@mr_woogers I love Carby and agree with you. I still can’t imagine retiring back to Illinois. You are Austin are amongst a small minority I would guess.
Some people love the car exhaust of the big city or the sterility of the burbs. I moved back here a few years ago and think it's great. Can't tell you how many people I've met that have moved here from Denver, LA, San Diego, etc. that love it here. Not perfect of course - good jobs are hard to find, etc.
Carbondale's a smallish college town of 25K. Still has a great music scene, a great place for film makers/photographers and nature lovers/ bikers/kayakers/fishermen. Good variety of restaurants, wineries, etc. To say it is crumbling is BS ...lots of urban renewal type things going on, depending on available funds.
And close to the big city if you want it!
Definitely a dearth of strip malls - that's a positive IMO.
Many of things you quote as being great…are not actual Carbondale things. You can’t say Carbondale isn’t crumbling….we have good wineries. A lot of the things you praise are southern Illinois things, not Carbondale things.
The hell I can't. Crumbling my ass! That is just a lie.
True there isn't a winery in the city limits! But St. Nicholas Microbrewery has a good restaurant at the airport, Buckwater Brew works has whiskey for drunks with money, nice variety of restaurants also, free summer concerts. Everything else I said IS Carbondale (and Murph too). When you talk of a town of course you include the environs.
Illinois avenue streetscape improvements, a new music venue/bandshell is going up downtown, the impressive new transportation center now has a roof, new hotels like Home 2 Suites by Hilton on the strip, Best Western, great public golf course in Hickory Ridge, new super-splash park, new Bucky dome visitor center, etc. Work is proceeding on that paved bike trail from Murph to Marion, there's a nice paved trail on north Oakland now, the Green Earth org has 4 nature preserves around the city with walking trails, etc. The old fire station venue work is proceeding, other new businesses (Harbor Freight is the latest), etc. Even the hospital has added on, SIU Medicine has built a large clinic on N. Illinois..
And SIU? In the last 20 years new or renewed library, great football stadium, awesome arena, new track/soccer facility, new baseball facility, new student services building, new boathouse on campus lake, new Faner Plaza...hopefully work will start on the Comm bldg renewal/expansion soon.
That's just off the top of my head - probably missing a few. I've lived in wealthy suburbs, big cities, etc. Would never go back but then I like fishing, biking, nature, Salukis!! love the CarbonMurph area - way better than it used to be (although I loved it when I was a student too) with one exception: need more students on our beautiful campus.
Grinch57 is an armpit of negativity and dishonesty IMO!
So you do you….but if I’m doing fishing and nature I’m going outside of Carbondale. Southern Illinois is a great place for these things, however the city of Carbondale, I don’t think so. However I might be slightly off, I have never lived in the suburbs or cities….just the “slums” of the country and So Ill. I love southern Illinois, but there are just some things Carbondale can’t overcome. IMO Marion is becoming more of a hub….but a lot of this is due to transportation measures changing. Hwy 51 used to be the major transportation Mecca through so ill, now it is interstate 57. Just look at all of the major “cities” around the tri state area. They all have a major interstate running through them….Carbondale has SIU, which finally stabilized the enrollment decline. Carbondale has lost some businesses and need to correct and be more business friendly….like neighbor Marion. I want Carbondale to succeed but like I said people want to claim things as “Carbondale” when they are actually southern Illinois. I love southern Illinois and wish Carbondale nothing but the best.
Just to clarify, these are my opinions. I live just outside of C-dale and many of these things you talk about, I can do outside of the city limits and with better resources. If I’m going to shop or eat or do extra curricular activities there are a lot of better options…..if I’m willing to drive 15 mins more. I go to Cdale for the convenience factor. But city wise, Paducah, Cape, and Marion are probably higher in the pecking order if I’m being honest.
Sure for nature you go to Giant City or the Shawnee, but every thing I said up above IS Carbondale. Most towns lost businesses during the pandemic. Carbondale has new businesses and there are more to come. Places like Bed Bath Beyond are gone everywhere and Macy's and Best Buy are closing stores every year. There is a great Kroger in C'dale and a nice Kohl's and a Barnes and Noble. Marion has a giant Walmart. And an empty large ballpark - closed.
