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Thanks I was skeptical of the MD Allstars claim that DC was 2x the size of Boston and Phillys downtown area wise. It appears my doubts were justified.
I get it. These threads are all about my boat is bigger than your boat. Thats not what I am trying to do here but Philadephias downtown reallys does spill over and encaptures University City.The only things seperates the 2 districts is the Schuylkill River which is about 50 feet wide.
You could easily make the argument that downtown Philly is 3.5 sq. mi. if you added University Citys 1.75 sq mi. not to mention 60,000 jobs,50,000 residents,and 40,000 college students.
This is from University City looking east toward Center City.
My mistake, its only double Boston's downtown now. It won't be double Phillies downtown until noma and SW are done. Then it will actually be approaching triple the size of these downtowns.
I walk practically everyday from one side of Center City to another, albeit not quite end to end. It's only about half hour walk and if I wanted to run errands or go shopping, practically every daily necessity is on the way. I have also walked north to south, from say Old City to Italian Market and further south along Passyunk Ave, and that's also pretty easy to do and doesn't take very long. Philly's built downtown and nearby neighborhoods are probably more compact than SF's. I can't see myself walking from Goldengate Park to financial district in SF, for example not only because of the hills but also just the distance seems further... may be my mind is playing tricks, I don't know.
SFs downtown and inner neighborhoods (tenderloin, north beach, chinatown, polk street, mission, castro, fillmore, pacific heights, marina, SOMA, etc. etc.) are objectively more compact and denser than Phillys. The data in terms of population and structural density speak to that.
SF also has a more bustling, urban feel than Philly, imo.
In all honesty some of those pics of DC suburbs were nice but did not have that old school grit and look to them, in fact some of those pics look similar to what you would find here in Dallas and even some parts of LA, but nice never the less. BTW I really liked that view of Charlestown you get when drive on the Tobin, I sometimes miss certain things of Boston like the clam chowder from Kelly's and the breakfasts from donut villa in Malden, but the winters is what made me leave.
In all honesty some of those pics of DC suburbs were nice but did not have that old school grit and look to them, in fact some of those pics look similar to what you would find here in Dallas and even some parts of LA, but nice never the less. BTW I really liked that view of Charlestown you get when drive on the Tobin, I sometimes miss certain things of Boston like the clam chowder from Kelly's and the breakfasts from donut villa in Malden, but the winters is what made me leave.
Yeah, Arlington and Bethesda definitely don't have the old school urban grit you would find in an old city like B-more or NYC. They look a little like Kendell Square and some of what has gone up in South Boston Waterfront. Some of the stuff going up in Jersey is pretty similar.
I'm of mixed opinions on it. It's cookie cutter but its also the only real way to urbanize and grow in any meaningful way.
DC even has URBAN Cities with URBAN Culture right in its Suburbs (Maryland & NOVA)..
Maryland side of the DC Suburbs:
NOVA/Northern VA side of the DC Suburbs:
These are some of DC suburbs that has Urban Flavor
DMV - Some more great pics also to 585- Some more great pics of Boston
to DMV - you do have a few pics of some asian cities and there is one of Chicago out by O'hare, it actually includes the NCAA and AMA headquarters, know that place well...
SFs downtown and inner neighborhoods (tenderloin, north beach, chinatown, polk street, mission, castro, fillmore, pacific heights, marina, SOMA, etc. etc.) are objectively more compact and denser than Phillys. The data in terms of population and structural density speak to that.
SF also has a more bustling, urban feel than Philly, imo.
I think SF and Philly are very close on this aspect, to me Philly is slightly more but they are very very close, to me just a slight notch above boston on this aspect which to me also offers a great vibrant urban feel as well, DC does a pretty good job too, there isnt all that much that seperates these four on this aspect
I love how Washington DC has suburbs with their own downtowns. Silver Spring, Arlington and more...truly fascinating. Drive around DC's suburbs, you would be very surprised to find some skylines and hefty office centers.
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