stature relative to Houston) isn't unique to Texas. San Franciscans and Diegans act that way towards Los Angeles, Illinoisans act that ways towards Chicago, upstaters to New York, Jacksonvillians to Miami and so forth.

So what are some of the reasons that other cities use for hating their sister cities? Here it's never anything more original than humidity and traffic. Zzzzzzz.

[rantanamo]

You guys have interesting discussions on what cities are insecure and their own images of themselves.

[Gary]

You guys have interesting discussions on what cities are insecure and their own images of themselves.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Come on man, back off a little. Nobody is getting to nasty at this point and nobody has picked on Dallas.

[MidtownCoog]

Dallas is the next London.

Print It

[MidtownCoog]

I love London. Just playing along with Dallas' illusions of grandeur.

Spent plenty of time in both places.

[rantanamo]

Not being hostile. Don't know where you got that from. Just interesting how you guys are always commenting on other cities being insecure towards you guys. Especially in light of some of the posts and comments here like Dallas' "illusions' of grandeur. Just very interesting. Not saying anything good or bad, nor am I upset. Its just interesting.

[713 To 214]

^It's actually funny because even a thread that is supposed to discuss how great Houston is, will almost undoubtedly end up being about how much Dallas sucks. . .In other words, Houston can't be great unless Dallas sucks. Geesh. . .talk about insecurities!!!

[MidtownCoog]

Nobody says Dallas sucks. It's just funny that Dallas always compares itself to other cities. I lived there for four years, and saw it first hand.

It's just funny. You rarely hear about Houston wanting to model itself after some other city.

Maybe we should, but we don't. We are real.

[Gary]

^It's actually funny because even a thread that is supposed to discuss how great Houston is, will almost undoubtedly end up being about how much Dallas sucks. . .In other words, Houston can't be great unless Dallas sucks.

[rantanamo]

Like I said, you guys have very interesting ideas.opinions on how others percieve themselves.

It's just funny. You rarely hear about Houston wanting to model itself after some other city.

Personally, I don't give a rats ass about Dallas and would much rather be considered with LA or Chicago, not Dallas. Houston is gaining on that class of city, Dallas is not.

kettle............black. Glad that you recognize that. Don't know why you guys expect us to hate Houston. Read our forum sometimes. A lot of us have actually lived there and actually discuss your issues intelligently. Just because some yahoos on the street like to make disparaging comments doesn't mean Dallas hates Houston. If I went off of my college roommate and his friends, I would think Houston halds its nose up at Dallas. I don't do that though. That's ridiculous.

I would also ask why do you think Houston is gaining on Chicago or LA, while Dallas is not? Neither is gaining on them as they aren't sitting still themselves. I'm more wondering exactly what Dallas isn't doing that is preventing it from gaining on such status?

[RedScare]

To quote 713to214 in another thread this morning, can we get back on topic? This WAS a thread comparing San Antonio and Dallas populations. Houston was not invited, nor was the topic of which city sucks more ass.

[rantanamo]

Sorry about that. Just hard to stay on topic sometimes. I apologize if I was bashing Houston or straying off topic too far.

[HoustonianInColorado]

For whatever reason, these type of rivalries seem to spring up everywhere. When I lived in Tulsa, people there thought their OKC neighbors 100 miles down the Turner Turnpike were a bunch of hicks living in a cowtown. People in OKC sometimes view Tulsans and old money, oil rich snobs.

[LTAWACS]

They are already #2. Wake up my man.

[tamtagon]

I think before the end of the decade, South Dallas County will begin to experience widespread suburbanization. It's possible that the city of Dallas will begin to annex unincorporated land, maybe even annex small, once rural towns like Sunnyvale. I doubt, however, that the municipal population of Dallas will surpass San Antonio's within a decade, if ever. Along those lines, I expect the metro population of DFW will continue to add more residents per year (averaged by decade) than any other US metro except Los Angeles for at least the next three Census.

[tigereye]

I think before the end of the decade, South Dallas County will begin to experience widespread suburbanization.  It's possible that the city of Dallas will begin to annex unincorporated land, maybe even annex small, once rural towns like Sunnyvale.  I doubt, however, that the municipal population of Dallas will surpass San Antonio's within a decade, if ever.  Along those lines, I expect the metro population of DFW will continue to add more residents per year (averaged by decade) than any other US metro except Los Angeles for at least the next three Census.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

First off, from New York, living in Houston. Actually enjoying....didn

[RedScare]

All of what you said is, sadly, true. I think the continued development in one direction is the lemming effect. Whether developers or consumers, everyone has to go to where the action is. Why else would someone pay $30,000 more for the same tract home in The Woodlands as in any other subdivision in Houston. Just to get the address?

[2112]

Downtown, maybe.  Other than that, it's anywhere, U.S.A.  Strip malls and ticky-tacky boxes abound.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Very true. I think one can say the same thing about Seattle. Its downtown was extremely urban dense, with much activity. But that is only about a one by one or two by two mile area. As soon as you left it, it looked like suburban America. Although the natural beauty was hard to compete with. Most cities are like that in America.

[arche_757]

Who cares!

In response to the topic in general.