So you like the fast food jungle that is Marion? How about that giant, empty mall they have with the Target hidden behind it? That is one crappy town ... unless you like high cholesterol, high blood pressure, and the sound off semis rolling by all night long! They're trying to add some culture to that place with the Civic Center, which is nice, but I won't be buying a ticket to watch 200 year old Charo shake her booty. I'd rather watch Jason Isbell down on the strip for free or go to the Southern Illinois Music Festival at SIU.
I've heard Paducah's down town is nice, but the fast food jungle off the interstate is awful - good for starved travelers I guess!! Been to Cape - nice big Menards.
I have friends in Marion. They're over here all the time to the international grocery store or the "organic" Coop grocery store. Looking for real food. Or shopping at Kohls.
When I do eat out, I much prefer the Taste of Thai, Mary Lou's, Quatros, 17th Street in Murph ... any place but the fast food cesspool of Marion.
culture vs. fast food
I repeat. Carbondale isn’t crumbling.
So food chains that bring in revenue dollars to the city….equals bad? Not sure Id call Marion a cesspool and you might take a better look at Cape. More than just Menards…..if you want to say I have the blinders on when looking at cdale, you might take yours off when looking at other places as well. The only place good in this world is Carbondale.
One other thing about Marion: their traffic lights are poorly synchronized, and it can take forever to get through that place. I drive to Harrisburg to visit my brother fairly often, and I always avoid going through Marion if I can.
I couldn't agree more about the hellscape on the west side of Marion. It's awful, ugly, and depressing: it embodies everything that is wrong with American commercial development. Mind you, I'm sure the city leaders of Carbondale would love to have the tax revenue generated by that hellscape (and frankly I would too), but yeah: no thanks. Hideous.
I live within walking distance of Murdale shopping center and am a two-minute drive of Schnuck's, another good grocery store. I do worry about the commercial future of Carbondale, but it is certainly no shithole, and I am damned glad to be here.
Thanks for posting this.
(Inflammatory political snark)
Who wouldn’t take $600,000 a year (a $100,000 pay raise) to live and work in the Carbondale area? It’s not like we’re talking about Peoria
Looks like a good hire. The administration did exactly what they said they would do. Welcome coach Nagy. Gas up the car so you can leave right after the presser tomorrow.
One other thing about Marion: their traffic lights are poorly synchronized, and it can take forever to get through that place. I drive to Harrisburg to visit my brother fairly often, and I always avoid going through Marion if I can.
I couldn't agree more about the hellscape on the west side of Marion. It's awful, ugly, and depressing: it embodies everything that is wrong with American commercial development. Mind you, I'm sure the city leaders of Carbondale would love to have the tax revenue generated by that hellscape (and frankly I would too), but yeah: no thanks. Hideous.
I live within walking distance of Murdale shopping center and am a two-minute drive of Schnuck's, another good grocery store. I do worry about the commercial future of Carbondale, but it is certainly no shithole, and I am damned glad to be here.
Thanks for posting this.
I drive to Harrisburg daily through Marion and see no different driving through it than I do driving through cdale to each their own. In regards to the small businesses and “mom and pop” shops that are in Cdale….yes those are great but unfortunately they are a dying breed and do not generate the revenue as the larger “commercial” businesses. This coming from a person that has multiple small businesses in his family. “Shop local” however lots of revenue comes from those out of towners wanting to go shop or eat. The problem with Carbondale is with enrollment decreasing and no major “through” route you have to have these commercial businesses drawing people in. Your local economy can only take you so far. Speaking of which next week should be popping with the eclipse traffic.
Damn, it sure is going to be hopping! If we didn't have so much family coming in, I could have paid a good bit of my property taxes from renting out our house! Grrr.
I get what you're saying about businesses that bring in tax revenue (hence my remark about how I'd like to see C-dale have some of that), but good lord: it's such a dystopian car-centric crapfest over there.
I can get from the west side of C-dale to the far east side in 5-7 minutes--Marion not so much. I'm willing to admit that it just FEELS so much longer, but I honestly don't think so.
(Inflammatory political snark)
So, this thread has devolved into a comparison of Carbondale & Marion? I like 'em both. I frequently hit Target, GNC, Sam's Club, Red Lobster, & Backyard Burger when I'm in Marion. But I'm a Carbondale Terrier born & bred. We have better pizza joints (although Walt's Double-Decker is damn good), a better local Music Scene, better grocery stores, better outlet malls....and SIU!
