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4. Surprisingly, I didn't see that many street vendors. It's possible that this was the case because I visited on a weekend; there may be more on the streets during the week. But in Philly, I feel that you can get a hoagie or hot dog on pretty much any corner.
You have to travel to the Hispanic neighborhoods to find street vendors. Lower westside neighborhoods of Pilsen and the Little Village have plenty.
These remarks are just totally inaccurate, i've never heard anything so far from the truth on this forum. The problem is what is being defined as "Downtown DC" There are areas such as 14th and K St, Connecticut Ave, M St. etc that constantly have activity every single day of the week in DC. Gallery Place-Chinatown is becoming a problem area now because of the constant activity on 7th Street and at Metro stations in that area. The main thing is that DC's is spread out across multiple neighborhoods across the city. What streets are you determining as a part of "Downtown" does it end at NY Ave on the north and how far to the West is Downtown? There are plenty of active areas through the city outside of those boundaries. Someone was mentioning the other day about H Street NE being now a new hot spot area for bars and clubs, it all depends on what is being considered. Of course not to mention Adams Morgan, U street, and lastly GTown. DC's downtown is not as centrally concentrated as some other big cities.
I define the boundaries of downtown DC roughly as North Capitol Street to the east, N Street to the north, 24th Street to the west, and the SW Freeway to the south.
DC's downtown is not as centrally concentrated? What are you talking about? Adams Morgan, Georgetown and U Street are not downtown. And H Street is not a "new hot spot." Spots like the Martini Lounge, Sticky Rice, and H St Country Club have been open for a while. H Street is not a recent discovery. How long have you been living in the area exactly?
Downtown DC is as bland as you can get. Superblocks with very little retail. When you do get retail, it's a Radio Shack, Potbelly's, Quizno's, Au Bon Pain, Five Guys, or Subway. And that's like every block...from Metro Center to Farragut West. And downtown is completely dead after work and on the weekends (7th Street and K Street at night, excepted). 7th Street is alright, but it's just 3 or 4 blocks with any real development. Basically, it sucks, especially for a city/metro area its size.
during the day and you are right between Market and Arch is sleepy at night but one block to Chestnut, then to Walnut (and Samsom, Locust, Spruce) the city explodes in a matter of a few hundred feet,
I can vouch for Kid here. Could not believe the mass of people out last night in what is usual a slow time with everyone vacationing down the Shore. We hung out At Zavinos in what was a former red light district( 12th + 13th Chestnut Sansom Walnut.) Absolutely incredible to see the transformation at night here.
Then you have your strongholds.
Rittenhouse- Upscale metrosexuals.
Old City( they'll be 5,000-10,000 South Jerseyans and college kids down there on a given weekend night.
South Street seems to be evolving from Hippy/hipster haven to urban hangout.
The hipsters seem to have moved to Northern Liberties.
Univ City has a great vibe about it as well.
Traffic was bumper to bumper on 3rd street from Christian to Spring Garden. Thats about 1 1/2 miles.
Old City 2nd + Chestnut.
Typical casual setting you find throughout Center City
I can vouch for Kid here. Could not believe the mass of people out last night in what is usual a slow time with everyone vacationing down the Shore. We hung out At Zavinos in what was a former red light district( 12th + 13th Chestnut Sansom Walnut.) Absolutely incredible to see the transformation at night here.
Then you have your strongholds.
Rittenhouse- Upscale metrosexuals.
Old City( they'll be 5,000-10,000 South Jerseyans and college kids down there on a given weekend night.
South Street seems to be evolving from Hippy/hipster haven to urban hangout.
The hipsters seem to have moved to Northern Liberties.
Univ City has a great vibe about it as well.
Traffic was bumper to bumper on 3rd street from Christian to Spring Garden. Thats about 1 1/2 miles.
Old City 2nd + Chestnut.
Typical casual setting you find throughout Center City
South Street 5th + South
Cool pics. Makes me a little jealous that I only have Quizno's, Potbelly's and Subway to choose from for lunch tomorrow.
First off I love Chicago, and love the city. The loop is more packed than Downtown Philly during the day and you are right between Market and Arch is sleepy at night but one block to Chestnut, then to Walnut (and Samsom, Locust, Spruce) the city explodes in a matter of a few hundred feet, the loop or even the Mag Mile does not deliver on this level of vibrance that close to the core, pockets, sure but not in the same way. but this is where the difference is, there is no equivelent in Chicago in that proximity, maybe even overall, seriously between 12th and 21st and Chestnut to Spruce, I honestly dont think Chicago has an area that can compare day/night, having said I absolutely positively LOVE Chicago and believe it to be the true #2 city in the US
In the core is the only area I would put Philly ahead even if that is only the 36 square blocks I alluded to
There is nothing in River North even close to this area of CC, and I like River North (Question for the Chicago folk is Rush/Division part of River North? never could figure that out)
There are patches in Chicago's core that can be as lively as those streets in Center City. They are not close to the downtown skyline though, just a bit further up north and perhaps west too. Chicago's core, the way I see it, is really large. Really, as far as nightlife scene is concerned, I would give the nod to Center City because it is more accessible in the immediate downtown area.
