Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Strangely enough, Seattle is not a bad comparison in terms of street-level feel.
No doubt, Seattle's DT is more upscale and more modern, with more residential, and LA is a bit bigger - although Seattle's downtown is a decent size if you consider from Pioneer Square to Belltown to South Lake Union.
BUT they both have an interesting patchwork feel with pockets of pedestrian friendly dense areas, pockets of less developed, a good number of mid-rise structures. Id say DT LA is more like DT Seattle than SF, at least from an urban planning perspective - the both have that collage/mish-mash feel
And a lot more, but I agree with you. Los Angeles does have more (and should given it's nations second largest city) intersections like that. While the similarities are thin in many ways, relations of how Downtown Miami and Downtown Atlanta are inhabited and how their growth has been directed for the last 50 years is more in line with Los Angeles than say a New York or a Boston.
Last edited by waronxmas; 02-22-2011 at 01:13 PM..
Location: The Greatest city on Earth: City of Atlanta Proper
8,468 posts, read 14,896,767 times
Reputation: 7263
Quote:
Originally Posted by kidphilly
I have never traveled through Asia but wondered if similar places exist
You really should, it's a eye opening experience for those who are interested in urban planning. Normally, terms such as "eye opening" are over used, but places like Makati in Manila is one the most fascinating places to study.
Imagine a city that was originally built by the Spanish and looked a lot like any large city in Spain layout wise:
Then got destroyed during the second world war and had to rebuild from the ground up (only a small portion of old Manila escaped destruction during the war) but not in the same way it was before. The city instead was rebuilt with Manhattan-style density (actually, almost every district in Manila is at least twice as dense as Manhattan), no subway and LA style auto centricity despite it's small size, with a Miami-esque flash with a little bit of Houston thrown in:
Basically the worst aspects of both the Sunbelt and the Northeast taken to their extreme. In year round 90 degree heat.
I maybe going out on a limb to say this but I think that even though LA's downtown is a little small for its city size, it still beats most of cities in this country when it comes to comparing downtowns. I honestly believe that there are only a few cities that can actually say there downtown is better. Thats New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia. Maybe San Francisco, Houston and Seattle could make a good argument also. Other than that their aren't many other cities who could make the argument that their downtown ranks higher than Los Angeles.
Location: Cleveland bound with MPLS in the rear-view
5,509 posts, read 11,816,905 times
Reputation: 2501
I've been told by people who live in LA that downtown is pretty dry and dead, especially considering a city of its size. I noticed there are SOME pics where there are lots of people, but I hear that is the exception to the rule. What is the truth?
I maybe going out on a limb to say this but I think that even though LA's downtown is a little small for its city size, it still beats most of cities in this country when it comes to comparing downtowns. I honestly believe that there are only a few cities that can actually say there downtown is better. Thats New York City, Chicago and Philadelphia. Maybe San Francisco, Houston and Seattle could make a good argument also. Other than that their aren't many other cities who could make the argument that their downtown ranks higher than Los Angeles.
I agree generally, but I think boston and DC are missing from your list.
I think in 20 years downtown LA will equal SF, Boston, and maybe DC as a civic/culture/shopping center (It definitely won't as a business center, though..).
And what is your point here with listing the number of high rises? Having more tall buildings doesn't mean it feels more urban and vibrant at the street level. Look at how a lot of those Miami high rises are built, there is a ton of space between them. Nowhere in Downtown Miami could pass for NYC, Chicago, or SF but you can find areas in LA that can.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