So, this thread has devolved into a comparison of Carbondale & Marion? I like 'em both. I frequently hit Target, GNC, Sam's Club, Red Lobster, & Backyard Burger when I'm in Marion. But I'm a Carbondale Terrier born & bred. We have better pizza joints (although Walt's Double-Decker is damn good), a better local Music Scene, better grocery stores, better outlet malls....and SIU!
Exactly! Having a university with all the associated events and benefits in C'Dale blows away the other towns mentioned..not to mention we are surrounded by a national forest and beautiful lakes. I have relatives who have lived here longer than I have - they love it here and occasionally visit the other towns mentioned, but ask them if they would like to live in Marion and they turn green!
And C'Dale has their fair share of fast food joints... but nothing like the mess by the intersate in Marion and Paducah thank God.
I go to Marion for Menards, Target once in a blue moon, and friends who mistakenly moved there from up north because of slightly lower taxes. Couldn't pay me to live there.
Carbondale is still a cool college town in my mind. Marion is a food/gas/piss stop on the way to points south.
I know that this is my first post; however, I've lurked for a long time and used to be on Saluki Talk back in the day. I am an 07' and 10' SIU Graduate.
I am waiting to see the press conference but I am having a hard time seeing how this is a rock star hire.
I see people commenting on the Mullins win padding while celebrating a coach who beat IUPUI and the powerhouse of Detriot Mercy...
I'm sure he'll be solid, but aren't we tired of solid? Winning is fun. The campus was electric in those 2000's winning days. I don't see this as a "rock star" hire. Talking media heads are giving praise like you pat a child's head... good job SIU... you got someone who will be steady and maybe... if you're lucky you can see the tournament 2 or maybe 3 times in the next 10 years.
I was so in on Spradlin. Young coach, gunner, and someone worth the money. Take a risk! *Did you pony up? No. My donor pockets are literally still paying SIU...*
I just want to see SIU win, and I fear that we have fallen into the trap of good enough for now.
Maybe I'm wrong, maybe this is the guy who creates energy, winning and sellouts. I was in the stands during the Creighton games and nothing has come close to the for SIU in years... is he the guy to bring it back?
I can't jump on just yet, maybe by 2 PM today I'll have a change of heart. For now, I'm not there.
Besides winning the MVC, going to the NCAA tournament and beating the snot out of Bradley our goal each year should be to have a better season than James Madison!https://twitter.com/nlorensensports/status/1773739703478501540?s=46&t=7s0hTttieSER8wqRSA0LoA
The more I think about it, the more happy I am that we got Nagy instead of Spradlin. I get the impression that with Spradlin he'd be on to the next shiny new thing after one good season. Not so sure that'd be the case with Nagy.
Of course, there's nothing wrong with looking to better yourself, but I prefer the more secure route so long as it comes with the appropriate amount of winning.
--Insert something witty here--
Besides winning the MVC, going to the NCAA tournament and beating the snot out of Bradley our goal each year should be to have a better season than James Madison!https://twitter.com/nlorensensports/status/1773739703478501540?s=46&t=7s0hTttieSER8wqRSA0LoA
Among other participants in the Saluki coaching search sweepstakes, I have seen Jerrod Calhoun linked to Utah State. But it looks like Tod Kowalczyk of Toledo is the favorite there (Kowalczyk also was was mentioned early on for the SIU job, although I was never bullish on him).
Besides winning the MVC, going to the NCAA tournament and beating the snot out of Bradley our goal each year should be to have a better season than James Madison!https://twitter.com/nlorensensports/status/1773739703478501540?s=46&t=7s0hTttieSER8wqRSA0LoA
Among other participants in the Saluki coaching search sweepstakes, I have seen Jerrod Calhoun linked to Utah State. But it looks like Tod Kowalczyk of Toledo is the favorite there (Kowalczyk also was was mentioned early on for the SIU job, although I was never bullish on him).
Curious if Calhoun was offered the job. If he was and declined, I wonder why because it doesn't seem like he's moving up this cycle.
Agree with the post above that Spradlin likely would have been gone the first chance he got whereas there's more potential for a longer run with Nagy.
I think Calhoun is actually heavily in the running at Utah State