But this topic is about who has the 2nd best downtown in the US. That includes far more than just night scene, but also skyline, shopping, parks, location, people, business, cleanliness, vibrancy (day & night) etc. There are somethings Philly does better than Chicago (nightlife scene), but overall Chicago wins. There's so many great things about Chicago's downtown that Philly really lacks. Downtown Chicago IMO, looks way more world class, feels more world class and actually is more world class. I actually think downtown Chicago is more beautiful than Center City (I know I might get some flack for this), but it's true to my eyes. Chicago's so photogenic and breathtaking. Philly's is charming and fun, but not breathtaking.
Cool pics. Makes me a little jealous that I only have Quizno's, Potbelly's and Subway to choose from for lunch tomorrow.
The thing about Philly is that it had to reinvent itself to survive and its strangely why Philadlephia is one of the hidden gems of the country. It didnt have the national developers and big chain stores that was rampant during the economic boom periods. It pretty much did its own thing and why it is so unique on a retail and restaurant level.
Architecturally as well. Alot of NYC and Chi lost their architectural soul with building booms. Most of Philly is still intact for better or worse as it did not see the massive booms that Chi + NY saw.
The suburbs got lots of outside investment/chain stores restaurants etc. Philly was and still is mainly dependent on private start-ups.
There are patches in Chicago's core that can be as lively as those streets in Center City. They are not close to the downtown skyline though, just a bit further up north and perhaps west too. Chicago's core, the way I see it, is really large. Really, as far as nightlife scene is concerned, I would give the nod to Center City because it is more accessible in the immediate downtown area.
But this topic is about who has the 2nd best downtown in the US. That includes far more than just night scene, but also skyline, shopping, parks, location, people, business, cleanliness, vibrancy (day & night) etc. There are somethings Philly does better than Chicago (nightlife scene), but overall Chicago wins. There's so many great things about Chicago's downtown that Philly really lacks. Downtown Chicago IMO, looks way more world class, feels more world class and actually is more world class. I actually think downtown Chicago is more beautiful than Center City (I know I might get some flack for this), but it's true to my eyes. Chicago's so photogenic and breathtaking. Philly's is charming and fun, but not breathtaking.
Rack that guy.
Good post.
Chicagos downtown is indeed much more dynamic,Philadlephia more quaint.
Philadlephias business tax policy is the second most burdensome in the country behind NYC. That has helped push most new business in the past 20 years out into the Philly suburbs.
If Philadlephia were just average to the rest of the country concerning office sq. footage-regional share- it would have 6 1/2 more towers the size of Liberty One(975 ft) in Center City.
In some respects Center City is completely backwards from the rest of the country. In most cases-not all- most people work downtown and live in the suburbs. In Center Citys case many live downtown and work in the suburbs.
There are patches in Chicago's core that can be as lively as those streets in Center City. They are not close to the downtown skyline though, just a bit further up north and perhaps west too. Chicago's core, the way I see it, is really large. Really, as far as nightlife scene is concerned, I would give the nod to Center City because it is more accessible in the immediate downtown area.
But this topic is about who has the 2nd best downtown in the US. That includes far more than just night scene, but also skyline, shopping, parks, location, people, business, cleanliness, vibrancy (day & night) etc. There are somethings Philly does better than Chicago (nightlife scene), but overall Chicago wins. There's so many great things about Chicago's downtown that Philly really lacks. Downtown Chicago IMO, looks way more world class, feels more world class and actually is more world class. I actually think downtown Chicago is more beautiful than Center City (I know I might get some flack for this), but it's true to my eyes. Chicago's so photogenic and breathtaking. Philly's is charming and fun, but not breathtaking.
I think we both mostly agree actually. both are really good at what they are these days and both continue to get better. Glad I get spend in both!
But this topic is about who has the 2nd best downtown in the US. That includes far more than just night scene, but also skyline, shopping, parks, location, people, business, cleanliness, vibrancy (day & night) etc. There are somethings Philly does better than Chicago (nightlife scene), but overall Chicago wins. There's so many great things about Chicago's downtown that Philly really lacks. Downtown Chicago IMO, looks way more world class, feels more world class and actually is more world class. I actually think downtown Chicago is more beautiful than Center City (I know I might get some flack for this), but it's true to my eyes. Chicago's so photogenic and breathtaking. Philly's is charming and fun, but not breathtaking.
I would indeed give most of these things (skyline, shopping, people, business and cleanliness) to Chicago. I think CC has better parks, which increases its vibrancy. As far as location, I guess Chicago could take this because of its beaches, but I like how CC is crammed between two rivers, much like Manhattan.
Downtown Chicago is more world-class than Center City, but then again, so is Downtown DC. I like to admire buildings, but I also like to have fun, and Downtown DC is not that. I would never take my girlfriend downtown and lay out in the grass in McPherson Square. We might as well go to a Northern Virginia office park. When I think of Center City, I think of a mixture of bars, restaurants, pubs, art studios, colonial rowhouses and public spaces all directly in the midst of tall steel and glass towers. I like that mixture. Imagine how lame Midtown Manhattan would be if it were just like the Financial District. Midtown is fun to me not simply because of the huge crowds and the huge buildings, but also because there's actually a lot of cool stuff to do there.
I agree that DT Chicago looks better than Center City...to the extent of its cleanliness anyway. I like old architecture, so in that sense, I don't find it more aesthetically appealing than CC.
Last edited by BajanYankee; 08-30-2010 at 09:58 AM..
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