I disagree with the article's premise that urban growth is driven by creativity.
For example, this doesn't explain Tokyo. Japan's capital of creativity is Osaka; Tokyo doesn't even come close.
Rents in Megacities Can't Go Up Forever
31–40 of 391 posts
Re: Rents in Megacities Can't Go Up Forever
#32Earlier quoted context omitted.
There are certainly a lot of factors. People want to live in trendy cities. There's a lot to consider besides rent - culture, nightlife, etc. San Francisco sure does have some of the best food in the country (and with tech consuming most of spare time the way it is, eating out is really a huge part of culture). Rent definitely ends up being the deal breaker for many, but for others isn't. It's a lot harder for a comp…
See, here's the thing about coastal types: they are obsessed with getting the "top" talent, as if every project or startup requires it. What if most startups only need "good" developers to develop their mostly CRUD apps and don't need "the best" developers?
What they say they're getting ("the top talent") and what they actually get are two separate things.
Re: Rents in Megacities Can't Go Up Forever
#33Especially for information technology, I don't understand the rationale why it has to be concentrated at certain places. As long as there is a good net connection, it could be anywhere in the world. Let's concentrate on the US for a moment. Why can't a successful startup not be in Dallas, Amarillo, Miami or Des Moines? Talented people already move from one coast to the other, so they could as well move to any other p…
I live in Chicago. I love it here because of everything else it has to offer. I have everything almost everything I need available to me within walking distance from home. That includes grocery store, dive bars, cheap restaurants, high end restaurants, clubs.
For anything else I may want to do (concerts, sports games, plays, comedy), there are dozens of world class options within a ten minute cab drive / 30 minutes on public transportation.
It's gotten to the point, where if there's a band I want to see, but they're in the suburbs, I'll just wait til they're back in the city.
I grew up and went to college two different small beach towns. There wasn't much of anything to do besides drink. If you wanted culture, you'd have to get in your car and drive at least an hour.
I have no desire to live outside of a big city, unless it is in the middle of nowhere, but in that case, I will still have a home in a city.
My guess is a lot of other people feel the same way.
Re: Rents in Megacities Can't Go Up Forever
#34Especially for information technology, I don't understand the rationale why it has to be concentrated at certain places. As long as there is a good net connection, it could be anywhere in the world. Let's concentrate on the US for a moment. Why can't a successful startup not be in Dallas, Amarillo, Miami or Des Moines? Talented people already move from one coast to the other, so they could as well move to any other p…
same logic that makes off-shoring (okay, near-shoring in this case) to not work, or be at least occasionally painful experience.
to quote one client - I'll rather have a mediocre dev sitting right here so we can discuss/plan/design behind one single desk/board rather than having a star 500 (or 5000) km away. even if there wouldn't be time difference, in person contact has high value.
and seeing this daily, cannot agree more.
Re: Rents in Megacities Can't Go Up Forever
#35But why not? There is no precedent to the contrary. Rent has always gone up, people are social animals.
The needs of business are independent of people's desire to be with other people.
Virtualization need to improve a lot before the experience of "group" is as good as real life.
Re: Rents in Megacities Can't Go Up Forever
#36I think all almost industries cluster in the sense they are talking about in the article. The corporations responsible for creating and distributing are clustered.
For instance, Oil and Gas in Houston, Pharma in New Jersey and so on.
I don't think the economic value of clustering will stop anytime soon.
The trend may stop because people find better solutions to housing than simply building more of the same.
(And software should not be thought of as an industry, but a tool that enables other industries, but this is not the place for that.)
Re: Rents in Megacities Can't Go Up Forever
#37The article title is spot on. Vancouver is not a megacity, therefore our rent will go up forever.
It's unbelievable how relatively expensive rent is to income.
I'm beginning to wonder why I'm putting up with Vancouver.
I'm thinking I will take the first train out of here but that doesn't seem to be coming.
Re: Rents in Megacities Can't Go Up Forever
#38Especially for information technology, I don't understand the rationale why it has to be concentrated at certain places. As long as there is a good net connection, it could be anywhere in the world. Let's concentrate on the US for a moment. Why can't a successful startup not be in Dallas, Amarillo, Miami or Des Moines? Talented people already move from one coast to the other, so they could as well move to any other p…
>Especially for information technology, I don't understand the rationale why it has to be concentrated at certain places. As long as there is a good net connection, it could be anywhere in the world. Let's concentrate on the US for a moment. Why can't a successful startup not be in Dallas, Amarillo, Miami or Des Moines? Because the real commodity being sold with the apartments and offices isn't net access or even lan…
That's a very interesting and original way of looking at it.
It would also explain clustering in other areas (finance in NYC, Oil and gas in Houston etc).
Do you have any links or references exploring that idea in greater detail?
Re: Rents in Megacities Can't Go Up Forever
#39Especially for information technology, I don't understand the rationale why it has to be concentrated at certain places. As long as there is a good net connection, it could be anywhere in the world. Let's concentrate on the US for a moment. Why can't a successful startup not be in Dallas, Amarillo, Miami or Des Moines? Talented people already move from one coast to the other, so they could as well move to any other p…
Software Companies only have two real requirements on their location... skilled programmers, and money. Both are easier to come by in megacities, so that's how it ends up working most of the time.
Re: Rents in Megacities Can't Go Up Forever
#40> Rents in Megacities Can't Go Up Forever Yes it can, College Tuition is a great example. Instead of finding the cause and treating it, we just increase the amount of aid people have access to.
But college is not a necessity, whereas living somewhere is, and you can somewhat easily get money from the government (at least in the US) to support your degree, whereas you can't really get that for your housing.