All of this week I had to commute from North County into Downtown. This has to be the only city in North America where during the morning rush hour commute there is more traffic heading away from downtown then towards. Traffic was at a standstill heading north and I just breezed my way into downtown without needing to break.
Actually, this happens in La as well. There is more traffic in the morning coming from downtown to the westside than from the westside to downtown. Ask anyone who drive on the I-10.
Actually it is not so much a validation of one city over anohter but the logical trend of not placing employment downtown. Big companies have gone the “campus” route and many other companies that have multiple locations don’t put their offices downtown if the don’t need to. Technology has eliminated the bicycle courier and the need to be a few blocks from suppliers, banks, etc.
Many employers that do not need a particular retail location choose a place based on land price, housing, parking and employee satisfaction (which means not downtown or anywhere near it).
My employer has a number of offices and in two decades I had to work at the downtown location for one year, it was like drawing the short straw. Everyone hates it, parking and traffic sucks and everybody is trying to get out. The nightlife doesn’t matter because you still have to drive home so you didn’t want to drink much. I did like jogging at lunch, downtown has more than it’s share of eye candy but I can see why employers choose other locations and will continue to avoid downtown areas. Industry needs more space, financial services can use technology to overcome geography and R&D needs happy people. I see more and more trending away from downtown in S.D. and other cities. Petco park wasn’t open during my stint, that may have changed my opinion and would lessen the blow if I had to go back. Why is Chicago and N.Y. different, because you can get drunk after work, party like a rock star and take the subway or a cab home, that’s employee satisfaction.
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