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At a tourist, Midtown is probably one of the least interesting parts of Manhattan IMO. Except for a few good attractions (Grand Central, MSG, Empire State, Rockafellar Center, etc.) it came off as mostly a bunch of chain stores and office buildings. Although it does have plenty go good areas to eat and go out to drink, I found other areas of Manhattan way more interesting. My hotel was in Midtown but we rarely hung out in the area. Also there is almost too many people out in that area and many of them are just a bunch of business suits, it's a massive business district of course so that is to be expected but just saying. Next I go I hope I don't end up staying in Midtown again.
I really wish some of these conversations were face to face.
Everything I've said in this thread I would say face to face too.
Getting back to the topic for a moment, if anyone ever told me to my face they think NYC and LA make Chicago look like a "big town" I would tell them they're a retard. Chicago from the Loop all the way to Edgewater (like 20 miles) is the most impressive stretch of "big city" in the country behind NYC.
If Chicago feels like a big town, then America is full of only big towns and no cities. Simple as that.
Agreed. The above statement was this guy from USC's thesis. It was posted online, and after reading it I have to agree with this logic. It's not the first time I've posted it, but here it is: http://spatial.usc.edu/wp-content/up...esis_Final.pdf
Thanks for posting. Interesting read.
2.5.2 A center is revealed, for those who choose to see it Almost every study of urban structure in Los Angeles finds a tightly-spaced, nearly-contiguous group of subcenters arranged in an arc along the base of the Santa Monica Mountains from the ocean to Downtown Los Angeles (the arbitrary CBD). These subcenters individually are consistently among the strongest of the region, and sometimes are separated from each other not by discontinuity but by the study author’s assumption that a center so large in area is preposterous on its face, or at least not a useful analysis result (Giuliano & Small, 1991, p.167). Thus the supposed lack of centrality in Los Angeles is actually merely an unwillingness to accept the singular center that could be formed by the potential combination of these arc-aligned subcenters. There are a few studies which have taken the step, if only as a side note, to explore the ramifications of combining this arc into a single center. When they do, they find a center which once again dominates the surrounding urban landscape. But they generally choose to ignore it, concluding not that this dominant center exists but rather that their delimitation method requires further refinement (Giuliano & Small, 1991).
I think I’ll mercilessly flog this statement whenever somebody claims LA lacks a center. I’ll present it reflexively, devoid of any context and, of course, without any desire or ability to produce its author for clarification. I can't be bargained with. I can't be reasoned with. I don’t feel pity, or remorse, or fear. And I absolutely will not stop, ever, until you are dead.
Midtown Manhattan is located between 34th and 59th streets. You can go as low as 23rd street if you want to be generous. Most of what people think of when they think of New York City is found in this area. Why deny it? Yes, downtown and Brooklyn have nice neighborhoods. Yes, there are other job centers. But the dominant one, without question is Midtown. Even if you say that the center of energy in NYC is everything south of 59th street, that's still only 10 sq miles.
Btw fitzrovian, that area in Japan comes out to 37.8 sq miles. The area bordered by DTLA to the East, the Pacific Ocean to the West, Wilshire Boulevard to the South and the Hollywood Hills to the East is roughly 60 sq miles. Not only are largest concentration of jobs found in this area, most of what everyone thinks of when they think Southern California is found here too. If L.A. is to expand its transit, it should look to Tokyo as a guide. It does in fact, have a heart, albeit a rather large one.
Last edited by RaymondChandlerLives; 08-24-2012 at 07:00 PM..
getting back to the topic for a moment, if anyone ever told me to my face they think nyc and la make chicago look like a "big town" i would tell them they're a retard. Chicago from the loop all the way to edgewater (like 20 miles) is the most impressive stretch of "big city" in the country behind nyc.
If chicago feels like a big town, then america is full of only big towns and no cities. Simple as that.
Thats not 20 miles, its about half, but I agree. It could go further than that actually.
Living in Chicago I never "wonder" about LA. I embrace my solid Midwestern town and my solid Midwestern roots. I don't have time in my lovely frenetic enough world to concern myself with things that are so unimportant. But it's lovely you like your community so much.
Last edited by deliz; 08-24-2012 at 07:06 PM..
Reason: Spelling
I could see the argument all the way to Evanston which is what I was originally thinking. My bad lol.
Quoted for truth.
Yeah Evanston is actually what I thought you meant.
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