Yeah, it's still rising

One of my goals in starting this blog back in 2006 was a desire to share some of the good news and positive developments taking place in the Bull City -- things that occasionally slip below the radar of print media, and almost always below that of our friends in the broadcasting business.

Of course, BCR gets into other topics, too, from local politics and governmental affairs to development and new businesses. But every so often, it's good to reflect back on the big picture: the positive changes and redevelopment of one of the most storied cities in the South.

My own opinion of Durham wasn't always positive, something I shared by way of a quasi-introductory post a year or so ago. But I haven't lived here nearly as long as Paul Andrews, who shared his thoughts on twenty years' experience as a northeastern transplant to Durham in a Herald-Sun op-ed piece last week that I just stumbled across:

When we moved here, I-40 stopped at N.C. 55 in Research Triangle Park, and the Durham Freeway came to an abrupt end at Swift Avenue. South Square Mall was the only hot spot and the Bulls still played in the old DAP. The City Council had 13 bickering members who couldn't agree on the color of the sky.

The Downtown Loop and its many one-way streets were a mystery to navigate. Downtown itself was dark and abandoned, but had the sweet smell of tobacco emanating from the Liggett & Myers factory.

Don't move to Durham, folks said, it's old and dangerous!

But once we compared it to the pretentious, cookie-cutter neighborhoods of the other Triangle towns, there was no comparison. We could see Durham's character and potential....

Yes, Durham has problems, but so do other cities.

The streets could be better, schools less crowded, crime lower. It's not perfect, but what city is? Durham has character, class, a rich history and a bright future. Can't wait to see what the next 20 years brings.

Andrews' piece is worth a full read over at the H-S web site.

Comments

[Trinity Rez]

Yes, Durham has problems, but so do other cities.

This still does not take away or excuse the crap that people who live in Durham have to endure year after year.

I always love the excuse making (other cities have problems) when people are confronted with why Durham's schools, crime and real estate values suffer.

I love Durham. I was born here and choose to raise my family here (we will see after the kids start school). However, I am not going to blindly excuse the mess that Durham, politically and criminally, is faced with. I mean we have a city that is facing a major financial issue regarding the Duke LAX case. What does the bright minded people in Durham do? They vote in a DA that knowingly was involved with that corruption. I still think that a large segment of Durham would have been nothing but happy to see three innocent rich white males convicted.

We have a major explosion when three white males are thought to have raped a low life black prostitute but no reaction when a 10 year old or teenage girl are gunned down just for being outside enjoying themselves as young kids should. Selective indignation is so out of proportion that one can only come to the conclusion that some in this city are bigots.

We have an article a while back that says blacks are targeting Hispanics. No outrage. If the roles was reversed do you think there would have been outrage?

If it was not for my love of Trinity Park, downtown, farmers market, 9th st, Bright Leaf and Duke I would have abandon this town years ago.